Functional health in 2024: Prinova spotlights ingredient and health trends for nutrition industry

03 Jan 2024 --- Consumer focus on healthy eating is shifting from food restriction to inclusion, according to Prinova’s 2024 Functional Health Trends report. The global supplier of ingredient and premix manufacturing solutions for F&B and nutrition spotlights an increasing prominence of natural, branded ingredients, targeting specific health areas and focusing on personal nutrition. 

Nutrition Insight discusses the trends and ingredients the company spotlights for the upcoming year with James Street, Prinova’s marketing director for the EMEA and APAC regions. 

“Today’s emerging consumer trends shape tomorrow’s leading products and brands, inspiring our new Functional Health Trends report. Using expert analysis of patterns in social media, retail and food service, we have built a comprehensive framework of nine consumer mega-trends and their associated sub-trends, which key social and cultural drivers underpin.” 

“These include increasing consumer demand for economical and effective solutions to relieve the stresses of a less stable world, such as products that support their health, respect the planet and provide indulgence and comfort.” 

The nine “mega-trends” the report identifies are “Targeted Nutrition,” “Hack my Health,” “Starts in the Gut,” “State of Mind,” “The Usual Suspects,” “Performance+,” “Real Food Rules,” “Accessible Health” and “Healthy Me, Healthy Planet.” 

Access to targeted nutrition 
Prinova highlights that consumers are looking for easier ways to improve their health and longevity, turning to nutrition that targets specific health areas and is easily incorporated into their daily lives. 

The company draws attention to products targeted toward children, ensuring kids eat “less of the bad” and consume optimal nutrition for their brain, bone and gut health, for example, functional confectionery that helps them overcome sugar cravings. 

Moreover, as consumers are becoming “sober curious,” brands are meeting this need with drinks with added benefits, such as alcohol-free beer with protein or added vitamins. 

Within each of the nine mega-trends, Prinova highlights specific sub-trends that will be critical areas for significant growth in 2024 and beyond, explains Street. 

“In the ‘Targeted Nutrition’ mega-trend, for example, female reproductive health stands out. This undoubtedly reflects the growing demand for natural support for menopause in particular, as this once-taboo topic becomes more openly discussed in the media and society in general.” 

“Another area of interest in the ‘Accessible Health’ space is convenience, with consumers on the lookout for the easiest ways to fulfill their health needs in their ever-busier lives. Our precisely formulated ‘ready-to-drink’ and ‘ready-to-mix’ solutions are a great example of how manufacturers can support this demand.” 

Gut health remains a crucial focus area as science continues to explore how it affects overall well-being. According to Prinova, ingredients to support the gut are incorporated into familiar formats, including for children. 

As an example of accessible formats, the company points to the Superloaf “feel good bread” — a re-engineered bread without salt, sugar, carbs and saturated and trans fats, and with selected prebiotic fibers. 

As gut health remains a crucial focus area, Prinova highlights that ingredients are incorporated into familiar formats, including for children.Personalizing and natural nutrition 
With a growing consumer interest and awareness in how products interact with their genotypes, phenotypes and lifestyles, companies are increasingly offering personalized services to cater to unique needs. 

Prinova underscores how technology and wellness collide in this area, for example, in the AI-enhanced personalized nutrition platform Noory to customize food intake for dietary goals. 

“Personalized nutrition is one to watch within the ‘Hack My Health’ mega-trend,” underscores Street, “as consumers become more aware of how they respond differently to ingredients, depending on their genotypes, phenotypes and lifestyles.” 

Meanwhile, within the “Performance+” mega-trend — focusing on nutrition for sports and active lifestyles — gaming has emerged as “the new frontier,” he stresses. Gamers seek nutritional support for the physical and mental endurance they require for success in long online sessions. 

Rediscovering naturals 
Prinova sees a move toward “whole” and “natural” foods as consumers shift away from complicated ingredient lists and instead look for products in their most natural, unprocessed form. The company notes that this includes recognizing benefits from animal-based products and whole-fat ingredients. 

The report also spots an ongoing search for new plant-based superfoods, returning to age-old traditions. For example, companies build on ingredients from traditional medicinal practices, which have relatively high credibility due to their long history of use. Recently, Singapore-based Haldy launched its Ayurvedic-inspired turmeric mints. 

Street adds: “Within the cognitive health — ‘State of Mind’ — space, traditional adaptogens such as our Rhodiola rosea and our branded Shagandha ashwagandha ingredients are highly sought after as customers look to address concerns around energy, focus and brain fog in the aftermath of the pandemic.” 

Street reveals that personalized nutrition is one to watch as consumers become more aware of how they respond differently to ingredients.“Another key trend is for perennially popular ingredients — ‘The Usual Suspects’ — that are now enjoying a new lease of life as consumers become aware of their wider functionality potential.” 

He highlights the example of protein. Though this ingredient is traditionally associated with bulking up in the gym, it is gaining more attention for promoting satiety and general wellness for the whole family. 

Street details several of Prinova’s ingredients in this area: “As well as animal-based products such as our OmniCol collagen, we also offer a comprehensive range of innovative plant-based proteins. These include fava bean and rice protein, chlorella powder and branded ingredients such as EAAlpha, three times more effective than whey for muscle protein synthesis.”

Competing with branded ingredients 
Among a demand for “real foods,” Prinova emphasizes there is still room for food fortification with functional ingredients. 

Street details that manufacturers are recognizing branded ingredients to communicate the efficacy of their ingredients. For example, though generic collagens are the norm, branded versions are featured as ingredient suppliers aim to distinguish their solutions from competitors. Moreover, Prinova points to “enhanced” branded ingredients.

“Branded ingredients stood out in our research as one of the most effective ways for manufacturers to communicate science-backed benefits and bolster credibility,” he adds. “This is key for increasingly savvy consumers keen to research the benefits of foods, beverages and supplements for themselves.” 

He explains that Prinova uses the identified market opportunities to help its customers realize this potential and create innovative new products by leveraging its ingredients, premix solutions and product development expertise. 

For example, the company holds a range of branded ingredients, such as enduracarb, a slow-release “double sugar” for endurance, and Bacopin, a Bacopera monniera ingredient that studies show may benefit memory and attention. 

Street concludes: “We will continue to support our customers in identifying the market trends that will drive growth in the future and to provide the ingredients they need to meet changing demand.”

By Jolanda van Hal