2020 review: COVID-19’s impact on the nutrition industry and trending themes

23 Dec 2020 --- The year saw COVID-19 tint every facet of nutrition, as the pandemic’s march caused industry disruptions and heightened interest in immunity.

From affecting supply chains to trade shows, the novel coronavirus infiltrated almost every aspect of the industry, which rose to the occasion. Despite this, industry trends such as personalized nutrition, mood-boosting formulations, CBD and digestive health maintained their popularity.

NutritionInsight reviews the key themes and trends that drove innovation across the nutrition industry this year.

The COVID-19 impact
COVID-19 offered the industry a rough start to the year, causing delays and disruptions across several food and nutrition supply chains. Trade shows were cancelled and many opted for the virtual route to help industry stay connected amid unprecedented times. Despite the hurdles however, supply chains were focalized as a priority so that the market can continue to flourish, especially within the nutritional ingredients space.

E-commerce and private label saw a sharp rise as industry braced itself for the second wave of the pandemic and beyond. The sports nutrition segment presented a mixed picture in terms of how it fared amid COVID-19, however it plans to come out of this crisis “stronger than ever.”

Furthermore, global hunger rates rose this year, despite the UN’s aim to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030. 

The Ceres2030: Sustainable Solutions to End Hunger project used data from the UN report to highlight that an additional US$10 billion is urgently needed to prevent millions more people becoming food insecure due to the pandemic.

COVID-19 caused disruptions to supply chains globally while the e-commerce market began to flourish under lockdown restrictions.Combating COVID-19
In the fight against the novel coronavirus, many nutritional ingredients came to the fore. Amid the top ones were Ashwagandha and propolis, pre- and probiotics, vitamin C and vitamin K, vitamin D and selenium. 

Immunity-boosting supplementation also experienced increased interest, with gut health at the core of a holistic preventative approach to COVID-19.

Vitamin D’s rise and fall?
Among other nutrients spotlighted this year in the fight again COVID-19, vitamin D had its day in the sun. 

Many pegged it as beneficial for immunity, with some UK experts repeatedly calling for vitamin D to be investigated as a low-cost and low-risk intervention. PharmaLinea also released a literature review paper on the link between COVID-19 and vitamin D.

However, opposing sides flagged the potential dangers of vitamin D supplementation in the fight against COVID-19. Some experts supported that over-supplementation may bring negative outcomes, while others saying there is no link between vitamin D and benefits for COVID-19 patients. 

Immunity top of mind
The pandemic propelled immunity into one of the top nutritional trends of the year. Echoing this, Innova Market Insights included “In Tune with Immune” in its Top Ten Trends for 2021 list. 

NutritionInsight covered the topic extensively, speaking with experts on the trending immunity ingredients, the subtrends in the space, and the future of the segment in a post-pandemic world.

A deep dive into digestive health
News featuring keywords such as “gut health” and “probiotics” relating to “immunity” snatched headlines this year. 

Probiotics were a hot topic throughout the year. They were featured in numerous product launches, targeting everything from immunity to weight management. 

Immunity-boosting ingredients, such as elderberry, enjoyed a massive rise in consumer interest due to rising health concerns over the pandemic. US-based supplement supplier RB launched a microbiome brand with probiotics that even target heart health, vaginal health and mood.

Prebiotics, the food for probiotics, were also of industry interest due to them stimulating beneficial probiotics growth in the gut. In turn, this contributes to overall health and immunity against viral infections.

In the context of COVID-19, probiotics also played a prominent role. Biosearch Life launched a clinical trial examining the effect of its Hereditum Immunactiv K8 probiotic product on COVID-19. 

Meanwhile, Lallemand joined forces with research institutes to develop a vaccine made with live bacteria and yeast.

The triangle of gut health, immunity and COVID-19 was a recurring theme throughout industry trade shows exhibiting virtually this year, including Vitafoods Virtual Expo 2020 and Health ingredients Europe Connect. 

Outside of the immunity space, however, gut health was linked to a number of other prominent health sectors. 

Traditionally an infant nutrition category, human milk oligosaccharides have been spotlighted for their gut health-boosting potential in adults. 

Industry innovation in this field included GI Stability from Standard Process, Holigos IBS Restore from Glycom and PureHMO Preobiotic from Layer Origin.

Probiotics played an important role due to the pandemic with companies such as Biosearch Life launching clinical trials into their effects on COVID-19. Mood: The next occasion
Linking digestive to mental health, the gut-brain axis may be an industry sector less understood, but holding even more market potential.

With consumers increasingly understanding that aspects of their health are interlinked, so is demand rising for psychobiotics, or probiotics targeting mental wellness. 

This year, FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ harnessed galactooligosaccharides into its Biotis range to provide mood benefits. The APC Microbiome Ireland patented a Bifidobacterium strain addressing metabolic and mental health, while Lallemand Health Solutions brought the first psychobiotic to the Brazilian market in October.

Maintaining a positive mood throughout the pandemic underwent various interpretations, ranging from adaptogen-rich snack bars to app technology.

Honorable mentions 
The CBD market faced regulatory hurdles this year, with the cannabis derived supplement facing licensing uncertainty in many countries despite a consistent rise in NPD. 

In July, the European Commission froze all applications of hemp extracts and natural cannabinoids under Novel Food regulation, considering them to be drugs. This led UK-based companies to eye an opportunity, since the British Food Standards Authority authorized CBD food applications. 

However, efforts were made to create and improve regulatory frameworks. The Council for Responsible Nutrition in the US filed a Citizen’s Petition to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), requesting it to establish a legal pathway for marketing hemp derived CBD products. 

Personalized nutrition technology, such as the Lumen device, brought at-home metabolic testing mainstream. Similarly, the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) launched a Novel Food Consortium, attempting to set a Novel Food joint application in motion.

As increasing numbers of experts and studies indicated that a “one size fits all” approach does not work in nutrition, personalized nutrition continued a steady rise. Innova Market Insights listed “Tailored to Fit” as a top trend for 2021. 

Personalized nutrition has been spurred by the COVID-19 virus, which has forced individuals to adapt their sports and nutrition habits to the closing of gyms and restricted access to in-person healthcare. In addition, people began turning to telehealth services for consultation. 

Improvements in technology also catalyzed this growth, with innovations such as the Lumen device and app that measures metabolism through carbon dioxide measurements and the Amazfit wristwatch, which measures heart rate and sleep patterns, becoming widely available. 

Transcending traceability 
Ingredient traceability became a key industry requirement, with the FDA establishing additional traceability recordkeeping requirements for foods on a “Food Traceability List.”

The heart health sector in particular emphasized that the “future of supplements” lies in supply chain transparency, with experts linking the trend to consumer demand for natural ingredients. 

Innova Market Insights marked “Transparency Triumphs” as its top trend for 2021, noting that six in ten global consumers are interested in learning more about where foods come from.

By Kristiana Lalou, Anni Schleicher and Louis Gore-Langton