2021 review: Maturing pandemic trends shift toward mental health

24 Dec 2021 --- While the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic brought a significant focus on immunity, 2021 saw a rising awareness of the mental impacts of lockdowns and other related stresses. Mood-boosting and sleep-friendly NPD proliferated, while digestive health shook off its stigma.

NutritionInsight also takes a look back at other key themes that shaped 2021, like industry partnerships and the debate around plant-based nutrition.

All eyes on mood
This year, mental health was in the spotlight more than ever before. Consumers working from home struggled to balance their professional and personal lives, while ongoing anxiety surrounding the pandemic only served to heighten stress.  

The UK government went as far as allotting part of its £1 billion (US$1.4 billion) funding for its ten-year “Life Sciences Vision” specifically for mental health.  

As a result, NPD in this space has flourished, especially within beverages. Examples include PepsiCo’s Soulboost sparkling water and Daydream Drinks, positioned as Canada’s first sparkling water infused with hemp extracts and adaptogens to compete with coffee and conventional energy drinks. 

Following an investment in Daydream Drinks, Eat Beyond Global Holdings’ CEO also flagged that mindful consumption has led to “tremendous” opportunity within functional beverages for the health and wellness category.  

Across F&B launches targeting mood, adaptogens have been a key theme. Ashwagandha is proving to be especially popular, with companies like Givaudan and Gaia Herbs making use of the medicinal herb. Mood and sleep demands became a key mainstay during 2021.  

In pursuit of a good night’s sleep
Closely related to mood is sleep, with restful nights becoming a key priority. Again, natural solutions are proving popular, with a Pharmactive study showing a standardized saffron extract can promote restorative sleep even when taken as a single, low dose an hour before bedtime.  

Meanwhile, FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ Biotis SleepWell concept – a formula of dairy protein-derived amino acids tryptophan and cysteine, vitamins and Biotis GOS (galacto-oligosaccharides) – reduced stress and provided a better night’s sleep in a study of healthy adults. 

On the flip side of rising interest in nutrition’s impact on sleep and stress, an investigation from the Samueli Foundation warned that the increased consumption of supplements might be “alarming” as many people are uninformed.  

Overlaps with immunity
Although mood demands became a key priority, immunity remained a significant background feature of NPD in 2020 – including in brain launches.  

For example, VidaCap launched Myco Immune Gummies, harnessing mushroom extracts for immunity and improved focus.

Meanwhile, Ocean Spray Cranberries used Brightseed’s AI Forager technology to profile the compounds in cranberries and their impact on immunity and cognition. 

No shame around gut health
The stigma around digestive health was broken, with conversations around the gut flowing freely. 

Another major aspect is the gut’s role in other areas of health. Circling back to brain health, for example, Lallemand revealed its probiotic can help address mood-related behaviors in overweight adults who undergo diet-induced weight loss.  

Meanwhile, FrieslandCampina Ingredients’ galactooligosaccharide prebiotic ingredient Biotis GOS demonstrated an anxiolytic influence on the emotional well-being of self-reported highly anxious late adolescent women. 

Debating plant-based pros and cons
As the plant-based space continues to become more and more established, the debate raged on about its health qualities. For example, plant-based diets were linked with positive impacts on men’s health, heart disease, gut health and even COVID-19. 

Additionally, research from the American Heart Association found that eating higher quantities of red meat, processed red meat and non-dairy animal fat raise the risk of stroke, while consuming more vegetable fat or polyunsaturated fat lowers it.  

However, Kaneka warned that ubiquinol plasma levels in plant-based consumers are 23% lower than in omnivores. Additionally, the salt content of UK plant-based meat products was flagged as being “unnecessarily high.”

The dairy sector has also started opening up to plant-based options. Notably, FrieslandCampina Ingredients and Laïta Nutrition both rolled out plant-based proteins.   The debate surrounding plant-based nutrition rages on as dairy players enter the pea protein arena.

Business deals abound
While business uncertainties caused 2020 to be relatively quiet in terms of major deals, this year demonstrated that the show must go on with a host of partnerships. 

In May, for example, Lesaffre completed its takeover of NattoPharma, in a move pegged to strengthen Gnosis by Lesaffre’s presence in the global human nutrition and health market.  

Meanwhile, Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) completed its acquisition of The Bountiful Company’s core brands, which include Nature’s Bounty, Solgar, Osteo Bi-Flex, Puritan’s Pride, Ester-C and Sundown.

The gut health space, in particular, saw a host of acquisitions, including ADM’s purchase of Deerland Probiotics & Enzymes, and Kerry snapping up Biosearch Life for €126.9 million (US$150 million).

Meanwhile, notable partnerships included FrieslandCampina Ingredients and Lallemand Health Solutions teaming up on gut health products. 

Also, Taiyo and Asiros put their heads together for a fruit powder, and JSBiosciences and TurtleTree Scientific signed a letter of intent to collaborate in developing cost-effective cell culture media – starting with human milk.  

NutritionInsight’s year in review feature also sheds light on the top 20 stories of 2021. Looking to next year, Innova Market Insights has already flagged that planetary health is set to be a dominating theme. 

By Katherine Durrell