Functional ingredients space set to expand with consumers demanding holistic benefits

17 Jul 2024 --- FrieslandCampina Ingredients, Bioiberica and Gencor share insights about innovating functional ingredients to support consumers at every stage of life, sought-after combinations of the moment and the value of proper delivery mechanisms for the ingredients.

Vicky Davies, senior marketing director of performance, active and medical nutrition at FrieslandCampina Ingredients, tells Nutrition Insight that the market for functional ingredients is expanding, and consumers are demanding more holistic benefits from their food and drinks. 

“Our drive is always to help consumers get the most out of life. And this means that we always begin our R&D and innovation process with consumers in mind, looking for new ways to support them throughout life — whether they’re looking to break a world record or simply keep doing what they love for longer,” Davies explains.

She notes that there’s a wealth of opportunity for brands to create trending functional drinks that support a wide range of consumer health benefits, such as relaxation, recovery and gut health.

Combinations of the moment
Daniel Martinez-Puig, R&D manager at Bioiberica, underscores that recent science has demonstrated the potential of breakthrough combinations of established and novel ingredients, such as collagen and herbal extracts. 

“One study suggested that products formulated with our native (undenatured) type II collagen (Collavant n2) and the herbal extract, Boswellia serrata, could reduce joint discomfort in just five days — meeting the demand for fast-acting joint health solutions,” says Martinez-Puiz. 

“Dermial’s glow and hydration effect was demonstrated in a recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial using a 60 mg dose. Multiple preclinical studies observed its powerful skin regeneration qualities along with moisturizing and antioxidant properties.” 

The company’s focus on these ingredients stems from “their immense market potential.”The functional ingredients market is poised for considerable growth according to industry experts. 

Martinez-Puig notes that Innova Market Insights data suggests the prevalence of skin and joint health claims in functional food and beverages showed notable growth between 2018 and 2022.

“Bioiberica’s stand out functional ingredients include Collavant n2, a native undenatured type II collagen for joint health at the cartilage level, Mobilee, our HA matrix ingredient for joint and muscle health and Dermial for skin health,” Martinez-Puiz says.

“A recent clinical trial demonstrated Collavant n2’s effects in healthy individuals, reporting improved quality of life, reduced joint discomfort and faster recovery from exercise after a supplementation period of six months.”

Another study demonstrated how it enhanced joint functionality and comfort in women with knee osteoarthritis after six weeks of supplementation and revealed exciting new avenues for female-focused mobility products.

Mobilee has also been shown to support joint health and mobility at a low dosage of 80 mg a day and the latest in vitro study demonstrated that it can contribute to muscle health when combined with whey protein.

Functional food and beverages
Maggie McNamara, VP of marketing at Gencor, notes that the global functional food and beverage market size was valued at US$290 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach US$602 billion by the end of 2030.

“We use advanced delivery systems for many of our ingredients that offer increased absorption and bioavailability. Specifically, curcumin and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) are known to have absorption challenges,” McNamara explains.

“Therefore, we introduced HydroCurc and Levagen+ powered by LipiSperse technology from Pharmako Biotechnologies (Australia). LipiSperse helps increase the bioavailability and functionality of curcumin and PEA for food and beverage applications.” 

She explains that the most critical factor is ensuring the combination of ingredients works synergistically. The synergy can increase nutritional absorption and multi-function in other health aspects.

“Other important factors include flavor and aesthetics, such as the coloring and solubility of the mixture. Another thing to consider here is that sometimes, combining the wrong mixture could hinder absorption and bring unfavorable health effects,” says McNamara. 

Tesnor is a proprietary blend of cocoa bean and pomegranate used as a natural testosterone booster. This combination of ingredients offers a pleasant taste profile and is easily incorporated into food and beverages.

The company’s fenugreek extracts have a distinct profile taste. “However, with technology, this flavor is easily overcome, and both of our products, Testofen and Libifem, are available in various food and beverage formats to meet the consumer format demands,” says McNamara.

Seeking holistic benefits
The biggest R&D and innovation priority for FrieslandCampina Ingredients is ensuring that its ingredients meet the highest standards of nutritional quality and functional properties and are produced with a minimized environmental impact. 

“And to do this, we use our decades of production expertise and harness the latest technology to create best-in-class ingredients that support consumers of all ages, all across the world,” says Davies.

“After considering adverse interactions and sensory properties, the most important consideration when it comes to combining functional ingredients is that they should make sense together and provide consumers with multiple, complementary benefits.”

By Inga de Jong