KHNI: Sustainability beyond environment to touch each nutrition trend in 2022

29 Mar 2022 --- Kerry Health and Nutrition Institute (KHNI) is pegging sustainable nutrition as a “mega-trend” for 2022. The institute – which aims to advance science for healthier food – also sheds light on the challenges remaining in other developing spaces including plant-based and botanicals. 

“There are many trends lists that focus on which directions consumers are pulling our industry, so we look at what scientific innovations are propelling our industry forward,” Nathan Pratt, nutritional scientist at Kerry, tells NutritionInsight. 

KHNI works with its experts in nutrition, taste, sensory, and food science to see what new developments in science are driving new ideas in the F&B industry.

“We then link these developments to consumer trends and the shifting regulatory landscape to help guide strategies for industry,” Pratt continues.

Ultimately, the trends are intended to give insight to industry about what developments in science are propelling nutrition forward. “They also shed light on where gaps exist in science versus consumer beliefs.”KHNI’s trends reflect the scientific innovations propelling the nutrition industry forward.

Sustainability goes from perk to foundational
Sustainable nutrition was KHNI’s leading trend last year, but the institute says it has become so important for the global food system that it is now a mega-trend.

“It is evolving to be less of a ‘nice to have’ and more of a table stake for many strategies in our industry. That is why it has been tagged as a ‘mega-trend’ this year – it is becoming part of the foundation of all of the other trends,” explains Pratt. 

Under this umbrella is nutrition that is produced and delivered in a way that is mindful of people, the planet and society.

This means an increased focus on environmentally friendly farming and sourcing practices, closed-loop supply chains, finding health and nutrition value in waste streams, as well as the development of solutions to feed populations in need.

Notably, Innova Market Insights also crowned “Shared Planet” as its number one trend for 2022.
Sustainable nutrition’s dimensions stretch beyond environmental measurements. 

Plant-based presents taste issues
Closely intertwined with environmental concerns is the rise of plant-based offerings. KHNI notes that as the trend becomes mainstream, there is less compromise on taste, nutritional equivalence to animal protein and the number of varieties of product types to choose from. 

The last few months, for example, have seen a host of innovations. Notably, dairy giant FrieslandCampina Ingredients recently entered the plant-based protein arena, with ADM and Kerry also weighing in on this space. 

“Ingredient declarations are cleaning up, and nutrition is being improved by focusing on supplementing plant-based products with the benefits found typically in the animal counterparts – protein quality, B vitamins, and calcium,” adds Deirdre Smyth, global vice president of integrated technology innovation at Kerry.

However, KHNI notes that taste and food safety remain key challenges in this arena. Plant proteins come with unique off-tastes depending on the protein source, and plant-based alternatives have different food safety challenges compared to the animal-based foods they are replacing. 

Botanical boom
Botanicals are also set for success this year as consumer demands for natural plant-based products and an increasing awareness of overall well-being push usage up. 

Popular examples include ashwagandha, ginkgo, ginseng and well-known plants such as mint, vanilla and garlic, which convey many “healthy halo” messages to the consumer.

However, the current scientific evidence for the health benefits of many botanicals is still in development, which can make formal claims on foods and beverages challenging.

For example, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has a list of pending botanical claims that have been on hold for over a decade, notes KHNI. 

However, Pratt highlights that scientific studies on specific botanical and herbal extracts are constantly underway. Some botanical extracts are standardized for specific bioactive compounds that science has shown to provide a benefit for human health, and these are already being used for claims in some parts of the world.

“Scientific studies do take a bit of time and can move more slowly than consumer trends, so the challenge and opportunity lie in pairing consumer beliefs with science-supported formulations,” Pratt adds.Plant-based protein can come with taste challenges. 

Other trends to watch
Mood, cognition and sleep is another key theme for 2022, with KHNI noting a boom in terms like “nootropics” and “adaptogens.” Food and mood are intrinsically intertwined, with both being able to affect the other. 

KHNI details this means it can be difficult to tease out causal relationships of ingredients in studies, but there is increasing science emerging showing ingredients with benefits such as improved focus, short-term memory or relaxation.

Next is microbiome beyond digestive health – addressing aspects like mood, reproductive health, immunity, exercise and cardiometabolic health.

“Recent studies have also reinforced the idea that our long-term diets have greater effects on the functioning of our gut microbiomes than short-term changes or addition of individual nutrients,” says Maria Marco, professor of food science and technology at the University of California-Davis and scientific advisor to KHNI.

“These advancements in understanding the human microbiome will give us a new perspective to provide specific, effective dietary guidance for digestive health in coming years,” she predicts. 

KHNI also cites body-positive weight management; nutrition accountability; immune health; personalized nutrition; technology and the future of food; and active aging as further key trends to watch throughout 2022. 

By Katherine Durrell