Against the background of growing health consciousness among consumers, the demand for foods that support and enhance health is continuing on an upward trajectory. This is evident from the growing uptake of natural and safe alternatives such as functional foods and beverages and dietary supplements, all of which form an integral part of the nutraceuticals space. Consumers are displaying a preference for convenience food with palpable benefits. Responding to this trend, the food industry has been... ...Read more »

DMV-Fonterra Excipients (DFE), a 50:50 joint venture between Royal FrieslandCampina and Fonterra, has announced the acquisition of Royal FrieslandCampina’s pharmaceutical lactose business and manufacturing unit, FrieslandCampina Domo-Pharma. DFE will buy the FrieslandCampina Domo-Pharma pharmaceutical grade lactose products range for NZ$106 million, with the cost split between the two dairy companies. “This transaction underlines the shared ambition of FrieslandCampina and Fonterra to... ...Read more »

Growing consumer awareness of functional foods is spurring demand and boosting product availability for digestive health ingredients, according to a market research report from the EU. Functional foods have been high on the agenda of a number of food manufacturers due to the growing demand for healthy food. However, the market is still firmly in the growth stage as it takes time to confirm the image of healthfulness in the mind of the consumer. In 2008, digestive health was the largest product segment... ...Read more »

The European market for flavoured and functional waters rose a further 5% to 3,600 million litres in 2008, according to the new Europe Flavoured and Functional Water Insights report from food and drinks consultancy Zenith International, which suggests global players in the sector could be in for a profitable few years as interest swells. Flavoured water was again by far the largest segment, with 84% of the total. Functional waters were responsible for the remaining 16%, advancing their share by 1%... ...Read more »

Although the market seems set for further growth over the next five years, there remains considerable uncertainty over the future development of two key functional food categories: products promoting a heart health benefit and those that are marketed on an anti-ageing platform, according to the latest findings from Leatherhead Food Research. Considerable confusion still exists around the concept of functional food with consumers receiving a barrage of contradictory messages from companies, the media,... ...Read more »

A decision by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) – which is responsible for the monitoring and law enforcement of all ‘therapeutic goods’ in Australia – could have major ramifications for some players in the food sector. The TGA released a consultation paper last week that proposed to define all goods in tablet, capsule and pill form as ‘therapeutic goods’. As a result, manufacturers of such products would need to comply with TGA regulations and have their... ...Read more »

The European Food Safety Authority has published its first series of opinions on the list of ‘general function’ health claims compiled by Member States and the European Commission, finding that two-thirds were currently unsubstantiated. Experts on EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) evaluated the scientific evidence for more than 500 claims, with the opinions to help inform future decisions of the European Commission and Member States concerning the... ...Read more »

The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) recently gathered in Anaheim to learn about innovative new food and beverage products launched around the globe, picking up on new product trends in the sweeteners, natural and functional food categories. The sweeteners category has received a boost following regulatory approval for new products from the stevia plant, which are much sweeter than sugar. Meanwhile, functional foods offer potential if manufacturers can get the perfect mix of good taste and health... ...Read more »

Despite numerous warnings about the risks that cardiovascular diseases pose, Australians are still not doing enough to improve their heart health, according to Datamonitor Consumer Markets Analyst Mark Whalley. Only a third of people in Australia told Datamonitor that they pay a ‘high’ or ‘very high’ amount of attention to their heart health. Worryingly, more than a quarter (26%) admitted that they only pay a ‘low’ or ‘very low’ amount of attention... ...Read more »

Pill popping is giving way to healthier diets, according to new research from the UK. A new report from Mintel suggests the UK’s £396 million (A$825m) vitamins and supplements market is set to be a victim of its own nutrition agenda. Improved education on diet and nutrition has been a root cause of the struggles as the nation continues to eat more healthily and cuts back on its vitamins and minerals intake. The number of Brits popping supplements has been in steady decline since 2007, with... ...Read more »