9 September 2008 - Sales of functional foods have experienced a rapid ascent across all European countries in recent years. This is largely due to the fact that people are evolving into health conscious individuals, and the trend is driven by the increasing incidence of obesity, positive awareness created by the media and also by Governmental healthy eating campaigns.
Functional foods are those having health-promoting benefits and/or disease preventing properties, which are in addition to their usual nutritional value. These functional foods can be natural, fortified or enriched with the functional ingredient.
Functional Foods and Weight Management
Overweight and obesity issues increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. According to academic research, obesity also increases the risks of high blood pressure, raised blood cholesterol levels, diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance. The INTERHEART global case-control study of cardiovascular diseases estimates that 63% of heart attacks in Western Europe and 28% of heart attacks in Central and Eastern Europe are due to abdominal obesity. In 2008, the most recent European Cardiovascular Disease statistical data suggests that the highest levels of prevalent childhood obesity are found in the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. Thus, with ever-increasing adult and childhood obesity in Europe, the concept of products dedicated to weight management has received significant attention. Weight management effectively promotes the consumption of a balanced diet rather than dieting. However, aligned particularly with the obesity epidemic, the increased convergence towards product consumption for weight management in developed countries has led to a booming global weight management sector, with an estimated value of $4.65 billion in the US alone, and above $7 billion worldwide.
Yoghurts-Slimming by Nature
Yoghurt is a product of the fermentation of milk sugars, including lactose, by Lactobacillus species of bacteria. Cultured milk and other fermented milk products have been traditionally consumed in Europe since ancient times. Yoghurts are popular for two main reasons. Firstly, they are perceived as innately healthy, and especially positive for gut health. Secondly, they have been popular in several countries as pleasant tasting dairy products. There is an ongoing shift in the weight management drinks from products that are low in calorie or fat, towards products containing appetite suppressants or inducing satiety and calorie burners. In addition, these new products carry a higher premium in the market, which is reflected in company profits and is a reason why many companies are switching over to functional food promotions. Partially, this is because gradually more people are opting for weight loss products over heavy exercise. Drinkable or spoonable yoghurts, which aid in weight-loss, are therefore a popular segment in the weight-management product category. The yoghurt constitutes a suitable base product, to which developers can add weight management ingredients.
Success Story of Slimming Dairy Blends
Companies such as DSM have developed their unique patent-protected weight loss ingredients such as Fabuless™, containing a blend of palm and oat oils, suitable for use in dairy based products. Another such ingredient is Aqua Nova's NovaSol Sustain weight loss solution, combining Coenzyme Q10 and alpha-lipoic acid for fat-reduction and satiety respectively. NovaSol is touted to have promising potential as it has the ability to be both water and fat soluble in beverage addition and provides the active substances in already micellized form. Another ingredient, Super CitriMax by Interhealth Nutraceuticals, contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA). Its colourless, odourless and tasteless properties in solution form make it a highly attractive ingredient for adding to drinkable yoghurts and beverages. It is also affirmed as being 'Generally Recognised as Safe' (GRAS), and is clinically proven to reduce body weight and curb appetite. Other satiating drinking yoghurt available in Portugal is Nestle's Sveltesse Iogurte Saciante .This fat-free yoghurt is made with strawberries, apples and cereals. Naturally Gorgeous has a range of smoothies containing Lipid Nutrition's patented ingredient Pinnothin, which is an appetite suppressant including pinolenic acid. Other low glycaemic index (GI) ingredients such as fruit juices, skimmed milk, and agave nectar are also included. Lightfull smoothies from Lightfull Foods are available only in the United States, containing 5 g of fibre, to aid in imparting satiety to the body and in helping to achieve a successful weight loss.
Market Forerunners
The shot-sized packaging format has proved successful for drinking yoghurts and other functional beverages in both Europe and the United States. This format has been adopted by the leading Portuguese dairy manufacturer Lactogal for their drinking yoghurt Adagio Magro Versus, which contains Fabuless from DSM. Another example is Optimel Control, a dairy shot drink available in raspberry and lemon flavors, which provides the recommended dosage of Fabuless™ in each 100ml shot. Sales of Optimel Control rocketed in the Netherlands and the product was sold out within days of appearing on Dutch supermarket shelves in 2006. Optimel's success throughout Europe can be explained by its tasty formulation, convenient format and proven efficacy. Optimel also appeared in German and Austrian retail outlets under the name Optiwell Control, in early 2007. The Italian firm Latteria Merano introduced Action Calorie Control drinking yoghurt, marketed under the Bionessere brand, with the recommended 5g per serving of Fabuless™. The product also contains probiotics and is available in apple, grape and pineapple flavours to further enhance consumer appeal, and was introduced in Italian supermarkets in 2006.
Conclusion
Generally, the research backing these weight-loss ingredients is sound and the entry of big players in the market with their patent-protected ingredients is likely to propel the market growth along with competition and innovation. The GRAS status obtained by Interhealth Nutraceuticals for Super CitriMax in the United States should instigate other players to also register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and achieve the same status for health claims. The functional foods market in the United States is emerging rapidly. The regulatory system in Europe is moving towards a much more scientifically driven basis, where research trials now need to back up all functional food products under the EC 1924/2006 legislation. However, the picture will not be fully finalised and is subject to change in Europe until 2010. Though the efficacy of these products in measurable terms remains to be seen, no direct ill effects have emerged from the consumption of these products. The prevention and reduction of obesity will continue to drive the weight management market and will result in product sales. Weight loss yoghurt drinks, combining the emerging beauty beverage segment to address skin health and anti-ageing could be the next big development for manufacturers to look into, offering further functional benefits in one product, but must be marketed carefully to prevent confusion amongst the consumers from too much information.