Advances in the Nutraceutical Market: Global Trends for India

" Advances In The Nutraceutical Market:

The Global Trends For The Indian Scenario,"

----DR. AMITA B. KARNIK, DIRECTOR, OPTIMAL NUTRIENTS INDIA.

The growth of the top performing products in the estimated $50-60 billion U.S. dietary supplement market is rising at double-digit rates thanks to increased consumer focus on health, better industry regulation, and trends geared toward greater globalization

In the Indian scenario, the A-to-Z nutrients, like multivitamins, will stay as usual in the big box stores as low-growth-rate commodities. Some botanicals that are being sold with nutraceutical labels rather than our Indian traditional Ayurvedic are showing a slow growth if not negative. But there is tremendous consumer interest in probiotics, certified organic cosmetics, life style products, home care and pet care; some of these are easily showing double-digit growth, and some are growing in the 20% to 40% range. Sales in the global nutraceuticals industry is projected to reach $187 billion by 2010, buoyed by rising sales in traditional markets like the U.S. and the European Union (EU), and by rising sales in emerging markets like China and India, according to Global Industry Analysts, Last year, the U.S. represented 32%—or about $21 billion—of total sales in the global market, the analysts indicated. Together, the U.S., the EU and Japan represented about 86% of the global market in 2007.
Consumer focus on the use of supplements for healthcare is growing stronger in a host of segments, globally , as also in India. According to NMI’s 2007 Health & Wellness Trends Survey, the top health categories for supplements are weight loss, heart problems, digestion, arthritis or joint pain, seasonal allergies, diabetes, vision and eye health, memory enhancers, skin and hair care ,
Consumers in India are showing more reinforcement of their interest in dietary supplements. but this has not been supported by the medical faternity whereas in the US and Canada “more than three-quarters of U.S. physicians (79%) and nurses (82%) recommend dietary supplements to their patients.” As the frequency of clinical trials of supplements rises, these figures are expected to rise as well in India as well, if nutraceutical ingredients are backed by solid science

The hottest hot products internationally are noni juice, omega 3s, green tea, prebiotics and probiotics.. According to international surveys, the top supplements used by consumers in 2007 were, in order of frequency, multivitamins, calcium, vitamin C, fish oil, vitamin E, antioxidants, vitamin B/B complex and omega 3s. The largest increases in 2007 consumer use came from fish oil and omega 3s.

Global trends in the functional foods and dietary supplements , in nutraceuticals industry use and marketing over the years, has been showing a definitive scientific background.
The phrase "backed by sound science" is a description applied to a component's or an ingredient's health benefit which is supported by a solid portfolio of research. The research may not yet be strong enough to enable "government-approved" health claims; however, a history of positive results from demographic studies, in vitro (outside a live body) and especially in vivo (inside the body) research helps drive an ingredient's use on an international scale.
Additionally, advances in analytical and processing technology means a broadening range of very high value-added nutritional and medicinal ingredients can be isolated, for the purpose of being offered commercially. Finally, there are successful, common marketing practices employed by small firms to multi-national corporations. The end result is that certain global trends can be discerned in the use and marketing of nutraceuticals.
Trend #1--Cutting Edge Categories.
Nutritional ingredients show up most often in seven categories (of consumable products). In no particular order, they are ready-to-eat cereals, health bars, confectionery, dairy, beverages, pet foods, and, of course, dietary supplements. Confectionery products may seem counter-intuitive, but there is a worldwide tendency to fortify gummy and other candy with traditional nutritional components. International examples include the Bristol-Myers Squib's division, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, Evanston, Ind., which recently expanded its Viactiv line (the original chews being a candy-type supplement) into health bars and beverages (energy drink spritzers and fruit smoothies). Vitaminized energy bars and beverages have been gaining increasing shelf spaces in the Indian market place.
In 2002, Japan's Meiji Dairies Corp. introduced a range of dairy products such as its Calbank yogurt drink with casein phosphopeptides to help calcium absorption; a yogurt drink with LG21 lactobacillus beneficial for gut flora; and a lowfat milk product with easy-to-absorb whey protein, amino acids, calcium, and vitamin D3. Recently , Amul has launched in India , a probiotic dahi, a new concept to the Indian scenario.
Trend #2 -- Logos Convey Health Benefits.
Although the FDA regulates label imagery, as it can imply health claims, companies use logos to communicate benefits both in the U.S. and around the world.
Longer chained omega fatty acids (such as DHA and AA) are thought crucial for brain development, from the fetal stage through the first year or two of life. Some international products, that contains these ingredients, launched in Indonesia and Singapore last summer; it sported the pictures of an owl and apple to portray its benefit for intelligence.
Worldwide, a valentine-shaped heart on a label implies a heart-healthy product. , which has been used for years by the product Saffola, on its pack. The wheat flour launched India recently also shows on its package its claims to "care for the heart."

Trend #3 -- Multi-nationals Make Trends Global.
Many to most nutritional needs are universal. What is good for an Argentinean is good for a Canadian is good for an Indian For example, research supports the benefits of omega fatty acids for the skin and fur of animals as well as for human heart health.
The scientific support for such benefits is researched on an international scale. This likely helps multi-nationals feel comfortable about touting certain product benefits.
Trend #4 -- Extending Well-founded Benefits.
What's good for the goose is good for the gander.. maybe. It is a good marketing practice to try to broaden a product's appeal to a new customer base. The prescription hair-restorer which were first marketed for male baldness, is now marketed to women. The brain-development benefits of omega fatty acids are being touted increasingly in products targeting older children and, saw palmetto products are marketed for other male wellness issues such as sexual performance and hair loss.
Trend #5 -- Further Ingredient Fractionation/ Isolation
Many to most commodity agricultural products have been further processed to produce purer, specialty ingredients. Soybeans, once prized for their oil and as a protein-rich meal fed to livestock, now provide foods and dietary supplements with valuable soy protein concentrates, vitamin E, phytosterols and isoflavones.
Non-fat powdered milk was first derived from whole milk. Now, the industry offers refined milk proteins in the form of caseinates and whey protein concentrates to isolates. Items that have an even higher value are further refined milk proteins and peptides in the form of lactoferrin, alpha-lac-toglobulin or glycomacropeptides.

The nutraceutical markets continues to see a steady growth in India, consumers are taking a proactive approach to healthier lifestyles, with shift from diesease treatment to wellness management. The current trends of consolidations and movement towards improving overall product quality is, by use of latest value added raw materials and delivery platforms of the nutraceuticals, to give superior performance of the nutraceutical ingredient in terms of consumer health benefits. Nutraceutical ingredients backed by clinical evidence and dedication to quality will help consumers make and trust their choices, which will help the growth of the Indian nutraceutical industry.