Food as medicine: beyond the diet and before the drugs
Product Claims The action of nutrients used as ingredients in products can be attributed to their nutritive value. Nutritive value is often considered as a regulatory basis for adding such ingredients to food products (i.e. for technical effect). As opposed to any pharmacological effect, foods are typically used for other purposes. Dietary supplements, foods for […]
Consumers’ motivations and expectations toward functional foods
Having a healthier life, living longer, looking fit, having the satisfaction of opening a beautiful package, or simply eating something tasty. What makes people buy functional foods among so many options they find on the market? This article will discuss customers’ motivations and expectations when purchasing functional food products. Furthermore, it will paint a picture […]
Are probiotics the next dietary strategy against brain aging?
Cognitive decline, memory impairment, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety are common among older adults. Due to the close relationship between gut microbiota and the central nervous system (CNS), there’s a great interest in using probiotics to modulate the gut microbiome and enhance brain health. Probiotics are live organisms that confer a health […]
What makes people buy functional foods?
A 2021 review article looked at studies published over the last 20 years to try to answer this question. The study results provided some interesting insights into functional food consumers’ behavior. Let’s look at some of them: Wanting a healthier and longer life is one of the top reasons people include functional foods in their […]
Guide – Functional Food Packaging Innovation
The food packaging you choose isn’t just about what looks good on shelf. You also have to consider functional elements like how it will work to contain and protect your product in the short and long-term. As well as how convenient and easy-to-open it is for the consumer. And if it effectively communicates the purpose […]
Alternative Protein Innovation Moving Mainstream
According to a McKinsey report, the market for alternative protein is valued at approximately $2.2bn compared with a global meat market of approximately $1.7 trillion. Given that the market for meat has been around significantly longer than the market for alternative proteins, this shows impressive growth from a relatively new segment. The opportunities in the […]
Virtual NPD Can Improve Your Time to Market
When the pandemic began just under one year ago, new product development (NPD) was dropped from the priority list for many functional food and beverage businesses. The food industry has since adapted to the new normal. And virtual NPD and innovation strategies quickly became part of that. A McKinsey analysis found that companies that invest […]
Developing Functional Foods & Beverages for Preventive Nutrition
Discussions around the subject of preventive healthcare and preventive nutrition have become more prevalent over the past year when the impact of COVID-19 forced us to look at our habits with regards to taking care of ourselves and managing our own health. Preventive health measures aim to look at how we can prevent certain illnesses […]
Ensuring Food Safety & Quality in Product Development
When it comes to food safety and quality processes there are many factors to consider. This blog will look at a few of those factors in the context of producing results that can accelerate innovation and create sustainable and more consumer-centric products in the process. The purpose of having strong and stable systems in place […]
Checklist: Assessing Fibres as Functional Ingredients
The toolkit below was designed as a useful pocket checklist for you to reference when assessing fibres as functional ingredients. It includes an overview of all the different attributes and characteristics to consider when working through this process. If you have trouble viewing the image below, click this link to download the checklist. Contact me […]
