The world is becoming more sophisticated and interesting. Foods are becoming more
attractive, appealing, and fortified to meet the increasing demand of healthy nutrition. With
the invention and recent advances in Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) and Genetically
Modified Foods (GMFs), food for all agenda in the future will be attained or rather
malnutrition would soon be history, but new challenges may ensue. With the popping-in of
tablets as nutrients to provide the body with complete Recommended Dietary Allowance
(RDA) including fiber to ensure intestinal or bowel emptying, the prospects of
nutraceuticals are limitless. The target of food and nutrition societies for a world rid of
hunger in the future is possible with the potentials of nutraceuticals. At the core of the
value-added market performance is the increasing responsiveness on the part of consumers
as to how nutraceuticals can contribute to good health. With the established growing
consumer demand for nutraceuticals, not only will consumers in nearby future use
supplement products to support overall dietary intake, they are more likely to regard
supplementation as an effective way to improve health. The undertone is, would the leading
world economic nations not consider the economic politics and drown this vision or would
it be given the attention it so deserves?
The Indian nutraceutical market valued at $ 1,480 million in 2011 could grow to $ 2,731
million in 2016, a report said today. According to the report by business research and
consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, functional foods will be the quickest growing category
followed by dietary supplements until 2015. However, dietary supplements specifically
herbal and dietetic supplements, will form the greatest opportunity areas for nutraceutical
manufacturers, it added. Nutraceutical a portmanteau of the words ‘nutrition’ and
‘pharmaceutical’, is a food or food product that reportedly provides health and medical
benefits, including the prevention and treatment of diseases. The report said that at present
the dietary supplements were the largest category accounting for 64 per cent of the
nutraceuticals market. This market is driven primarily by the pharmaceutical sector in the
form of vitamin and mineral supplements, it added. As per the study the global
nutraceutical market was estimated to be $ 149.5 billion in 2011 with US, Europe and Japan
being the largest regional markets, accounting for nearly 93 per cent of the global
nutraceutical demand. As these markets are nearing maturity, with exceedingly high per
capita spends on nutraceutical products nutraceutical manufacturers are looking at
developing countries such as India and China as key growth regions, it added. Apart from
the current low per capita spend on these products in India, other factors that could support
the growth of nutraceuticals in India are increasing obesity in the population and rising
instances of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, the report said. The government is also
Increasing awareness levels about fitness and health, spurred by media coverage are
prompting the majority of people to lead healthier lifestyles, exercise more, and eat healthy.
The expanding nutraceutical market indicates that end users are seeking minimally
processed food with extra nutritional benefits and organoleptic value. This development,
in turn, is propelling expansion in the nutraceutical markets globally. The emerging
nutraceuticals industry seems destined to occupy the landscape in the new millennium. Its
tremendous growth has implications for the food, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and
agricultural industries.
Many scientists believe that enzymes represent another exciting frontier in nutraceuticals.
“Enzymes have been underemployed… they’re going to be a hot area in the future.”
Fermentation technology using microbes to create new food products also represents
potential.
Global trends to healthy products cannot be reversed. Companies taking the lead by
investing strategically in science, product development, marketing and consumer education
will not go unrewarded.