CURRENT FUNCTIONAL FOODS TRENDS

Luke R. Howard, Ph.D.

Department of Food Science

University of Arkansas

Functional Foods

“Any food or food ingredient that

may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients

it contains”

The Institute of Medicines’s Food and Nutrition Board

Examples of Functional Foods

* Natural raw foods * Genetically enhanced raw foods* Fortified foods* Dietary supplements

Top Ten Functional Foods Trends

Elizabeth Sloan, President, Sloan Trends, Inc.

Key Trends in Functional Foods Products

Digestive Health Health

benefit/convenience Feel the benefit Energy “Superfruit” Antioxidants Weight management Healthy snacking Packaging innovation Bones and movement

Real food nutrition Mini-managers Bioavailability Protein power Plant-based diets Gourmet nutrition Risk awareness First aid Kids, Dads and

Grandparents LiquidationSloan, Food Tech. 2012, 4:24-41New Nutrition Business, 2012

Consumers Reporting Using Food to Prevent Specific

Conditions

Diabetes

Overweight

High cholesterol

Digestive disorders

Cancer

Heart or CVD

Food allergy/sensitivity

Eating disorders

High blood pressure

Memory/mind health

Osteoporosis

Hyperactivity

Autoimmune disorders

Menopause difficulties

Sensitivity to irritants

ADHD

585756

4846

42424241

2827

24222120

18

% of Consumers

Hartman group, 2010

Functional Foods are Booming Eight in 10 Americans are making some

or a lot of effort to eat healthfully (FMI, 2011)

42% are concerned about the nutrient content of foods they buy (FMI, 2011)

Sales of Functional foods and beverages were estimated at $38 billion in 2010 (NBJ, 2011)

Self-treatment of minor ailments, and interest in alternative therapies is at an all time high (Packaged Facts, 2012)

Functional Foods are Booming 30% of consumers say they always or usually

purchase grocery products labeled for improving specific health conditions (e.g., heart, digestive, or blood sugar issues) (Packaged Facts, 2012)

Young adults (18-24 yrs) remain the top users of functional foods and beverages (Mintel, 2009)

Oatmeal and yogurt are the products most frequently purchased for specific health benefits (Packaged Facts, 2012)

New Functional Food Products About 33% of the best selling products in

2010-11 carried a natural claim (IRI, 2011)

About 25% claimed added nutrients/nutrition, high fiber/whole grain, reduced calories or low-fat/fat-free contents (IRI, 2011)

One in ten made a claim about energy, antioxidants, or trans fat (IRI, 2011)

1. Real Food Nutrition

88% of grocery shoppers believe it is important to get their nutrients from foods naturally rich in vitamins/minerals Health Focus, 2010)

32% of consumers are making a strong effort to eat more foods/drinks that are naturally rich in nutrients (MSI, 2010)

28% seek foods naturally rich in antioxidants (MSI, 2010)

28% look for fresh/minimally processed products (MSI, 2010)

1. Real Food Nutrition

Orange and cranberry juice most popular beverages purchased for nutritional benefits (Packaged Facts 2012)

Antioxidant-rich green tea is the most popular consumed tea in the U.S. (mintel, 2011)

Strongest phytochemical mass market ingredients include polyphenols (anthocyanins, procyanidins), resveratrol, and carotenoids (Sloan 2012)

1. Real Food Nutrition

50% of shoppers bought dark chocolate, 47% almonds, 21% Greek yogurt, and 8% coconut water for their “Superfood” properties (FMI, 2011)

Hot new “Superfoods” include; chick peas, lentils, nuts/seeds, cinnamon (FMI, 2011)

Sales of organic food reached $23.4 billion in 2010, 38% of consumers bought organic foods (NBJ, 2011)

Sales of natural foods were $18 billion, 58% purchased pre-packaged foods marked all natural (NBJ, 2011)

1. Real Food Nutrition

Clean labels are an important product label phrase (Hartman, 2010)

No chemical additive label claims are important to 50% of shoppers, no preservatives are important to 35%, 50% look for natural ingredients on the ingredient listing (FMI, 2011)

Consumers say limiting processed foods is now the third most component of healthy eating after eating more vegetables and fruits (Mintel, 2009)

Review of FDA Label Claims

Natural – is not regulated, but the agency does not object to the use of the term if the food does not include added color, artificial flavors or synthetic substances

Fresh – implies that the food is unprocessed, i.e. is in it’s raw state and has not been frozen or subjected to any form of thermal processing or any form of preservation

FDA Nutrient Health Claims

“High”, “Rich-in”, or Excellent Source Of”

Contains 20% or more of the DV per RACC

“Good Source”, “Contains”, or “Provides”

10-19% of the DV per RACC

“More”, “Fortified”, “Enriched”, “Added”, “Extra”, or “Enriched”

10% of more of the DV per RACC

“Antioxidant” • An RDI must be established for each of the nutrients that are the subject of the claim

• Each nutrient must have existing scientific evidence of antioxidant activity

• The level of each nutrient must be sufficient to meet the definition for “High”, “Good Source”, or “More”

FDA Nutrient Content Claims

Nutrient Free Low Reduced/Less

Calories Less than 5 cal per RACC and per labeled serving

40 cal or less per RACC

At lease 25% fewer cal per RACC than an appropriate reference food

Saturated fat

Less than 0.5 g saturated fat and trans fatty acids per RACC and per labeled serving

1 g or less per RACC and 15% or less of calories from saturated fat

At lease 25% less saturated fat per RACC than an appropriate reference food

Sugars Less than 0.5 g sugars per RACC and per labeled serving

Not define At lease 25% less sugars per RACC than an appropriate reference food

FDA Health-Related Statements or Claims

Nutrient content claims – indicate the presence of a specific nutrient at a certain level

Structure and function – describe the effect of dietary components on the normal structure or function of the body

Dietary guidance – describe the health benefits of broad categories of foods or diets and do not refer to a disease or a health related condition

Qualified health claims – convey a developing relationship between components in a diet and reduced risk of disease, as reviewed by the FDA and supported by the weight of credible scientific evidence available

Health claims – confirm a relationship between components in a diet and reduced risk of disease or health condition, as approved by FDA and supported by significant scientific agreement

Scientific Evidence is Lacking for Many Health Claims

FDA has issued warning letters to many companies over various health claims and is now requiring pre-approval for certain claims

FTC has recently settled class-action lawsuits with Dannon, Kellogg’s and Nestle over health claims

Strength of Evidence for Functional Foods Currently on the U.S. Market

Functional food

Bioactive component

Health benefit

Type of evidence

Strength of evidence

Recommended amount

Regulatorystatus

Fortified margarines

Plant sterol and stanol esters

Reduce total and LDL chol.

Clinicaltrials

Very Strong

1.3 g/d for sterols, 1.7g/d for stanols

Health claim

Psyllium Solublefiber

Reduce total and LDL chol.

Clinicaltrials

Very strong

1g/d Health claim

Soy Protein Reduce total and LDL chol.

Clinical trials

Very strong

25g/d Health claim

Whole oat products

ß-glucan Reduce total and LDL chol.

Clinical trials

Very strong

3g/d Health claimHasler, J. Nutr. (2002) 132:3772-3781

Functionalfood

Bioactive component

Health benefit

Type of evidence

Strength of evidence

Recommended amount

Regulatory status

Cranberry juice

Proantho-cyanidins

Reduce UTI

Small # of clinical trails

Moderate 300 mL/d Conventional food

Fatty fish (n-3) fatty acids

Reduce TG, reduce hearth disease

Clinical trials, epidemiol.studies

Strong 2/wk Qualified health claim for dietary supplements

Garlic Organo-sulfur compounds

Reduce total and LDL chol.

Clinical trials

Moderate 600-900 mg/d

Conventional food or dietary supplement

Green tea Catechins Reduce risk of various types of cancer

Epidemiol.studies

Weak to moderate

Unknown Conventional food

Functional food

Bioactive component

Health benefit

Type of evidence

Strength of evidence

Recommended amount

Regulatory status

Spinach, kale, collard greens

Lutein/zeaxanthin

Reduce risk of AMD

Epidemiol.

Weak to moderate

6 mg/g Conventional food or dietary supplement

Tomatoes andprocessed

Lycopene Reduce risk of prostate cancer

Epidemiol.

Weak to moderate

Daily Conventional food

Cruciferous veg’s

Glucosino-lates, indoles

Reduce risk of various types of cancer

Epidemiol.

Weak 3 or moreServ/wk

Conventional food

Fermented dairy

Probiotics Support GI health,Boost immunity

In vivo and in vitro studies, limited clin. data

Weak Daily Conventional food or dietary supplement

Dietary Supplement Label

“This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease”

Structure/function claim Manufacturer is responsible for ensuring

the accuracy and truthfulness of these claims – not approved by FDA

2. Mini-Managers

58% of shoppers swapped for healthier versions of the same foods half the time (FMI, 2010)

56% switched to whole-grain bread, 42% to whole grain pasta, and 39% to whole grain rice (FMI, 2011)

52% replace less healthy choices with different foods

46% purchase new health products (FMI, 2010) Largest avoidance market included low-fat/fat-free

($46 billion), reduced calorie ($10.4 billion) and low sodium/low salt ($10.0 billion) (Nielson, 2011)

2. Mini-Managers

Foods consumers try to avoid (FMI, 2011)Trans and saturated fats – 59%Fat content – 56%Salt/sodium – 52%Calories – 48%Chemical additives – 47%Artificial sweeteners – 47%High fructose corn syrup – 44%Cholesterol – 43%Sugar – 42%

2. Mini-Managers

Consumers are snacking more on healthier items (Technomic, 2012) Trail mixes Natural and organic snacks – no trans fat

and antioxidant-rich 67% of consumers eat granola, cereal or

breakfast bars, while only 28% are users of energy/diet/nutrition bars

2. Mini-Managers

Energy Bar Use (Mintel, 2012) Snacks – 59% Overall wellness – 50% Meal replacement – 35% Protein – 35% Lose weight – 27% Muscle recovery – 25% Enhance metabolism – 23% Control blood sugar – 16%

3. Buying in to Bioavailability More than 25% of the best selling foods

in 2010-11 carried an added vitamin/nutrient claim (IRI, 2011)

About half of food shoppers are very concerned about the nutrient content of their food (FMI, 2011)

Vitamin/mineral health claims on labels are very important to 37% of grocery shoppers (FMI, 2011)

3. Buying in to BioavailabilityConsumers believe: (FMI, 2011) Calcium is effective for bone health – 55% Omega-3s are effective for heart health

(38%), skin (25%) and brain health (23%) Fiber is important for colon health (50%)

and weight loss (28%) Over half of consumers say building bone

density is an important consideration when buying food

3. Buying in to Bioavailability 55% of consumers would like more clinical proof

surrounding the bioavailability of nutrients in fortified foods (French, 2011)

42% are concerned that their body does not absorb enough of the nutrients in supplements (French, 2011)

Magnesium is the fastest growing mineral supplement in the U.S., and is the third most popular ingredient in hearth-healthy foods/drinks (NBJ, 2011)

Look for new foods containing magnesium, vitamin D and calcium aimed at bone strength/health

4. Protein Power

40% of consumers are making an effort to eat more protein and say a high protein claim is very important on a food label (IFIC, 2011; FMI, 2011)

Consumers rank protein as the fifth most important component of healthy eating (Mintel, 2009)

65% of adults believe that protein helps build muscle, 39% say that it helps you feel full, 39% believe it is beneficial for aging, and 34% believe that it aids with weight loss (IFIC, 2011)

4. Protein Power

69% of those trying to lose weight are trying to consume more foods/beverages that promote satiety (MSI, 2010)

53% of adults want more satiating functional foods, and 44% seek functional beverages that offer satiety (Mintel, 2009, MSI, 2010)

Expect high-protein sports nutrition powders/drinks to move mainstream

5. Plant-Based Diets

Consumers recognize vegetables, fruits, pulses, whole-grain breads and beans as naturally-rich foods (MSI, 2010)

45% of consumers bought foods/beverages that were labeled high in fiber (Packaged Facts, 2012)

According to American Culinary Federation chefs, ancient grains, flatbreads, whole-grain bread/rolls and vegetable chips are hot foods/ingredients for 2012 (NRA, 2011)

5. Plant Based Diets

60% of meal preparers are making a strong effort to include more fruits and vegetables at dinner, 42% are attempting to include more whole grains (MSI, 2011)

A serving of fruit/vegetables is a very important claim for 67% of consumers (Health Focus, 2010)

ACF chefs cite acai, goji berry and mangosteen as hot superfruits for 2012, with rambutan, dragon fruit, paw paw, guava and passion fruit identifies as favored exotic species (NRA, 2011)

New Superfruits?

Acai Goji berry Mangosteen

Rambutan Dragon fruit

Paw pawGuava Passion fruit

5. Plant Based Diets

Trendy produce items for 2012 include; specialty potatoes, fresh herbs, dark bitter vegetables, root vegetables, fresh bean and hot pepper varietals, Asian mushrooms, soybeans, vegetable ceviche, and wasabi peas (NRA, 2011)

ACF chefs cited vegetable/vegetarian as the number one hot appetizer trend for 2012 (NRA, 2011)

5. Plant Based Diets

Research continues to show potential functional value of plant-based superfoods

Almonds – contain phytosterols, aid satiety and help stabilize glucose levels Pistachios – may lower cholesterol Walnuts- are linked to brain health & cancer prevention Beans – may lower the risk of cognitive deficits

IFT, 20012

6. Gourmet Nutrition

50% of consumers believe that healthy food should taste good (French, 2011)

Seven in 10 consumers believe that food described as fresh is healthier (Technomic, 2010)

68% look for freshness descriptors when purchasing foods (Technomic, 2010)

6. Gourmet Nutrition

Look for the following trends Frozen meals will be replaced with fresh

less processed alternatives Growth in breakfast foods Healthy kids meals Smaller versions of adult meals Greater availability of locally grown

foods Reduced sodium entrees

Hartman, 2010; NPD, 2011; NRA, 2011; IDDBA, 2011;NRA, 2011

7. Risk Awareness on the Rise The market for heart-healthy products is

shifting from general heart health to risk factor reduction (FMI, 2011)

Concern over heart disease risk factors is growing among younger adults (Hartman, 2010)

66% of boomers are concerned about high blood pressure, 48% of Gen X and 40% of Gen Y consumers are concerned about cholesterol (Hartman, 2010)

7. Risk Awareness on the Rise Look for more foods that improve circulation/heart

health CocoaVia – flavanol-rich supplement Also look for more products that improve mental

acuity/brain health/mental sharpness (Health Focus, 2010)

High blood glucose is the fourth-largest cause of preventable death in America-behind only smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure (Danaei et al., 2009)

Look for foods designed to improve insulin resistance, and control and manage blood sugar

(Sloan, 2012)

8. First Aid

Natural remedies to prevent/treat common everyday aches and ailments

Young Gen Yers are the most likely to believe that functional foods/beverages can be used in place of some medicines (French, 2011)

Look for foods that improve digestive health, boost the immune system, improve joint health, and reduce stress (Hartman, 2010; Health Focus, 2010)

9. Kids, Dads and Grandparents

Only 40% of kids food/beverage market was positioned as better-for-you in 2010 (Packaged Facts, 2011)

One in eight children have two or more risk factors for heart disease; one in three is overweight or obese (NCHS, 2010)

37% of men are very concerned about nutrition (MSI, 2010)

60% are making a strong effort to limit fats, 54% salt-sodium reduction, 49% sugar, and 44% cholesterol (MSI, 2010)

9. Kids, Dads and Grandparents One third of the U.S. population is now

over age 55 (Packaged Facts, 2011) Important issues to those 50+ include:

retaining mental sharpness, avoiding heart disease, preventing cancer, bone health/strength, maintaining the ability to continue with normal activity as they age and preserving eye health (Health Focus, 2010)

10. Liquidation

Weight control/nutrition liquids and powders and energy drinks sales increased by 18%, followed by sports drinks (up 11%) ((IRI, 2012)

Energy/alertness, gut health, heart health, immunity, sports/recovery and weight control were the top claims on new U.S. functional beverages in 2011(Innova, 2011)

Calcium, antioxidants, and vitamins/minerals are the top ingredients consumers look for in functional beverages (Mintel, 2010)

10. Liquidation

Immunity, digestive health, complete days nutrition requirement, lowering cholesterol, and providing energy are the most desired health benefits for functional beverages (Mintel, 2010)

Look for new technologies e.g. high pressure pasteurization and caps that dispense sensitive ingredients at the time of consumption) to gain in popularity (Sloan , 2012)

Conclusions

There is a disconnect between what consumers say and do!

Few health claims have been substantiated for phytochemical-rich foods!

Health-protective effects in in vitro and animal studies often do not translate to humans

Well defined clinical trials are needed to substantiate health benefits observed in in vitro and animal studies

Consumers must understand that functional foods are not a “magic bullet” or panacea for poor health habits