Winter 2001 Issue — Foreword

by Clare M. Hasler Ph.D. Associate Director of Outreach and Industry Liason Functional Foods for Health Program University of Illinois < Back

As I write this foreword for Nutraceuticals NOW and reflect over the last several years in the food and dietary supplements industry, it's hard to imagine a time before nutraceuticals. Yet, in 1992, when I began to develop the Functional Foods for Health (FFH) Program at the University of Illinois, it was difficult - if not impossible - to find the word "nutraceutical" in any industry-related publication. What a difference a decade has made! Today, nutraceuticals is a leading trend around the globe with industry activity skyrocketing. Last year, Food Processing Magazine's Annual Top 100® R&D Survey ranked nutraceuticals/functional foods as the foremost product category predicted to be the "hottest" within the next 5 years (Best, 2000). This year's 30th Annual Survey still ranks nutraceuticals at the top, although the category is now tied with organic, ethnic and irradiated foods (Kindle, 2001). According to Nutrition Business Journal (2001), US functional food sales were $17.21 billion in 2000, up from $16.08 billion in 1999, with an annual growth of 7%. Growth of functional foods is anticipated to be 6-8% from 2001-2004 and exceed $30 billion in 2010.

Is the nutraceuticals phenomenon sustainable?

I believe so, given the myriad of factors which have been converged within the last 10 years, including:

1. Mounting scientific findings linking diet to health outcomes,
2. Increasing health care costs associated with aging demographics,
3. Advances in technology, including biotechnology and the recent cloning of the human genome,
4. The rapid growth of the healthy foods/food ingredients market,
5. Changing food regulations, and
6. Consumer interest in self-care and increasing use of complementary and alternative medicine (Hasler, 2001).

The "self-care" phenomenon is particularly important, as consumers are clearly driving the global nutraceuticals trend. According to Sloan (2001), the food industry will be challenged in the decade by "the most mature, wealthiest, and most sophisticated consumer in history" with "do-it-for-me" foods and "do-it-yourself" health among the top ten food trends that will guide food marketers. numerous recent surveys have indicated that consumers are taking greater responsibility for their own health and well-being, and that they are increasingly turning to their diet to help them do so. According to the most recent survey from PREVENTION/ Food Marketing, nine in 10 shoppers believe that they can greatly or somewhat reduce the risk of getting certain diseases by eating healthily. In addition, 73% use fortified foods to maintain health. in the 2000 Food for Thought III Survey from the International Food Information Council, 93% believed that certain foods have health benefits that may reduce the risk of disease or other health concerns.

What nutraceuticals will consumers seek in the near future?

Clearly those which meet leading health concerns will continue to thrive. According to findings from the 2001 HealthFocus Trend Report, consumers, particularly baby boomers (aged 37-55), rank top health concerns as cardiovascular/heart disease, tiredness/lack of energy and breast cancer. Those aged 56-66 (the swing generation) list cardiovascular/heart disease, arthritis and high cholesterol. Elders (age 67+) are primarily concerned with arthritis, cardiovascular/heart disease and eye health (HealthFocus, 2001). Thus, nutraceuticals which address heart health concerns will continue to lead the market. For example, soy, which may bear a health claim in the U.S., is a leading functional food/food ingredient. Soy products sales were up 70% in 2000 while isoflavone supplements increased 112% over 1999. In the 2001 prepared Foods 13th Annual R&D investment survey, which queried R&D executives regarding ingredients that would become more or less important to the products for which they had R&D responsibility, 67% responded that soy protein and/or isoflavones would be the most important (Ohr, 2001). Although herbal sales have fallen dramatically due in large part to regulatory and quality control issues, sales of glucosamine and chondroitin (used to alleviate arthritis pain), increased 27% in 2000 and were the second highest selling dietary supplement in food, drug and mass merchandiser channels. Products targeted to women will proceed to show strong gains. For men, nutraceuticals for prostate health, such as lycopene and saw palmetto, will continue to grow. One of the hottest emerging antioxidants is lutein, which received GRAS status in 2001 and will continue to be utilized in dietary supplements and begin to be incorporated into a variety of foods to address age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of irreversible blindness among Americans age 65 or older. Finally, in light of the aging demographics, ingredients for cognitive function will be important. In particular, choline will become a viable market now given that in September, the FDA approved a nutrient content claim under FDAMA for this essential nutrient (Anonymous, 2001), which may play a critical role in cognitive function.

A Plethora of nutraceuticals are currently under investigation and their health benefits have yet to be discovered. Claims about the health benefits of nutraceuticals must be based on sound and accurate scientific criteria, including rigorous studies of safety and efficacy. Interactions with other dietary components and potential adverse interactions also need to be adequately addressed. Furthermore, information about the benefits derived from nutraceuticals must be effectively communicated to consumers in order to facilitate positive changes in dietary habits. As we embark on our journey through the 21st century, nutraceuticals have the potential to have an enormous impact on the health and well being of all consumers.

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