The future of food

What properties should modern foodstuffs have? Which ingredients can provide additional health benefits? Which laws and regulations will have to be taken into account in achieving this? These were some of the questions tackled at the 1st European Gelita Symposium on June 18th and 19th 2002 in Heidelberg, Germany. Product developers, marketing specialists and managers from the food, dairy products and pharmaceutical industries across nine countries took part in the event. "Scientists have progressed to the molecular level of substances in their research. In this way, they have created the possibility of creating completely new products with enormous market potential," said Prof. Dr. Ernst Reimerdes, former Vice President CT-R&D Technology Transfer at Nestlé and moderator of the symposium. Market trends are the preconditions for new products, claimed Prof. F. W. Weirauch, CEO of 2017 ROI Trend Research and Consulting. "The winners on the market place are those that are quicker, cheaper, better and more innovative." 'Mobile Mealing' , highlighted one seminar, has great potential. Participants concluded that the mid-range between fast food and gourmet eating is disappearing fast and for products, the most important factors are selling price acceptance, image and design. The confectionery market is large and established with worldwide sales of almost €90 billion. In contrast, functional foods represent a new, poorly defined and fragmented market that is difficult to specify, claimed speakers at the symposium. Estimates for worldwide sales are between €10 and €50 billion - between €2 and €20 in the USA, €3 and €20 in Japan and €2 and €10 in Europe. Gut health is a growth market - estimated as being worth €3.5 billion worldwide. Japan dominates but Europe is showing high growth rates (Yakult, Actimel). The major products are probiotic yogurts and beverages. In the heart health sector (estimated turnover €3.5 billion) phytosterol spreads, snacks, omega-3 spreads, drinks, cereals, soy products and cholesterol-lowering spreads are the leading products. In bone care and health (estimated turnover €2.5 billion) calcium- and vitamin-enriched beverages and dairy products as well as soy and cereal products are the front runners. The functional confectionery market is estimated at €4billion. Sugar-free products lead the market and have tremendous growth potential, writes Gelita in a synthesis of the symposium. Further health-promoting products include green tea with lemon and probiotic fibres, dentifrice-acting chewing gum, vitamin-enhanced chewing gum, sugar-free chocolate, caramels containing calcium. Functional foods combine the benefits of foodstuffs with health and lifestyle. Participants concluded that the functional food revolution is not just a scientific but also a communication challenge. A product must have a unique health benefit if it is to be successful in positioning itself and penetrating this difficult market. Many companies have mistakenly believed that all that is necessary to improve mood and hence sales is to simply load the product with supplemental ingredients, e.g. vitamins or a particular type of flour. Much of this is purely cosmetic - they are not truly active ingredients. A number of pharmaceutical companies have floundered because, according to the seminar findings, they have failed to understand the food market. They believed an added health benefit would justify a five- or tenfold increase in price. The additional price that a 'normal' consumer is willing to pay for additional benefits appears to be between 20 - 25 per cent. Further information about the symposium can be viewed here.

The future of food

A range of issues hitting the food industry in Europe came under the spotlight last month at symposium in Germany co-ordinated by gelatine giant Gelita.

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