THE FUTURE TRENDS OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS AND BEVERAGES

Functional food and beverages is an area of new product development that continues to generate strong interest among consumer product goods companies. The food and beverage manufacturing companies have begun to make new and unique ingredients with has health benefits. The idea of developing more functional food and drinks are quite compelling. 

According to research, the functional food and beverage market is valued for more than 15 billion. These are categorized as:

1. Products that are enhanced with added ingredients which will provide specific health or disease benefits beyond general nutrition such as joint pain or digestion problem.
2. Products that have been modified and enhanced by processing like fermentation of dairy products where the bacteria that cause the fermentation for health benefits.
3. Products that by approved from FDA. For example “Helps lower cholesterol or 25 grams of soy protein a day. It’s a part of a diet where low in saturation fat and cholesterol which will reduce the risk of heart diseases as well as make your bones healthy. 

Functional foods and beverage sales are quite heavy and have seen an exponential growth in the last few years. The rate of growth will slow especially in beverages as more people tend towards functional foods. According to recent research, consumer purchased a functional food or drink in the last three months. They are more careful with how they spend their money and what they spend it on.  There are more than two-third functional beverages should be tested by FDA to make sure that they do what they say. Some consumers are skeptical and their skepticism is apparent when they are asked if they “feel the difference” after consuming functional foods and beverages. More than 25% say they “feel the difference” when they consume them and more than 30% say that such products are neither effective nor ineffective. 

Globally, functional food and beverages have shown slow but relatively steady increases every quarter for the last several years. The pattern in the market is similar to where there are great peaks and valleys than globally.  The types of products we see on the market are normally “traditional” claim areas such as cardiovascular health, digestive health, and immune support. The kind of growth was found in the area of relaxation, beauty and skin care. Traditional functional foods and beverages have some sort of digestive health benefits. These products can add fiber. Some products combine the isotonic benefits of coconut water providing multiple benefits. 

In terms of where we see functional foods and beverages are going in the future, it seems that the products that bundle claims and benefits together are the one that stands the best chance of long-term survival.