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Innovative food ingredients that are changing the future of food in India
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Monday, 18 October, 2021, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Ruhani Sandhu
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We are excited about the future – it’s healthy, relative, convincing and progressive. There has never been a better time in the history of food and drink industry, where we are seeing so many varied varieties of natural and organic ingredients in the market, as there is now.
The future of consumerism is all about nature, nutrition, clean eating, sugar reduction, plant-based eating, increased protein, wholesome nutrition, simple ingredients, sustainability, transparency and ethics, ethics and ethics.
The global wellness movement is on the rise and it wants to reconnect people with their food, it’s chemistry and where it comes from. There is more interest in both the nutrition and botanical sectors, which highllghts the therapeutic phytonutrients present in the plants - for example, curcumin in turmeric and safranal in saffron. Natural holistic-healing ingredients align with wellness trends and products that enhance brain health, mood and gut health, are attributing to the growth of the market.
Plant-power is the new mantra and trends affirm that plant-based options will continue to expand as people seek more ethical, clean and sustainable products. There’s no denying the fact that there has been a huge increase in vegan, plant-based value systems, whether it’s for health reasons, protein source or because of animal welfare. The vegan products are putting more fun in functional, natural ingredients and this has lead to an increase in the growth of simpler, more honest food products.
Moreover, social media is challenging food and drink manufacturers to consider appearance as well as ingredients and flavour as key elements when creating a new food or drink. The broad range of fitness enthusiasts who are active social media users, including young teens and millennial parents, are giving natural ingredients, fitness food and drinks, a wide potential demographic appeal. This fondness of posting pictures of foods and beverages has not gone unnoticed by natural product developers and food service professionals.
According to Research and Markets Report, the clean label and natural ingredients market is expected to value $ 51.14 billion by 2024, registering a CAGR of 6.75% during the forecast period 2019-2025. The demand for natural ingredients and clean products is growing owing to the increasing health concerns of the customers, regarding the adverse health effects of artificial ingredients and packaged food. Plus the need for extra-addition to their diet, amidst their stressful, hectic and sedentary lifestyles, is booming the need for the new superfoods.
Presently, Europe accounts for the highest market share at the global level for natural functional ingredients, due to the substantial penetration of manufacturers producing bioactive ingredients. European consumers progressively prefer positive diet, owing to growing health concerns and demand for the substitute options of the vegetable protein. This consumer behaviour is estimated to propel the growth of Indian products with natural ingredients in the market during the forecast period.
The Asia-Pacific natural ingredients market is projected to hold a noticeable revenue share in the future, particularly the emerging economies of India and China. The major reason for the fast-moving markets in Asia is the increasing living standards of the consumers and their high interest in healthy eating habits and an increase in awareness of ingredients that promote holistic healing. According to global news wire report, Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing clean label market, registering a CAGR of 7.4%.
While we wait for more ingredients to gain limelight in the future, let me point you through the list of natural ingredients and their segments, which gained worldwide popularity this year and made their way to the consumers in the form of ingredients, food options, drinks and nutraceuticals:
1. Adaptogen herbs - Predicted to be one of the biggest wellness trends this year, adaptogenic herbs or ‘adaptogens’ are a unique class of healing plants that balance, restore and protect our body. Out of the thousands of herbs available on the planet, only a few qualify as adaptogens. The category includes the popular Indian ginseng ashwagandha, gotu kola or brahmi, moringa, Indian gooseberry or amla, licorice root or mulethi, holy basil or tulsi and turmeric. These ingredients will especially witness a massive boom in the tea and ready-to-drink, nutracuetical and plant-protein industry.
2. Natural flavours and seasonings – The interest in spices for health benefits and as building blocks for natural flavours is another area that is going to see continued growth. There has been a faster growth for conscious healthy eating and experiential spending, which has sparked the evolution of flavours. Consumers are dwelling into forgotten local ingredients and spices like turmeric, cumin, saffron, mustard seeds, paprika, pepper, star anise and cinnamon. These are becoming a source of exciting flavour combinations and nutritional needs in tea, nutracueticals, ready-to-drinks, health supplemets and food.
3. Alternative flours – As more people try trendy gluten-free diets that reject wheat flour, and as consumers try to “boost their bake” with more protein and fiber, new flours derived from ancient grains, fruits and vegetables have hit the market. Mixed millet flours, seeds flour,oats, almond, buckwheat,protein powders, arrowroot, tigernut, beetroot and cauliflower flour will contnue gaining popularity in the food industry.
4. Healthy drinks – Sugar avoidance is fueling new product development in the beverage category, where emerging brands are tapping into healing herbs including adaptogens, natural plant extracts like olive oil leaf extract and natural sweeteners like stevia, coconut sugar and dates extract. Brands are prefering to develop mindful formulations that have authentic flavours, natural colours, high-nutrition, and give health benefits that the consumers are seeking.
5. Natural colourants - Whether it’s vivid blue, deep purple, sunny yellow,rich brown, earthy green on the spectrum, the segmentation of natural colourants has led to an increase in demand of new natural ingredients as colour goes natural. Their application in beverage, bakery, confectionery, sauce and condiment segment has attributed to the popularity of blue pea flower, spirulina, turmeric, blueberries, strawberries, beetroot, carrots, hibiscus, coffee, tea, cocoa etc. Brands are working on creating their extracts to make these natural colourants easily applicable.
6. Other natural products - CBD oil and hemp look like the big story of the future. Their flexible delivery methods like drops, tinctures, extracts, dry leaves, seeds and more, and the increasingly relaxed legislation surrounding it could make it this year’s most in-demand stress, sleep and pain solution. Kombucha, a fermented drink and a natural probiotic, is another product whose market is growing substantially due to an increase in the awareness about gut health.
Whether you are a health freak or just an aspirant, the future will convince you to make your grocerry list cleaner and your food options smarter.
(The author is founder of Rangsaa tea, TEDx and tea note speaker. She can be contacted at ruhani@rangsaa.in)
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