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Nutraceutical and dietary supplements up India prospects
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Saturday, 12 February, 2022, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
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The nutraceuticals industry is on an up-swing. India has been emerging as a potential market for the nutraceuticals industry and making waves just after Japan and China.
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has seen an uptick in the health awareness where need for preventive care and immunity have gained ground. The industry experts from Nestle, British Biologicals and Abbot have noted that all this would only increase the importance of nutraceuticals in healthcare and disease management with dietary supplements.
The major development which happened in 2020 was in respect to the immunity portfolio. Many immunity ingredients were tried and Vitamin C took the front seat and boosted up the entire economy. Vitamin C from the natural sources, which falls under the nutraceuticals category, was evaluated and lots of products were made out of it.
“The corona virus pandemic has now justified the importance of immunity and good health. Only changes in our daily routines and dietary habits can act as a good preventive measure. This focus on preventive care and holistic wellness has marked a new step towards a better healthcare ecosystem in India,” said Rajesh Jagdale, managing director, Jagdale Industries.
Meanwhile, Amit Srivastava, chief catalyst and founder, Nutrify Today, stated, “Nutraceuticals in 2021 will have skipped the growth trend by two to three years and the trend will settle down at 20% growth rate. Ayurveda, herbal extracts will lead the market. New generation startups will work on newer technologies like lipo-ayurveda, fermented ayurveda and the new categories will have larger market appeal.”
Several global nutraceutical companies including MyHealth in Belgium, Kamedis from Israel, Kreivo Health of Singapore and Baker Dillon Group of the US are keen to partner and invest into promising Indian companies having a wellness and dietary supplement portfolio.
This comes after the Union government approving for 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) into nutraceuticals manufacturing sector via the automatic route. It allows entities to market through wholesale, retail, or e-commerce platform.
Further, the pandemic phase has found considerable relevance to immunity boosters and naturally derived foods. In addition, India holds promise for exploring delivery of nutraceutical formulations in varied forms of liquids, capsules, tablets, or chewable gummies.
“International companies want to access the Indian market swiftly. Hence responsible evidence-based nutrition is at the centre of all these conversations. This sector also has opened up significantly to attract foreign investments,” said Srivastava.
“Leading international nutraceutical companies are making a beeline for India, as the country shows its potential as big market, as also a source of innovation and ingredients,” he added.
A key factor to partner and fund Indian nutraceutical companies is to be able to offer wide product offering. Also being part of an Indian entity allows easier regulatory clearances.
An International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce, United States, report estimates Indian nutraceuticals market to grow from the current $4 billion to $18 billion by 2025. Currently, India imports US$2.7 billion worth of nutraceuticals.
Research is also underway on isolated nutrients, dietary supplements, and specific diets to genetically engineered designer foods, according to researchers from National Institute of Nutrition.
“Nutrify Today too, which is a nutraceutical B2B platform, has signed up with well-known international companies like Kreivo Health, Kamedis, Baker Dillon Group and MyHealth. These companies are looking at India for innovation and technology expansion strategies. For instance MyHealth of Belgium, and Kamedis, Israel, are attempting to find a base in India to drive innovation from botanical ingredients,” said Srivastava.
“Our patented botanical extracts for dermatological conditions have been subjected to stringent clinical trials and are a success story in Israel, and now entering US markets. Engaging Nutrify will enable us to find a strong foothold in the Indian dermatology market”, said Roni Kramer, founder & CEO, Kamedis.
“We have charted an aggressive growth strategy and intend to double up our portfolio in Europe and Africa. We also plan to tap into about US$5 million worth of nutraceutical innovation portfolio from India,” pointed out Jurgen Broeck, founder and CEO, Kreivo Health,
Raf Dybajlo, CEO, MyHealth, said that their portfolio of products undergoes clinical trials in the standards of pharma to ensure desired health outcomes. The company witnessed success in Europe and now it is well primed to enter key markets like India. Complying with responsible nutrition standards these products are eligible for clearances from the Indian regulator.
Public health and nutrition experts have reiterated that food fortification is crucial for India to battle anaemia and micronutrient malnutrition. Food fortification has been steadily gaining recognition for its ability to manage micronutrient malnutrition in populations lacking dietary diversity. In India, with a high prevalence of anaemia among women and children, foods fortified with iron, vitamin B12 and Folic Acid provide a crucial window of opportunity to address nutrient gaps particularly in low-income groups as part of a comprehensive solution.
Lack of nutritional awareness, incorrect cooking and eating practices, limited bioavailability of nutrients, and inability to afford a diversified diet or access food items such as vegetables, fruits, eggs and milk are challenges that need to be addressed to meet gaps in micronutrient consumption in the diet.
“Studies show that micronutrient deficiency is not just closely linked with poor immunity and congenital disorders such as neural tube defects (NTDs), but also cognitive development, school concentration capacities and work output. Large-scale food fortification interventions have the ability to improve functional health outcomes and nutritional status of populations across India,” stated Dr Sheila C Vir, senior nutrition specialist and director, Public Health Nutrition and Development Centre, New Delhi.
Fortified rice kernels that resemble milled rice in appearance, taste, and texture and then blended with non-fortified rice at a ratio of 1:100, can therefore be a micronutrient-rich alternative which fits Indian diet preferences.
“A case-controlled study, conducted in 2019 in Gujarat, found that integrating micronutrient fortified rice into the midday meal programmes over eight months significantly reduced anaemia prevalence by 10% and improved cognitive score by 11.3 points among 6-12-year-old school students. The evidence widely available from global and Indian data including WHO suggests that food fortification is an effective preventive strategy and helps to increase micronutrient intake. Fortification standards need to be tailored to a country's context based on the prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies,” said Dr R Sankar, director, The Indian Nutrition Initiative.
“The technology is simple and has been developed globally, as well as by a Department of Biotechnology-IIT Kharagpur partnership. The PDS food supply system can easily integrate it, and it benefits small millers as well”, said Dr Rajesh Kapur, former Additional Secretary/Scientist, Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, who worked on the technology.
The Government of India policy of supplying fortified rice through the food safety nets such as PDS, Mid-Day Meal Schemes, and ICDS, is thus in the right direction. The government provided support for fortification costs, program management, IEC, monitoring, and evaluation. Easy loans are also being provided through the MSME departments to millers for setting up blending units and FRK facilities.
A commitment has been made at the highest level with Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing the availability of fortified rice in all Social Safety Net Programmes (SSNP) by 2024.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) standards are based on evidence-based research and rigorous consultations with the scientific community, including food, nutrition, and public health experts. Additionally, given that only 30-40% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of micronutrients may be added to the staples under these standards, micronutrient overload is not even a distant possibility.
“For effective implementation of the programme, the production process of fortified rice kernels (FRK) and the blending process of FRK with normal rice has to be done under continual monitoring, quality assurance and control, and corrective measures to ensure high compliance,” stated Dr H N Mishra, Head, Rice Fortification Project, Agricultural & Food Engineering Department, IIT Kharagpur.
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