Nutraceutical products indicate promising growth prospects

Nutraceutical market in India is now evolving. This is because of the increased awareness on the need for dietary supplements.

The trend towards preventive healthcare has seen pharma companies diversifying into the production of nutraceuticals. These include GlaxoSmithKline, Cadbury, Dabur, Cadila Healthcare, Novartis to name a few.

The market is estimated to be around Rs 1,200 crore with a growth rate of 12 -15 per cent. The major factors that increase the growth potential include the ageing population, changing lifestyle, increasing medical costs, high spending power, awareness of preventive medicine, increasing malnutrition led diseases. What gives companies in the fray a competitive edge is branding, pricing, promotional activities and channel partners, stated sources.

“People today are becoming health-conscious and are realising the need for dietary supplements to help them cope with the fast-changing pace of life, which has put them at the risk of diabetes, cholesterol, heart ailments, arthritis and so on,” says Dr Kamal G Nath, consultant food scientist & nutritionist, professor & head, Department of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.

The wide range of nutraceutical products includes vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, herbals/ botanicals, proteins and fibres. All these are known to provide health benefits, including prevention and treatment of disease. There are many products also made from herbal/ botanical raw materials, referred to as functional foods which help reduce the risk of chronic disease.

Nutraceutical preparations are easily available in the market and other than the tablet forms, i.e. the powder form products, can be mixed with milk or water for consumption, comments Dr V Prakash, director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore. “There are ingredients like wheat grass, whey protein, isabagol (psylum husk) and stevia rebaudiana bertoni, mushroom have undergone minimal processing and created in powder form that can be mixed into the bakery products or can be used in conventional home made foods by laymen too. In these cases the nutraceutical is separated from a food and sold in dosage form,” added Dr Prakash.

According to food experts the components which are attributed to the growth of the market are urbanisation, education, awareness which have led to improved quality of life. Going by the dual incomes, the spending and lifestyle of the people have also improved. “While there are positive aspects to the fast paced life, the negative impact is exposed on the health of the population. There is a spurt in life style disorders like diabetes, cholesterol and hypertension, resulting out of stress and bad eating habits. This is where nutraceuticals are known to play a major role in controlling ill-health condition. It makes people opt for protein supplements and multi-mineral supplements,” stated Dr K Shantha Kumar, professor and scheme head, Foods and Nutrition, Home Science department, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.
CFTRI and Defence Food Research Laboratory which are located in Mysore are engaged in the development of products. A lot of transfer of technology is also carried out to the industry.

Leading nutraceutical companies in India engaged in the production of products are Sami Labs, British Biologicals, Parrys India, Elder Pharma, Ranbaxy, Raptakos, Paras, Ce Chem, Tablets India which are focused primarily in the areas of nutrition and dietetics.

The Chennai-based Parry Nutraceuticals, which is recognised as the world leader in Micro Algal Technology for over three decades, is currently producing Certified Organic Spirulina, Natural Mixed Carotenodis and Astaxanthin from algae. “Our offering of carotenoids is complete with Lutein esters and zeaxanthin from Marigold flowers and Lycopene complex from tomatoes,” inform the company sources.

Bangalore-based British Biologicals, a dedicated nutraceutical major in the country, has an aggressive strategy in place to pursue its future growth efforts. In this connection, the company is focusing on disease specific nutritional products. These include sports nutrition division with six brands: X-TRA whey, Whey platinum standard, full throttle Creatine monohydrate, X-TRA Mass, recovery and X-TRA Grainer. All these products are already well accepted and three more brands are being developed. These are Pure Creatine monohydrate, slim life and an energy sports drink. The company has also started the criticare division in collaboration with DSM (USA), a world leader in nutrition, stated V S Reddy, chairman and managing director, British Biologicals.

Ce Chem Pharmaceuticals which is a leading pharma enterprise in Karnataka in the small scale segment has been engaged in the manufacture of nutraceutical products for the domestic market. These include Ziprovit powder: Ziprolina Capsules and Ziprolina, pediatric syrup. All the products are prescription-driven only.

Avesthagen Limited which is developing a range of bioactives to promote degeneration of health conditions has developed Teestar. The product is a clinically validated botanical bioactive ingredient developed with a single herb has proven to reduce blood glucose levels in insulin-independent diabetics. The company has now developed a fenugreek-based whole-wheat cracker using Teestar. The single herb, AGT019 is selected from AdePt, a proprietary Indian medicinal plant resource developed by the company.

“Sami Labs is giving a major thrust to new product development and market-oriented research in the area of phyto-pharmaceuticals. In the Phytopharma industry Sami Labs has been recognised as an “Integrated Natural” product company with a strong R&D focus. Its research and development focuses innovation nutraceuticals,” stated, Muhammed Majeed, chairman and managing director, Sami Labs.

Malted foods market also comes under the nutraceutical product umbrella. The market is open for all age-groups. The products under the segment are Horlicks, Boost, Maltova and Viva from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. Another player is Cadbury India with its products Bournvita and Complan.

Misitng Technology - a new development in storage

The latest development in food preservation technology has been the invention of the misting technology applied for the preservation of fresh agri-produce, fruits, and vegetables. This technology is the application of high pressure (1000 psi) to water, to convert it into fine droplets of mist. The average droplet size of the mist is 4-5 microns, which is achieved by the highly engineered nozzles. This size of the droplets ensures enhanced surface area coverage, resulting in immediate evaporation and consequent cooling and humidification of the space.

The entire system can be controlled on either temperature or humidification parameters and for food specific applications, the parameter to be monitored specially humidification. The reason behind this is that fresh food produce lose moisture on a gradual basis in any normal atmosphere, which acts as a dehydrating environ, consequently losing their appeal, resulting in rejection and wastage. There is a gradual loss of weight, and also shriveling. The dehydration could also be due to dry, hot or even air-conditioned atmosphere.

The application of misting ensures drying or withering is avoided and on the other hand, there is no wetting of surface of the fruits and veggies, as it may lead to rotting. And so misting technology has to ensure a balance between the prevention of drying and avoidance of too much of wetting. Since the droplet size is minuscule, it ensures that the mist does not actually touch or wet the surface of the fruit. An equilibrium in the humidity parameter which is highly crucial for a fresh harvest.

The main application on an appreciable scale is found in supermarkets and large groceries or malls, where the fresh harvest has to be stored for a number of days, sometimes a week. Misting technology is an effort towards preserving the freshness and appeal of fruits and vegetables to the best possible duration. This ensures quality product for the consumers and hence greatly reduces rejects; losses and wastage.

A notable point here is that misting requires very low quantity of water because of the application of high pressure. A nozzle delivers 0.07 litre of water per minute; while the misting that is used for supermarkets is pulsed at a few seconds per minute.

Food Label- Understanding the Basics

With the advent of government notification on labelling requirements for food processors, food labels are now seen on most of the packed food items. The law received some resistance for various reasons from sections of food industry, delaying its implementation at the national level. Most of the small-scale food manufacturers disapproved the law as it meant additional expense and commitment for them. However, the manufacturers need to be assured that the labels indeed contain a great deal of nutritional information. It is beneficial for the consumers as they can easily choose a healthier food option and beneficial for food manufacturers as labelling is a good marketing tool and it also helps them in competitor mapping!

The consumers are exposed to numerous food items and various types of food labels in the market. This article has been written for the benefit of consumers so that they can ‘READ’ the food label and select the food product to suit their preference.

What are the benefits of food label for the consumer? Label is the first point of contact between the consumer and the producer. It allows the consumers to know what exactly they are buying in terms of calories, proteins, fats etc. and thus enables them to make a ‘health conscious selection’. It informs the consumers regarding weight of the product, best before date, storage conditions and cooking recipe if any. It allows consumers to compare food products by Value for Money.

What should the consumer see in a food label?
As per the Indian Regulations a food label must have

1. Product name and category of food
2. An ingredient list in descending order of weight
3. Logo for Vegetarian / Non Vegetarian Food
4. Nutrition facts panel or information which includes energy, protein, carbohydrate (sugars) & fat
5. The shelf life (Use by or Best before date)
Use By---- The “Use By “code is used for foods that are microbiologically highly perishable foods which deteriorate and become dangerous to human health after a short time. (eg. chilled foods, cooked chilled meals which should be refrigerated)
Best Before --- This type of code is used for products where ‘Use By’ date is not applicable or required. The best before date must be expressed as a day, month & year in that order. Some products are not required to be date marked for ex.eg. wines & spirits which have long shelf life, fresh fruits & vegetables, etc.
6. Storage conditions
7. The name & address of the manufacturer, packer and / or seller
8. The country of origin (in case of imported foods)
9. The weight
10. Instructions for use

Apart from the nutrition facts which are mentioned above, some products claim additional benefits for their products to attract the consumers. These are either health claims or nutritional claims. Health claims establish a relationship between a food & disease or medical condition. For example claims like ‘Good for Heart’, ‘Good for Growing Children’ etc. However, it needs to be noted that at present the Indian Food Regulations do not have clear guidelines on Health Claims for foods. Nutritional claims quickly inform a consumer of nutritional value of a product for example ‘Low Fat’ or ‘Zero Cholesterol’.

Some of the packed food items may not have all the above information on their food label as the label requirement depends on the type of food and packing size, the details of which are available in the government notifications.

What is the significance of Nutrition Facts on the food label? The nutrition facts panel for an Indian product must contain declarations regarding energy, carbohydrate and fat. The nutrients are generally expressed as mg or gm per 100 gm or per 100 ml. In some cases they are expressed as amount per serving, and one serving is generally considered as 1 cup or approximately 228 gm.

Energy - Energy is expressed as Calories. Calorie requirement may vary from person to person as it depends on the age, health status, activity level, gender and weight of the consumer. An average adult requires between 2000 and 2700 calories a day. Calories are provided from three macronutrients -- fat, carbohydrate & protein.

Total Fat – 20–35% of the total calories required by an average human should be obtained from fats. Fats derived from olive oil, fish oil etc. are beneficial and should be incorporated in the diet.

Total Carbohydrates – Total carbohydrates include simple sugars, complex carbohydrates & dietary fibres. Healthier carbohydrate choice includes whole fruits, or complex carbohydrates like beans, potatoes & pasta. Approximately 45-65 % of the total calories required by an average human should be obtained from carbohydrates.

Protein – Proteins are used to maintain & repair human body tissues and to make enzymes. They are responsible for many other functions that encourage overall growth and development of human body. Essential amino acids need to be obtained only from diets which are rich in proteins. Animal products, grains, beans, nuts & some vegetables are good source of proteins. 20–35% of the total calories required by an average human should be obtained from proteins.

Why some food labels have more information regarding the nutrition facts? Apart from the mandatory nutrition declarations some food labels display contents of cholesterol, MUFA (mono unsaturated fatty acids), PUFA (poly unsaturated fatty acids), trans fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibres and sugar alcohols. These nutrients are included because

1.The food label either has a health claim or a nutritional claim.
2.Internationally, the food labels are as per Codex Alimentarius guidelines. The requirements for food label at the international level are vast and include many of the additional nutrients which are mentioned above. The Indian food regulations so far have been restricted only to total carbohydrates, sugar, fat, protein and energy facts. However, considering the global requirements the Indian regulations may get broader with time. The producers are therefore proactive and prefer displaying additional information. It means a one-time investment on their product label and also helps them to benchmark their products with international brands.

What is the significance of these additional nutrients? Cholesterol – It is the most ‘talked-about’ nutrient these days. There are two types of cholesterol ie. HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) which protects heart and LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) linked to higher risk of heart disease. Foods obtained from animal fats like meat, poultry should be taken in moderate amounts. Foods rich in soy proteins, monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats, omega 3 fatty acids, soluble fibres etc. help in reducing the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Dietary Fibres: They are obtained mostly from foods of plant origin like legumes, fruits, whole grain foods, root vegetables like potato, sweet potatoes and onions. They help in reducing cholesterol levels, colitis, colon cancer etc.

Vitamins & Minerals - Vitamins & minerals play an important role in food metabolism, in maintaining good vision and in fighting the infections.

Some food labels display % Daily Value. What is % Daily Value? % Daily Value (DV) is not mandatory as per the Indian guidelines. It is provided for each nutrient except sugar & protein. It represents the percentage of nutrient in a food product compared with total amount of that nutrient a person should have in one day, based on 2000 calorie diet. For example, a label may show that a serving of the food provides 30 per cent of the daily recommended amount of dietary fibre. This means you still need another 70 per cent to meet the recommended goal. Nutrition experts recommend limiting total fat, saturated fat and cholesterol in your diet. Foods with a lower per cent DV for these nutrients should be preferred. On the other hand foods with a higher per cent DV for vitamins, minerals and fibres should be included in the diet.

Does it mean that all the food categories bear food labels? Certain categories of food are exempted from the labelling requirements. Some foods are prepared as per customer requirements. The process of food manufacturing in some cases is not mechanised and the sources of raw materials keep on varying and that is why these products can not have food labels. For example, foods served in hotels, hospitals, by vendors like halwaiis etc. Other food products which are exempted from labelling requirements include raw agricultural commodities like rice, wheat, cereals, sugar, salt, non-nutritive products like tea, coffee, spices, processed and pre-packaged assorted vegetables and fruits, products that comprise single ingredients like papad, pickle as declared in the government notification GSR 664 E.

Thanks to the food labelling regulations, consumers can now make a wise decision and choice before buying processed food products off the shelf and feel Safe than Sorry.

Trade Mark- Concept and Relevance

Intellectual property is an intangible right which highlights the creativity and originality. In India there are seven various Acts which presently form part of IPR’s. Such Laws basically recognize the limited monopoly of the right holder.

The oldest of this IPR is the concept of Trade Mark, which originated in early 12th Century from UK and later on expended to entire world. India also has its first Trade Mark Laws in 1958 and reenacted in the year 1999 (applicable as on date).

In India Trade Mark means a mark (representation) capable of being represented graphically and which is capable of distinguishing the goods or services of one person from that those of other and may include shape of goods, their packaging and combinations of colours etc. Pursuant to reenactment of this law in the year 1999, Services connected with industry, commercial matters, chit funds, communications, education, financing, insurance real estate, transport storage, material treatment, processing, supply of electrical or other energy boarding, lodging, entertainment and host others are also covered by this Trade Mark Law. Now the Collective Trade Marks and Certification of Trade Mark are also the component under Indian Laws.

All across the world Trade Marks are the commonly used form of representing and selling goods. The various internationally and nationally products are known by their brand names and their market credibility is linked with it. All popular products are directly linked with its name and not otherwise. Globalization and elimination of national boundaries for the purposes of Trade do warrant its protection and it is cause of concern for WTO and numerous unanimous agreement/ covenants and understanding were arrived among the member countries. Therefore I feel to highlight the importance of Trade Mark and other IPR in today’s business will be wastage of your precious time. Trade Mark and other IP Rights are now seen as a Value addition and a major tool for branding and targeting customers.

Trade Marks are protected even if they are not registered. But the registration gives a direct and instant recognition and a handy tool for marketing various products. Only the products with registered Trade Mark have become Brands and not the unregistered one. Hence it will be extremely appropriate to have Trade Mark registered. The registration of Trade Mark gives instant national and international recognition.

To my knowledge there are only 7% of SME’s in Pune have registered IPR including Trade Marks and it has resulted around 10% value addition to their products. There are various kinds of Food products including the rare one in Pune sector which may not be able to achieve its designated targets due to various reasons like designs, cutting production costs, packaging, market forces/ exploration and their representations. It will immensely help the Ready to eat and Ready to Cook Food products as there are producer of the same across country.

The process of registration of Trade Mark is simple and not highly technical. There are various agents and lawyers who are engaged in such kind of services. The Forms and Procedures are also given on www.ipindia.nic.in and one can apply directly on website as well. The Government fees are nominal and easily affordable. It takes around two years to finally get registration, if not opposed by any public person. Once registered it is applicable and confers legal right from the date of its initial application moved for registration. No one else can apply for the same trade mark once it is applied by someone else.

Ready to Eat Foods

Ready to Eat Foods (RTE) were first produced in the US in the early 50’s for the US army as a replacement to canned foods during the war and in subsequent decades became popular in space voyages. In early 70’s RTE products got popular in Japan with number of their traditional foods in retort pouches. In the last five years a large number of new food products have entered the Indian market and Ready to Eat segment is slowly gaining more and more shelf space in the supermarkets. There is however, some lack of clarity about differentiation between RTE and Ready to Cook (RTC) and both are commonly referred to as RTE.

RTC products are mainly various pastes where a consumer adds vegetables or meat to prepare a dish. RTE products, on the other hand, normally come as a complete preparation in the frozen form or in the cans or in packets with inner pouch and what is referred here are part of meals in pouches and not the snack or other segments. RTE products have a shelf life of about 12-15 months. Thereafter the product may be safe but may lose colour and aroma.

Working couples with changing life style and lack of time have led to growth of RTE products in the recent times. Some of the popular products in the market include dal makhani, palak paneer, dal tadka, rajma, navratan korma, paw bhaji, various rice preparations and host of others. Some entrepreneurs also have regional products and there are about dozen brands from some of the companies like ITC, MTR, Tasty Bite, Satnam Overseas, Capital Foods in the market with most of them exporting to the Middle East, Europe and North America successfully. Current production is estimated at about 20,000 T of which over 80% is exported.

RTE products are prepared in a large industrial kitchen like any other product but care is taken in formulating the product with respect to ingredients and cooking it just bare minimum as the product undergoes steam steralisation during processing. It is a specialised technology requiring alertness, high degree of precision, process controls and handling. Depending upon the desired final preparation, following broad main steps are involved in making a RTE product in a pouch:

Pre-process which includes washing and cutting of vegetables or meat, grinding of spices etc.

Heating by boiling, simmering, frying or cooking.

Mixing and blending of various ingredients and adjusting the consistency to a desired end product.

Filling manually or through automatic filler in the pouch which is made out of specialised multi-layered laminate, very different from normal pouches.

Sealing manually by a manual heat sealer or through an automatic hot-melt sealer.

Visual inspection of the sealed pouch for any defects.

Loading in the retort for steam steralisation based on the scientific calculation of time and temperature (effectively pressure) and on completion of process cooling the pouches through a water jet in a pre-determined way

Unloading from retort for a final inspection for any obvious defects like seal strength, check weight and ensuring incubation before packing in the cartons or boxes before dispatching.

Each of the steps given above is crucial and care needs to be taken so that the product at every step goes through stringent quality checks manned by qualified and trained man-power. The whole process though sounds simple is a fairly complex one from selection of good standardized ingredients, developing a recipe with a consumer appeal to integrity of the seal and proper steralisation which are vital for success or failure of the brand.