Grocery Report: The Shape of Things to Come

The constant evolution of these concerns indicates that we are not dealing with a fad. They are here to stay and it is just a matter of time before products lagging too far behind the pack become obsolete.

Fortified Foods
While the number of products with fewer undesirable ingredients has grown in recent years, fortified foods – products enriched with nutrients such as thiamine, beta carotene, vitamin D and calcium – may be on the rise. And not just because consumers have shown an interest in what is already available. Earlier this year Health Canada had proposed to amend the Food and Drug Regulations. The proposal would have left decisions regarding the fortification of foods to the discretion of manufacturers, thereby opening the door to the addition of nutrients from a defined list of vitamins and minerals to any type of product. This position fuelled extensive controversy in the industry this past summer with the Dietitians of Canada wading into the debate in support of the fortification of foods only when there is a “clear public health need,” but it did not “support the idea of leaving the decision…to industry.” This professional association feared the amendments would lead to the fortification of high-calorie foods with little nutritional value, an initiative that would encourage the consumption of such foods by a populace already prone to obesity and diabetes, as an article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal explained. Those in favour – mainly manufacturers of packaged and processed foods – argued that introducing fortified products would give consumers a greater choice of foods that could help them meet their daily nutritional requirements. In September, Health Canada announced that it had “no plans to implement proposed legislation for the discretionary fortification of food,” seeming to close the door on the debate. However, in an e-mail to NutraIngredients-USA.com, Health Canada said it “will not proceed at this time with proposed regulatory amendments for discretionary fortification.” So the debate may reignite in the near future. It goes without saying, though, that the pitch should focus on the population’s well-being rather than on practical considerations promoting the compliance of our legislation with that in force in the U.S., another component of this complex equation.

Functional Foods
Another relatively new class of food on the rise is functional foods. To be classified as functional, a product has to do something other than meet basic nutritional needs. In other words, by way of an added functional ingredient, processed medication or biotechnology, it must impart a physiological effect that enhances overall health, helps prevent or treat a disease/condition or improves physical or mental performance. Canada is emerging as one of the world’s leading suppliers for this growing market. Indeed, many Canadian companies are internationally recognized for their bioactive ingredients, such as soluble fibre from oats, barley and pulses, and omega-3 fatty acids from fish and flaxseed oil. This could lead to a Canadian culture that is highly receptive to functional foods, and the outlook for such a market is good. The current difficult economic conditions have not substantially slowed the expansion of these products, according to a report published in August by Mintel, a Chicago-based market research firm. Marketers and retailers continue to introduce new products, and consumers continue to try them in growing numbers. Sales results suggest that there are two keys to their success: the end benefit has to be easy to understand, and the effects have to be noticeable in a short period of time.