​Explore Southeast Asia’s nutraceuticals market at Vitafoods Asia 2019

16 September 2019, SINGAPORE – Buyers and distributors of nutraceuticals interested in Southeast Asian markets, should attend Vitafoods Asia 2019 to obtain formative insights into the trends, regulations, and market entry requirements of the region’s markets. An event partner for Vitafoods Asia 2019 is Mintel, who recently released the Mintel APAC Food and Drink Landscape 2019 report.

Some current nutrition trends in Southeast Asia are described as follows.

Sodium reduction

Southeast Asia is home to a higher-than-average death rate attributed to a high-sodium diet. Consumption of salted and fermented foods have long been a part of the region’s traditional food culture, as sauces and seasonings play an integral role in the diet. However, sodium is a factor in seasonings such as fish and soy sauce. According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the consumption of excessive sodium, linked to cardiovascular and high blood pressure, is the world’s leading cause of diet-related death.

Mintel found that, aware of the effects of high sodium intake, a third of urban Thai consumers intend to avoid salt in their diets, and almost seven in 10 urban Thais and Indonesians, respectively, say that they avoid salt to stay healthy. In response, brands are reducing sodium in popular products. Although Southeast Asian governments have sodium reduction on their agenda, none have made it mandatory. Coconut aminos, which are made from the sap of organic coconut trees blended with sea salt, and are gluten-free, non-GMO, organic and MSG-free, are gaining popularity in the region as a substitute to sodium.

Functional dairy drinks for healthy ageing

Sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle, occurs as part of the ageing process and can affect mobility. Today, most dairy drinks are positioned towards bone health, leaving opportunity for new product development to meet the growing needs of ageing consumers. Mintel research found that a fifth of metro Indonesians and a third of metro Thais associate protein with reducing muscle loss during ageing.

Protein is an important part of a diet for healthy ageing. The International Osteoporosis Foundation says that as we age, older adults need a higher protein intake as they typically consume lower calories, which could lead to protein deficiency.Mintel predicts that brain and eye health will become increasingly important in the future for consumers who have concerns about dementia, memory loss and poor eyesight. Functional foods and drinks are particularly important for seniors that don’t actively treat their health issues.

Dairy products to support healthy ageing are in development. Mintel found that opportunities exist for developing products that help seniors stay active, ease body pain, support mobility issues and promote a healthy lifestyle. Other products in development that target Asia’s ageing consumers include milk fortified with protein to help support muscle mass, or milk enriched with vitamin A to help eyesight and vitamin B12 to support the nervous system and brain functions.

At Vitafoods Asia 2019, there are 94 exhibitors of functional beverages to explore. Visitors to the show can explore the Omega-3 Resource Centre or the Probiotics Resource Centre to obtain deep insights into how Omega-3 and Probiotics can help with healthy ageing. There are also functional foods and beverages for sampling at the Tasting Centre, where you can vote for your favourite product in the Tasting Centre Awards.

Unconventional Product Development

In TCM, rice water can improve fatigue, lack of appetite and bloating. In Hong Kong, ready-to-drink rice water products for dawn and dusk are becoming available, formulated in line with the TCM concept of an organ clock which holds the belief that each organ has a time of day when it functions optimally. The inclusion of fruity flavours in coffee is another emerging trend in Indonesia. An Early Grey ice cream product from Malaysia is high in protein, and low in fat, calories and sugar, and claims to have double the flavour and less than half the calories of conventional ice cream.

Across Southeast Asia, plant-based diets are gaining popularity. For example, 45% of urban Thais are looking to follow a plant-based, vegetarian or vegan diet. To satisfy this trend, Thai's have developed an unconventional milk product made from sesame.

Visit Vitafoods Asia 2019 to learn more about the nutraceuticals market in Southeast Asia, including the latest innovations and key developments impacting nutraceutical industry and product development within select health categories. There are 193 exhibitors of key ingredients and raw materials at Vitafoods Asia this year. It is the perfect place to source key functional ingredients, or to buy, package and brand finished nutraceutical products. Exhibitors include global suppliers of natural & herbal medicines, vitamins, minerals, nutricosmetics, omegas, and probiotics.

Vitafoods Asia 2019 helps shape the food industry for optimal health through science and innovation. Discover the world of nutraceuticals at Vitafoods Asia.

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