FoodEurope Issue 4 2016

12 industry news
Prebiotics market to 2020
According to a new report, the global prebiotic ingredients market is projected to
reach US$6.91bn by 2022, at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2017.
Prebiotics are widely accepted ingredients in food & beverage applications owing
to their functional properties. Prebiotic ingredients stimulate the growth and
maintain gut microbiota, which is beneficial for humans. It is highly used in food &
beverage applications and to add nutritional value to several food products. With
the advances in food technology, the requirement of prebiotic ingredients has
grown at a substantial rate over the past decade. Inulin, oligosaccharides such as
FOS, MOS, and GOS have expanded the application areas of prebiotic
ingredients in the food & beverage, animal feed & dietary supplements, thus driving the overall market for
prebiotic ingredients.
Inulin projected to be the largest segment
Inulin accounted for the largest market share in the prebiotic ingredient market in 2016, due to its wide range of
applications in the food & beverage and animal feed & dietary supplements industries. Inulin can be extracted from a wide
variety of sources such as wheat, bananas, asparagus, garlic, sunchoke and chicory and finds uses in a wide range of food
applications such as dairy products, confectionery products, milk desserts, yoghurt, cheese, baked goods, ice cream and
sauces.
Food & beverages: the most widely preferred prebiotics application
The food & beverages segment accounted for the largest share in the prebiotic ingredients market in terms of value, in
2016. The multi-functional nature of prebiotic ingredients, ease of incorporation in a wide range of applications and
increase in health consciousness among consumers are the key drivers of the prebiotic ingredients market. With the
increase in awareness about health & nutrition products among the global population, wide applications in prebiotic
ingredients and positive investigations for health benefits create a platform for newer applications of prebiotics, which
drives the increasing demand and market growth for prebiotic ingredient-based food products.
Europe estimated to be the most lucrative market for prebiotic ingredients
In 2016, the Europe region held a significant share in the global prebiotic ingredients market and Asia-Pacific is projected
to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Positive investigations for health benefits create a platform for
newer applications of prebiotics and increase consumer awareness regarding value-added products. n
Source: ‘Prebiotic Ingredients Market by Type (Oligosaccharides, Inulin, and Polydextrose), Application (Food & Beverages, Dietary Supplements, and
Animal Feed), Source (Roots, Grains, and Vegetables), and Region - Global Forecast to 2022’; www.marketsandmarkets.com.
Vitamin D: EFSA sets dietary reference values
EFSA has set dietary reference values (DRVs) for the intake of vitamin D. EFSA provides this
advice to risk managers in European countries who use it for making recommendations to
consumers.
The Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) defined an adequate intake (AI)
of15µg per day for healthy individuals over one year of age. This includes pregnant and
lactating women. The DRVs for infants aged 7–11 months have been set at 10µg per day.
The setting of DRVs for vitamin D is part of the review of reference values for nutrients and
energy intakes established in 1993. It helps risk managers make specific recommendations on the
intake of nutrients to enable European consumers to make healthy diet choices.
Vitamin D can also be synthesised in the body by exposure to the sun, reducing the amount of vitamin D needed via the
diet. The DRVs for vitamin D are based on the assumption of minimal exposure to the sun with resulting limited levels of
synthesised vitamin D. The DRVs will ensure that European consumers take in sufficient levels of vitamin D irrespective
of their geographic location and exposure to sun light.
Vitamin D plays an important role in the body, in particular by helping to maintain normal bones and muscle function.
Vitamin D deficiency may have a negative impact on bone density, resulting in soft bones in children (rickets) and fragile,
misshapen bones in adults.
EFSA recommends further research on the impact of dietary intake and skin synthesis of vitamin D. n
www.foodmagazine.eu.com issue four | 2016