Vegetarian-Friendly Supplements Sourcing, Formulating and Marketing for the Meat-Free Consumer
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[Vegetarian Supplements] Vol. 20 No. 5 Sept/Oct 2015 Vegetarian-Friendly Supplements Sourcing, formulating and marketing for the meat-free consumer By Rachel Adams, Managing Editor The American Dietetic Association defines a vegetarian diet as one that “does not include meat (including fowl) or seafood, or products containing those foods.” In its position on vegetarian diets, published in 2009 in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, the organization supported “appropriately planned vegetarian diets” by saying they’re “healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” According to a 2008 study, “Vegetarianism in America,” conducted by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau on behalf of Vegetarian Times, it appears many vegetarians agree; of the 7.3 million Americans that reported following a vegetarian-based diet, more than half (53 percent) claimed to do so to improve overall health. While research does support a vegetarian diet for certain health benefits, including a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity, a vegetarian diet can also lead to deficiencies of certain nutrients commonly acquired via meat products or animal sources. For this reason, it’s especially important for vegetarians to supplement their diets with nutrients and vitamins essential for good health. For manufacturers and marketers of dietary supplements, vegetarian consumers can provide a unique market opportunity. However, the development of vegetarian supplements comes with its own set of unique challenges; ensuring all ingredients, including inactive ingredients, are not animal- sourced and developing an appropriate marketing strategy is critical to product success in the vegetarian supplement sector. Evolution Of Animal Avoidance The vegetarian lifestyle is not “new” by any means. In fact, there’s a holiday to acknowledge vegetarianism; World Vegetarian Day, held on Oct. 1, marks the beginning of Vegetarian Awareness Month. Per the North American Vegetarian Society, the holiday’s founder, spreading awareness of vegetarianism is beneficial because vegetarian diets “have proven health benefits, save animals’ lives and help to preserve the Earth.” It appears many vegetarians agree. In addition to the health benefits of a vegetarian diet, the Vegetarian Times study found the environment was also a concern for a large number of vegetarians (47 percent of respondents), while 39 percent claimed a vegetarian diet was a “natural approach to wellness,” 31 percent cited food-safety concerns, 54 percent cited animal welfare, 25 percent cited weight loss and 24 percent were following a vegetarian diet for weight maintenance. Interestingly, the poll also revealed 5.2 percent of Americans, or 11.9 million people, are “definitely interested” in following a vegetarian-based diet in the future. However, data from a 2012 Gallup poll indicates actual growth of vegetarianism isn’t impressive. In a span of 13 years (from 1999 to 2012), Gallup data showed no substantial change in the instance of vegetarianism in the United States, www.naturalproductsinsider.com Page 1 [Vegetarian Supplements] Vol. 20 No. 5 Sept/Oct 2015 where 5 percent of respondents identified themselves as a vegetarian in 2012 compared to 6 percent in 1999. The 2012 poll included 1,014 adults. Yet, while vegetarianism remains a strong but stagnant category in terms of growth in the United States, globally, the prevalence of vegetarianism is increasing. According to Mintel, 12 percent of adults in the United Kingdom followed a vegetarian or vegan diet in 2013, and that number increases to 20 percent of people aged 16 to 24 years. What’s more, Mintel found that 12 percent of global food and drink products launched in 2013 carried a vegetarian claim, up from 6 percent in 2009. Similar to the United States, nearly half (48 percent) of U.K. adults perceive meat-free products as environmentally friendly and 52 percent see them as healthy. However, to reach consumers in today’s vegetarian segment, manufacturers may need more than a vegetarian label. These already health-conscious and label-reading consumers are looking for more; trends such as non-GMO and clean label are particularly important. According to Missy Lowery, senior manager, marketing, Capsugel, “Manufacturers should first be mindful that consumers are hungry for ‘clean label’ products as well as vegetarian products; supplement users command this category as well as overlap into other healthy lifestyle markets that power the health and nutrition industry. By understanding what is important to the segments, manufacturers can create vegetarian products to satisfy and capitalize on all aspects of this growing consumer movement.” Other diet trends affecting use of vegetarian supplements include veganism and the “flexitarian” diet. Veganism is a diet restrictive of all animal products, including eggs and dairy products. According to Saumil Maheshvari, marketing, Oregentics, “I think vegan has gained more traction than vegetarian lately, as vegan has even stricter standards compared to vegetarian standards when it comes to animal byproducts.” According to Mintel, the number of global launches of food and beverage products carrying a vegan claim increased from 1 percent in 2009 to 2 percent in 2013. The “flexitarian” diet, according to Laura Jones, global food science analyst at Mintel, entails increased consumption of plant-based foods and reduction of meat products. “Indeed, many meat- reducing consumers have adopted a flexible attitude, choosing to limit meat, rather than eliminate it entirely,” she said. Back To The Source According to the American Dietetic Association, key nutrients for vegetarians include protein, omega- 3 fatty acids including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), iron, zinc, iodine, calcium and vitamins D and B12. Many of these nutrients are commonly attained via animal sources or meat products, meaning supplementation is often required by vegetarians to achieve recommended intake levels. As many of the key nutrients for vegetarians are prominent in animal products, finding a suitable vegetarian source can be a challenge. EPA and DHA, for example, are commonly derived from fish. Plant sources of omega-3s, such as chia and flaxseed, provide the short chain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA); however, the body’s conversation of ALA to the longer-chain EPA and DHA is relatively ineffective. To provide vegetarians with a suitable DHA/EPA omega-3 product, manufacturers can turn to algae sources. www.naturalproductsinsider.com Page 2 [Vegetarian Supplements] Vol. 20 No. 5 Sept/Oct 2015 Vitamin D is another ingredient that can be tricky to source. Commonly derived from lanolin (found in sheep’s wool), some vitamin D3 ingredients many not be suitable for vegan applications. Rather, lichen-derived versions, such as Vitashine from ESB Developments, may be suitable options. Importantly, finding an appropriate vegetarian source for active ingredients is only one piece of the puzzle. Efficacy is Key Nutrients for Vegetarians also a critical component. Protein According to Gary Brenner, business and sales development n-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) manager, AlgaTechnologies, some of the key issues that Iron arise when formulating vegetarian supplements include: 1) Zinc whether manufacturers are sourcing raw materials with Iodine properties that actually contain these known benefits; 2) Calcium whether in the process of modern agriculture—plant or Vitamin D algae—manufacturers are able to preserve the natural bioactive properties without adulterating or eliminating Vitamin B12 important molecular fractions; and 3) whether in the down- Source: American Dietetic processing stage these bioactive components can be Association standardized and preserved, i.e. shelf life and stability. Brenner said manufacturers should be aware of the raw material’s source, ensure that growing and processing methods follow good manufacturing practices (GMPs), and confirm proper practices have been carried out via laboratory testing. Further, inactive compounds in a supplement, including excipients, colors and other processing aids that are used to improve quality and promote absorption and bioavailability of the products, must be void of animal origins to meet the needs of vegetarian consumers. “Manufacturers should ensure that even non-essential or inactive components of their formulations and supplements do not contain non-vegetarian items or non-vegetarian sourced items,” Maheshvari said, citing gelatin, which is often used to manufacture capsules, as an example. “Most sources of gelatin are animal sourced, and so any supplement containing gelatin might no longer be vegetarian,” he said. Gelatin, most commonly derived from bovine or porcine skin and bones, has long been a go-to ingredient for formulating softgels. However, as noted in the article “Vegetarian Softgels Allow for Clean Labels, Stable Manufacturing,” by Marygrace Taylor in INSIDER’s Vegetarian Softgels Digital Issue, early versions of vegetarian softgels were starch-based and lacked stability to compete against more durable, gelatin-based versions. In the mid-2000s, however, FMC Corp. developed Kappa-2, a gel derived from a naturally occurring carbohydrate extracted from red seaweed, called carrageenan. Kappa-2 binds with water to create a strong, rigid gel structure, eliminating the leaking problem common in earlier starch-based gels. “Delivering vegetarian supplements in a vegetarian capsule