Spotlight on F&B and nutrition innovations at Natural Products Expo West

04 Mar 2024 --- As the food and nutrition industries are gearing up to meet at the Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim, California, from 12-16 March, we catch up with Sabinsa, Women In Nutraceuticals (WIN) and Batory Foods to examine the innovations they will present at the health and wellness expo.

Ahmed Khan, VP of sales and marketing at Sabinsa, tells Nutrition Insight that the company will “highlight products that address current health concerns such as cognitive function, metabolic health and weight management, the gut-brain axis and blood sugar support. We’ll also highlight the variety of curcumin forms we offer to meet different formulation needs.” 

He adds that Sabinsa — exhibiting at booth #4253 in Hall D — always features recently published studies on its ingredients at trade shows. “This year, there will be new clinical studies on Shagandha (Ashwagandha root extract 2.5% USP grade) for stress and anxiety.” 

“Expo West is always a showcase for what is trending across the health and wellness space,” highlights Heather Granato, WIN president. “Innovation drives industry growth, and more inclusive teams — in leadership, product development, marketing, sales — have greater business success.” 

She invites visitors to explore the show to “understand the trends and launches, attend the education to get the latest insights and extend their network to make connections that will further their business.”  

Meanwhile, Batory Foods will showcase its recently formed sweetener-focused business unit — Batory Sweetener Solutions — at booth #198 in the Arena. 

“Our team is dedicated to initiatives surrounding food and beverage sweeteners, from conventional ingredients and low-sugar alternatives to precision blending and custom formulation,” says Brian Gibson, trade marketing manager. “Additionally, Batory Foods will showcase some of its latest innovations in other non-sweetener categories, including CBD, dairy and plant proteins.”

Functional F&B
Founded 36 years ago to utilize modern science in validating and expanding on traditional uses and benefits of Ayurvedic herbs, Sabinsa has built an extensive ingredient portfolio around its tagline, “Our innovation is your answer.” 

“Our portfolio is filled with products that meet consumer health concerns and are also designed for ease in formulation,” explains Khan. “For example, consumer awareness of the benefits of probiotics is continuing to grow, driven by new research identifying the many systems of the body they impact.” 

“At the same time, consumers are moving to alternative forms such as functional foods and beverages. Sabinsa’s LactoSpore, Bacillus Coagulans MTCC 5856, the popular clinically validated, generally recognized as safe (GRAS), shelf-stable probiotic, has been shown to survive very well under a variety of processing conditions, from frozen yogurt to baked bread, so is ideal for functional foods and beverages.”

Sabinsa will highlight products addressing cognitive function, metabolic health and weight management at booth #4253 in Hall D.Moreover, Sabinsa will present its CurCousin ingredient for metabolic health and healthy weight management. This ingredient contains bioactive Calebin A, a curcumin analog found in Curcuma longa and C. caesia. 

“It has a low dosage of 25 mg twice with a neutral taste and a self-affirmed GRAS,” continues Khan. “This product is well suited for gummies, chewables, powder mixes, functional foods and ready-to-drink products.” 

Seeing a growing interest in ingredients supporting liver health, Sabinsa will also showcase its clinically studied LivLonga, a formulation of three ingredients — Curcumin C3 Complex, Livinol and the bioavailability enhancer BioPerine. 

Gender equity in nutraceuticals 
At the upcoming trade show, WIN will host a Gender Equity Networking Reception on Thursday, March 14. The non-profit focused on unlocking women’s professional and personal potential invites industry players to think about the market whitespace to serve women’s health needs and connect directly with the organization to support the cause. 

“We’re excited to bring the nutraceutical community together around the topic of gender equity, building connections and having the conversations that will lead to positive change,” highlights Granato. “As the event is free and open to everyone, I expect there will be great discussions around the industry’s growth, the innovation and trends we’re seeing and how expanding the opportunities for women will support incremental growth of the industry.” 

“Bringing together women and men committed to developing a more inclusive and innovative industry is an important step to support change.”

Granato observes a greater awareness of why companies and the industry should commit to gender equity, looking at existing practices, calling out blind spots and identifying new paths for development. 

“As awareness of the positive business impact of more gender-balanced teams is understood, leaders must commit to taking active steps to support this work,” she underscores. 

“Whether companies are creating internal networks around gender balance, addressing hiring and promotion practices to eliminate unconscious bias, or looking at work culture (i.e., flexible work, equal pay, family leave), they’re taking first steps toward developing a more positive operation for all.” 

At booth #198 in the Arena, Batory Foods will present F&B sweeteners and low-sugar alternatives (Image credit: Batory Foods).Sugar reduction  
Meanwhile, in the Arena, Batory Foods offers trade show attendees meetings with the company’s sweetener specialists in delivering alternative sugar and sugar innovations. 

“Today’s consumers are more mindful about dietary choices than ever before, and at Batory Foods, we eagerly support this movement through our ever-expanding portfolio of superior-tasting, lower-sugar alternatives,” comments Jessica Zielinksi, VP and general manager at Batory Sweetener Solutions.

Gibson adds that Batory will showcase its expertise in product formulations and customization capabilities by providing specialized knowledge on available sweetener solutions and sugar reduction application techniques.

“Attendees will be able to gain insight on incorporating unique sugar reduction technologies and innovative ingredients that simplify the sweetening process through Batory’s extensive portfolio and customization capabilities.”

The company aims to support its customers with solutions to simplify sugar reduction in food and beverages. Gibson highlights: “The Batory team has deep expertise in cost optimization during product formulation, specifically relating to how sugar alternatives can be utilized for cost savings.”

By Jolanda van Hal