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dairy, bakery and beverages account for 72.9 percent of functional foods in the world’s biggest markets with energy/mood enhancement, gut health and heart health the dominant claims, according to a leatherhead food international report. in 2009 figures, dairy accounted for $8.702bn globally, bakery $5.18bn excluding japan, and beverages $2.825bn not including energy and mood drinks.

from heart-friendly margarines to sugary cereals that strengthen bones, once-demonized foods are being spiked with nutrients to give them a healthier glow — and consumers are biting, even on some that are little more than dressed-up junk food.a report released thursday finds that even in a weak economy, people will pay a premium for products seen as preventing a health problem or providing a good alternative to sodas and empty-calorie snacks.

while industry observers and stakeholders continue to speculate on whether chocolate is, or is not, 'recession-proof', belgium's barry callebaut expects the number of consumer products containing its health and wellness acticoa chocolate to double in 2009. in 2007 the world's largest chocolate maker, barry callebaut, launched acticoa, a cocoa powder packed with a high concentration of cocoa flavanols that, it claims, can bring a boost to cardiovascular health.

food makers confronted by today's challenging economic times must continue to invest hard in innovation to beat the downturn. this year's sial, which opened yesterday in paris, is a showcase of new ideas that could help to boost margins and weather the economic storm. "as a market becomes more difficult, so innovation is increasingly necessary," xavier terlet, ceo of trend tracking agency xtc, told foodnavigator.

food companies have been focussing on value-added products in a bid to reduce their reliance on commodities, which can fluctuate wildly and deliver slim margins. but now that prices of basic foods are at an all-time high, can value-added foods still compete for their share of the consumer buck? the value-added strategy is one that has figured large for food ingredients firms.

the biggest trend in the uk market in recent years has been for manufacturers and retailers to reduce the use of additives, as well as replacing additives used with non-artificial alternatives, says the food and drink federation (fdf). the fdf made the statement in response to a comment, "hooked on es", published across decision news media sites on 10 september.

common preservative sodium benzoate, widely used in soft drinks and other foods, is again at the centre of health concerns after research emerged linking it to cell damage. news of the research, conducted by professor peter piper at the university of sheffield, prompted prominent uk politician norman baker to call for an immediate inquiry into the safety of sodium benzoate in foods.

cutting out the junk will be a major for manufacturers in 2008 said mintel in its prediction of trends to shape food for the next 12 months, as consumers buy into natural and environmentally-friendly products. the food industry has already made headway in removing artificial additives from products. indeed, data drawn from mintel's global new products database and communicated in september showed that more than a thousand new food products claiming to be additive- and preservative-free have been launched in the uk this year.