Flaxseed … Meeting Food Market Trends
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) contains high quality protein, fat, and dietary fibre to support a healthy lifestyle. On average, flaxseed contains 41% fat, 20% protein, and 28% total dietary fibre. This modest seed is a wealth of nutrition due to its content of three health-promoting components: the omega-3 fatty acid ALA, (20% of dry weight); the plant lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG, 1% of dry weight); and soluble fibre (6% of dry weight). Flax also has a pleasant, nutty taste and along with its unique blend of nutrients, flaxseed is an excellent addition to a healthy diet.
People have eaten flaxseed since ancient times, and evidence of its health and nutritional benefits are abundant. The first recorded uses of flax arise from Southern Mesopotamia where the crop was grown as long ago as 5,000 B.C. In the succeeding millennia, flax spread across Europe, Africa, Asia and finally to North America.
Today, flaxseed is being used by the food sector to take advantage of market opportunities in health and wellness. The food industry is under pressure to address the health and wellness concerns of consumers and to help mitigate these concerns through food product choices.
The global market for functional foods and nutraceuticals is comprised of companies that see the industry as a growth opportunity and the ability to make higher margins. It has attracted companies the size of PepsiCo, DSM, Nestle, Cargill and Bayer. The sector is one of global opportunities with (unlike traditional food products) steady growth year over year at annual rates of 8% to 14%. The world market for functional food was estimated at US$241.25 B in 2015 (Visiongain, 2015). Such growth is being driven by a significant increase in the world’s ageing population as well as growing consciousness of health and wellness, which are promoting more global food companies to move towards the development and marketing of functional foods (Leatherhead Food Research, 2015).
The market for functional food ingredients is projected to reach over $2.5 B by 2020, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 6% from 2015 to 2020. In 2014, North America was the largest market for functional food ingredients with Asia-Pacific projected to be the fastest-growing market over the next decade. The global market for omega 3 products (of which flaxseed is one of the most popular sought after ingredients) is expected to reach $18.95B with an impressive CAGR of 13.8% to 2020 (Markets and Markets, 2016). The US represents 65% of this market of which functional food applications are the largest at over 60%.
Survey after survey confirms that health and wellness are central guiding principles of today’s eating culture. Consumers globally link processed foods to many health conditions and have become increasingly savvy “readers” of labels, zeroing in on and avoiding foods that contain preservatives, chemicals, too-long or unpronounceable ingredient lists, and ingredients (such as high fructose corn syrup). Instead, they seek foods that are fresh, less processed, and natural. image (Food Marketing Institute, 2014). Flaxseed fits these requirements with its wholesome image.
According to 2014 data, a large number of consumers (82%) are at least somewhat concerned about the nutritional content of the food they eat. When assessing new items, price continues to be the leading driver: 95% of shoppers report using price as purchasing criteria for new items. But after price, shoppers most commonly cite nutritional information (85%). A further 61% of consumers consider the health claims of a product (International Food Information Council, 2015).
With regard to functional food trends, marketing experts are predicting that the following areas will be popular in 2017 and beyond: Naturally functional; new perceptions around weight and wellness; the power of protein; good carbs, bad carbs (the steady rise of good grains); digestive wellness; “free-from” and gluten free; non-dairy beverages and clean labels (Research and Markets Ltd., 2016). The interest in healthy all day snacking is reaching new heights as many consume more calories in a day from snacks than from meals (New Nutrition Business, 2016). Plant based protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids are reported to lead the list of natural ingredients that consumers are seeking. These trends represent opportunities for the flaxseed industry.
Health claims are an obvious opportunity for the promotion of the health benefits of functional food ingredients such as flaxseed. They are not easily achieved as the scientific requirements are strenuous. In 2014 Health Canada approved a health claim for flaxseed and serum cholesterol lowering, one of only thirteen allowed in Canada. The claim allows food manufacturers to clearly state on labels the relationship of flax consumption to a reduction of serum cholesterol, a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. Scientific information is the foundation of the food and health market, the availability of which can influence the success of a product and provide a competitive advantage.
Not only is the health claim unique for flaxseed, but so are the decades of research that has been conducted on flax in the health and wellness area (https://flaxresearch.com). No grain or seed can compete with the amount of science that has been published on flax and its healthy constituents.
Flaxseed is increasingly being recognized and valued by all groups of consumers looking for whole, real “clean” foods. And for the increasing number of people who are moving away from animal products – from part-time vegetarians (“flexitarians”) to vegans – flaxseed can provide the essential fatty acids and plant-based proteins required for products targeted at this segment. With the healthy bioactives that flaxseed provides, food companies know that they can count on flaxseed ingredients to help them meet the new trends appearing in the market.