The European market for heart health ingredients is expanding, alongside growth in the functional foods sector, as consumer awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases.

According to Frost & Sullivan, the market for heart health ingredients in Europe earned revenues of $545 million in 2008 and could reach $2 billion in 2014.
     
“A variety of ingredients positioned for heart health, with their functional benefits, is increasingly used for the fortification of various food and beverage applications,” said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Chandrasekhar S. “The preventive cost of CVD by virtue of these ingredients is much cheaper for the consumers than the cost of its treatment.”
     
However, the heart health ingredients market is greatly restrained by the European Union (EU) food-labeling directive of 2000, which prevents health claims from being made on products. For instance, in the U.S., the health claim given to barley beta-glucans by FDA helps it differentiate from other fibers in the competitive market scenario. A similar European regulation would benefit the European heart health market.
     
Nonetheless, European manufacturers have submitted their dossiers to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for the usage of health claims for their ingredients, focusing more on scientific and research to establish the effects of the ingredients on the human heart.
     
“Manufacturers, with the help of industry associations such as the Global Organization for Eicosapentaenoic acid and Docosahexaenoic acid (GOED) are lobbying for the usage of health claims,” notes Chandrasekhar. “They are also involved in extensive branding and promotional activities to increase consumer awareness on CVD and the positive impact of the various ingredients, thereby enhancing the credibility of such awareness campaigns.”
     
Overall, heart health ingredients manufacturers can retain their competitive edge by utilizing an astute combination of research, product development and marketing strategies, according to Frost & Sullivan.