European Food Makers in Race to Softer Health Claims

Innova Market Insights (HiE, Madrid, Stand: R84)

DUIVEN, The Netherlands, November 2, 2010 - New product development in the European supplements sector is slowing
down and food product manufacturers are switching to more general claims in
the healthy foods space, as uncertainty around EFSA health claims
(www.innovadatabase.com/home/index.rails) continues.

Innova Market Insights tracked 384 new supplement products in West Europe
in the first half of 2010 (Jan-Jun 2010), compared to 405 in the
corresponding period in 2009, in an analysis of the top 5 positioning
categories for supplements. The leading positioning category for new
supplements in H1 2010 was Weight Management (99), followed by Immune Health
(91) and Digestive/Liver Health (86).

Functional foods innovation in Europe as a whole is also on decline in
terms of new product launches, as manufacturers wait for European Food Safety
Authority (EFSA) opinions on health claims. Innova Market Insights tracked
1,960 new products with an "active health" positioning (Jan-Jun 2010),
compared to 2,189 new products with this positioning in the corresponding
period in 2009.

This decline in "active health" [food plus e.g. "fortified"] products
came despite a growth in "passive health" [food minus e.g. "low and light"]
claims on new products, with 10,350 products with a passive health claim
tracked (Jan-Jun 2010), compared with 8,747 new products over the same period
in 2009.

"Apart from generic claims of vitamins and minerals, the European Food
Safety Authority's (EFSA) assessment of health claims so far has resulted in
mainly negative opinions," Lu Ann Williams, Head of Research at Innova Market
Insights commented. "Manufacturers seem hesitant to launch new products with
a strong health benefit claim if there is a chance that they will have to
make a change to their labeling in the near future. With EFSA now set a new
deadline of the end of June 2011 for generic Article 13 claims and opinions
on botanicals set to follow at the later stage, this uncertainty is set to
last for some time."

Innova Market Insights will present Ingredients in Action at this year's
Health Ingredients Europe (HiE) in Madrid (Stand: R84), where the market
researcher will present data on new product development in the health
ingredients and nutritionals space. Key presentations will include analysis
of the top ten trends driving new product development.

www.innovadatabase.com

    Contact:
    Lu Ann Williams
    Tel: +31-26-319-2000
    contact@innovami.com

Contact: Lu Ann Williams, Tel: +31-26-319-2000, contact at innovami.com