Ralf Jäger, PhD, of the scientific consulting firm Increnovo, will walk attendees of the event through the development of two new ingredients as case studies of how new product development is proceeding within the space.
While there’s nothing new under the sun when it comes to nutrition, there are new ways of looking at existing ingredients. And the most promising among those ingredient development avenues are revealed by taking a hard look at the market, Jäger said.
“We are always trying to look at unmet consumer needs. What are they looking for and what products are out there that are addressing those needs, if any?” Jäger told NutraIngredients-USA.
Jäger noted that new delivery technologies have come to the fore in recent years, such as new effervescent and extended release technologies for beverages. And there are new approaches to delivering finished goods to consumers, such as the many personalized nutrition offerings. But what about new ingredients themselves?
Jäger will offer a look at two ingredient development efforts as case studies for how this plays out in real life. One study will look at a new di-peptide ingredient, with the other will focus on caffeine alternative.
Answering the basic questions
Before embarking on any ingredient development journey, Jäger said it’s crucial to answer some basic questions first. Those include questions about patentability, a detailed competitive analysis and other questions.
If the first boxes are checked, and a new idea is deemed to have enough whitespace within the market in which to operate, the next level of analysis focuses on manufacturing questions. What is the cost of raw materials, and the cost of the manufacturing operation itself? Can it be scaled effectively? And if that calculation comes out on the high end of the cost scale, are the benefits of the new ingredient worth the premium that will have to be charged? And will consumers be willing to pay that premium?
Details of development process
In the case of the new leucine di-peptide ingredient, Jäger said the benefits lie within the body’s biochemistry itself. Di-peptides are absorbed faster than other forms of amino acids, and finding a way to spike leucine levels post exercise has been found to be key to maximizing muscle protein synthesis.
The other ingredient Jäger will talk about is a new paraxanthine offering. This caffeine alternative offers similar mental acuity benefits without some of the negatives side effects of caffeine use.
Sports & Active Nutrition Summit 2022
Attendees the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit will hear the latest on the science backing sports nutrition ingredients as well the latest marketing trends in the sector. The event is sent for Feb. 14-16 at San Diego’s beautiful Mission Bay. For more information and to book your slot use the links below.
