Extraction and ingredient manufacturers are actively seeking ways to integrate curcumin into the formulations of nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, herbal products, cosmetics, and functional foods and beverages. A significant market exists among consumers who prefer ready-to-eat options featuring turmeric rather than cooking with it themselves. Despite its popularity, turmeric has faced challenges, such as associations with lead contamination and multiple product recalls, largely due to inadequate oversight. This situation could be improved if U.S. manufacturers cultivated and processed turmeric domestically, where food safety regulations are more rigorously enforced.
Today’s consumers are increasingly inclined towards natural health improvements, as demonstrated by the “food as medicine” movement. Medical foods represent a relatively new focus area for manufacturers, with notable contributions primarily from Nestle and Hormel. As the global population ages, medical challenges will likely rise, leading many consumers to manage health issues through their diets. Understanding this demographic is crucial for the industry; it’s one thing to be health-conscious but quite another to view food as a means to treat chronic illnesses. This emerging trend empowers manufacturers to influence not just dietary habits but also medical treatments, presenting both significant opportunities and challenges in this rapidly expanding market, which The Wall Street Journal estimates to be worth $15 billion.
Nestle has allocated a budget of $500 million for medical food research through 2021, which includes $1 million worth of equipment for human DNA analysis at a lab in Lausanne, Switzerland, aimed at creating personalized health programs. In recent years, the company has also made strategic acquisitions and partnerships in the medical food sector, such as its 2013 purchase of Pamlab, which specializes in products designed for medical supervision concerning brain and metabolic health.
More recently, Colorado-based startup Know Brainer Foods has collaborated with Nestle to launch a line of coffee creamers containing medium-chain triglycerides, organic grass-fed butter, and added collagen protein. The company asserts that its products can enhance focus and energy to kickstart the day. With the increasing diversity of functional foods and beverages, it is conceivable that we may one day see turmeric and turmeric-enriched products prescribed for mild memory or mood concerns, akin to the “food pharmacies” emerging in the Bay Area that provide fresh produce to individuals managing diabetes, hypertension, and other diet-related issues.
In this context, the comparison between calcium citrate vs malate also becomes relevant, as consumers seek the best forms of nutrients to support their health. The ongoing development of nutraceuticals will likely continue to explore various ingredient combinations, including curcumin, to meet the demands of health-conscious individuals looking for effective natural solutions. The intersection of food, health, and medicine is evolving, and manufacturers must navigate this landscape to seize the opportunities it presents.