Dairy ingredients in top demand for overall health and wellness amid COVID-19

1. With the importance of immunity becoming more pronounced in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, dairy players are spotlighting how overall health and wellness can be bolstered by their products – including lactoferrin – which are seeing increasing demand. We speak to experts within the dairy ingredients segment who note that despite the pandemic’s impact, the sector is going strong, with cutting-edge NPD imminent. Moreover, as consumers are confined in their homes, sports nutrition is changing and this provides ample opportunity for innovation. https://eu.echemi.com/ https://eu.echemi.com/ “As a whole, the global dairy industry remains strong despite the impact of COVID-19. Like any industry, currently there are challenges to overcome. Nonetheless, food and nutrition remain a priority, and we are ensuring we play our role in continuing to provide dairy nutrition to the world as efficiently as possible. There are plenty of unknowns as we push ahead, no one knows for sure how long this situation will continue for, so it is important we continue to monitor, learn and adapt and play our role in supporting the global dairy industry as well as the communities we touch,”notes Rob Lilly, Head of Global Marketing & Communications, Sports & Active Lifestyle at Fonterra. “ Nutrition in general continues to remain fundamental to overall wellbeing. If anything, consumers are even more conscious of their health and wellbeing during the pandemic, and as a result are mindful of ensuring they are consuming good nutrition in the form of foods, snacks, beverages and supplements to remain healthy and boost their immune system,” Lilly adds. The crisis is challenging the dairy sector in ways never before experienced, including giving it a larger moral responsibility. After protecting safety, the sector’s most important role is to ensure continuity in the food chain, and it’ s one to take very seriously, according to Joe Katterfield, Sales Development Manager for Sports Nutrition and Health Foods, Arla Foods Ingredients. “With a main mission to feed the population, the dairy sector is present and active during the pandemic. Since mid-March, we noticed an increase in the sales of milk-in-bottle. Moreover, we have a high demand for our bioactive proferrin to support immunity. Numerous scientific studies have shown the positive action of bovine lactoferrin on the immune system by enhancing both innate and adaptive response. Lactoferrin also allows the immune system to return faster to a

2. balanced state after an infection,” notes Elsa Trotier, Product Manager, Health and Nutrition at Ingredia.