Polyphenols and Flavonoids in Product Formulation (Powering Products with Polyphenols)

Formulators have many options available when looking to develop polyphenol-rich products. Industry members note that both individual ingredients are useful for delivering specific health benefits, while combinations can bolster overall well-being. “There are some companies providing ‘mixed polyphenol’ formulas that, as consumer education and awareness grow, should do very well in the market,” said Ron Udell, president, Soft Gel Technologies Inc. “A traditional mindset among American consumers is ‘more is better’, and such polyphenol formulas address that mindset perfectly. Such formulas also provide a variety of polyphenols that differ in mechanism of action, so the consumer gets a wide variety of long-term health benefits by incorporating such a combination product into their daily health routines. That said, however, certain consumers who may have specific health concerns may want to take in optimal doses of a specific polyphenol; for example, bilberry for vision support.”

Rodger Jonas, PL Thomas, cited several individual ingredients that are in high demand from marketers, including pomegranate, apple extract, grape seed extract and blueberry. He added, however, “We have found that blends are used to make certain minimum use level claims, while not imparting too much of a given flavor. It does seem combinations of ingredients are a real growth area.”

Zammer agreed, noting the company’s blends are selling quite well. “These high antioxidant capacity blends contain a broad spectrum of active phytonutrients from a variety of sources,” she said. “As different compounds act differently in the body, having a broad spectrum approach resonates with manufacturers and consumers alike.” In addition to its VitaBerry and VitaVeggie blends, the company recently debuted a new offering, AnthoComplete, which provides a blend of anthocyanin-containing compounds.

When it comes to delivery, standard dietary supplements remain the primary go-to formulation, according to most suppliers. “Tablets and capsules continue to be the most popular forms for these items, as they are familiar to consumers, convenient and relatively inexpensive,” Zammer said. “More recently, we are seeing new delivery technology for beverages where functional ingredients can be stored in a beverage cap and delivered at time of consumption for maximum potency. This kind of delivery is ideal for polyphenols because once they are processed into a ready-to-drink beverage, they will begin to lose some potency.”

Such a delivery device helps bridge the gap between supplement form and functional beverages. “Dietary supplements are still the most popular delivery for these products, although the growth of use of polyphenol ingredients in functional beverages is really growing,” said Jeff Wuagneux, CEO and president, RFI. “Their water-solubility makes them perfect for use in beverages, and we sell many products for this use. We also have experience in developing beverage applications and have done a lot of work to figure out combinations of fruit juices and flavor systems that help mask their inherent bitter or astringent flavor, which is very helpful to customers who have never worked with these ingredients in the past.”

Jonas and Zammer both said they’ve seen more food and beverage customer requests in areas spanning bars, baked goods, dairy and even sauces. Artaria said Indena has seen the biggest growth in the area of functional foods, such as drinks, yogurts and bars. “The food area is more consumer friendly, and this trend is going toward more user-friendly forms of delivery, as witnessed by the big wave drink supplements have been experiencing in recent years,” he added.

Antioxidant-enhanced drinks that deliver polyphenols were also cited by Richer as a major growth category. “We’ve seen 35 percent of new product developments with superfruits, well-known for their polyphenol content, are beverages, then snacks and bakery,” she said. Given the growing interest in delivering polyphenols in more traditional food and beverage forms, the company has taken time to ensure efficacy in delivery. “We study the stability of our ingredients over heating processes, UV light and in the time in different matrices (i.e., powder, beverage, bakery) to help our customers in their formulation and make sure the final product will provide the right level of polyphenols to consumers,” she said.

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