At this year’s Vitafoods, SternVitamin is presenting individual micronutrient premixes for various consumer demands and applications. These products enable customers to enter the functional food market faster. The focus is on concepts for immune health and mental performance and well-being. Solutions for plant-based products are a further area. Industry attendees can learn more about these concepts at SternVitamin’s booth K110.

The immune health growth market
Food supplements and fortified products for immune health are gaining in importance. According to Innova Market Insights, since early 2015 more than 8,500 new product launches in the immune health space have taken place worldwide. Vitamin and mineral supplements are by far the largest category, especially in the form of gummy supplements, followed by dairy products and beverages with immune-boosting micronutrients. Sports nutrition is another category. Since immune health remains an important topic for consumers in 2022 as well, SternVitamin assists manufacturers with customized premix concepts for multiple product categories and customer segments. One example is the SternGut premix, which supports the gut-associated immune system with a combination of immune-strengthening micronutrients and fibre with prebiotic and immune-modulating properties. This premix provides all the necessary nutrients for stressed individuals, athletes and weekend warriors. The SternDefence product series, meanwhile, was specially developed to meet the needs of children and seniors.

Micronutrients for mental well-being and energy
The discovery of tryptophane in chocolate confirmed that nutrition has a decisive influence on mood and the psyche. With the SternMind, SternDe-stress & relax, SternFocus and PureVITAlizer premixes, food and beverage manufacturers can support the mental performance and well-being of their customers. These ingredient combinations relieve stress and improve brain functions, while also reducing the negative consequences of stress. In addition to micronutrients further ingredients strengthen these beneficial effects. Among the functional ingredients that positively affect mental well-being is L-theanine, which is involved in the synthesis of the happy hormone serotonin, and contributes to the protection of the nervous system. There are also botanicals that can reduce stress and boost stress resistance, among them ginseng and Rhodiola rosea. To support cognitive performance, alongside micronutrients SternVitamin also uses nootropics of natural origin, which improve brain functions, like Gingko biloba,yerba mate and Bacopa monnieri. Since sufficient healthy sleep is elementary for overall well-being, SternVitamin has added to its premix line two products that focus on sleep onset and duration, SternSomnia Quality for a healthy sleep and SternSomnia Duration for sleep duration.

Individual concepts for plant-based products
A plant-based or a vegan diet can lead to a critical supply of certain micronutrients. To prevent deficiencies, many plant-based products are fortified with micronutrients. SternVitamin is taking it a step further with premixes that not only prevent deficiencies, but also meet target-group-specific needs, such as mental power, heart health, gut health, bone or immune health. “Customer interest in micronutrient premixes for plant-based products is growing,” notes SternVitamin Product Manager Dr. Christina Mesch, “so together with our sister company Planteneers we’ve developed further concepts for dairy alternative drinks that address the current health trend.” Visitors to SternVitamin’s booth at Vitafoods can learn in detail about the company’s solutions for foods and beverages, both conventional and plant-based.

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