Skyrocketing output and social distancing were some of the major challenges production equipment helped companies conquer in 2020. What will 2021 look like?

COVID-19 required dietary supplement manufacturers to reassess their production lines and equipment

TopGum Industries, Ltd. (Tel Aviv, Israel) established a New Jersey-based subsidiary, TopGum, Inc., to manufacture its functional gummy supplements. As such, Christopher Lamb will join the new subsidiary as VP of sales, and Jennifer Toomey as the director of new product development.

“The United States is a strategic market for us, as it has a well-established gummy supplement market that is open to innovation and expansion,” said Amichai Bar-Nir, TopGum CEO, in a press release. “We are happy to expand the TopGum family with top industry leaders who bring an in-depth knowledge of this sector and a genuine appreciation for the added value TopGum brings to the market. This US subsidiary demonstrates TopGum’s ongoing commitment to provide our strategic partners’ unsurpassed service.”

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TopGum Industries, Ltd. established a New Jersey-based subsidiary, TopGum, Inc., to manufacture its functional gummy supplements.

TopGum establishes New Jersey-Based subsidiary to manufacture gummy supplements

Photo © AdobeStock.com/BillionPhotos.com

 funded by the International Probiotics Association and authored by members of the association’s scientific committee, investigated the relationship between the gastrointestinal microbiome, the host immune system, and viral immunity. According to ther review, there is an increasing body of evidence that suggests a disruption in the homeostasis between the GI microbiome and the host immune system can adversely impact viral immunity.

Research suggests, for example, that when a virus is exposed to mucosal surfaces (e.g., vaginal, respiratory, or GI), they have three broad lines of defense to overcome: the mucus layer, innate immune defenses, and adaptive immune defenses. Commensal and probiotic bacteria may influence each line of defense and the antiviral mechanism can be both direct and indirect. These mechanisms include enhanced mucosal barrier function, secretion of antiviral antimicrobial peptides and bacteriocins, the inhibition of viral attachment to host cells, and the modulation of antiviral innate and adaptive leucocyte function.

When it comes to probiotic supplementation, it has been studied extensively in the management of viral diarrhea, with evidence suggesting its safety and efficacy, however research of probiotics’ efficacy on the management of viral infection requires further study. The review also shows there is research that suggests probiotics may act as an adjuvant to enhance immune response of some vaccines, which warrants further study, as well as the potential for probiotics during intensive care in hospitals to potentially reduce morbidity and mortality of patients.

The authors conclude that because probiotics are safe and cost effective, the prospect for achieving even minimal clinically significant benefits is worthwhile.

Harper A et al. “Viral infections, the microbiome, and probiotics.” 

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology

A recent review funded by the International Probiotics Association and authored by members of the association’s scientific committee, investigated the relationship between the gastrointestinal microbiome, the host immune system, and viral immunity. 

Recent review explores the relationship between the microbiome, immunity, and viral infection

The COVID-19 pandemic electrified sales of some dietary supplements in 2020, driving items like immune-health products and ingredients like vitamin C to the limits of demand and supply. Manufacturers had to figure out how to drastically increase production—all while keeping their workforces socially distanced.

Some companies turned to contract manufacturers to help them deal with growing production demands. “When the spike came, production facilities were only geared to manufacture at a certain level,” explains Ed Wyszumiala, director of market development, verification programs, U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP). “Also, a lot of manufacturers had to cut back and scale back their operations to enhance for social distancing…[W]e saw a lot of companies have a reduced capacity due to COVID concerns. ‘Okay, maybe we can only manufacture at 80%, and now we’re looking at 120% to 150% of material that we need to have.’ So there was a lot of utilization of additional contract manufacturers to help keep up with the need.”

Although raw-material shortages were many manufacturers’ primary roadblock at the start of the pandemic, manufacturers also had to address any facility changes needed to keep production running as smoothly—and safely—as possible.

Having the right equipment in house was key to ensuring that companies, including contract manufacturers, could handle higher output. At the same time, social-distancing needs slowed production lines—and this is where equipment helped to make up the difference.

Not surprisingly, automation became critical for social distancing. “We needed to automate as many areas as possible and use more convey systems to spread out the manufacturing operation,” explains Bart Child, chief commercial officer for Nellson (Anaheim, CA), a co-manufacturer specializing in the nutrition bar and functional-powder space. “As an example, we had a very manual process to do large packouts at one of our facilities where a lot of people worked in close proximity. So, we automated the process to manage effectively.” Automation and specialty equipment, he says, helped “eliminate congested manual labor areas” such as these.

Mark A. LeDoux, chairman and CEO of contract manufacturer Natural Alternatives International Inc. (NAI; Carlsbad, CA), echoes that need. “One endeavor we have undertaken is to continuously look for means of automating highly repetitive processes which have been labor intensive in limited space so as to greatly reduce the potential for exposure in case one or more persons have been infected but who may be asymptomatic. To that end, our engineers have designed robotic interfaces for some packaging functions while also deploying artificial intelligence and synthetic vision to evaluate high-speed production and packaging and maintain rigorous quality control.”

Steve Holtby, president and CEO of manufacturer Soft Gel Technologies Inc. (SGTI; Los Angeles), says, “SGTI has automated many of the inspection and packaging processes with new, state-of-the-art equipment, including metal detection, for our customers’ ease of mind. This equipment also makes our processes more efficient and improves our overall product quality.”

The need for automation didn’t start—and won’t end—with the pandemic. And it’s not always feasible to replace certain aspects of production completely with automation. For instance, points out Eugene Ung, CEO of contract manufacturer Best Formulations (City of Industry, CA), while “with COVID, there’s certainly a push to develop processes that require less human contact and interaction—i.e., automation—that’s much easier said than done. Certain products can more easily be automated, while other products require highly trained and skilled operators.”

Manufacturing will continue to be an on-site job. As Holtby says, “Many companies from other industry sectors closed their doors and required employees to work from home, while manufacturers faced the reality that manufacturing requires employees to work on site. People around the globe depend on resilient supply chains and timely delivery of essential products. There is no factory production work from home when it comes to manufacturing softgels and other dietary supplements.”

To make production facilities safer and socially distanced, work areas are also being redesigned. Holtby describes how some of those changes look at his facility. “High-traffic areas in production have signage and floor stickers to maintain six feet between coworkers, where possible. Meetings are held remotely online instead of congregating in the conference rooms. Most nonessential visitors are prohibited from entering the facility. Breakrooms have limited seating, and Plexiglass shields have been placed on the tables. We’ve increased the frequency and depth of our cleaning crews—they wipe down and sanitize high-touch surfaces throughout the day and conduct deep cleanings on weekends.”

Sometimes, the production line itself needed to be changed. “In some of our production areas, we did have to reconfigure the equipment to create safe distancing,” says Ung. “In some cases, we even had to reduce the number of staff that could be on the production line to create safe distancing, thereby slowing down the output for that particular line.” In short, he says, “We had to modify certain manufacturing processes and equipment layout to provide safe distancing within the manufacturing environment.”

Child says that at Nellson, “In order to keep our employees safe and focused on being productive, we had to create separation in all of our phases of production, which includes staging, pre-weigh, blending, and packaging.”

LeDoux says Natural Alternatives International had implemented Plexiglass “decades ago for segregating our packaging functions.” As “one of the few” licensed producers of complementary medicines through Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), he adds, the company had already implemented high standards and facility controls “to greatly reduce the chances of contamination by airborne particles, in addition to a robust system for checking for foreign materials” in accordance with both FDA and TGA requirements.

In the time of COVID, says LeDoux, “Equipment that limited exposure to multiple people within close proximity of each other was of paramount interest for acquisition in 2020, and frankly even before this pandemic arrived. Labor costs were analyzed, sick-time costs were considered, employee training costs and recurrent training analyses were also evaluated, as was the amount of redundancy in a task which could lead to absent-mindedness and expensive mistakes, and then ROI analytics were run to see what expected payback calendars looked like, before ever signing a purchase requisition or order.”

John Carey, vice president of sales for equipment supplier ACG Engineering, part of ACG Group (Piscataway, NJ), describes how his company, an equipment supplier, saw its customers implement changes. “In order to address worker safety, production lines as well as many other areas in the manufacturing facilities such as gowning rooms, breakrooms, etc., were reconfigured to provide social distancing between workers,” he says.

Testing labs also required social distancing, USP’s Wyszumiala points out. “We didn’t see this problem alone on the manufacturing floors but also in the laboratories where the space is much more condensed.”

Another equipment-related logistical challenge manufacturers encountered involved replacement parts. Wyszumiala recounts how supply chains for replacement parts for equipment preventative maintenance “got very, very tight.” He says, “A lot of companies were having a hard time shifting materials globally, so getting replacement parts became difficult.” This was true for both production and lab equipment, he says.

Due to the hazard of outside exposure to the virus, having vendors come into one’s facility to repair equipment wasn’t desirable, Wyszumiala says. “If you’re not having vendors come in to do that work, you started to see some of that additional preventative maintenance, or even maintenance if something was broken, taking a lot longer than it would in a normal business environment.”

Remote servicing became key, says ACG’s Carey. “Online remote service and support became a standard offering for equipment manufacturers, both to address the health and safety of their service staff and to address the manufacturers’ desire to minimize the introduction of additional personnel into their facilities. Deployment of online support for process control systems, web-based video conferencing for mechanical troubleshooting, became the primary method of support during the height of the pandemic and has proven itself to be an effective technology, which when properly leveraged can reduce cost and minimize downtime.”

The takeaway lesson has been to stay better prepared, says Wyszumiala, such as “making sure you have spare parts—and those spare parts could be something as simple as tablet punches or gaskets, things that you would normally maybe not keep a 4-6 month reserve for expendable parts,” he continues. “I think you’ve seen a lot of manufacturers try to ramp that up and try to have more of a plan for parts that are more used and thrown away after a period of time after wear and tear than you’ve seen in the past.”

Given all of the challenges of 2020, was investing in additional, new equipment actually a priority for manufacturers? For those who could afford to purchase it was, especially if it helped increase capacity, increase speed, or improve equipment uptime, says ACG’s Carey.

NAI’s LeDoux says his company’s capital investments “remained strong.” Enhancements the company made in 2020 included packaging automation, labeling, desiccant inserters, end-of-line X-ray equipment, blending, and packaging line additions. “We expended approximately USD $6 million in our facilities on planned equipment procurement for the last 12 months,” he says. Based on conversations with “virtually all vendors we spoke with,” he adds, from blending to packaging “it appears most all equipment types are in high demand.”

“From our perspective, there’s certainly an increase in demand for production equipment, partly due to increasing demand for dietary supplements in general and partly due to automation,” says Best Formulations’ Ung. “Additionally, it’s generally easier to get higher-capacity production equipment versus adding additional manufacturing space to increase capacity/output.”

John Ross of Charles Ross & Son Co. (Hauppauge, NY), a supplier of mixing, blending, drying, and dispersion equipment, discusses orders his company saw last year. “We received a large order from a vitamin C manufacturer—a duplicate of their two identical Ross blenders—possibly triggered by market demand due to the pandemic. Another repeat customer, this time a contract nutraceutical manufacturer, bought a new ribbon blender to add to their already substantial fleet.” He reports demand for both ribbon blenders and high-shear mixers, noting “these are standard workhorses.”

ACG’s Carey says his company saw notable demand for encapsulation equipment, tableting machinery, granulation systems, and primary packaging systems. The company also enhanced its machinery designs last year. “Over the course of 2020, ACG Engineering introduced equipment designed to improve productivity and increase production output. Large-capacity tablet coaters and granulation systems were designed and quickly adopted. Sales of encapsulation equipment shifted significantly toward high-speed machines as many nutritional manufacturers increased capacity by adding additional machines or by trading in low- to mid-range equipment for the higher-capacity machines.”

If a company did purchase new equipment in 2020, installing it quickly was a priority. As Carey says, “2020 saw an increased demand for new production equipment coupled with focus on quick implementation to ensure the equipment would be online as soon as possible…For new machinery, many manufacturers gave preference to equipment suppliers with stock machinery or those capable of delivering machinery in weeks rather than months. Equipment upgrades and refurbishments designed to improve uptime or productivity of existing equipment were also approaches implemented by many. Equipment suppliers also saw a tangible increase in the number of equipment maintenance contracts, spare parts orders, all clearly linked to the pressure for production output.”

Many also found equipment renting advantageous. “We found a number of manufacturers pursued a rental option,” says Ross. “ROSS has an extensive fleet ready for immediate shipment. This option allowed customers to minimize the risk of unnecessary assets after the demand surge.”

The elevated demand for dietary supplements won’t end in the near future—and manufacturers will continue reevaluating their equipment needs long-term. Speaking from the contract manufacturer’s point of view, Best Formulations’ Ung says, “At this point, it appears that demand will continue to be robust in 2021 given how long this pandemic has lasted. Manufacturers can always increase output/capacity by increasing production lines or upgrading their existing equipment, but the real bottleneck continues to be raw-material supply chain and logistics. Once the supply chain catches up, manufacturers can increase their output with the upgraded equipment.”

Manufacturers will also need to hedge predictions about whether demand will normalize and whether expensive equipment upgrades will pay off in the long run. Says Ung: “Long-term, it’s always advantageous to invest in equipment, but it depends on a number of factors. If the equipment is higher-output, that typically requires a larger minimum run size, taking into consideration set-up/clean-up time, yield, etc. If the business sees a significant 

 in the size of each order, then that larger equipment may not make sense at all.”

The push for more automation is not expected to lessen post-pandemic. “The changes seen in 2020 are expected to continue as manufacturers seek to grow their business, expand product lines, improve efficiency and reliability of manufacturing operations, and become more competitive through lowering manufacturing costs,” says Carey.

The outlook for equipment investment looks promising, at least from where Ross sits. “Most new equipment sales are for long-term projects of five-plus years,” he says. “The applicable disruptions from COVID were short-term and did not appear to weaken the long-term capital expenditures of the majority of industries we serve.”

The Natural & Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD) of Health Canada has recently reviewed and approved a new pain claim for Stratum Nutrition’s (Carthage, MO) NEM brand eggshell membrane. The claim reads: “NEM helps provide relief from joint pain due to moderate intensity aerobic exercise as quickly as the first day.”

“The allowance of a pain claim after just one day of using NEM is a testament to the strength of science Stratum and ESM Technologies have put behind NEM. This approval is the culmination of more than 5 years of carefully designed research,” said Kevin J. Ruff, PhD, senior director of scientific & regulatory affairs at Stratum, in a press release.

According to Stratum Nutrition, NEM is the only eggshell membrane ingredient and one of only a few joint health ingredients that is supported by a portfolio of 16 research studies, which include four randomized placebo-controlled trials (RCT), two of which were healthy person trials, and four open label trials, three of which were independent trials. Stratum’s research portfolio for NEM also include veterinary trials, including one canine RCT, as well as a range of 

 mechanism of action studies. In its research Stratum has been able to observe objective endpoints via CTX-II, a cartilage degradation biomarker. This has resulted in NNHPD recently approving an updated cartilage protection claim: “NEM helps reduce levels of CTX-II, a biomarker of cartilage/joint degradation, due to moderate intensity aerobic exercise.”

“Canada’s scientific review process and subsequent strong claim allowances are a bellwether notification to anyone looking for an ingredient in the exercise/athletic supplement arena,” Chris Haynes, senior director of global sales for Stratum, in a press release. “NEM’s ability to help with workout recovery, post-workout pain related issues and cartilage preservation and even everyday aspects of joint related health is par excellence. NEM was initially developed for joint related support and has gone far beyond its goal to become the obvious choice for formulations dealing with periodic aches & pains, stiffness, inflexibility, and now sports/exercise formulations, too. The claims allowed by NNHPD are perfect for communicating to the consumer the benefits of NEM.”

Health Canada has recently reviewed and approved a new pain claim for Stratum Nutrition’s NEM brand eggshell membrane. The claim reads: “NEM helps provide relief from joint pain due to moderate intensity aerobic exercise as quickly as the first day.”

Stratum’s NEM brand eggshell membrane approved for pain claim in Canada

SIMBA capsule. Image courtesy of Lallemand Health Solutions

Lallemand Health Solutions (Mirabel, Canada), and Nimble Science have announced the start of the first North American study of Nimble’s Small Intestine Microbiome Aspiration (SIMBA) Capsule, led by Dr. Christopher N. Andrews of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Calgary. The SIMBA ingestible capsule passively samples the small intestine and autonomously transits the gastrointestinal tract. The study began on December 22, 2020 with 20 participants and is estimated to be complete in March of 2021. The study is being conducted under Investigational Testing authorization from Health Canada (#318739) and University of Calgary Conjoint Research Ethics Board (REB20-1211).

“This particular capsule can be used to provide a novel solution for research of the gut microbiota, investigating various health conditions etiology, impact of interventions specifically within the small intestine and new biomarker identification, hence leading to advances in personalized medicine and nutrition. Lallemand Health Solutions is proud to support this innovative non-invasive technology to improve the understanding of probiotic intervention”, said Sara Caballero, clinical research specialist at the Rosell Institute for Microbiome and probiotics, by Lallemand, in a press release.

Lallemand Health Solutions and Nimble Science have announced the start of the first North American study of Nimble’s Small Intestine Microbiome Aspiration (SIMBA) Capsule, which passively samples the small intestine and transits the gastrointestinal tract.

North American research underway to study SIMBA capsules

As the clean-label movement made clear, consumers like to know that the color in their food and beverages is derived from natural sources. According to an online consumer survey conducted from 2015 to 2020 by Sensient Technologies (Milwaukee, WI), the percentage of the general populace concerned about artificial colors was 46% in 2020, a 12% increase from 2015. The food coloring market has followed suit to accommodate this growing preference.

“Clean label is the norm and expectation today; it’s considered mainstream in North America as well as other parts of the world like Europe and Asia Pacific,” says Meghan Fox, marketing specialist for Sensient Food Colors. She notes that 80% of new product launches worldwide used food color from natural sources last year.

Consumers still demand the utmost quality from their colors, regardless of whether those colors are synthetic or natural. “Visual preference for a natural product is the same as a product that uses synthetic ingredients,” Fox points out. “Consumers want natural products to taste and look the same” as their conventional counterparts.

Failure to deliver in the color department may affect sales. Sensient’s consumer research indicates that color vibrancy correlates strongly with both higher liking and intent to purchase a product. Consumers associate color with bolder flavor profiles, which they equate to being tastier, says Fox. “As sensory experts,” she adds, “Sensient food scientists always emphasize the complete sensory experience to product developers, reminding food innovators that consumers first start eating with their eyes.”

The trend away from synthetic colors creates opportunity as well as challenges. For example, in the beginning of 2020, France banned the use of titanium dioxide as a white pigment in food. Multinational changes were already happening on that front; in 2015, for instance, Dunkin’ Brands announced it would no longer use powdered sugar that contains titanium dioxide. While many jurisdictions still allow the use of titanium dioxide, it’s a sign of things to come. But replacing titanium dioxide can be difficult. Alternatives like rice starch or calcium carbonate can sometimes add cost and may impact the texture of finished products. Therefore, research and development is required to make the transition away from the ingredient. In the meantime, suppliers are developing solutions.

“When ingredients like titanium dioxide begin to see declines, it is typically a result of direct pressure from consumer lobbyist groups and/or a reflection of widespread consumer demands. In this case, it’s a mix of both, and luckily, there are some great alternatives to titanium dioxide available on the market today,” says Fox. “For example, in order to meet this rising demand for whitening and opacifying alternatives, Sensient’s R&D team developed the industry’s only global portfolio of titanium dioxide substitutes, called Avalanche. This portfolio consists of application-specific solutions comprising either starch, mineral, or botanical components and makes renovation/innovation projects easy for brands.”

Fox emphasizes Sensient’s global portfolio because globally compliant color solutions are difficult to come by due to the different regulations between governing bodies on the permissibility of certain ingredients. This is an important factor to consider when formulating one’s products. Other color challenges, especially when sourcing from nature, include blue hues, due to the scarcity of blue sources found in nature.

“Without a natural blue component, it is difficult to achieve some purples and greens, depending on the application, because blue is a primary color or base component to build greens and purples,” explains Fox. “Colors from spirulina extract provide bright sky-blue hues and beautiful lime greens and purples, but spirulina does not perform in every application, including carbonated soft drinks, ready-to-drink beverages, and heat-processed products.”

As food technology advances to achieve even more vibrant and complex colors from natural sources, synthetic colors will continue to be a useful tool to achieve a desired look while keeping costs down. However, with the majority of new product developers using natural colors, it’s an important time to enhance one’s product portfolio with these free-from, clean-label ingredients, not only to retain and attract customers but also to get ahead of potential hurdles as certain jurisdictions and businesses phase out common ingredients.

The trend away from synthetic colors creates opportunity as well as challenges.

Clean-label colors are the new normal, but they come with challenges

The World Health Organization’s declaration of a pandemic in March 2020 marked the end of business as usual and the start of a sales boom for dietary supplement retailers and brands. Data provided by Netrush (Vancouver, WA) indicates that in March 2020, 17 of the top-20 bestselling products in the vitamin category on Amazon were immune-related, and immune-health products still comprised half the bestseller list in June.

The early months of the pandemic were marked by constant supply shortages, with shelves bare and distributors taking backorders. As the pandemic wears on, questions linger regarding whether the industry has the capacity to avoid future shortages. Will out-of-stocks continue to be a problem in 2021? What can companies do to prepare? Here’s what the industry has learned from 2020’s stock challenges.

Out-of-Stocks Remained a Challenge through the Summer

The sharp increase in demand that occurred in March persisted well throughout 2020. Brian Wommack, senior vice president of communications for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN; Washington, DC), says a significant proportion of consumers not only struggled to purchase product due to stock shortages but also changed their buying behavior as a result.

“CRN’s COVID-19 Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements, fielded in the beginning of August, demonstrated a number of restriction issues,” Wommack says. He notes that “22% of supplement users reported they were unable to purchase products due to stock shortages. Additionally, 27% reported buying a different supplement brand because of limited product availability, and 21% switched from a branded product to a generic or store-brand product due to limited availability.”

Panic Buying Subsides, But High Demand Persists

The World Health Organization formally declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

 Sales data from market researcher IRI (Chicago, IL) show that in the days leading up to this declaration, sales of nutritional supplements and self-care products started to increase sharply before peaking at a 100% year-over-year increase on March 15, the same day that 30 state governments closed schools and recreational facilities. In the six weeks ending April 5, 2020, immunity products experienced a 188% increase in sales relative to the same sales period in 2019. Meanwhile, IRI reports that the nutritional supplements market as a whole grew by $435 million in the six weeks ending April 5, 2020, outpacing the industry’s growth for all of 2019 as a wave of panic buying swept the world.

While sales have since fallen from their peak in March 2020, market activity is still outpacing previous years. Retail sales of nutritional supplements in the 52 weeks ending September 6, 2020, experienced 10.9% growth year-over-year.

 Immune-health products now account for 50% of the entire domestic vitamin, mineral, and supplement market, and sales growth for immune supplements is expected to continue until a vaccine for COVID-19 is widely available to the general public.

One significant limitation hampering the industry is that supply chains are not equipped to quickly and easily scale in order to meet sudden, sharp increases in demand. Wommack says the COVID-19 sales boom has been taxing on supply chains, and it is important that companies act in a way that ensures safety, quality, and transparency regardless of external pressures.

“From the start of the pandemic, CRN has been supporting our members and ensuring they are aware of all considerations companies should take into account when addressing legal, regulatory, and country-specific challenges,” Wommack says. “It is critical for companies to continue increasing their quality-control systems, upgrading testing methods, and staying vigilant.”

Wommack says it isn’t just finished products that are out of stock; raw ingredients are also on backorder. This is a time, he says, when suppliers often make substitutions for ingredients that aren’t readily available. Now, more than ever, finished-product manufacturers must ensure they are dealing with reputable and trustworthy ingredient suppliers.

Managing Out-of-Stocks Demands Flexibility, Innovation

Stock shortages are by no means new to the supplement industry, but the COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the supply chain to an unexpected degree. While the initial panic-buying surge caught the industry flat-footed, demand appears to have since stabilized at about 11% above 2019 levels. Formulators, brands, and retailers must be prepared to rethink their procurement processes; for instance, brands may want to consider hedging their bets with respect to ingredient procurement by securing agreements with multiple suppliers, purchasing more stock than is immediately required, or securing deliveries farther in advance than is typical. Finally, navigating and preventing further stock shortages will involve a mix of more robust vetting of suppliers, fine-tuning of predictive analytics, and a willingness to innovate.

World Health Organization website. “WHO Director-General’s Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020.” Published online March 11, 2020.

Hornberger K. “COVID-19: The Impact on Nutritional Supplements and Self-Care.” IRI. Published April 17, 2020.

“Consumer Healthcare: COVID-19 Impacts and Observations.” IRI. Published November 2020.

Wright A. “3 Insights on the Outlook of Vitamins, Minerals, & Supplements.” Netrush website. Published online December 10, 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a purchasing frenzy last year that left many retailers with out-of-stocks. Here’s how manufacturers and retailers are adjusting.

Out-of-stocks: How natural product and supplement retailers are preparing for 2021

Raisin production was once one of the most labor-intensive crop activities in North America, requiring between 40,000 and 50,000 workers in a typical six-week harvest to cut bunches of green grapes and lay them to dry in the sun. However, labor shortages led to the use of a new method called dried-on-the-vine, which allows for machine harvesting of the dried raisins.

Fun fact! Raisin production was once one of the most labor-intensive crop activities in North America, requiring between 40,000 and 50,000 workers in a typical six-week harvest to cut bunches of green grapes and lay them to dry in the sun. However, labor shortages led to the use of a new method called dried-on-the-vine, which allows for machine harvesting of the dried raisins. 

Raisins

Michael J. Hennessy Jr. is a man on a mission. The president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™ was recently included in MM&M’s second annual 40 Under 40 list. The award celebrates inspiring young talent in various areas of pharma and healthcare marketing who are poised to lead the industry.

As a third-generation member of the family-run MJH Life Sciences™, healthcare has always been part of Hennessy Jr.’s life. But he hasn’t used his position to coast on the tailwinds provided him. Instead, he has fundamentally reinvented the largest privately held, independent, full-service medical media company in North America by innovating and investing in key growth areas.

Hennessy Jr. received his BBA in marketing from Loyola University Maryland and began his career as a national account’s manager at MJH Associates in 2010. From there, he took on several sales leadership roles, including the day-to-day management of OncLive®, Specialty Pharmacy Times®, and the Healthcare Specialty Group. In September 2015, he was elevated to president of the company. As president, Hennessy Jr. was responsible for identifying new business opportunities and driving the overall growth of the organization. Shortly after MJH Associates was rebranded as MJH Life Sciences™ in 2019, he was promoted to president and chief executive officer.

Since the beginning of his career, Hennessy Jr. has demonstrated his vision for creating new, engaging ways to serve healthcare professionals. As senior vice president of the Oncology Specialty Group, he relaunched OncLive.com, propelling the brand to new heights with a digital/video-first approach. He led the launch of a range of video offerings, such as 

, Insights, and News Network video programs, that provided the Oncology audience more engaging content options. He then applied this successful model to other brands in the portfolio.

As president, Hennessy Jr. took the initiative to innovate the company’s events offerings, focusing on case-based learning, roundtables, regional seminar series, and award programs. These events built large audiences and gained credibility with industry leaders, further enhancing the MJH content creation model.

After overseeing sustained, organic growth, Hennessy Jr. further strengthened MJH by acquiring UBM Life Sciences Group in January 2019. The acquisition included the addition of seven new offices and more than 220 associates. Hennessy Jr. led the integration of the UBM assets, streamlining the company and focusing on reinvigorating the new brands to deliver on MJH’s vision of helping healthcare professionals improve patient care.

Most recently, Hennessy Jr. employed his visionary leadership to guide MJH through the COVID pandemic. He leveraged the company’s state-of-the-art studios to quickly pivot live events to virtual ones without missing a beat. As a result, the company produced a record number of events that included many new, innovative offerings. In June, MJH launched 

, a first-of-its-kind news channel for healthcare professionals. He then introduced the MJH Life Sciences™ 

, a partnership with healthcare thought leaders devoted to providing ongoing insight around the pandemic and patient care. MJH has steadily grown under Hennessy Jr.’s leadership to 60 brands, producing 975 events, and reaching 7.3 million unique visitors per month online and 2 million via print.

Most of Hennessy Jr.’s investment has been focused on growth areas of the healthcare industry. He’s created a platform to deliver unparalleled content to audiences in oncology, infectious disease, managed care, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, to name a few, and he continues to add new content where he envisions further growth. For example, the company is launching 

Hennessy Jr. has been agile in focusing on the modern ways audiences consume content, especially since the pandemic began. While continuing to publish MJH category-leading print magazines, his leadership has embraced a digital-first approach focused on well-designed, user-centric websites; video content and video series; podcasts; on-demand content and education; and even digital broadcast. He also led the creation of a state-of-the-art in-house digital studio.

The company’s use of leading-edge marketing approaches has also been a priority. Hennessy Jr. led the implementation of enterprise data and technology platforms that enable MJH’s businesses to drive even greater user-centric media practices. He’s embraced and enabled data-driven programming for MJH and its partners­­—from dynamic web and digital content delivery to automated, omnichannel journey creation to dashboards and analytics.

Beyond MJH, Hennessy Jr. has contributed to the industry at large by fostering and creating personal and content-based relationships with world-renowned key opinion leaders in the medical field and at leading universities, medical centers, hospitals, medical associations, and community cancer centers through MJH’s Strategic Alliance Partnership (SAP) program. The program provides its partners and doctors with a national reach and visibility, utilizing the breadth of MJH’s medical communications platform to showcase cutting-edge initiatives, content, research, and thought leadership that ultimately benefit patients and their families.

This past year, Hennessy Jr. capitalized on an opportunity to grow the business by elevating the SAP program by collaborating with health insurance companies such as Highmark Health and Oscar Health to expand its footprint in the managed care marketplace. Additionally, when forming the MJH Life Sciences™ COVID-19 Coalition advisory board, he leveraged his existing relationships with several top thought leaders across a variety of key specialties, including Dr. Angela Rasmussen, Dr. Saskia Popescu, and Dr. Paul E. Sax, to help generate the most accurate, up-to-the-minute information on the pandemic’s ever-evolving impact on healthcare professionals and the patients they treat.

Throughout the pandemic, Hennessy Jr. has donated and supported several organizations—the American Heart Association, NJ Pandemic Relief Fund, Princeton Medical Healthcare Heroes, Make-A-Wish NJ, National Medical Fellowships, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Feeding America, and many more. He also has volunteered his time at the RISE: Greater Goods Thrift Store in Hightstown, N.J.; HomeFront in Ewing, N.J.; and the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK).

Working alongside his father, brother, and cousins in the organization certainly qualifies Hennessy Jr. as a family man. Outside of the office, he loves spending quality time with his wife, Rachel, and two children, MJ and Maggie. He is a fitness aficionado who enjoys running and CrossFit. He also enjoys watching sports—specifically New York Yankees baseball. Relaxing to county music and enjoying the beauty of the Jersey Shore with friends and family is also time he cherishes.

Hennessy Jr. may have been born into the MJH Life Sciences™ business, but he’s reinvented it in his own image. And while he’s positioned the company for longstanding future growth, don’t expect him to rest on his laurels. He’s no doubt already thinking of ways to innovate the healthcare media landscape even further.

Michael J. Hennessy Jr., president and CEO of MJH Life Sciences™, parent company to Nutritional Outlook, named to MM&M’s second annual 40 Under 40 list.

Michael J. Hennessy: MM&M 40 Under 40 Award

Howaru Probiotics of IFF (New York, NY), formerly DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences, is hosting a full-day immersive virtual summit.

The Evolve virtual summit, taking place February 24, 2021 will provide dietary supplement manufacturers and brand owners next-level trends in revolutionizing microbiome health, including:

Novel market intelligence on consumer purchasing patterns, to secure brand loyalty in the right category from the ideal consumer

Innovative next-generation strains and emerging formulations, offering the potential to inform future R&D and product development roadmaps

Insight into the changing consumer landscape reshaping the microbiome health industry, and the actions needed to engage in priority health categories to gain market share

Attendees will network with peers and hear from industry thought-leaders, including George Paraskevakos, executive director, International Probiotics Association; Brenda Watson, CEO of Vital Planet; Aaron Secrist, executive vice president of Quality, Regulatory Affairs & Operations, NOW Foods; and IFF microbiome experts. 

“The global microbiome market is swiftly evolving, as consumers become more aware of the link between the microbiota-gut-brain axis, and an increased focus is placed on the relevance of probiotics within the human microbiome,” said Jennifer Montgomery, marketing manager, IFF, in a press release “By leveraging our expertise to provide emerging companies the strategies they need to build and cultivate a legacy brand -- and by equipping microbiome innovators with fresh insights to stay ahead of consumer trends -- we hope to continue redefining the industry, and propelling it ever forward.”

The Evolve virtual summit, taking place February 24, 2021 will provide dietary supplement manufacturers and brand owners next-level trends in revolutionizing microbiome health

Howaru Probiotics hosts virtual summit on microbiome health & wellness 

If increased screen time was a concern prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic shot that concern straight into the stratosphere. This goes for both adults and kids, who are now sitting in front of their screens for the better part of their day working, online learning, or relying even more heavily on digital devices for entertainment in lieu of going out. Thanks to the pandemic, consumers have become all the more aware of just how difficult it is to escape the blue light they’ve heard so much about in the news—and it’s putting eye health at top of mind in ways never seen before.

Surveys say the same. One July 2020 poll conducted by Ipsos on behalf of eye-care brand Alcon found that more than half of Americans are spending more time in front of a smartphone, television, or computer screen than they were prior to the pandemic. The poll, which surveyed 1,005 Americans over the age of 18, also found that 60% of consumers are concerned about the impact of more screen time on their eye health.

Even with COVID-19 vaccines on the horizon and in reaching distance for some, those who make and sell eye health products, including dietary supplements, are asking the question about whether an increased demand for eye health products is here to stay even after the pandemic is gone. After all, once consumers gain awareness of the dangers of blue light exposure, can they really put that knowledge back in the bottle?

While it remains to be seen whether demand holds true in 2021, in this article we take a look at some of the eye-health ingredients, and the studies demonstrating their efficacy, that can continue to support customers long after the pandemic is behind us.

Capsanthin Trends for Intraocular Pressure

Carotenoids like lutein and zeaxanthin have led the eye-health nutrient category, and now another carotenoid, capsanthin, is likewise proving to be both popular and effective.

Capsanthin offers its own complementary benefits for eye health. Sevanti Mehta, president of capsanthin supplier Unibar Corp. (Houston, TX), explains that excessive eye pressure can contribute to eye fatigue, eye strain, and possible optical nerve damage, which is why ingredients like capsanthin that reduce intraocular pressure could see significant growth in the eye health category.

“Eye health supplements so far have mainly explored macular pigment optical density (MPOD) support, especially in its connection to blue light protection, but research has found that this alone may not be sufficient for comprehensive vision health,” says Mehta. “Addressing excessive eye pressure is a must in order to lower the risk of eye fatigue, eye strain, and potential optical nerve damage.”

Unibar’s branded CapsiClear capsanthin ingredient, standardized to 50% capsanthin concentration, has been shown in studies to reduce intraocular pressure and mitigate the risk of nerve damage, Mehta says. The company continues to evaluate CapsiClear’s potential role in eye health through ongoing study.

One recent animal study, which has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, found that 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg of CapsiClear per day reduced intraocular pressure in rats after 28 days. Another unpublished study, a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 21 human participants, found that 40 mg of CapsiClear per day could increase macular pigment density. Unibar cautions that this pilot study lacked a sufficiently large sample size to reach statistical significance, meaning more research is needed.

Mehta says Unibar is continuing to evaluate CapsiClear’s benefits and investigate the range of potential roles capsanthin may play in maintaining ocular health.

Lutein Protects Against Blue Light Exposure

OmniActive Health Technologies (Morristown, NJ), a long-time player in the eye health category, is well attuned to consumers’ increasing focus on blue light these days. Brian Appell, director of global communications for OmniActive, says consumers are now using digital devices for work, school, entertainment, and social connection, estimating that American adults now spend about half their time in front of a digital device. The modern shopper of eye health products, he says, is very receptive to the idea of taking eye health supplements that can protect against damaging blue light.

“As consumers become more educated on the sources and potential consequences of blue light exposure, their intent to purchase almost doubles,” Appell says. “There’s an opportunity for [products that] defend against prolonged exposure.”

Macular carotenoids like lutein can serve as this first line of defense given their favorable performance in clinical trials. One such study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, assessed the effects of OmniActive’s branded Lutemax 2020 ingredient, a blend of lutein, zeaxanthin, and mesozeaxanthin, on various blue light exposure metrics. This study examined the effect of Lutemax 2020 on sleep quality, MPOD, temporal vision, and physical indicators of excessive screen time like headaches, neck strain, blurry vision, and eye fatigue. The trial involved healthy non-smokers aged 18 to 25 with a BMI under 27 who typically spend at least six hours per day in front of a television, computer, tablet, or smartphone screen. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either 24 mg of Lutemax 2020 per day, or a matching placebo, for six months.

Participants were assessed for MPOD, sleep quality, temporal vision, and physical indicators of excessive screen time at baseline and after three and six months. After three months, the Lutemax 2020 group saw statistically significant improvements in sleep quality and in temporal vision as measured by the Critical Flicker-Fusion Frequency test. After six months, the Lutemax 2020 group reported statistically significant improvements in MPOD, contrast sensitivity, disability glare, photostress recovery time, headache frequency, eye strain, and eye fatigue.

“This study, along with prior research on Lutemax 2020,” says Appell, “demonstrates a direct link between supplementation with macular carotenoids and defense against prolonged blue light exposure. This was the first study in young, healthy adults to demonstrate how macular carotenoids support visual function, reduce the symptoms of prolonged screen time, and improve sleep quality.”

Saffron Extract Preserves Retinal Function

L.) is quickly becoming a popular tool for preventing blue light damage. Julia Diaz, head of marketing for Pharmactive Biotech Products (Madrid), says the COVID-19 pandemic has coincided with increased demand for Pharmactive’s branded, fast-absorbing saffron ingredient, affronEYE.

Diaz says consumers are beginning to understand saffron’s eye health support properties, particularly as more studies reveal its mechanism of action. “Last year, we conducted and published an 

 study demonstrating affronEYE’s effect on preventing glaucoma development, which we plan to investigate further in another clinical study,” Diaz explains. “We anticipate there will be significant interest in the area of eye protection moving forward, including finding protective solutions against sun damage and pollution.”

The aforementioned study examined the effects of a daily 60 mg/kg dose of affronEYE on symptoms of laser-induced ocular hypertension, a risk factor for and precursor to glaucoma, in male Swiss albino mice. The mice were divided into six groups, including two control groups. The first control group was not exposed to the lasers and did not receive affronEYE (n=6), while the second control group received affronEYE but was not exposed to the lasers (n=8). The first experimental group (n=8) was exposed to the lasers, did not receive affronEYE, and was analyzed after three days. The second experimental group (n=6) was exposed to the lasers, did not receive affronEYE, and was analyzed after seven days. The third experimental group (n=8) was exposed to the lasers, received affronEYE, and was analyzed after three days. The final experimental group (n=6) was exposed to the laser, received affronEYE, and was analyzed after seven days. The mice were evaluated daily for intraocular pressure, retinal ganglion cell damage, and inflammation as measured by retinal microglia concentration.

After seven days, the mice in the laser group that received the saffron extract scored lower on measures of ocular hypertension relative to the mice that did not receive saffron extract. Saffron extract consumption was also associated with less cell damage and lower levels of neuroinflammation. The study authors concluded that saffron extract prevented retinal ganglion cell death, decreased retinal microglial activity, and showed anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

Diaz says Pharmactive has other clinical studies underway that will examine the benefits of other eye health ingredients. For now, affronEYE is set to gain popularity among particular demographics at greater risk of eye health problems, including thanks to COVID-19.

“Working from home, and online schooling, have been the largest contributors to increases in screen time,” she says. “Younger generations, notably gamers, are particularly vulnerable to the negative impacts of blue light exposure. Over the past few months, we’ve noticed an increase in demand for affronEYE coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global eye health ingredients market was already predicted to grow at a 6.2% CAGR from 2019 to 2025, according to Zion Market Research.

 Whether growth is even higher post-COVID remains to be seen. But chances are good. Brands that can offer eye health ingredients with proven efficacy will find significant market opportunities in 2021 and beyond.

Market research firm Omdia expects the global virtual reality (VR) headset market to be worth $10 billion by 2025

, and this growth is giving optometrists pause.

 While there are few studies on the potential long-term effects of prolonged VR headset use, short-term use is known to cause eyestrain.

 As VR headset use grows, and as awareness of adverse eye impacts grows, this could send more consumers out to seek eye health solutions.

Children’s Eye Health an Emerging Market

As distance learning becomes the new reality, the market for children’s eye health products is growing. Brands like VitEyes, for instance, are now offering eye health ingredients and blue light glasses for children. 

VitEyes Blue Light Defender Kids product is a soft chew containing 5 mg of lutein and 1 mg of zeaxanthin that comes in a kid-friendly chocolate berry flavor. With children’s screen time becoming a more prominent concern among parents, expect the kids’ eye health market to grow.

1. Sesetyan T et al. “Screen time across several devices has increased for many Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.” Ipsos website. Published online July 21, 2020. 

2. Stringham JM et al. “Macular carotenoid supplementation improves visual performance, sleep quality, and adverse physical symptoms in those with high screen time exposure.” 

3. Fernández-Albarral JA et al. “Neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of a hydrophilic saffron extract in a model of glaucoma.” 

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

4. Zion Market Research. “Eye Health Ingredients Market by Source (Natural and Synthetic), by Ingredient (Lutein, Zeaxanthin, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A, Bilberry Extracts, and others), by Form (Soft Gel, Capsule, & Tablets, Liquid, and Powder), by Application (Human and Animal), and by Disease Indication (Age-Related Macular Degeneration, Cataract, Dry Eye Syndrome, and Others): Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, and Forecast, 2018-2025.” Published September 23, 2019. 

5. Jijiashvili G. “Consumer VR headset and content revenue forecast: 2020-25.” Omdia. Published online November 26, 2020.

6. “Are virtual reality headsets dangerous for our eyes?” Canadian Association of Optometrists. Published online May 19, 2017.

7. Mukamal R. “Are virtual reality headsets safe for eyes?” American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published online February 28, 2017.

A look at some of the eye-health ingredients, and the studies demonstrating their efficacy, that can continue to support customers long after the pandemic is behind us.

Could eye health supplements gain a growing audience thanks to skyrocketing screen time?

FrieslandCampina Ingredients (Amersfoort, The Netherlands) is partnering with Cayuga Milk Ingredients for the production of its Refit milk proteins MPI 90 and MPC 85. Because Cayuga Milk Ingredients is situated near Cayuga Lake in the agriculturally rich Finger Lakes region of New York state, it can offer consumers locally soured milk proteins. It collects all its milk from family-owned farms within 40 miles of its factory. The milk is then processed within 48 hours.

“We’re excited to bring the value of our local milk and our transparent, high-quality production process to FrieslandCampina Ingredients customers,” said Kevin Ellis, CEO of Cayuga Milk Ingredients, in a press release. “Our clean processing and minimal intervention methods ensure milk proteins of premium quality, ready to enhance both formulation quality and on-pack appeal for the finished product.”

Uwe Schnell, managing director North America from FrieslandCampina Ingredients, said in a press release: “Our Refit range is designed to allow our customers to choose from a wide range of dairy proteins for performance and active nutrition. These ingredients ensure a more sustained release of protein than whey proteins do, so are ideal for recovery or endurance sports. We’re very happy to now offer our American customers a local, trusted source of milk proteins, while also ensuring customers achieve stable access to high quality, easily traceable solutions.” 

FrieslandCampina Ingredients is partnering with Cayuga Milk Ingredients for the production of its Refit™ milk proteins MPI 90 and MPC 85.

FrieslandCampina, Cayuga Milk Ingredients partner to produce locally sourced milk proteins in US 

Gencor (Irvine, CA) announced that Levagen+, a branded version of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), received the Informed Ingredient Certification for absence of WADA-prohibited substances from 

, the United Kingdom’s designated National Measurement Institute for chemical and biomeasurement.

“We are thrilled that Levagen+ is now certified as an Informed Ingredient,” said Chase Shyroc, vice president of sales & business development for Gencor, in a press release. “This is a huge milestone for athletes as they can take comfort in supplementing with Levagen+ to support their sports performance without any concerns of using a banned substance.”

This certification provides brand manufacturers with the assurance that Levagen+ has been regularly tested for prohibited substances by WADA. It also means the ingredient is safe to be used by athletes without concerns of adulteration or contamination.

“As a self-affirmed GRAS ingredient backed by safety studies, Levagen+ now has an added layer of safety as an Informed Ingredient.” Shyroc said. “This certification is something that both the elite and amateur athletes can appreciate.”

Gencor announced that Levagen+, a branded version of palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), received the Informed Ingredient Certification for absence of WADA-prohibited substances from LGC.

Levagen+ receives Informed Ingredient Certified Certification from LGC

Kaneka Probiotics (Pasadena, TX) announced Cardio Probiotic (

KABP-013) achieved U.S. FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

“The FDA GRAS certification demonstrates our commitment to a higher level of safety and quality for this ingredient,” said Mike Kolifrath, vice president, sales and marketing of the probiotics division at Kaneka, in a press release. “Brands can be assured to have best in class ingredient when selecting to use the Cardio Probiotic raw material blend in their products for lipid metabolism and cardiovascular benefits.”

Cardio Probiotic, based on a foundation of published clinical trials, phenotypic data, and genotypic analysis, is a formulation of three Lactobacillus plantarum strains that specifically supports cholesterol already in normal range. 

Kaneka Probiotics announced Cardio Probiotic (L. plantarum KABP-011, L. plantarum KABP-012, and L. plantarum KABP-013) achieved U.S. FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status.

Cardio Probiotic from Kaneka earns FDA GRAS status

Without doubt, the biggest science story of 2020 was the long-running mystery serial that is COVID-19. From the initial sequencing of the SARS-CoV-2 genome through the elucidation of its pathogenesis to the “warp-speed” development of vaccines to fight it, the coronavirus tale has been a ripsnorting page-turner for the ages. And its final chapter has yet to be written.

But it’s not the only narrative that played out in laboratories across the country over the past year. Quietly, doggedly, and under the media’s radar, nutrition research continued apace, generating new insights that bolster not only the health-and-wellness industry, but the health of its consumers, as well.

Such has certainly been the case with respect to research into dairy proteins and their mounting list of benefits. And the knowledge that research keeps uncovering is more relevant now than ever.

Uncovering knowledge is nothing to dairy-nutrition researchers, and not even a global pandemic could pull the brakes that.

As Kristi Saitama, vice president, global ingredients marketing, U.S. Dairy Export Council (Arlington, VA), says, “The U.S. dairy industry has a legacy of being research-centric—from nutrition science to product performance to market and consumer insights. And while challenges have hit the food sector and other industries, research on dairy proteins, along with our commitment to future research, continues strong.”

Case in point: Using dairy-industry funding, scientists completed a 

 in the first half of 2020 shedding light on how dairy proteins compare to 16 other protein ingredients in their degree of processing and environmental impact, tracing the ingredients from post-harvest through protein-powder production.

And among the lessons learned: “U.S. dairy proteins may have a similar environmental impact to plant proteins when considered from the perspective of nutritional quality rather than according to the food’s raw weight or caloric content,” Saitama says. At a time when “clean and green” consumers put plant proteins on a pedestal, such findings are worth notice.

When it comes to protein quality, dairy’s case is always worth notice. Asked why dairy proteins can hold their own against any of the trendy plant-based options making headlines, Saitama answers, simply, “Nutrition and choice.”

“Dairy and plants are both important to achieving a nutritionally balanced diet,” she concedes, “but given the wide variation in different proteins’ nutritional quality, dairy proteins’ advantage is that they’re nutritionally complete and have benefits backed by a solid body—and many years—of published nutrition research.”

Matthew Pikosky, PhD, RD, vice president, nutrition research, National Dairy Council (Rosemont, IL), agrees, noting that protein quality is at least as critical as protein quantity when building formulations to optimize healthy aging, muscle growth, exercise recovery, and more.

And what determines a protein’s quality? As Pikosky explains, it comes down to “the full array of essential amino acids in sufficient amounts required by the body, the digestibility of the protein, and the bioavailability of the digested and absorbed amino acids derived from it.”

On those counts, he says, dairy proteins like whey and casein, as well as protein ingredients made from milk, outscore other proteins not only according to established measures like the PDCAAS (protein digestibility corrected amino acid score), but per newer and more accurate scoring methods like the DIAAS (digestible indispensable amino acid score).

Pikosky notes that while science has long validated dairy proteins’ efficacy at promoting the muscle recovery and “preferential changes in body composition” that athletes and fitness enthusiasts value, dairy proteins’ ability to support muscle health in middle-aged and older adults—who face the age-related loss of muscle mass and function known as sarcopenia—also rests on strong evidence.

Uncovering knowledge is nothing new to dairy-nutrition researchers, and not even a global pandemic could pull the brakes that.

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COVID-19 required dietary supplement manufacturers to reassess their production lines and equipment