"A general increase in consumer awareness in Europe has been stimulated by the favourable coverage of micro minerals in health magazines, dieting books and other promotional campaigns, creating abundant market opportunities for mineral manufacturers," says Kathy Brownlie, Research Manager with Frost & Sullivan (http://food.frost.com). "The increasing awareness towards preventative healthcare is driving not only the sales for over-the-counter mineral products in Europe, but for fortified food products as well."
Market participants have to implement damage control strategies to remedy negative publicity as a result of controversial scientific evidence. These reports question the effectiveness of minerals in feed and supplement products as well as their cost efficiency. Manufacturers can alleviate some of these concerns and improve product uptake by disseminating the results of their R&D activities through extensive marketing campaigns.
Companies also use minerals as antioxidants in cosmetics or as an active ingredient in sun-protection, anti-ageing, shaving or makeup products. Such uses are likely to strongly drive the growth of minerals in novel markets.
Manufacturers also need to develop inventive technologies if they are to resolve the issues of metallic taste and discolouration sometimes associated with mineral-fortified foods. However, it is not easy to ensure that an enriched mineral product meets its specific label claims. This requires considerable knowledge of the stability of individual components, different interactions in the recipe as well as optimum processing and storage conditions.
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