Functional shots are generating triple-digit, 219.7% sales growth, according to SPINS’ data.

There are many things that can weaken consumers’ immune systems, including the common cold, sleep deprivation and even flying in an airplane, where disease-causing bacteria can survive for up to a week inside warm plane cabins, wreaking havoc on the immune system, according to a 2014 study from Auburn University, Auburn, Ala.

Dry air on a plane can cause dehydration so staying properly hydrated with water and boosting the immune system 2-3 days ahead of flying may help prevent this occurrence. Extra vitamin C and B-complex vitamins as well as consuming all-natural fruits and beverages containing antioxidant-rich blueberries, oranges, cherries and elderberries also may boost the immune system, experts note.

“Lots of functional beverages are aiming their pitches toward the modern office professional — Life Aids’s Travelaid is a great example of this from an immunity-beverage perspective, directly marketing to those who travel on a regular basis,” says Jake Knepper, product library solutions manager at SPINS LLC, Chicago. And functional beverages that include elderberry as a primary ingredient are also  tipped to become significant in the beverages market in the next 12 months.

Berry flavonoids, including the black elderberry, boost the body’s natural immune response and can ameliorate cold and flu symptoms

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Flavonoids have been found to have a protective effect on the likelihood of developing macular degeneration. A compound found in oranges could help protect against an incurable age-related eye disease, according to new research.

A study has shown that people who regularly eat oranges are less likely to develop macular degeneration – which affects around 2.4% of the adult population in the UK – than people who do not eat the citrus fruit.

The researchers at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research in Australia say that flavonoids – a group of nutrient-rich plant compounds found in oranges and other fruit and vegetables – have been linked to a decreased likelihood of developing the eye disease.

The research is based on 2,000 adults aged over 50 over a 15-year period. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common condition that affects the middle part of vision among those in their fifties and sixties.

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The strong nutritional profile and functional benefits of cherry juice create exciting opportunities for manufacturers who could position it for sports and health nutrition and highlight the potential to help with insomnia, says a study published in the American Journal of Therapeutics.

Tart cherry juice contains high levels of vitamins A, C, K, potassium and iron, as well as various antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. This has seen the product linked with a range of health benefits from aiding muscle recovery post-exercise to alleviating insomnia and protecting against heart disease. These credentials should be attractive to manufacturers as they look to respond to changing perceptions around the healthiness of juice, which have contributed to sales declines across markets. However, less than 1% of global juice launches utilized cherry as a flavour component in the 12 months to July 2018, highlighting untapped potential for brands to experiment with the ingredient.

Cherry juice has gained attention in recent years as a sports recovery drink and has been adopted by runners and other athletes for its purported anti-inflammatory benefits. Research conducted at the Oregon Health & Science University suggests that tart cherry juice reduces both muscle pain and inflammation, and may be a safer way to treat post-exercise pain than over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen. This has led to the emergence of a number of specialist sports-focused brands offering tart cherry juice at retail. www.mintel.com

Ricardo Martinez Zambrano, director of sales for North America with Citrofrut, summarizes a Mexican citrus industry report he delivered at the recent International Citrus Business Conference.

Zambrano says oranges account for about 56% of Mexico’s total citrus production, but that “there is no official source in Mexico that does the estimation.”

An area of eastern Mexico has about 80% of all Mexican citrus production “with the exception of the Mexican key limes,” which grow mostly on the west coast, Zambrano says.

“Processing versus fresh (for the orange crop) is very dependent on a year-to-year basis,” he says. “It has to do with the crop size and with the futures prices and opportunity for processors to access that fruit.” He says 55-60% of the orange crop was processed on average in the past five years.

“A lot of our growers are very small growers, and they don’t tend to the land as a professional grower would,” Zambrano says. “That has a benefit of actually making the grove organic in its natural sense. However, we have to certify that that’s actually the case. And being able to certify hundreds of growers that have small plots gets complicated.”

“Italian lemon is grown mostly in the northeast,” Zambrano says. “Production is around 120,000 tonnes of fruit if we have the correct conditions.” However, drought and a hurricane last year and a freeze early this year cut production. “So, best estimates for this year range anywhere between 70,000 and 100,000 tonnes.”

“Conditions have been great for the Persian lime,” Zambrano adds. “We’re seeing a lot of new developments. So we expect a consistent growth in the next few years for this crop.” He anticipates the limes will be 50% fresh and 50% processed.

“We’re very excited about the potential that we currently have,” Zambrano concludes.

Source: Citrus Industry Magazine