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The Changing Face of Immune Health: Opportunities for Innovation with Zinc Max

21 Oct 2022

Consumers now view immune health as a mark of wellbeing, creating a whitespace for innovation. Balchem^®, the global supplier of Albion Minerals^® and new Z-life^™ Zinc Max shares powerful insights & solutions.

Navigating an Immunity-Driven Lifestyle

For more than 60% of consumers around the world, “healthy” means having a healthy immune system.² Immunity is a health priority for consumers - and they’re also taking steps to address many other areas of health that factor into their sense of wellbeing, like mental wellness and energy.¹ It’s not surprising that Immunity, Stress and Energy are top health concerns for consumers in the Unites States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.³ More than half (58%) of global consumers are educating themselves on how to lead a healthier lifestyle.¹

Findings from a recent U.S.-based study conducted by Balchem^® on consumer attitudes & usage in health and nutrition suggest that consumers are evaluating many aspects of their life through an “immune health” lens. They are more aware of their vulnerability and immune support will continue to be an important consumer motivator.⁴

Marlena Hidlay, Global Strategic Marketing Manager at Balchem^® shared some thoughts on innovation: “When you take a deeper look at recent global product launches that leverage minerals for immunity claims, most of them (85%) include some other health claim.⁵ One explanation is that some minerals can support additional claims beyond immune health. The whitespace around immunity is fascinating and there’s so much more that we can do as an industry to address the changing face of immune health. At Balchem^®, we recently created and are currently testing with consumers some exciting new concepts with ingredients like our latest zinc bisglycinate chelate innovation, Z-life™ Zinc Max to help consumer brands expand their footprint in immune health.”

The role of Zinc in Immune Health and More

Zinc is an important nutrient that contributes to several key physiological human functions. Well studied for its role in immune health, zinc also supports the body’s antioxidant defense system and contributes to normal cognitive function. Zinc is essential throughout the human lifecycle and has been clinically proven to support normal growth and development during pregnancy, adolescence, and childhood.⁶ Like other minerals, the body cannot produce zinc on its own and zinc intake is often inadequate. For example, In Europe, Latin America, and the United States, zinc intake falls below the recommended levels.⁷ Supplementation and food fortification can help deliver optimal levels of this important mineral to consumers.

A Word on Anti-Nutrients

Anti-nutrients are components of foods that can limit the absorption of key nutrients such as Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Magnesium. Anti-nutrients include phytic acid and oxalates, commonly found in many plant-based foods such as nuts, grains, and seeds. While plant-based foods are beneficial to health, consumers may need to offset the potential impact of anti-nutrients on mineral absorption. Chelates are minerals bound to amino acids to improve stability and remain neutral in solution. By remaining neutral, mineral chelates have been shown to reduce the binding of anti-nutrients and are better absorbed than their non-chelated counterparts. Eric Ciappio, PhD, RD and Strategic Development Manager, Nutrition Science at Balchem^® comments “Given the inadequate intake of zinc in many countries around the world, we want to maximize the benefit from the nutrients that we do consume. In this regard, chelates are worth their weight in gold”.

Albion^® Minerals Delivers Superior Zinc Solutions

While all sources of zinc are beneficial to improve nutrient status, consumers around the globe trust the high quality and efficacy of Albion^® Minerals to deliver safe and well-tolerated chelates. Manufactured in the majestic mountains of Ogden, Utah in the United States, Zinc Max is the newest zinc bisglycinate chelate innovation under the Z-life™ brand. Zinc Max supplies 27% elemental zinc, the highest concentration zinc product offered by Balchem^®. Higher elemental zinc equates to a more efficient and more economical solution for today’s most novel applications like gummies and sachets and continues to perform well in traditional supplements like tablets and capsules. Its neutral taste profile makes Zinc Max the ideal choice. Due to its optimized chelation manufacturing process, Z-life zinc has been demonstrated to outperform inorganic zinc salts in absorption studies.⁸ Zinc Max is suitable for vegetarian and vegan lifestyles, animal-free, silica-free and not labeled USDA bioengineered (BE).

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References:

1. FMCG Gurus: Top Trends for 2022
2. Euromonitor International’s Voice of the Consumer: Health and Nutrition Survey 2021
3. HealthFocus International 2022
4. Balchem: Attitude & Usage Study 2022, “The Consumers’ Redefined Path to Wellness”
5. Innova Database; Global, July 2021-June 2022
6. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine 2001
7. Cediel G, et al., Food Nutr Bull 2015; 36 (2 suppl): S129-138
8. DiSilvestro R (2015) Biol Trace Elem Res, 168(1):11-4

For more information or to request a sample of Zinc Max and or any other Albion^® Minerals Chelates, follow the link below.

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