Gummy supplements, which were initially sold as friendly and easy-to-distribute vitamins for children, have spread to the adult market and a wide variety of nutraceutical categories.
Experts predict that the gummy “candy-ceutical” industry will expand by 6% by the end of the decade, hitting a global market value of $5.8 billion in 2029. Additionally, they believe that adults will constitute two-thirds of all gummy users over this period.
Gummies are on trend in today’s supplementary market. Therefore, they have to evolve and progress to keep up with the growing demand and need for innovation.
Let’s see which are the novel approaches in gummy supplement manufacturing.
Historically, manufacturers used gelatin to make gummies. Nowadays, modern plant-based gelatin alternatives enable the production of vegan products. Although plant-based ingredients provide numerous opportunities, manufacturers still face some challenges in their processing.
Nonetheless, plant-based alternatives to gelatin have numerous benefits. Pectin and carrageenan are excellent gelatin substitutes that offer manufacturing advantages. Namely, their setting and drying periods are shorter, which allows manufacturers to save both time and money.
Clean-label gummies produced quickly in small batches are becoming increasingly popular too. It’s the ingredients that advance starchless systems that help with quicker production. Nevertheless, starchless technology isn’t without challenges of its own. There are still some difficulties with incorporating traditional hydrocolloids in gummy formulations.
Nitta Gelatin seems to have recently found the solution to this problem. Their newly introduced line of gelatin ingredients for use in starchless systems can be combined with hydrocolloids. They also help produce unique shapes and textures. Moreover, these ingredients reduce the production time from days to minutes and leave more space for active ingredients in each gummy.
The most recent improvement in the gummy industry doesn’t only have to do with the supplements’ functionality. It also relates to their esthetics. Sirio Pharma started producing center-filled gummies that allow the separation of the essential ingredients between the shell and the filling. This separation technique decreases the possibility of incompatibility and saves vital ingredients from oxidation and moisture. In other words, the shell protects the ingredients in the filling.
Besides, people find this type of gummies more visually appealing, as the shell and filling can come in different colors.
Last but not least, manufacturers are trying to reduce the use of animal additives, sugars, and chemical ingredients in the production process. Non-GMO and organic components claims are also on the rise.
In conclusion, recent improvements in nutraceutical gummies help the manufacturers address the consumers’ demand, whether they are related to the supplements’ visual identity or functionality, while maintaining the product’s quality.
