Healthy ageing is a fast-growing and commercially interesting market segment for the food and beverage industry. Older adults want to maintain their quality of life and are ready to spend money on their well-being. They want to stay active and energetic, maintain their mental clarity, and continue to enjoy the taste of good food. Ageing adults are willing to invest in food products that support their health. A great opportunity for the food and beverage industry!

On a global scale, it is estimated that by 2050, there will be two billion people aged over 60 years. The most senior generations are living longer and more active lives, and their proportion as a segment of the population is ever-expanding. Seniors are driving the demand for healthier products which include more protein and vitamins, as well as functional foods designed to meet the specific needs of the body as it ages.

Finnish dairy innovation helps food manufacturers cater to the needs of ageing adults

As good nutrition has a scientifically proven link to healthy ageing, the expanding elderly population and their wellbeing provides great potential for the food industry. With the right innovations supporting adults with nutrition, the food industry can make their products desirable for mid to late life consumers, just as the beauty and personal care industry has done.

Seniors and their families want to invest in their health for a happy later life. With Valio’s pure Nordic dairy ingredients and innovations, food manufacturers can add the benefits of phospholipids supporting cognitive health to create desirable functional food products made for the healthy ageing market.

“The expanding elderly population and their wellbeing provides great potential for the food industry.”

“Out of all industries, I believe that the food and nutrition industries have perhaps the most significant means to ensure healthy ageing. As consumers, older adults could be described as foodies with emphasis on healthiness. We make about 200 food-related choices every day, so there is plenty of opportunity to nudge older adults towards better food choices,” says Dr Anu Turpeinen, Nutrition Research Manager, Research and Innovations at Valio.

Enhanced taste, texture, and health for older adults

The ageing body requires more protein, as well as specific vitamins and minerals due to the body’s insufficient use of nutrients and the generally declining intake of food. When creating a new recipe, it is important to keep in mind the importance of finding ways to ensure the intake of both protein and energy. This means developing better tasting food for seniors is crucial in helping them maintain a healthy diet.

Decline in sensory abilities often makes it difficult for ageing adults to sense the taste of food. That is why the taste and texture require special emphasis when developing food products for older adults. Valio Eila™ Nutri F+ powder gives products a pleasant rich taste and full texture. This helps food and beverage manufacturers to make their products desirable for the ageing foodies.

Valio Eila™ Nutri F+ is the only lactose-free ingredient that is also high in milk protein. It contains the phospholipids, vitamins, and minerals required for the nutritional needs of older adults and to maintain muscle mass and bones—while also contributing to normal brain health. Valio Eila™ Nutri F+ has been successfully used in a wide variety of applications, including drink powders, nutritional supplement drinks, dairy ready-to-drink formats, nutritious foods and dietary products.

Valio has the knowledge and the ingredients that will help food and beverage manufacturers expand their product portfolio to this commercially interesting market segment. The experienced Valio Food Solutions team is ready to help with product development. We have a Nobel prize winning innovation and we know milk: our R&D team of 100 experts including nutrition experts are ready to help you in very different cases. We can help in product development, with optimizing processes, and of course with any nutritional features that our customers want to improve in their products. For more information, visit valio.com/b2b.

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