Beloit, WI—Functional ingredients can help the food service industry respond to growing consumer focus on wellness, according to a new report from probiotic brand GanedenBC30.

The report, titled“Opportunities for Formulating with Probiotic Ingredients in Food Service?”, demonstrates that wellness was a growing priority for food service customers, even before the pandemic. 45% of people globally try to find the healthiest option when they eat out, while 78% want restaurants to offer more options containing functional ingredients, according to a press release on the report.

The survey also indicates demand for probiotics, the release says. 48% of consumers would be interested in yogurt containing probiotics, and 38% would like to see probiotics in juices. The release adds that 54% of consumers worldwide are aware that probiotics can promote good digestive health, while 46% know they can offer immune system support.
Related: Consumers Want Science-Backed Products, Survey Finds Market for Functional Kids’ Drinks Wide Open, Suggests Makers of Wellmune Study: GanedenBC30 May Have Beneficial Effect on Certain Illnesses in Children
John Quilter, VP & General Manager for GanedenBC30, said in the release: “These are tough times for the food service industry, but it has done a great job of adapting. The sector will bounce back, but when it does, it will need to meet the demands of a new world, with consumers more focused than ever on the protection of their health. Providing options that include functional ingredients is a great way to innovate in a market where wellness is increasingly important.

“Immune health is rooted in the maintenance of a healthy balance in the gut,” Quilter continued. “With protection against foreign challenges such as viruses now front of mind for consumers, probiotics are among the functional foods and beverages they’re starting to explore. Spore-forming strains like GanedenBC30 are ideal in a range of food and beverage service applications, allowing functional benefits to be offered across the menu.”

There is no evidence demonstrating GanedenBC30’s effectiveness against Coronavirus specifically, the release states, but there is a growing body of research showing that it supports immune health.

The report can be downloadedhere.