The 3rd Global Human Nutrition and Wellness Forum 2019 (FFEU), hosted by Duxes, took place at the Falkenstein Grand Kempinski in Frankfurt, Germany from November 18-19. FFEU 2019 attracted hundreds of industry leaders from around the world to exchange ideas on trends, opportunities and the development of the latest nutrition and wellness products for the international market.

FFEU 2019 included speakers from the highest-profile companies and organizations in Europe, Latin America and Asia, including representatives and analysts from Danone, Nestlé, Mintel, China Health Care Association, the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), DSM Nutritional Products and BDIH (Association of German Industries and Trading Firms).

During the two-day event, specialists from the fields of personalized supplements, CBD extracts, infant nutrition, medical nutrition and market entry met to talk on the impact of new regulatory frameworks as well as the latest consumer research and case studies. Speakers gave presentations on vegan dietary needs and how to solve long-term protein deficiencies, and nutrition challenges and opportunities in health and disease management, among a variety of other topics.

Attendees were invited to analyze and interpret the latest EU policy update on food supplements, especially in relation to the practical challenges and major areas of focus. In addition to the many speeches delivered by the distinguished guests, the event also featured a fascinating panel discussion on the topic of the role of functional foods and supplements in healthy aging and a presentation on the rise of “novel foods”.

This gathering was an important showcase of the harmonization between major F&B companies, legal experts on food standards and regulations, and innovators in the health product marketplace.

On the first day, Gao Peng, Vice Director and Secretary-General at China Health Care Association, gave a talk outlining the recent proposed revision to China’s health food and supplement regulations. In his presentation, he explained the categorization between different products that are considered “special food” and those that fall under “medical” supplements. He also described which health claims can and cannot be used in conjunction with products in China, and how the rules are changing.

Later, Prof. Udo Herz, Global Science Director at Danone Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, gave a presentation on “Innovations in Early Life Nutrition – Looking Back, Looking Forward”. Talking about the development of newborn babies and infants, he said: "Nutrition provides the building blocks for the organs. But nutrition for gut development is also crucial to support [a baby’s] health. If you don't have that, then it carries a risk."
He went on to describe his ideas around the so-called "first 1,000 days" model from conception to two years of age to show that this earlier stage of infant growth is a "critical window of opportunity to support healthier later life."

On the second day, Dr. Volker Spitzer, Global Principal, Consumer Health R&D at international consultancy firm IQVIA, spoke on “The Impact of Digital Health: Real-world Evidence and Personalization”. He described the attitudes different consumer groups have regarding how and where they get advice on dietary needs and what they specifically look for in wellness products.

When talking about the recent 'Ageing Report' commissioned by the EU, he said officials recognized that medical technologies are efficient at keeping people alive but they are not necessarily good at keeping them in good health throughout their day-to-day lives.

In response to such a view, Dr. Volker Spitzer described how consumer attitudes are now changing in favor of products that add nutrient quality to their diets. He said that, in the healthy ageing category, there has been "a gradual shift to place more emphasis on quality... not just cutting calories, which may be an opportunity for nutraceuticals."

Later on the second day, Dr. Stephanie Krammer-Lukas, Head of Personalized Nutrition Innovation at DSM Nutritional Products, Switzerland, gave a talk on “Healthy People, Healthy Planet: A Personalized Nutrition View”, reflecting the growing interest in this emerging sector.

She laid out a strong case for personalized nutrition, saying “More than 500 million people around the world are diagnosed with diseases that are largely preventable by diet, with diabetes taking the lion’s share… Almost two-thirds of consumers are confused or unclear about which supplements are right for them.”

Dr. Krammer-Lukas argued that personalized products can address this leading reason as to why people don’t take supplements – by taking away the uncertainty involved in the decision process. “It offers the potential to shift the healthcare paradigm from disease treatment to disease prevention,” she explained.

Duxes is grateful to all of our distinguished speakers for having taken time out of their busy schedules to attend FFEU 2019 and to share such noteworthy opinions on these matters of industry importance. Duxes also wishes to show their appreciation for the contribution of Fluid Air as presentation sponsor and SGS as exhibition sponsor for the event. Lastly, thanks to the numerous organizations who have made FFEU possible with their strong support!

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Duxes is also pleased to add that there are several related forums taking place soon as part of the Duxes Functional Food Series and Duxes Dairy Series. These include:

DairyAP
6th Dairy Asia Pacific Summit 2019
November 21-22, Singapore

NFAP5
5th Nutraceutical and Functional Food Asia Pacific Summit 2020
June 17-18, Singapore

PNCS
International Personalized Nutrition Co-development Summit 2020
2020, Guangzhou, China


For more information and to book your tickets today, please visit: http://www.duxes.cn/DuxesEventCalendar/index.html