Thailand, renowned for its health-focused populace that acknowledge the essentiality of a well-functioning digestive system for overall good health, constitutes a formidable market for food and drink products infused with prebiotic elements. This discernment arises from a worldwide consumer research undertaken by One Inch Whale on behalf of BENEO, a notable manufacturer of functional components derived from plants. The study encompassed 9,243 respondents in nine countries, including 1,002 participants from Thailand. BENEO is also set to participate in this year’s Food Ingredients Asia, taking place in Bangkok, Thailand, from September 20th to 22nd. At their shared booth (Booth number: S01) with Sales Network Partner DPO International, visitors can learn about the firm’s prebiotic solutions sourced from chicory root fibres and their positive effect on gut health as well as overall well-being.
According to the study, 55% of Thailand’s consumers consider themselves health-conscious, with nearly 29% showing an active interest in nutritious foods and ingredients. Among these consumers, there’s a prevalent understanding of the intrinsic correlation between digestive health and total well-being, which encompasses physical and mental health, along with a resilient immune system. Interestingly, one-fifth of consumers in Thailand already include prebiotic food products and/or supplements in their daily diet.
The majority of consumers correlate prebiotics with beneficial impacts on digestive health (58%). Furthermore, a significant 70% of consumers from Thailand draw a direct connection between prebiotics and general health. In Thailand, the influence of prebiotics as communicated on product packaging stands at an impressive 62%. Comparatively, this figure rises notably above the global average of 53%, highlighting the advanced awareness and perception among Thai consumers.
Moreover, Christian Phillippen, Managing Director of Beneo Asia Pacific, and Thomas Schmidt, Marketing Director of Beneo, underscore the potential prebiotic market for food and drink products in Thailand during their participation in Food Ingredients Asia. Beneo’s chicory root fibres, Orafti® Inulin, and Oligofructose are plant-based, non-GMO, and possess evidence-backed and clinically proven benefits. They pointed out that these ingredients can replace sugar and fats, helping to decrease the calorie content in the end product and support weight management, while also aiding blood glucose control.
Additionally, Beneo offers a range of products that promote healthy aging, including low blood glucose response-promoting carbohydrates and barley flour rich in beta-glucan, which slows down the transit of food in the gut, aiding in managing cholesterol. Beneo’s dedication to plant-based products syncs with Thailand’s escalating awareness of the bond between diet and health, providing manufacturers with the resources to create tasty, healthy, and sustainable items that meet the demands of Thai consumers.
Inulin and oligofructose derived from chicory root fibres offered by Beneo are among the few prebiotics scientifically and clinically validated to meet this definition. They also have the unique distinction of being the only proven plant-based prebiotics available. The National Agency of Drug and Food Control of Indonesia (Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan) has bestowed a prebiotic claim for chicory root fibres inulin and oligofructose, making them the first and only recognised prebiotics in the country. The Chinese Nutrition Society (CNS) has also affirmed inulin and oligofructose as accepted prebiotics.
BENEO’s technical expertise stretching across all continents enables food manufacturers to develop new items incorporating prebiotics tailored to the regional taste preferences of their consumers. This blend of scientific and technical prowess supports BENEO’s ambition to form a bridge between nutrition and health, by helping manufacturers to offer healthy products on store shelves.
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