There is a growing trend in Japan and other Asian countries for cosmetic food products that take advantage of natural substances in our foods. SVZ sells fruit and vegetable juices, such as spinach and kale juices that fit this health trend. In Europe, there is also growing interest in a wider range of fruit and vegetable juices.

Cosmetic foods are based on the concept that there are natural substances in foods that can enhance our appearance. Drinking two litres of water per day is good for the skin. But too much coffee or alcohol dries the skin out. These are well known facts, but things are not always that simple in everyday life. A litre of soft drink, for instance, has a very different effect to a litre of water.

Those interested in the cosmetic food concept choose their foods with the aim of improving their skin, hair, sense of taste and energy. Young people and women seem particularly interested in such foods.

Too exotic
Healthy snacks are all the rage in Europe. Pure fruit and vegetable juices and smoothies (blended fruit drinks) are available in most supermarkets. But interest in cosmetic foods is just starting. “Too exotic additives such as coral have yet to gain acceptance in Europe. Consumers want foods that are tasty, easy to prepare and with a good health image”, says Denís Minning, the founder of Helsion Nederland.

Helsion does market research on cosmetic food products such as a skin rejuvenating drink containing Aloe Vera. “Our studies include product taste, claims and packaging. We also investigate consumer requirements of products and market outlets for such products. We do suggest ideas for new product concepts, but we don’t do any development work ourselves. We’re business economists, so we leave that to the product developers.”

Anti-ageing
Many more people worldwide are living longer than ever before. This older age group could be a target for cosmetic foods to help slow down the effects of the aging process. As people get older, they need more of various vitamins, minerals and other health promoting substances.

However, older people tend to eat less because of their more sedentary life style and thus need nutrient denser foods. Up until now, functional foods have focused on staving off inner health problems such as high cholesterol levels, brittle bones and digestive problems.

Prebiotic food ingredients such as inulin were introduced to promote internal health. But as interest increases in looking good and having healthy hair, skin and nails, perhaps a focus for cosmetic foods could be this older age group.