According to the 2003 Functional Foods Trends Survey by Dairy Foods' sister publication Prepared Foods, probiotics have moved from the No. 10 position it had in 2000 to the No. 5 position in terms of "the growing importance in functional foods formulation efforts."
According to the 2003 Functional Foods Trends Survey by Dairy Foods' sister publication Prepared Foods, probiotics -- those beneficial bacteria that support intestinal health and have been shown to boost immunity -- have moved from the No. 10 position it had in 2000 to the No. 5 position in terms of "the growing importance in functional foods formulation efforts." This is very significant to the dairy industry, as this means that, once again, dairy processors can lose their franchise on an ingredient that truly should belong exclusively to dairy, as "other food" product developers quite possibly are exploring formulation opportunities with probiotic cultures.
It is sad but true. The dairy industry no longer owns calcium, as almost every beverage and food offers consumers a calcium-fortified option. Vitamin D is another lost opportunity. Within the beverage segment, until this past February, milk had exclusive FDA approval for vitamin D fortification. Now, juices and juice drinks can be fortified with vitamin D. Do we want to lose out on probiotics too?