Arla Foods Ingredients has launched two maternal supplementation concepts to support children’s cognitive development during pregnancy and lactation.
The Smart Mama drink and Smart Mama bar prototypes contain the ingredient Lacprodan MFGM-10 – a whey protein concentrate featuring the benefits of milk fat globule membranes (MFGMs).
Now available, the Smart Mama prototypes offer manufacturers the opportunity to launch a functional product into the rapidly growing market for maternal nutrition food and drink products.
Anne Staudt Kvistgaard, senior manager, early life nutrition, Arla Foods Ingredients, said: “During pregnancy and lactation, the mother is the main source of nutrition for the developing infant, so it’s important she makes the best possible dietary choices. Our Smart Mama drink and Smart Mama bar concepts are convenient, offer a great taste and provide Lacprodan MFGM-10, which has documented benefits for brain development when applied in early-life nutrition products.”
Maternal nutrition food and drink product launches saw a 13% increase in CAGR between 2014 and 2018, with an Innova Market Insights research showing the two most sought-after product attributes in maternal nutrition in 2018 were convenience and brain health.
The Smart Mama drink is low-fat, offers a source of protein and calcium, and contains high levels of folic acid, which helps prevent natural tube birth defects. As for the Smart Mama bar, it is high in protein, calcium and fibre.
