Increasing value on a scientific basis

Adding physiologically valuable materials to food products is one of the most frequent innovation directions. Food fortification is mostly a voluntary activity, meaning it is the food manufacturer’s responsibility to create safe products for consumers.

There are countries where obligatory fortification exists in the case of certain products: for instance in Germany and Austria salt is fortified with iodine, while in the USA flour is fortified with vitamins B and iron. In Hungary food products are fortified to make a simple category more valuable. At the same time, novelties discovered by the pharmaceutical industry can reach a bigger target group in shops than in pharmacies. If we take a look at the category of mineral waters we can see that consumers are switching from carbonated waters or from those with added sugar to still mineral waters. The leading brand of Szentkirályi Ásványvíz Kft. is Szentkirályi, now an umbrella brand – we learned from marketing director Ferenc Kőhalmi.

One of their functional products is a drink made from Szentkirályi natural mineral water fortified with oxygen. This drink brings rapid refreshment and gives more energy and vitality to those who drink it. It is a scientifically established fact that lack of oxygen in cells is detrimental to the metabolism of the human body. An extra kick of oxygen can help people to stay healthy and be less prone to illness. Mr Kőhalmi also told us that it is a mistake to treat Hungarian mineral waters with today’s fashionable water treatment devices because this way the most valuable minerals are extracted from them. The majority owners of Tiszafüredi Thermál Kft. purchased a PI-water device in the early 1990s and started bottling and selling PI-treated alkaline drinking water, under the names of Füredi Water and Kapitány Water (carbonated).

Managing director László Balázs told Trade magazin that the pH value of their waters ranges from 9.3 to 12. The company was one of the first to produce ionised alkaline and other drinking waters on a large scale (Füredi Ion pH 9.3 drinking water family). Gramex 2000 Kft. has been present in stores with 4 types of V2O ACTIVE WATER products for more than two months – managing director János Gréczi informed our magazine. These products are low-calorie, active and flavoured waters that contain different extracts: V2O Immunity contains zinc and vitamins, V2O Aloe Vera is made with aloe vera extract, V2O Energy contains white tea extract and V2O Carnitine has 1000 mg L-Carnitine. ACTIVE WATER refreshes and gives you extra energy, but it is not an energy drink as it does not contain taurine, caffeine, guarana or ginseng. Béres Gyógyszergyár Zrt.’s legendary invention Béres Drops now has about 50 types of different health protecting products at its side.

Réka Berkes, head of the company’s trade marketing division revealed that Béres is the leader in five segments with its Béres Drops, Actival, CalciviD, Béres Vitamins C products and its Béres Healthpack range (vitamin- and mineral-based dietary supplements). The company launched its Béres Health Hungaricum programme in order to improve the health consciousness of Hungarian consumers. Densia by Danone Kft. is the first yoghurt in Hungary that is rich in calcium and vitamin D – one glass covers 50 percent of an adult’s recommended daily intake. Beáta Kiss, Danone’s corporate affairs director told us that they are proud of the fact that the Hungarian Osteoporosis and Osteoarthrology Society recommends the consumption of Densia.