Although collagen is most commonly associated with beauty and wellness, the bioactive ingredient is increasingly being incorporated into functional food and beverage products for its potential health‑boosting benefits.
From coffee creamers to protein bars and wellness shots, an increasing variety of products are fortified with collagen for additional health and nutritional benefits. According to Mintel data, more than half of US products with collagen feature skin, hair and nail claims while more than a quarter reference protein.
Collagen is also strongly linked to bone and joint health, making it suitable for use in sports nutrition and recovery products. This is the approach that the world’s largest dairy company has taken in its latest innovation.
Lactalis recently released Puleva Vita Calcio Colágeno, a milk beverage enriched with a science-backed native type II collagen. Launching in Spain, the product is the first of its kind to feature the ingredient, which is clinically proven to deliver joint health benefits at a low daily dose of 40mg.
The product was formulated in partnership with life science company Bioiberica. Mónica Gómez Navarro, marketing manager at the firm, told us that innovations in product formats are becoming a key differentiator in the collagen market.
“While capsules remain a staple, consumer interest is rapidly shifting toward new and engaging delivery forms, like gummies, snack bars and ready-to-drink shakes which turn daily supplementation into a treat.
“This growing taste for functional nutrition stems from several factors, including the rise in health consciousness, the need for convenience, and an increasing ageing population.
“Coupled with advancements in food technology and nutritional science, today’s collagen market is the perfect platform from which to address consumer health concerns with innovative functional solutions.”
Why did the product launch in Spain of all places, we asked. It’s to do with Europeans natural affinity to dairy.
“Market data suggests Europeans consume more milk and dairy products than other region, averaging 201kg of milk and dairy products per person per year, followed by North America at 181kg,” Navarro explained. “Spain is also the second top producer of drinking milk in the EU, manufacturing 15% of the EU’s drinking milk.”
There was already a high-calcium product in the Puleva line-up in Spain, so introducing a collagen drink made sense from a consumer demand and awareness perspective.
“Previously, Puleva Calcio was already positioned as a product providing calcium for bones, so by adding a native type II collagen, Lactalis Spain launches a line extension creating a product for overall mobility, supporting bones and joints,” Navarro explained.
How collagen supports bone health
Alongside hydrolysed collagen, native type II collagen is one of the most common types of collagen used in functional food and beverage formulations. They both support bone health but in different ways.
“Collagen, in its native form, preserves the triple helical structure of the collagen protein, while in hydrolysed collagens the protein structure is lost and contains a mixture of amino acids and peptides,” Navarro told us.
“When taken orally, native type II collagen targets joints specifically, whereas hydrolysed collagen can play a role beyond joints, including in the skin and bones.”
The reason that native type II is so specific is due to its targeted immune-mediated mechanism of action at the cartilage level, which helps to control the body’s immune response against endogenous type II collagen, she added.
“It targets the joints alone and is able to support joint health at a dose of 40 mg per day, whereas the recommended dose for hydrolysed collagen is up to 10g per day. That makes native type II collagen much more flexible in formulation.”
What are the challenges to fortifying dairy with collagen?
Collagen may well appeal to brands looking to launch a new functional dairy product – but taking this from concept to market isn’t straightforward because of distinct formulation challenges.
“The introduction of functional ingredients like collagen into milk matrices can present significant challenges for formulators,” Bioiberica’s Navarro said.
“For example, UHT processing subjects ingredients to very high temperatures, which may impact their stability and effectiveness in the final product. For most bioactive compounds, their chemical stability – and consequently, biological function – could be greatly affected by pH, temperature, oxygen, light and/or the presence of specific chemicals that are used to process foods and beverages.
“In addition, interactions between bioactive compounds and other food components could occur during food and beverage processing and storage, leading to alteration of the matrix as well as instability of the bioactive compound.”
Specific analytical methods are used to evaluate native type II collagen in the final dairy product, she added.
What’s the future of collagen fortification in food and beverage?
According to Mordor Intelligence data, the collagen market is poised to expand at a 7.25% CAGR through 2031, and its use as a daily wellness ingredient in mainstream food and beverage categories is a key growth driver.
And when it comes to longevity, that’s of interest to consumers of all ages.
“The demographic for functional food and beverages that support mobility continues to widen, as consumers of all ages look towards preventative rather than reactive measures to support long-term holistic health,” said Navarro. “This includes women experiencing menopause looking to protect their joints as oestrogen falls, middle-aged people looking ahead to their later years and athletes or everyday active individuals who want to ensure their joints can support their physical regimens.”
What those shoppers have in common is a dependence on convenience and a growing understanding that all aspects of health are interlinked – so they seek solutions that bring together ingredients that support mobility more holistically.
“Puleva Vita Calcio Colágeno sits perfectly at this intersection of convenience and holistic support, making it easy for consumers to support their mobility in a ready-to-drink format,” Navarro concluded.
