Whether triggered by reports of climate change, deforestation, water stress or ocean microplastics, sustainability has rightly been at the center of the agenda for many brand owners in the last few years. For the future of our planet, it is critical that we all play our part to help address climate change and limit the use of finite resources. Plus, consumers are now actively seeking out products that are “good for the planet”—they are increasingly attuned to the impact that their behavior and purchasing decisions have on their health and that of the planet, and as such are seeking products that reflect these “Aspirational,” values-driven ideals. In fact, our own market research shows that 60 percent of U.S. supplement users feel guilty about the impact their purchases have on the environment, and 81 percent would be willing to pay more for a sustainable choice.

Sustainability as a trend is inherently linked to the clean-label and plant-based movements of the past two decades. A trend which has grown into a global phenomenon and reflects a much broader range of consumer lifestyles and preferences, it now drives the demand for products with naturally sourced, easy-to-understand ingredients, trusted certifications, such as vegan, vegetarian, non-GMO (genetically modifed organism), kosher, halal, as well as sustainable positionings. The growth of the clean-label trend has also generated a much bigger conversation, encompassing everything from ingredient sourcing and transparency to quality and responsibility. A broadening out of the consumer demand for non-animal products, sustainability covers people, environmental, social and economic factors, and can be defined and measured by the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Delivering transparency and quality throughout the dietary supplement supply chain, offers the traceability that consumers are now looking for at all stages of the product development process—from raw materials and ingredient processing, to delivery solutions and beyond. In practical terms for the nutraceutical industry, sustainability means responsible ingredient sourcing, creating vegan and vegetarian product formulations, examining processing methods and packaging, as well as minimizing energy use and waste. To achieve authenticity, and therefore gain consumer trust, means designing sustainability into product development from the outset and holistically.

Responsible Ingredient Sourcing

Knowing the exact source of your ingredient is not just good practice, it is fundamental to a brand’s sustainability credentials. Responsible growing and sourcing of raw materials is key—from water use, land conversion, cultivation and pesticide use, to social and ethical factors.

Using byproduct streams, also known as upcycling, can also help build a more circular economy, moving away from the “take-make-waste” extractive industrial model toward one which designs out waste and keeps products and materials in use. As an example, byproducts from the meat production industry, such as chicken sternums, can be used to make type II collagen ingredients for joint health supplements. Indeed, whey protein ingredients in the sports nutrition sector began life as a byproduct of cheese making. Rethinking these streams not only means material that would have otherwise been wasted is reused and repurposed into another valuable resource, but also that animals are not raised specifically for the production of these nutritional ingredients. In addition, sourcing ingredients such as probiotics directly from naturally fermented plants, instead of isolating them from milk, reduces CO2 output from dairy cows. Meanwhile, marine-based ingredients, such as algae, can also offer a sustainable choice, so long as they are farmed and cultivated to minimize environmental and ecological impact.

Making Greener Processing and Formulation Choices

Along with the source of a supplement ingredient, it is also important to consider how it is processed. For a more natural, clean-label and sustainable consumer product positioning, harsh chemical extraction methods should be avoided in favor of minimal physical processing, such as cold-pressing, dehydration, evaporation, filtering, grinding, infusing or water distilling.

More natural, clean-label supplement ingredients, however, can prove more challenging to work with—they can, for instance, be stickier or less stable than their artificial counterparts. Manufacturers must therefore be prepared to adapt their formulations and production processes to ensure these alternatives can be incorporated into their operations, while maximizing efficiencies and minimizing waste.

Delivering Sustainable Supplements

When it comes to creating more sustainable supplement formulations, delivery choice also matters. In the case of capsules, it is important to consider the source of the capsule material itself. Like collagen and whey ingredients, gelatin capsules can utilize an upcycled or byproduct material of another industry. For example, the pork, meat or fish farming industries could provide material for porcine or fish gelatin respectively. For vegetarian or plant-based capsules, hypromellose (HPMC) capsules made from FSC-certified forests, such as pine, can be selected. And to further aid sustainability, brands can ensure that cotton linter has not been used for the production of HPMC capsules in order to eliminate pesticide use. Meanwhile, capsules made from pullulan, a naturally occurring polysaccharide obtained through fermentation of tapioca, are a versatile and environmentally responsible supplement delivery solution. Since pullulan-based capsules also offer a superior oxygen barrier when compared to HPMC, gelatin or cornstarch soft gels, they serve to protect sensitive ingredients, such as omega-3s and nutritional oils from oxidation and degradation, which in turn helps to reduce waste by enhancing product shelf-life.

Using capsules over other delivery forms further enhances sustainability efforts because capsules can reduce the need for unnecessary excipients in formulations for the purposes of machinability or powder flow. Moreover, capsules do not require the use of taste-masking coatings. The former reduces waste by lowering the reject rate due to improved ingredient and capsule machinability, while the latter reduces resource use.

Elements that bring visual appeal to supplement brands can also be considered in the sustainable lifecycle. For example, color has long been an important element of the dietary supplements industry, offering an opportunity for brand owners to differentiate and distinguish their products from the competition, and to enhance consumers’ experience. The challenge, however, was that in order to create products with stable, long-lasting color, manufacturers were once left with no other option but to turn to artificial colorants, which did not align with consumer preferences. Thanks to advances in capsule technology, more naturally sourced colors obtained from foods can now also be used in capsules, delivering more robust, stable colors with a more sustained performance than was previously possible. Extracting colors from sustainably sourced foods, such as purple carrots, radishes, turmeric or algae, makes the greener choice even more attractive to health-conscious consumers.

Closing the Loop

A key part of the sustainability story for dietary supplement ingredients and delivery technology also comes in the manufacturing of the finished product. Optimizing production efficiencies and productivity not only benefits the planet by reducing energy use and waste but can also enhance capacity and profitability for brands too, making it a mutually beneficial strategy.

Capsule design, as well as manufacturing and equipment technology can help reduce the need for overfilling, which conserves ingredient resources. Meanwhile, reviewing overall production efficiencies, including upgrading older machinery, can optimize energy use, and reduce waste from fill issues or rejects. Again, thinking as a circular system, trimmings from some thermo-gelation two-piece capsule manufacturing processes can be reused and re-melted to rejoin the production cycle, diverting a potential waste stream and again saving valuable resources. In addition, equipment that allows for small batch runs of supplements, for example for use during product development, allows brand owners or contract manufacturers to perform pilot batch programs and streamline their production processes, while reducing capsule failure rates before full production. This type of technology helps to facilitate inherently less wasteful procedures that further enhance the efficiency, cost-effectiveness and productivity of capsule manufacturing processes, and deliver more sustainable solutions that align with consumer demand.

Taking energy efficiency a step further, supplement production plants can generate their own energy to harness local and favorable climates. For example, at Lonza’s site in Greenwood, SC, a 470kW solar field was installed in 2019. Covering 1.8 acres (approximately 7,300 m2), the solar field fully powers the electricity needs of the manufacturing technology center, eliminating the emission of around 405 tons of CO2 per year.

Ensuring a Sustainable Future

By building sustainability into the product development process from the outset, supplement brands and contract manufacturers can make more informed and responsible choices to play their part in ensuring the future of our planet, while also meeting consumers’ demands. From raw materials sources, to rethinking “waste” and conserving resources and energy, there are myriad ways that ingredient and delivery technology can help reduce a product, and therefore a brand’s environmental footprint to help ensure a more sustainable future for all. Success can be measured not only by profits or revenues, but by how much we each give back to our people and communities, as well as helping to protect our environment. NIE

Tyler White, Associate Director, Product Development and Innovation, Lonza Capsules & Health Ingredients