Beautifying bread on its way to Britain?

Bread that promotes health and beauty, an anti-ageing drink and a chewing gum with the same benefits as a sports drink could all soon be available on UK shelves, according to Product Launch Analytics.

“There has been a surge in launches of functional food and drink products in recent months,” observes Cesar Pereira, research manager at the market research firm. “With many manufacturers working harder to address the trend of consumers becoming less price conscious and more value conscious post-recession, the result is more products offering extra benefits. We’ll continue to see the functional food market branching out into more everyday products in the coming months, so consumers can expect to see more products like the bread which claims to enhance health, vitality and beauty.”

Khlebny Dom is a kefir-based functional bread recently launched in Russia. It claims to promote health, vitality and beauty, and the manufacturer has ensured the product engages with consumers by making it with traditional Russian sour milk.

The anti-ageing drink which claims to purify the body has hit shelves in the US. It contains the antioxidant resveratrol as well as a combination of vitamins, amino acids and electrolytes.

Meanwhile, a chewing gum which combines the functional benefits of a sports drink and the energising effects of ingredients like guarana has hit shelves in Brazil.