One of the areas where there is constant room for innovation in India is the nutrition industry. Due to continuous depletion of natural and non-renewable resources in the country, its euphoria is in an awful plight. If we look at the common illness faced by majority of the population in India, diabetes tops the list and is turning out to be a killer disease in the country followed by cardiovascular disorders, cancer and other non-communicable diseases. These diseases not only impede the individual as they grow but also the national economy. One can contribute to the nation only if he/ she is hale and hearty.
It is a well-known fact that India is the dominant diabetic country in the world with more than 62 million diseased. It is calculated that this figure will afflict up to 80 million by 2030. Thus the challenge for the Indian nutraceutical industry is to put an end to this extra burden created by diabetes against infectious diseases that are already ruling the rural. New generation in innovation Promptly analysing this scenario, nutrition literacy is reaching all chunks of the country slowly and the importance of sugar free food is doing sounds in the market. Products based on ragi, fibres, triglycerides and other millets are the need of the hour as they are healthier than rice and wheat. Therefore, every nutraceutical industry must understand this factor and focus on developing such products.
Another area which has scope for innovation is the ageing factor. With high competition at work and stress from personal life, bothering for our health has become secondary. Therefore, delaying aging seems to be an answer to delaying diseases. Although cosmetology, combined with enzymes, has brought great breakthroughs in anti-ageing factors physically, developing dietary supplements inclusive of anti-ageing supportive enzymes is still a horse trade left un-invested. Right now, this is our focal point as it is one area where the enzyme telomerase will play a major role in product innovation. It must be noted that telomerase has already done wonders in cancer enzymology by regulating robust cell division. Honest science is necessary Having spoken about the present scenario and direction in which product innovation must advance, it is all the more important that we do not forget Mother Nature. It is time we got back to our native farming practices. Organic farming has to be promoted efficiently by the government. Organic products have to be given preference over conventional products in the market. Price regulation over organic fruits and vegetables has to be made as early as possible thereby enhancing synthesis of enriched dietary supplements and functional foods.
With the government increasing the stipend for research scholars by 56% since last month, the country should see more number of younger generations taking up career in research and work honestly for sustainable growth of the nation. Every citizen, as well as the government, must realise that the answer to all the human dysfunctions lies on how healthy we keep our arable grasslands.