June 6, 2023, is the 28th National “Eye Care Day.” The national “Eye Care Day” advocates that “everyone is the first person responsible for their health.” Pay attention to eye health and enhance people’s awareness of eye protection.
The National Health Commission conducted a special survey on myopia in 2020, and the results showed that the overall myopia rate among children and adolescents in my country was 52.7%. Among them, 14.3% are 6-year-old children, 35.6% are primary school students, 71.1% are junior high school students, and 80.5% are high school students. The student group is the hardest hit area for myopia. With the widespread use of electronic products, adults are also troubled by sub-health problems of vision. Targeting multiple health products such as dry eyes, eye fatigue, and blue light blocking are becoming an incremental outlet in the functional eye care market.
Lutein Is Still A Mainstream Ingredient In The Eye Protection Market.
In 2022, the sales of eye protection nutrition in overseas dietary supplements will be about 762 million. The popular eye care ingredients are still lutein, bilberry/blueberry extract, ginkgo/ginseng, and vitamin A/carotene.
During Double 11 in 2021 and 2022, domestic consumers will concentrate on hoarding eye care products. Lutein products remain the “top stream” in consumer recognition and purchase.
The top 5 best-selling brands of overseas eye care products in the past two years are Doppel Herz, Pipingrock, Blackmores, Youthit, and Swisse.
The main eye care products of cross-border e-commerce representative brands are shown in the following table.
| Brand | Product Name | Main Ingredients | Food Form |
| Doppel Herz | Blueberry Lutein | Blueberry/ Lutein/ Zeaxanthin/ Multivitamin | Capsules |
| Piping Rock | Lutein Soft Capsules | Lutein/Zeaxanthin | Capsules |
| Blackmores | Lutein Eye Care Chewable Tablets | Lutein/Zeaxanthin | Tablets |
| Youthit | Bilberry Blueberry Lutein Eye Care Pills | Blueberry/ Lutein/ Zeaxanthin/ Multivitamin/ Grape Seed | Soft Capsules |
| Swisse | Lutein Eye Protection Tablets | Lutein/Zeaxanthin/Bilberry Extract | Tablets |
Similarly, domestic eye health products have shown a vigorous growth trend in recent years. Statistics show that in November 2021 alone, the sales of online lutein eye health products in my country reached 229 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 167.6%. It shows the enthusiasm of consumers for this kind of product.
Taking lutein, blueberry, and lingonberry as examples, it can be found that August 2022 will be a watershed through the sales of domestic eye protection functional foods in the past two years. From August 2022 onwards, the sales of functional foods for eye protection will show a clear upward trend. The sales of eye protection functional food exceeded 150 million yuan.
In 2022, the top five brands of lutein/blueberry/bilberry extract products produced and distributed in China are as follows.
- Tong Ren Tang-Lutein Ester Tablet Candy (Main Ingredients: Blueberry Overdose/Lutein Ester Powder/Vitamin C)
- Amendment – Bilberry Lutein β-Carotene Zinc Softgels (Main Ingredients: Bilberry/Blueberry Extract/β-Carotene)
- Maoxiaole-Black Currant Blueberry Lutein Ester Tablet Candy (Main Ingredients: Blueberry/Lutein Ester/Godberry/Black Currant)
- Nordland-Blueberry Lutein Ester Tablet Candy (Main Ingredients: Lutein Ester/Black Goji Berry/Blueberry)
- Kangenbei-Bowery Lutein Bilberry Grape Seed Soft Capsules (Main Ingredients: Lutein Oil (including Lutein/Corn Oil/Lecithin)/Bilberry Extract/Grape Seed Extract)
What New Potential Eye Care Ingredients Are There?
The “hands-on” raw materials in eye care products are still lutein, esters, zeaxanthin, blueberries, lingonberries, and basic vitamins and minerals.
In addition to these basic and traditional nutritional elements, some unpopular applications of popular raw materials have appeared on the market in recent years. The innovative application of these raw materials may bring new ideas to developing eye care products.
Blueberry Anthocyanins
Blueberry Anthocyanin is a new food raw material approved on May 6, 2023.
Blueberry anthocyanin is a powdery substance made from the fruit of Vaccinium corymbosum L. through enzymatic hydrolysis, water extraction, purification, concentration, and drying. Anthocyanins are flavonoid polyphenol compounds formed by combining anthocyanins and sugars through glycosidic bonds. Because anthocyanins are unstable, they mainly exist as anthocyanins in plants.
The recommended consumption amount is: recommended consumption amount of blueberry anthocyanins with a total anthocyanin content of 40.0% is 800 mg/day, and those exceeding this content will be converted according to the actual content.
In a broad sense, blueberry, including all species with blueberries in the genus Vaccinium, is a plant of the same family and genus as the European lingonberry but a different species. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations lists blueberries as “one of the five health foods for human beings,” known as “the breakfast of pilots,” and has a good protective effect on eye care. Fatigue has a certain regulating effect, and this new raw material will have great development potential in eye protection.
Different national regulations for the application of blueberry anthocyanin
| Country | Regulations |
| China | In 2023, Announcement No. 3 was approved by the Health Commission as a new food raw material. |
| Canada | Approved the use of blueberry extract (anthocyanin content ≥ 40%) as a natural health food |
| European Union | Use of vegetable and fruit-derived anthocyanins as food additives |
| USA | Anthocyanins derived from grapes and grape skins are allowed to be used in beverages and other foods as food additives |
Haematococcus Pluvialis Astaxanthin
The Ministry of Health’s Announcement No. 17 2010 approved Haematococcus Pluvialls (Astaxanthin) as a new food raw material. On February 13, 2017, the General Office of the National Health and Family Planning Commission responded to the issue of Astaxanthin: Astaxanthin oil products belong to For Haematococcus pluvialis, it should be implemented according to the announcement of the former Ministry of Health on Haematococcus Pluvialis.
Astaxanthin is a ketocarotenoid, a fat-soluble blood-red pigment. Naturally produced by Haematococcus pluvialis and the yeast Xanthomonas spp. Production source: Breeding high-quality Haematococcus pluvialis algae for artificial breeding, harvesting Haematococcus pluvialis spores, and making it through wall breaking and drying. The recommended consumption is ≤0.8 g/day, applicable to various food dosage forms, but the scope of application does not include infant food.
Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant compound that has been shown to act on oxygen free radicals from singlet oxygen molecules and convert them into heat. It can also interact with other carotenoids, such as lutein and zeaxanthin ) producing a synergistic effect. Natural astaxanthin is becoming a “potential” raw material for the eye health market because it provides stronger light absorption than other carotenoids.
Different national regulations for the application of Haematococcus pluvialis (Astaxanthin)
| Country | Regulations |
| China | Ministry of Health Announcement No. 7 in 2010: Haematococcus pluvialis was approved as a new food raw material (recommended dosage ≤0.5g per day) |
| USA FDA | GRN No.294&580: Haematococcus pluvialis extract containing astaxanthin ester has passed GRAS certification |
| European Union | (EU) 2017/2470: Astaxanthin-rich oleoresin from Haematococcus pluvialis as a new food ingredient |
| Korea | Haematococcus pluvialis extract is a functional ingredient (health claim: it may help to improve eye fatigue. Daily intake is 4-12mg (calculated as astaxanthin). Excessive intake may cause yellowing of the skin, And inhibit the absorption of beta-carotene.) |
- Product case
Each capsule of this supplement contains 6mg of astaxanthin, blended with lutein, zeaxanthin, black currant, lingonberry, saffron, carotene, etc., to better provide eye nutrition and be absorbed by the eyes.
Lycopene
As an important natural antioxidant and red pigment, lycopene has attracted the attention of researchers and consumers in recent years.
According to marketsandmarkets, the global lycopene market is expected to reach USD 161 million by 2025, at a CAGR of 5% during the forecast period.
Lycopene is a natural fat-soluble carotenoid mainly found in orange or red fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, etc. It has antioxidant properties and is also effective in maintaining vision and preventing eye degeneration. have a positive effect. Lycopene plays a key and synergistic role in vision protection, protecting lutein from oxidation so that lutein can reach the eyes efficiently. Due to its strong antioxidant capacity and various other physiological functions, have been widely used in medicine, health food, and dietary supplements.
- Product case
This American native Amway Nutrilite Bilberry Lutein Capsule Eye Care Essence contains carrots, lycopene, vitamin A, bilberry (bilberry), and other ingredients.
CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10 is one of China’s five functional health food raw materials. Coenzyme Q10, or ubiquinone, exists in all eukaryotes that carry out aerobic respiration. Its structure is similar to vitamin K, and E. Coenzyme Q10 is one of the participating substances in the electron transport chain and aerobic respiration in the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells. It is also the only non-protein member in the electron transport chain.
In recent years, coenzyme Q10 has also entered the eye protection track and has become a new popular eye protection raw material. The principle of eye protection of coenzyme Q10, as an antioxidant, coenzyme Q10 can protect the power of retinal cells-mitochondrion. These cell fragments usually will be the first to be affected by eye health problems. The mitochondria in retinal cells are very sensitive to the toxic byproducts of cell metabolism, so supplementing with coenzyme Q10 is helpful for retinal health.
Conclusion
With improving people’s living standards and enhancing health awareness, the domestic eye health market is expected to maintain a rapid growth trend. The development of e-commerce and online platforms has also promoted the marketing of eye health products. In terms of channels, the integrated online and offline marketing model will make it easier for products to break through the market and enhance consumer awareness.
Regarding product design and technology development, the domestic eye care market has gradually entered the era of individualization. From shape design and efficacy design to mechanism research, the direction of personalized customization will drive the rapid growth of the eye health market and meet the consumer needs of different groups of people. More and more useful eye care products are on the market.
Nutri Avenue is a professional and experienced raw ingredients supplier. We can offer various eye health ingredients to support producing eye care products, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, Carotene, blueberry extract, CoQ10, Lycopene, Haematococcus Pluvialls (Astaxanthin), Multivitamins, etc., at wholesale price. Welcome to get a free quote.
