Naturalness, ecodesign and clean label: these are all words that sound obvious today. Upon general request, the dietary supplements market is globally committed to sustainability subjects. The entire production chain must rise to the vital challenge of taking care of the environment as well as the health of consumers.

From sourcing to extraction: ingredients are at the heart of the concerns

Sourcing: a guarantee of quality

Today, 2/3 of nutraceutical professionals think that sustainable sourcing has a positive impact on ecological processes.[1] It is therefore natural that they tend to:

• Use local ingredients, which in addition to stimulating the economy limits the carbon footprint of designing the product.
• Promote the importance of channels. At PiLeJe Industrie, we use excellent controlled channels from selecting plant species to mastering crop management.
• Set up certifications such as the organic Moreover, organic dietary supplements represent 6% of the market[2]! A growing trend that should nevertheless be tempered. Indeed, in terms of commitments, local sourcing should be preferred rather than organic sourcing for some plants: organic quality standards differ depending on the country. In this way, a conventional French channel could make more sense than an organic channel located thousands of kilometres away.

From planting to resource management

As you know, the nutraceutical industry is becoming more plant based, in particular for effectiveness and naturalness aspects. This is perfectly consistent with the sustainability logic of dietary supplements. Therefore this explains the success of plants that contributes 93% to the growth of the dietary supplement market!² In addition, nowadays, traditional ingredients are being replaced by plant alternatives. We are witnessing the advent of ingredients such as glucosamine, melatonin or vitamins and minerals of plant origin.

Despite their countless properties, plants are not on all fronts. In the case of using other types of resources, companies endeavour to manage them. This is what we can observe with marine ingredients and certified EPAX oils guaranteeing that the fish come from fishery areas that are free from industries.

Extraction: a crucial stage

Close attention is also paid to extraction with a rational choice of the raw materials and the solvent used. Sometimes, the choice is made to substitute the alcohol with water for a more gentle extraction process. Also, in order to make the extraction more environmentally friendly, waste recovery and process optimisation are essential. Furthermore we focus on extracts that respect the integrity of the active ingredients of the plant and that give it back entirely as is the case for ipowder®, which is obtained thanks to a patented procedure that perfectly concentrates the plants’ nature.

To develop unique and high added value ingredients in this sustainable spirit, come and join us in our Plant Extract Studio.

Ecodesign: the key word from A to Z

It is the entire conception process of the product that has to be considered to be part of a sustainable process. The entire production chain is involved! The choice of active ingredients is important but not only that: excipients and also the galenic form are not left to chance. You will be able to count on plant-based capsules for example.

Lastly, the packaging is also becoming sustainable by using plant-based plastic or likewise reusable pillboxes that nobody will want to throw away.

Companies are committing!

Consumers’ expectations are evolving alongside those of industries. It is a true driving force that pushes companies to commit. Conscious of the role they have to play in ethical and environmental considerations, they commit at different levels, preserving our health and that of our planet.

A fundamental value of PiLeJe Industrie, the conservation of our planet is at the heart of our numerous commitments. Discover them thanks to our Charter for the environment.

[1] Synadiet, 2018, Vitafoods, 2019

[2] IQVIA, May 2019