5 facts that will surprise you

eSports are a
competitive sport

Gaming is not just a game, but can be a real sport too. Cortisol levels are as high when gaming as they are when racing, and pulse rates are similar to those when running a marathon. And gaming professionals are as fit as top sports stars. In many countries, gaming, or rather eSports, is already recognized as a sports discipline. And the eSports community is growing rapidly. Just like the global market for products to do with gaming. An excellent opportunity also for food producers.

Find out more on page 10.

The coronavirus is the mother of invention

Do you remember? After the global lockdown began last year, almost all trade fairs worldwide had to be canceled or postponed. But exhibitors quickly developed innovative alternatives, which apparently went down well: As a result, the new online events are attracting a trade fair public who had never visited a real trade fair before. At the last Vitafoods, this was around 40 percent of the visitors.

Find out more on page 11.

From 5 to 15 minutes

Where a drug is absorbed in the body and how quickly it takes effect does not depend on the active ingredients it contains. But on the gelatin capsule encompassing it. The time and place of drug release can be precisely controlled with different types of pharmaceutical gelatin. Invented in the late 1920s, the softgel capsule is often a better choice than plant-based capsules for people who prefer a natural diet.

Find out more on page 12.

Animal fats promote environmental protection

Fuels with animal fats benefit the climate footprint. For example, no rain forests have to be cleared for the fats, they are produced when making gelatin. The EU is providing new incentives with the revision of the Renewable Energies Directive. It states, among other things, that biofuels “with a high risk of indirect change of land use” may no longer be counted towards renewable energy targets from 2030 onwards.

You can find out how much power is in GELITA fats, proteins and minerals on page 13.

Power for the immune system

What can I do for my immune system? More people than usual have been asking this since the coronavirus pandemic. For example, the demand for dietary supplements from the pharmacy in Germany was around 8 percent in the first half of 2020, 2 percentage points higher than in the years before*. What few people know so far: How important bioactive collagen peptides are for the immune system. Preclinical studies suggest that they can regulate key factors that are important for an effective immune response.

Find out more on page 6.

* Source: IQVIA IMS® Consumer Report Apotheke