Caracterização do mercado português de suplementos alimentares em 2014

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Instituto Superior de Agronomia

The commercialization of food supplements in portuguese market requires a previous notification to DGAV. This study aimed to characterize the national market of food supplements based on notifications of labels made to DGAV, in the first quarter of 2014. The foods supplements (887) were studied and aggregated according to the characterizing ingredient (Plants/extracts, Vitamins/Minerals and Other Ingredients), purpose of use (Metabolism, Immune System, Weight Loss, Relax/Sleep, Osteoarticular, Circulation, Brain/Memory, Hair/Nails, Sexual, Hormonal System, Not Specified), the target group (Infants, Children, Seniors and General Category), legal compliance and border ingredients. After the study of characterization and based on composition and daily dose mentioned on the label, proceeded to a multivariate analysis with the goal of realizing the extent to which categories defined feature homogeneity. It has been found that the majority of foods supplements notified contains lack of information, 46% did not indicate any specification in purpose. Plants/extracts (56%) and vitamins/minerals (23%) are the characterizing ingredients more notified in national market. Due to the diversity of ingredients and amounts of food supplements reported, there is some diversity within each category. The categories that presented more diversity were plants/extracts and vitamins/minerals. Concerning the purpose of use, the group of supplements with no specified purpose of was the most heterogeneous