Increasingly, ingredients boasting significant functional benefits are being introduced to consumers. Whether through small actors taking big risk or loose regulations in the nutraceutical industry, consumers are growing accustomed to food for function. The demand, however, is outpacing the scientific body of evidence, leaving many food manufactures at a crossroads. For respected brands seeking to deliver novel, yet safe, functional ingredients to consumers, scientific evaluation is a necessary first step to inform a market entry strategy that is risk-matched to the company. The crossroads at which many manufactures are standing provides an opportunity for the food science industry to play a role in optimizing the health of consumers. The demand for functional benefits is extending beyond delivering essential nutrients to consumers, encompassing benefits that contribute to holistic health including— cognitive function, mood, energy, immune function, sleep, performance, and more. As these benefits continue to blur the lines between the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and food industries, so does the technology that optimizes their delivery. Modifications, structures, encapsulations, carriers and more may provide differentiation and value-added products. Among the vast opportunities to support holistic health and optimize delivery, evaluation of the whitespace is a necessary step to inform a value proposition for new product development that is catered to the company. The next generation of functional ingredients has uniquely positioned the food industry to play a larger role in public health. Individual food companies are striving to find their place in the market by providing functional benefits through everyday food and beverage consumption that meet consumer demand. Through scientific evaluations and whitespace analysis, RTI Innovation Advisors has identified the role food and beverage companies can play in these emerging markets. Speaker: Micaela Hayes, PhD