ADM: The Pursuit of Natural Health

ADM, Decatur, IL, spent its early days as a linseed crusher. But over the last several decades the company has grown to be a multibillion-dollar agricultural processor, serving a range of industries with its offerings. Its mission, “to unlock the potential of nature to improve the quality of life,” touches every market it serves, from livestock feed to alternative fuel to environmentally friendly chemical alternatives to nutrition.

To better serve the supplement and functional food sectors, ADM formed the Natural Health & Nutrition division in 1998. The major purpose of this division is to market value-added ingredients and suitable application solutions for the formulation of dietary supplements and functional foods.

Some of the ingredients the company offers include natural-source vitamin E (Novatol), mixed tocopherols (Decanox), plant sterols (CardioAid), soy isoflavones (Novasoy), a range of soy proteins (NutriSoy), soluble fiber (Fibersol-2), oils to help control body weight (Enova, the only diglyceride-rich oil available that helps maintain a healthy body weight), oils with reduced trans fats (NovaLipid), a variety of soy foods, including meat analogs and soymilk, and most recently, a flax concentrate called Beneflax (pictured here). The latter product delivers a high purity of the lignan secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG), which is the main bioactive component of flaxseed, and maintains the natural SDG complex structure found in whole flaxseed. Beneflax is now available for use in supplements.

But ADM’s relationships with companies don’t end there. The company also assists customers interested in tapping its formulation expertise to create high performing and great tasting functional foods, beverages and dietary supplements that apply to lifestyle enhancement, specific health issues and gender-specific concerns. To help with formulation efforts, particularly in the area of functional foods and beverages, ADM has a Sensory Panel that can replicate the taste of a competitive brand, substitute more affordable or available ingredients into existing formulations, incorporate more healthful nutraceutical ingredients, determine or extend shelf life, and improve product flavors and textures

According to Steve O’Brien, director of business development for theNatural Health & Nutrition division, ADM is in a unique position to add value to its products by isolating and purifying bioactive components found in the large volume of agricultural commodities it processes on a daily basis. “The nutraceuticals industry allows consumers to reap the benefits of these micronutrients in convenient forms, and this market is a natural fit for ADM,” he says.

The Natural Health & Nutrition division recently restructured its operations to position itself to more efficiently meet the needs of its nutraceuticals customers. The company also made some personnel changes, including the appointment of Janice Binger as division president.

By virtue of its size, ADM will continue to draw on a wealth of resources—its people, products, market perspectives—to help its customers meet consumer demand for healthy and natural products. It will also continue evolving as the nutraceuticals market diversifies to serve the dynamic consumers of today and of the future.—R.W.


Archer Daniels Midland Company
4666 Faries Parkway
Decatur, IL 62526
Telephone: 800-637-5843
E-mail: info@admworld.com
Website: www.admworld.com