Nutrition plays a significant role in improving the body’s immune function and offsetting viral infections. As government and healthcare bodies put lockdowns and restrictions in place to control the coronavirus pandemic, there’s never been a more important time for our industry to emphasise the importance of building long term natural protection through nutrition. Having recently co-authored a paper which investigated Optimal Nutritional Status for a Well-Functioning Immune System as an Important Factor to Protect Against Viral Infections, Professor Manfred Eggersdorfer discusses: • Essential micronutrients for immune health • Common deficiencies found across different population groups and demographics • Concerns at supply chain and consumer level around legitimacy of label claims • How ingredient and food manufacturers can help to declutter science and claims related to immune health • What these findings mean for food and ingredient brands producing the next generation of immunity products