Nutraceuticals International articles from December 2005

Nutraceuticals International archives from December 2005

UK's FSA issues draft report on risks and benefits of folate supplementation.
December 1, 2005... A draft report examining the evidence on the risks and benefits of increasing folate intakes has been issued by the UK Food Standards Agency's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition. The SACN, an independent expert committee that...

Changes to European allergen labeling.
December 1, 2005... New food labeling rules announced for the European Union member states should make it easier for people with a food allergy or intolerance to choose products that are suitable for them. From November 25 this year, the new rules, introduced...

European functional foods and drinks markets held back by lack of trust.
December 1, 2005... Sales of functional foods have rocketed across Europe, and were worth some 4.0 billion euros ($4.68 billion) in 2004, according to a new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor. Sales of these products rose 43% in Europe between 1999...

EC allergen labeling rules corrected.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The European Commission has published a Directive (2005/63/EC0 that makes a minor amendment ot the provisional list of exemptions in Directive 2005/26/EC. concerning the list of food ingredients or substances provisionaly excluded from Annex...

EFSA calls for aspartame data.(European Food Safety Authority)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... In light of the recent publication in Environmental Health Perspectives of a new study carried out on aspartame by the Ramazzini Institute, based in Bologna, Italy, the European Food Safety Authority has renewed its request (first made in June...

UK FSA seeks views on novel food opinions.
December 1, 2005... Following consultations and discussions, the UK Food Standards Agency's expert advisory committee on novel foods has published its draft opinions on two applications, one for a novel food supplement and the other as "substantially equivalent"...

European soy milk sales surging.
December 1, 2005... As a result of product innovations and burgeoning consumer demand, the market for soy milk and non-dairy drinks in Europe has been expanding at more than 20% year and is forecast to reach a value of around 660.0 million euros ($723.7 million)...

UK's FSA to review plant sterol.(Food Standards Agency)(phytosterols)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... An application has been received by the UK Food Standards Agency for a phytosterols ingredient to be approved as "substantially equivalent" to one which is already on the market. The Agency has invited comments. DDO Processing has asked...

European Commission launches consultation on promoting healthy eating.
December 1, 2005... The European Commission this month adopted a Green Paper on the promotion of healthy diets and physical activity in order to begin an extensive public consultation on how to reduce obesity levels and the prevalence of associated chronic...

UK consumers use vitamins, supplements to boost poor diet, says study.
December 1, 2005... Millions of UK consumers are using vitamin and mineral supplements to prop up their poor diets, the first investigation of its kind into UK health habits has discovered. Across the country, an average of 29% of adults are now taking...

Belgium notifies intent to regulate on supplement ingredients.
December 1, 2005... The Belgian government has notified the European Commission and member states of the European Union of its intention to legislate to introduce minimum and maximum levels and other conditions of use for a number of ingredients used in food...

UK guidance on terms "vegetarian" and "vegan".(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The Foods Standards Agency in the UK has published guidance notes on the use of the terms "vegetarian" and "vegan" on product labels. The notes state that the term vegetarian should not be applied to foods made from, or with the aid of,...

Obituary: Maurice Hanssen.(health food industry )(Obituary)
December 1, 2005... With the recent death of Maurice Hanssen, the health food industry across the world has lost arguably the most influential figure of the past 50 years. Although Mr Hanssen's influence was felt primarily in his home country, the UK, his tireless...

French govt rejects nutras reimbursement.(Xavier Bertrand)(anti-cholesterol products)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... French Health Minister Xavier Bertrand has rejected a suggestion that anti-cholesterol products in the Unilever group's Proactiv range should get reimbursement. The suggestion came from the MAAF mutual fund although the name of the company...

Estonians willing to spend on health prods.
December 1, 2005... A public opinion poll in the central European country Estonia has revealed that nearly half of all the nation's people say that they are ready to spend money in order to lead a healthier lifestyle, according to the LETAS news agency. The poll...

AHPA challenges "illegal" listing of areca nut on California Proposition 65.(American Herbal Products Association)
December 1, 2005... The American Herbal Products Association filed extensive comments on November 21, to provide input on a proposal by the state of California to list areca nut (the seed of Areca catechu) and betel quid as chemicals, said by the state to cause...

Three new AHPA committees to focus on ayurvedics, animal prods and Hoodia gordonii.
December 1, 2005... The American Herbal Products Association has recently chartered three new special committees: the Ayurvedic Herbal Products Committee, the Animal Products Committee and the Hoodia gordonii Committee. Each of these was formed in response to...

US firm to file suit against FDA which is stopping it presenting "truthful info".(food labeling)
December 1, 2005... American Longevity, a California, USA-based maker of health and nutritional products, plans to file a First Amendment suit against the Food and Drug Administration, charging that the agency is stopping it from presenting what it calls "truthful...

FDA acts on ephedra-containing products.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... At the request of the US Food and Drug Administration, the US Attorney's Offices for the Eastern District of Texas and the District of Oregon filed Complaints for Forfeiture against Nature's Treat Energy Plus #1, a dietary supplement that...

Nutra/health trends to watch in US packaged goods in 2006: Datamonitor.(functional foods packaging)
December 1, 2005... 2005 was a year of transition for many packed goods marketers in the USA, setting the stage for what is expected to be a very active year for new products in 2006, says a new report from Datamonitor. New packaged goods launches in the USA are...

Anabolic steroids in US diet supplement.
December 1, 2005... Halodrol-50 contains anabolic steroids, according to Don Catlin of the UCLA Olympic Analytical Laboratory, who analyzed the dietary supplement for The Washington Post newspaper. Both Oral-Turinabol, the main steroid used in East Germany's...

Room for growth in global functional foods market, but "pricy" image a problem.
December 1, 2005... Functional foods, ie, those fortified with added vitamins or supplements and promoting specific health benefits, as well as organic alternatives, are yet to convince consumers of their value, according to a study released by market research...

FSANZ invites public comments on its draft health claims directive.
December 1, 2005... Food Standards Australia New Zealand released a draft food standard on nutrition, health and related claims about food for public comment on November 28. These mean that manufacturers will only be able to make health claims for their products...

Nigerian agency has started documenting the country's medicinal plants.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency has started the documentation of medicinal plants in the country, reports AllAfrica.com. The project, which was described as ethno-graphical and ethno-veterinary surveys, will have special focus...

New thoughts on omega-3 and the brain.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... International scientists came together at the fourth World Congress of Cellular and Molecular Biology Association, which was held last month in Poitiers, France, to discuss one of the most imprtant components of the central nervous system - the...

Positive results for chondroitin sulfate in the treatment of osteoarthris.
December 1, 2005... The latest information released on a new study, entitled Chondroitin Sulfate: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Response in Osteoarthritis, was revealed at a symposium following the American College of Rheumatology annual scientific meeting in...

North Korea: spirulina health drink.
December 1, 2005... The Agrobiology Institute, which is part of North Korea's Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has commenced the production of a spirulina health drink, although it is not known if it will be manufactured commercially, according to the KCNA news...

Heart specialist warns over alternative meds.
December 1, 2005... While many patients with heart conditions use complementary and alternative medicines, their physicians are frequently unaware that this is the case, according to the results of a new Canadian study. "In the era of evidence-based medicine,...

New Zealand herbal meds use to be studied.
December 1, 2005... The use, safety and effectiveness of herbal and complementary medicines in New Zealand is set to come under professional scrutiny, following the appointment of Joanne Barnes as Associate Professor in Herbal Medicines at the University of...

Egg nutrients good for the elderly.
December 1, 2005... There is compelling evidence that lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients found in green and yellow vegetables and egg yolks, may help protect against the development of age-related eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Recent...

Grape polyphenols improve FMD.
December 1, 2005... Polyphenols obtained from red grapes improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) acutely in men with documented coronary artery disease, reports a recent European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation article; Polyphenoloc compounds...

Omega-3 may reduce postpartum depression.
December 1, 2005... A new clinical study shows positive effects of omega-3 fatty acids on postpartum depression, a common medical condition that affects 10%-15% of new mothers and can cause serious issues with a woman's mental health. The evaluation, a randomized...

Chromium picolinate benefit in pre-diabetes.
December 1, 2005... A preclinical study conducted at the University of Alberta, Canada, shows that daily use of chromium picolinate provides significant cardiovascular benefits in pre-diabetic rats that have insulin resistance. The study, presented at the 3rd...

Almond's heart health highlighted at AHA.(American Heart Association)
December 1, 2005... Experts meeting in Dallas, Texas, at last month's American Heart Association scientific sessions, emphasized the need for a lifestyle that includes healthful eating and physical activity to promote heart health and noted that eating a handful...

Asahi Godo to distribute Zila's Ester-C in Japan.(Zila Nutraceuticals)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Zila Nutraceuticals, the wholly-owned subsidiary of USA-based health care company Zila, has signed an agreement with Japanese health supplement firm Asahi Godo to distribute its Ester-C, a non-acidic vitamin C formulation, in the domestic...

Alfa One Rice Bran touted as health food.
December 1, 2005... Alfa One Rice Bran oil, a recent offering from New Zealand's Old Fashioned Food Company, is being promoted as a major health product in the Australian market, free from cholesterol or trans-fatty acids. According to the firm, with low...

Maruha isolates NaAO from algae.
December 1, 2005... Researchers at the Japan-based Maruha Group have developed a method for separating a compound called NaAO from sea weed that can lower blood pressure, and the firm says that it will promote it as a supplement to the health food and drug...

Ako Kasei: marine water lowers blood pressure.
December 1, 2005... Ako Kasei, a Japanese soy milk and salt manufacturer based in the prefecture of Hyogo, has reported that its mineral water prepared from marine deep water has been shown to lower blood pressure in an animal model of hypercholesterolemia. ...

Aloe Vera gel drink launched in Uganda.
December 1, 2005... A new immune-boosting Aloe Vera drink has been launched in Kampala, Uganda, to provide local farmers with a new outlet for their crop. Dan Ssesanga, operations director of the Aloe Vera Development Association, said that the "Aloe Vera gel...

Chr Hansen eyes China's probiotics market.
December 1, 2005... A joint venture between Denmark's Chr Hansen and number one Chinese milk producer Mengniu Dairy is aiming to tap into China's still embryonic market for probiotic products. As part of the agreement, Chr Hansen will help train Mengniu's R&D and...

Nutra chocolate line debuts in USA.
December 1, 2005... Tapping into studies showing that dark chocolate can have a protective effect on the heart, US firm House of Brussels Chocolates has launched a range of nutraceutical chocolate bars promising to provide a range of healthy benefits. The...

USA's IdeaSphere gets hold of troubled Metabolife assets for knock-down price.
December 1, 2005... Having originally threatened to pull out of the deal (NI vol 10, no 10), Ideasphere, the New York-based health and wellness group that owns Twinlab and Nature's Herbs, as well as Rebus Publishing, has finally acquired the non-ephedra assets of...

Cyanotech sales fall in second quarter.
December 1, 2005... Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp, which specializes in developing and marketing natural products from microalgae, has posted a disappointing set of results for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2005. Sales fell 16% to $2.5 million,...

Ajinomoto introduces Kampai in USA.
December 1, 2005... Now there is a reason for American partygoers to celebrate. Available for the first time in the USA is the health supplement hard-drinking which the Japanese swear by. Just in time for the holiday party season, Ajinomoto USA has launched its...

Global Pharm SFDA appro for botanicals.(State Food and Drug Administration )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Global Pharmatech says that its majority-owned subsidiary, Jilin BCT Pharmaceutical, recently received three new drug approvals from the State Food and Drug Administration of the People's Republic of China. These allow for its botanicals...

NAI acquires Real Health Labs.
December 1, 2005... Natural Alternatives International, a California, USA-based manufacturer of nutritional supplements, has announced the acquisition of fellow California-headquartered firm Real Health Laboratories. NAI says that the purchase allows it to...

US food group Cargill opens UAE office.
December 1, 2005... Cargill, a USA-based specialist provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services, says it has opened its first office in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. The firm intends that its UAE base will focus and coordinate...

MM2 group to buy Epic Nutrition.
December 1, 2005... The USA-based MM2 Group says that it will acquire Florida-headquartered Epic Nutrition, a manufacturer and distributor of the dietary supplement 5-Tetra. The acquisition, which is being carried out subject to due diligence, is expected to...

USA's NI sees revenues of $148.2 M.(Nutraceutical International Corp.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Utah, USA-based firm Nutraceutical International reports that its sales for the fiscal year ended 2005 were $148.2 million compared with $140.8 million in 2004. The company, which specializes in the sale and distribution of branded nutritional...

Sunnylife expects $5.0 M from Chinese deals.(Sunnylife Global )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Los Angeles, USA-based Sunnylife Global estimates that it will receive $5.0 million in royalty revenue in 2006 from vitamin and food supplement licensing deals it has with a variety of firms in China. The group supplies a variety of health food...

Solbar announces corporate restructuring.
December 1, 2005... Solbar Industries, an Israeli ingredient maker, says it is to restructure its core business into a commodity division, focused on production of soy bean products, and a specialty division responsible for R&D and marketing.

Novartis divests Nutrition and Sante business for $260 million.
December 1, 2005... Swiss pharmaceutical major Novartis says it has signed a definitive agreement to divest its Nutrition & Sante business unit to private equity finance group ABN AMRO Capital France for approximately 220.0 million euros ($260.0 million) on a cash...

pSivida spins out pSiNutria to develop technology for food industry applications.
December 1, 2005... Australia-based bio-nanotech company pSivida says it has created a new spin-out company, pSiNutria Ltd, to develop applications of its silicon technology in the food industry. pSivida will seed fund pSiNutria $1.1 million as well as grant the...

Blackmores expects to maintain sales growth.
December 1, 2005... Australian vitamin and health supplements producer Blackmores expects to maintain sales growth at 8% this financial year, after reporting a 4% decline in first-quarter profit (July-Septmber 2005). Directors announced that group sales had risen...

Aloe For Life selling, to Asia, Middle East.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Johor, Malaysia-based Aloe For Life is to begin marketing its health supplement products to ASEAN countries and the Middle East next year, according to chief executive Hassan Abdul Kadir, who added that the company would initially target...

Atrium buys HVL/ Douglas Laboratories.(Atrium Biotechnologies Inc.)(HVL Inc)
December 1, 2005... Quebec City, Canada-based Atrium Biotechnologies has announced the acquisition Pittsburgh, USA-based HVL Inc whose main brand is Douglas Laboratories. The US firm has been marketing health and nutritional products through health care...

Natrol stays upbeat despite sales declines.
December 1, 2005... US dietary supplements firm Natrol has posted financials for the third quarter ended September 30, 2005, which show that sales sank 26.3% to $15.4 million. The company posted a loss of $742,000, or $0.05 per share, compared to net income of...

NutraCea continues to reduce its losses.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... California-based NutraCea, which produces nutritional supplements and related products derived from stabilized rice bran, says that net losses for the third quarter 2$1.0 million, or $0.03 per share, while revenues came in at just under...

End of manufacturing hits Galaxy earnings.(Galaxy Nutritional Foods Inc.)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Galaxy Nutritional Foods, has posted its figures for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2005, which show that sales decreased 12% to $10.4 million, largely because of a move from indirect to direct sales to Wal-Mart. Net loss was...

Revenue for Lifeline.(Lifeline Therapeutics)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2005... Denver, USA-based Lifeline Therapeutics, which sells nutraceuticals, has posted sales for the first quarter ended September 30, 2005 of just under $3.0 million compared with no revenues for the like, year-earlier period. The income principally...

Forthcoming meetings/events.
December 1, 2005... - Herbal (medicinal) products and food supplements - a European market in development, is the subject of a conference being organized by the Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP). It will take place in Brussels, Belgium,...

People on the move.
December 1, 2005... - Cheryl Hall has been appointed head of European regulatory affairs for Bayer Healthcare's Consumer Care Division, based in Basel Switzerland. Ms Hall has previously held similar positions with Johnson & Johnson MSD and SmithKline Beecham. ...