Nutraceuticals International articles from December 2006

Nutraceuticals International archives from December 2006

Call for EFSA to abandon plans to charge for checks on claims by food businesses.
December 1, 2006... The pressure group Forum for Private Businesses (FPB) has written to the European Commission's Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs (DG Sanco) to express concern over plans to charge for checks on claims made by food businesses....

EHPM and ERNA says their risk management model "leads the field".
December 1, 2006... As the European Union debate on vitamins and minerals heats up, one risk management model has been hailed both useful and practical in determining safe maximum levels of these products. The model, developed by the European Responsible...

Food healthier and better due to EU FP6.
December 1, 2006... Research results showcased in Brussels, Belgium, demonstrate how research is helping to make food healthier and of better quality. Although the health benefits of fish and seafood due to omega-3 are well-known, another project has discovered...

Debate on EU vitamins and minerals picks up pace at EHPM/ERNA conference.
December 1, 2006... The quest to establish European Union-wide agreement on maximum levels for vitamins and minerals took a step forward last month, when more than 100 stakeholders convened in Brussels, Belgium, to debate the issue. Leading food industry and...

Britons on a "herbal high," with record UK sales of herbal products, reports Boots.
December 1, 2006... Following a surge of consumer interest in herbal remedies, leading UK high street pharmacy Boots has sold out of its own-label peppermint oil in over 1,000 of its 1,400 stores nationwide and has had to put in emergency orders to keep up with...

EFSA exchanges views and experience on nutrition and health claims.(European Food Safety Authority)
December 1, 2006... The European Food Safety Authority opened its three-day international scientific conference in Bologna, Italy, last month, with some 200 experts from national food safety authorities, stakeholders and international organizations exchanging...

One third of Europe's senior citizens are malnutrishioned, and over 50M at risk.
December 1, 2006... The issue of malnutrition was discussed at "From Malnutrition to Wellnutrition" in Brussels, Belgium, on November 22. The one-day conference brought together a wide group of stakeholders to raise awareness about malnutrition and find ways to...

UK revizes guidace on infant formula.
December 1, 2006... The UK Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency have issued revized guidance for health professionals on the preparation and storage of powdered infant formula milk. This states that health professionals, including nurses, midwives...

UK MHRA grants first herbal registration.(Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted the first British product registration under the European Directive on traditional herbal medicinal products. The new traditional herbal registration scheme...

2007 - a challenging year for Europe's supplements industry.
December 1, 2006... 12 years ago, in October 1994, the Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act (DSHEA) in the USA laid down the roadmap for dietary supplements in that country which, with a few relatively minor changes, still applies today. In its...

US supplements ind doubles since 1995.
December 1, 2006... In its latest report, Nutrition Business Journal analyzes the US dietary supplements market, which has grown in value from $11.0 billion in 1995 to $22.0 billion in 2006, but it has reached a critical point of its evolution, stated NBJ editor...

Citizens for Health supports HR 6168.
December 1, 2006... Following the US House of representative clearing HR 6168, which requires dietary supplement and over-the-counter medicines makers to notify the Food and Drug Administration of all serious adverse events (see also page 10), the consumer group...

US Senate passes S 3546 which requires supplement makers to notify AEs.
December 1, 2006... On December 6, the US Senate passed S 3546, the Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Act, which would require manufacturers to notify the Food and Drug Administration of all serious adverse events (AEs) for dietary supplements...

GMA/FPA testifies before FDA public hearings on functional foods.
December 1, 2006... The USA's largest trade association representing the food, beverage and consumer products industry, the combined Food Products Association and the Grocer Manufacturers Assocation, has issued a statement from senior vice president Pat Verduin,...

Health Canada launches consultation on regulating health products and food.(Health Products and Food Branch )
December 1, 2006... The regulatory agency Health Canada's Health Products and Food Branch (HPFB) has developed a "Blueprint for Renewal" - a plan for modernizing and creating a more responsive control system for health products and food. The plan aims to address...

No need to separate "functional foods" rules, herbal products body tells US FDA.
December 1, 2006... In response to the rapidly-growing number of conventional foods marketed as "functional foods" in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration is now holding hearings for stakeholders to consider the regulatory framework, safety evaluation and...

FDA final label rule provides option.
December 1, 2006... The US Food and Drug Administration has this month published a final rule that gives dietary supplement manufacturers a new option to present nutrition label information on a "per day" basis. The regulation became effective immediately, ie,...

Advances in supps research reviewed.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The US Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institute of Health has recently published the 2005 issue of its Annual Bibliography of Significant Advances in Dietary Supplement Research. This includes abstracts of 25 important...

Codex agrees to US proposals on rDNA.
December 1, 2006... The Codex Alimentarius Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from Biotechnology, meeting in Chiba, Japan, adopted a US government proposal to develop a food safety risk assessment process for adventitious presence. Welcoming...

Australian food labels in "accurate".
December 1, 2006... The mandatory nutrition information on processed food labels is often inaccurate and misleading, according to the first analysis of 70 products conducted by the New South Wales Food Authority. Even allowing for a 20% margin of error on the...

Folic acid fortification of bread in Australia.
December 1, 2006... All bread sold in Australia may contain 80-180 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of bread to help combat birth defects in babies, such as spina bifida, if a proposal by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is accepted. Organic...

First FOSHU product.(Food for Specified Health Uses)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The first FOSHU (Food for Specified Health Uses; or FOSHU with a "conditional" claim) has hit the Japanese market. It contains douchi (fermented and salted soy bean) extract as its functional ingredient, and the approved qualified health claim...

In Australian, fruit juices seen as part of healthy diet, as makers add nutrients.
December 1, 2006... Fruit juice is increasingly being promoted in the Australian electronic media as part of a healthy diet, and surveys indicate that consumers are being successfully influenced to regard juice "as the most easy beverage to incorporate into their...

Australian researchers to breed super banana.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Australian researchers are to breed a banana that may help to improve the health of Africans. Scientists at the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at the Queensland University of Technology, are investigating methods of increasing...

Fortified milk results in significant reductions in child morbidity, study shows.
December 1, 2006... Fortified milks, such as follow-on formulas, growing up milks or toddler milks, may significantly reduce childhood morbidity in developing countries, according to new research published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers at Johns...

OZ OK for EPAX omega-3.
December 1, 2006... A brief announcement by Norwegian omega-3 oil producer EPAX stated it has been granted regulatory approval for its omega-3 range to be used in complementary medicine products in Australia.

HerbalScience launches NuHerbal ViraBloc: herbal alternative to Roche's Tamiflu?
December 1, 2006... Since 2003, the world has been on alert and governments have been stockpiling antivirals in case the H5N1 strain of avian influenza could cause the next flu pandemic. While the number of human deaths is still very low, fatalities this year have...

BMJ paper urges caution on homocysteine.
December 1, 2006... A meta-analysis published in the November issue of the British Medical Journal uges caution over folic acid supplementation as a way of reducing the risk of heart disease and strokes. Lead study author David Wald and his colleagues, noted that...

Slovenia's Vitiva debuts INOLENS 4.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Vitiva, a Slovenian nutraceuticals company, has introduced INOLENS 4, which it says is a powerful antioxidant formulation, based on rosemary extract as a natural solution for the stabilization of carotenoids, tomato-based products and paprika...

Productscan review: Redux Beverages has high hopes for energy drink.
December 1, 2006... Redux Beverages has caused a stir in the USA, where it is marketing a new energy drink under the name of Cocaine, reports Productscan, part of the Datmonitor group. For obvious reasons, critics have hit out at the beverage's association with an...

HPLC: adulterated products exposed.(high-performance liquid chromatography method)
December 1, 2006... Australian scientists have recently published a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry highlighting the importance of using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method in order to detect adulteration in commercial...

Branded fish oil may reduce anxiety.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A branded fish oil supplement has been shown to reduce anxiety measures in men with a history of substance abuse. Deficiencies in omega-3 are associated with a variety of psychiatric conditions, including depression, aggression,...

Flora Pro.Activ can lower cholesterol.
December 1, 2006... Researchers at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment have found that people who regularly use plant sterol/stanol enriched spreads such as Unilever's Flora Pro.Activ, over a five-year period, did not increase their...

GA2LEN report praises probios in early nutrition.
December 1, 2006... A recent report from the European Union-funded Global Allergy and Asthma European Network (GA2LEN) suggests that the significant changes in European diets over the past 20-40 years may have contributed to the increased incidence of allergic...

PACs in Cranberries may help fight the flu virus.
December 1, 2006... US cranberry growers' cooperative Ocean Spray has welcomed the results of a study which suggest that cranberry juice may help to ward off certain types of flu. Preliminary laboratory research suggests that components found in North American...

life'sDHA used in Mente Via Italian yogurt drink.(Latteria Merano/Milchhof Meran launches drinkable yogurt)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Martek Biosciences Corp, a USA-based specialist in docosahexanoic acid, says that Italian dairy company Latteria Merano/Milchhof Meran has launched Mente Viva fortified drinkable yogurt with the former's life'sDHA brand of the essential...

Natura Thera launches nutrient for stem cells.
December 1, 2006... Natura Therapeutics, a US nutritional products company, has launched NutraStem, a nutritional supplement that supports the body's self- repair mechanisms through the care of existing, as well as the proliferation of new, adult stem cells. The...

Carrington/Mannatech extend Manapol deal.
December 1, 2006... Irving, Texas, USA-based Carrington Laboratories has signed a letter of intent with Mannatech, (Nachrichten) to provide for a supply and trade mark agreement for Manapol powder. Under the agreed upon conditions in the letter of intent and...

Aunt Millie's uses Hi-maize resistant starch.(Aunt Millie's Sauces Inc. introduces potato bread)
December 1, 2006... New Jersey, USA-based Aunt Millie's has selected Hi-maize resistant starch as the fiber-of-choice in its new "Fiber and Flavor" potato bread, which has lower calories and higher fiber per serving than traditional white bread. The family-owned...

Alltracel functional beverage product.(Alltracel Pharmaceuticals PLC)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Alltracel Pharmaceuticals, an Irish medical technology company, has confirmed the successful development of a highly soluble derivative of its patented cardiovascular health benefiting bioactive. This innovation, carried out over a number...

Seven Seas touts cod liver oil for arthritis.
December 1, 2006... Citing recent problems with prescription drugs in the treatment of arthritis, UK-based Seven Seas has pointed to a natural way to ensure good joint health: a daily dose of its Seven Seas Cod Liver Oil capusule. It notes a study by Houston,...

Research grant for China's Renhuang.
December 1, 2006... Renhuang Pharmaceuticals, a major provider of natural health care products in the People's Republic of China, has been named a Key Program of Science and Technology (S&T) in Heilongjiang Province by the Chinese Department of Science and...

Nestle buys Novartis nutrition unit for $2.5B.
December 1, 2006... Drug major Novartis has signed a definitive agreement to divest its Medical Nutrition business unit to fellow Switzerland-based food and beverage giant Nestle SA for $2.52 billion. This transaction, which requires customary regulatory...

Herbalife optimistic about Thai market.
December 1, 2006... The US based Herbalife International is optimistic about its growth potential in Thailand, expecting to finish this year with sales up nearly 30% boosted by food supplements and personal-care products. In an interview, Wallapa Narunatvanich,...

Probi and Danone revise probio accord.
December 1, 2006... Sweden's Probi AB has signed a new licensing deal with French food giant Danone. While the royalties under the new deal are unchanged, it removes the limitation on Probi's scope for collaboration with other parties in the juice, as well as most...

Zipfizz launches new energy drink.
December 1, 2006... USA-based supplement developer Zipfizz says it has launched the Zipfizz Liquid Shot energy drink, expanding the range which it established with the original powder form of the product. The new drink, which is available as a four-ounce serving,...

Omega-3 may prevent early Alzheimer's onset.
December 1, 2006... Healthy adults should take a daily omega-3 supplement as a frontline step in preventing the early onset of Alzheimer's disease, says Sarah Jarvis, chairperson of the International Cold Liver Omega-3 Foundation, citing new research published in...

Flavoxine performs well in Ph II study.
December 1, 2006... California, USA-based Next Pharmaceuticals, a developer of ingredients for the dietary supplement, food and beverage industries, says that the results of a clinical trial of Flavoxine indicate that the product increased the amount of...

Reliv releases updated ProVantage supp.(Reliv' International Inc)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Missouri, USA-based nutritional firm Reliv International says it has launched an improved version of its sports performance product, ProVantage. The new formulation contains soy protein and is designed to provide soy isoflavones, the...

IsoSproutPlex joins US ingredient market.(Agrigenic Food Company )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... California, USA-based Agrigenic Food Company has announced the launch of IsoSproutPlex, a branded ingredient for third-party dietary nutritional product manufacturers. The supplement is a proprietary blend of probiotic sprouts that has efficacy...

Sterol/stanol spreads help control cholesterol.
December 1, 2006... Unilever NV, the Anglo-Dutch consumer products concern, says that the results of a study indicate that use of sterol and stanol enriched food spreads can help control cholesterol levels, and thereby reduce the risk of heart disease. The trial,...

Slight increase in third quarter sales at Natrol.(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... US dietary supplements firm Natrol says that net sales for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006 inched up 1.8% to $15.7 million, while net income was a mere $40,000, up from a loss of $700,000 in the like, year-earlier period. For the...

SunOpta seals Quest Vitamins acquisition.
December 1, 2006... SunOpta says it has completed the acquisition of fellow Canadian firm Quest Vitamins in a deal which includes the latter's brand of vitamins, minerals and supplements, inventory, Vancouver warehousing operations and a two-year manufacturing...

NIC enters 2007 in optimistic mood.
December 1, 2006... Nutraceutical International Corp of the USA has posted a solid, if unspectacular, set of results for the fiscal 2006 fourth quarter and year ended September 30. Sales for the fourth quarter were $35.7 million, down 3%,while net income was...

B&D signs alliance with Kemin Health.(B&D Nutritional Ingredients, Kemin Health )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... B&D Nutritional Ingredients of California, which specializes in raw materials for dietary supplements, has signed an agreement with Kemin Health to supply the latter's ingredients to the US market. Bill Van Dyke, B&D's president, noted that...

Forbes sees 21% rise in 3rd-qtr losses.(Forbes Medi-Tech Inc)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Canada's Forbes Medi-Tech, a life sciences company focused on developing products that address high cholesterol, says that, for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006, its losses were C$3.5 million ($3.1 million), up 20.7% on the C$2.9...

Baxter and Baiyunshan set up Chinese JV.(Baxter International Inc, Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical, Joint venture)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... US company Baxter International and Chinese drugmaker Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical say they have established a new joint venture that will manufacture parenteral nutrition products for the Chinese market. The companies added that they...

Nutrition-21 sees 1st-qtr skyrocket 272%.(Iceland Health)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... New York, USA-based supplement developer Nutrition-21 says that its net losses for the first quarter ended September 30, 2006, were $4.1 million. or $0.08 per diluted share, up 272.7% from the $1.1 million deficit it recorded in the comparable...

NBTY's 4th-qtr income leaps 230% to $38M.
December 1, 2006... USA-based nutritional supplement manufacturer NBTY says that its net income for the fourth quarter ended September 30, 2006, was $38.0 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, an increase of 230% on the $11.0 million it recorded in the comparable...

NutraCea enjoys yet another storming quarter as it pursues global expansion.
December 1, 2006... California, USA-based NutraCea, which produces nutritional supplements and related products derived from stabilized rice bran, says revenues for the third quarter ended September 30, 2006, were just over $4.9 million, compared to almost...

Hansen shares on the up after analyst boost.
December 1, 2006... Shares in Hansen Natural Corp, the California, USA-based firm which specializes in nutritional drinks, have been on the rise after JPMorgan analyst Dara Mohsenian initiated coverage of the company with an outperform rating. The broker's...

Tofutti's 3rd-qtr income climbs 567%.(Tofutti Brands Inc)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... New Jersey, USA-based food company Tofutti Brands, which is principally involved in the development, production and marketing of soy-based products, reported that its net income for the three months ended September 30, 2006, was $287,000, or...

Galaxy sees $500K profit in 2nd-qtr 2007.(Galaxy Nutritional Foods Inc)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Florida, USA-based Galaxy Nutritional Foods has reported net income of $561,564 for the three months ended September 30, 2006, which contrasts with the net loss of $1.4 million it recorded in the comparable period in the 2006 fiscal year. The...

Mannatech reaches agreement with Pro-Ma.(Pro-Ma Systems)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... USA-based nutritional supplement developer Mannatech says that Australian marketing company, Pro-Ma Systems, has agreed not to distribute or sell any products which infringe upon its patented glyconutrient technology. The firm added it holds...

Martek's 4th-qtr income down 88%.(Martek Biosciences Corp)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... USA-based Martek Biosciences, a developer of omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid products, says that, for the fourth quarter ended October 31, 2006, its net income was $600,000, or $0.02 per diluted share, a decline of 87.8% from the $4.9 million it...

Forthcoming meetings/events.
December 1, 2006... The International Perspective on Dietary Supplements Regulation Workshop will take place April 17, 2007 in Yokohama, Japan. This is being organized by the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplements Associations (IADSA), in cooperation...

People on the move.
December 1, 2006... - USA-headquartered omega-3 specialist Martek Biosciences has expanded its team in Europe with the appointment of former ADM executive John Dobson as European business manager, responsible for the UK, France, Spain and Benelux, and Jaroslaw...