Nutraceuticals International articles from February 2005

Nutraceuticals International archives from February 2005

UK industry optimistic as ECoJ hears its case against food supplements directive.(European court of justice)
February 1, 2005... Representatives of health food manufacturers and retailers have welcomed comments made by Judges of the European Court of Justice concerning the industry's challenge to the legality of the new EU Food Supplements Directive. From August 1,...

UK MHRA consults on herbals advisory panel.(UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)
February 1, 2005... The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is inviting comments on updated proposals for the setting-up of a new Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee, as a Section 4 panel under the Medicines Act 1968. The agency first...

UK Commons move to seek re-negotiation of EU Food Supps Directive fails.
February 1, 2005... A cross-party motion "regretting" the passing of the 2003 Food Supplements Regulations and seeking their repeal has failed to gain support in the UK House of Commons. The motion was brought by Chris Grayling, Conservative Member of...

EFSA Management Board adopts 2005 plan, foreseeing expanded scientific activities.(european food safety authority(EFSA))
February 1, 2005... In its first gathering of the New Year, the European Food Safety Authority's Management Board adopted its 2005 Management Plan. 2005 will be strategic for the growth of the EFSA with continued expansion of the Authority's scientific activities...

EFSA opinions on allergen labeling.(European Food Safety Authority )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies,the NDA, of the European Food Safety Authority has published several opinions regarding allergen labeling provisions laid down in European Union Directive 2003/89/EC. Among...

EU nutrition/health claims reg: Parliament rapporteur presents her amendments.
February 1, 2005... In early February, Adriana Poli Bortone, the rapporteur of the European Parliament's lead Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, presented her draft report on the European Commission's Proposal for a Regulation on...

Coeliac UK to lead debate on allergen labeling at IFE exhibition.
February 1, 2005... With an estimated 750,000 people in the UK at risk of developing coeliac disease at some point in their lives, the opportunity to provide clearly-labeled quality gluten-free food has never been greater. That is the message from Coeliac UK, a...

Functional yogurt market seen booming in Spain; 17% pa growth forecast.
February 1, 2005... Spanish dairy companies are looking at the functional yogurts market with "buen apetito," with the sector's sales forecast to grow 17% annually from 342.0 million euros ($437.0 million) in 2004, outstripping growth in all other yogurt...

UK challenge to food supps directive - the saga continues.
February 1, 2005... During January 2005, the European Court of Justice held its first hearing on the case brought against the European food supplements directive by a group of UK organizations (see also page 3). The hearing received evidence from both sides, the...

USA's CRN calls for FTC to investigate watchdog Consumer Lab.com.
February 1, 2005... The US Council for Responsible Nutrition has called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate "deceptive business practices" by ConsumerLab.com and take appropriate action. The CRN complaint states that ConsumerLab.com, which...

CRN discusses 2005 Dietary Guidelines.(Council for Responsible Nutrition)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The 2005 Dietary Guidelines issued by the US Food and Drug Administration emphasize getting all of one's nutrients from conventional foods, if possible, but also flag the need for some supplemental nutrients. "The fact is that many people...

US bill recognizes chromium benefits.
February 1, 2005... A bill recently signed into law by US President George W Bush includes language that recognizes that "chromium picolinate can restore normal glucose metabolism by enhance insulin sensitivity" and encourages the National Center for Complementary...

US food additives mkt to grow 4.8% pa to 2008.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Increased food production and gains in value-added sweeteners, nutraceuticals and natural additives will drive US food additives demand up 4.8% annually through 2008, according to a new report from The Freedonia Group. Flavors and flavor...

US citizens are becoming more health conscious shoppers, FMI research shows.
February 1, 2005... American food shoppers are increasingly focusing on their diets to achieve good health, and they believe healthful eating is the best way to manage illness and prevent health problems later in life, according to a new report published by the...

Worldwide trends in healthy dieting.
February 1, 2005... The low-carbohydrate diet has been in the limelight for much of the 21st century but it is now looking a bit passe, as many dieters look elsewhere for ways to shed those pounds, according to new research from Mintel's Global New Products...

Iran's herbal medicine exports rising.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Iran exported herbal medicines, medicinal herbs and herbs for industrial processing worth $104.0 million in the first 10 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2004, to January 20, 2005), according to the IRNA news agency. At present,...

Russian campaign against energy drinks.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A top public health official in Russia has launched a campaign against energy drinks, according to a television news item reported by FoodIngredientsFirst. Gennadiy Onischenko, Russia's chief public health officer, has issued a pronouncement...

Belarus expanding amino acid production.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Belarusian government is planning to invest nearly $1.0 million in expanding amino acid production at the Grodno Medicines plant, according to the Interfax news agency. By end-2007, the plant will be producing 5.2 tons of amino acids and...

"No vitamin shortage" in Belarus.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Belfarmatsia, a drugs producer in Belarus, said in early February that there will be no shortage of vitamins and powders to combat influenza in the state-run network of drug stores, according to the Interfax news agency. A company official...

Two new US FTC actions against dietary supp violations of deceptive ad orders.
February 1, 2005... The US Federal Trade Commission, the Orange County (California) District Attorney and California's State Attorney General have reached settlements with Body Wise International, resolving allegations that the firm deceptively advertised its...

Global experts cite emerging health benefits of probiotics at conference.
February 1, 2005... Probiotics, the "good" bacteria widely recognized for their positive impact on digestive health, may have broader benefits in special populations, according to new research presented at the third International Convention on Probiotics in Paris,...

Vital food components take the guesswork out of healthy eating.
February 1, 2005... Nutritional information as provided on food labels tells people little about the effects various food components actually have on their body. But that could change, due to a novel concept described by New Zealand researcher John Monro in the...

Herbal med sales in Indonesia to hit $327M.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Sales of herbal medicines in Indonesia are expected to hit 3,000 billion rupiah ($327.3 million) in 2005, up from an estimated 2,700 billion in 2004, according to the Indonesian association of herbal medicines companies, GP Jamu. ...

Afghan vitamin airlift.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, Seven Seas and UniChem have worked with the charity Health Partners International of Canada putting together a 2,000kg consignment of vitamins, with a retail value of L100,000 ($184,040), for airlifting to...

Soy bean oil may reduce risk of heart disease, two new studies indicate.
February 1, 2005... Every 34 seconds, an American man or woman dies of cardiovascular disease. Now, research suggests that a diet rich in soy bean oil can help. Two new studies shed light on the power of alpha-linolenic acid to reduce heart disease risk. Soy bean...

Omega-3 fats feed the human brain, not the hips, new research shows.(docosahexaenoic acid)
February 1, 2005... Peer-reviewed research shows that long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAs) - namely docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid - feed the human brain and may improve psychiatric conditions as well as visual function....

Tomato carotenoids may prevent cancer.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Scientists have long believed that the carotenoids found in fruits and vegetables have a cancer-preventive effect. In particular, epidemiological studies have found that as the consumption of tomato products increases, the risk of certain types...

Neptune Krill Oil in cholesterol regulation.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A conclusive clinical trial on the effects of Neptune Krill Oil on elevated cholesterol (hyperlipidemia) which, in the USA alone, afflicts over 100 million people, has been published in a a recent issue of the Alternative Medicine Review. ...

DHA restores blood vessel function.(Docosahexaenoic acid)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, restores normal blood vessel function in children with inherited high cholesterol, according to results of a new study published in the International Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and...

Hope that kelp could cut breast cancer risk.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A diet containing kelp seaweed may decrease the risk of estrogen- dependent breast cancer, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition (February 2) by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. Their studies...

Kao's Enova oil now available in USA.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Japan's Kao says that its Enova brand oil has now been introduced in the USA. The product, which is based on all-natural soy and canola oils, is the first and only cooking oil of its type clinically shown to help consumers maintain a healthy...

Gadot Biochemical debuts mineral line.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Israel's Gadot Biochemical Industries has introduced its advanced minerals line, which achieves a synergistic benefit through the combination of minerals and other nutrients, reports FoodIngredientsFirst.com. The ingredient provides an...

PowerBar launches protein-fortified line.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... California-headquartered PowerBar says it is adding to its PowerBar range with a line of four new energy snack bars that fuel like a PowerBar and taste like a candy bar, due for a nationwide launch in the spring. To be marketed as PowerBar...

Acatris adds to SoyLife isoflavone extract.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Londerzeel, Belgium-headquartered Acatris says it has added a new type of SoyLife product to its SoyLife DC range, a soy germ isoflavone extract specially created for direct compression. "SoyLife DC makes it easier for producers of tablets...

Phytobase launches weight-loss chocolate.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... USA-based nutritional research group Phytobase Nutritionals has developed the first combination of sugar-free, low-carbohydrate dark chocolate and Hoodia gordonii available on the market, called Chocoleans. Hoodia is an appetite suppressant...

Probiotics for sore throat cure bad breath.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Researchers at New Zealand's Otago University have discovered that a clinically-proven probiotic treatment for the prevention of sore throats provides the added benefit of a long-term cure for bad breath. Using a patented strain of...

GRAS status for LycoRed's lycopene.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... LycoRed Natural Products Industries, which makes a natural tomato lycopene complex, says that an independent evaluation by an expert panel has concluded that its LycoMato Powder for functional food use is certified Generally Recognized As Safe....

Cargill and Bayer CropScience sign deal.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The USA's Cargill and Bayer CropScience of Germany have entered into an agreement centered on the production of specialty canola for the supply of high-stability oil to the former's food industry customers. The partnership aims to combine...

Leiner recalls vit brand on packaging issue.(Leiner Health Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The US Consumer Product Safety Commission and Leiner Health Products have recalled the latter's Long's Central-Vite Multivitamins brand, as the vitamins, which contain iron that can cause serious injury or death if ingested by children, do not...

SS Pharma enters accord with Ajinomoto.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Japanese firms SS Pharmaceutical and Ajinomoto have signed an agreement under which the latter gains rights to distribute the former's Harmonic enteral nutrition brands, which are manufactured by its German subsidiary Nutrichem, across Japan...

Martek Biosciences raises $81.4 million.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Martek Biosciences Corp has completed a stock offering of almost 1.8 million shares priced at $49.10 each which has netted proceeds of around $81.4 million. The company said that the funds from the offering will be used for capital...

Zila looks to attract new investors.(Zila Inc. hires Silverman Heller Associates )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Zila has turned to a leading US financial consultancy in a bid to heighten its profile among the investment community. It has hired Silverman Heller Associates to help it "develop and implement a comprehensive investor relations program." ...

Nutraceutical's net income takes a dip.(Nutraceutical International Corp.)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Nutraceutical International Corp has posted financials for the fiscal first quarter ended December 31, 2004, which show that sales increased 6.3% to $35.3 million, but net income was $2.8 million, or $0.24 per share, a decline of 12.5% compared...

Earnings treble at Cyanotech Corp.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp, which specializes in the development and marketing of natural products from microalgae, has posted an impressive set of financials for the third quarter of fiscal 2005, ended December 31. Sales were just under...

Hormel takes stake in PacificHealth Labs.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... PacificHealth Laboratories says that fellow US nutrition firm Hormel Health Labs has paid $1.0 million for a stake in the company. Robert Portman, the chairman of PacificHealth, said that, in addition to the financial investment, the two...

Diachrome benefits in type 2 diabetes.
February 1, 2005... US firm Nutrition 21 has revealed positive results from a pivotal, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial evaluating the effects of Diachrome, a combination of chromium picolinate and biotin, on glycated hemoglobin...

Lycopene supps cut cancer-causing cells.
February 1, 2005... A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food has demonstrated that lycopene supplements decreased the proliferation of cancer cells at certain intervals of the investigation, reports the US Vitamins & Nutaceuticals Information Service....

Weider Nutrition to face tough times.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Salt Lake City, USA-based Weider Nutrition International has announced results for its fiscal second quarter ended November 30, 2004, which show that sales increased 10.2% to $67.0 million, while net income was $3.5 million, or $0.13 per share,...

Just a "satisfactory" quarter for NBTY.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... US nutritional supplements giant NBTY says that, for the fiscal first quarter ended December 31, 2004, sales rose 9% to $420.0 million, while net income was $30.0 million, or $0.34 per share, a 26% increase compared with the like, year-earlier...

Neptune in krill oil deal with Pharmanex.(Neptune Technologies & Bioresources)(Pharmanex)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Canada's Neptune Technologies & Bioresources has signed a major deal with US firm Pharmanex whereby the latter group will distribute the marine biomass extract Neptune Krill Oil (see also page 18). The product is currently being...

SoBe pays penalty for health claims.(South Beach Beverage Company)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... US beverage firm South Beach Beverage Company, or SoBe, a division of Pepsico, has paid a $219,000 penalty to settle a dispute over health claims it has made in advertising its products. The Connecticut Attorney General's Office and the...

Spain's Naturhouse global expansion plan.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Spanish nutritional foods retailer Naturhouse plans to open 1,500 stores globally by 2011, more than doubling the 721 it has now, said marketing manager Carolina Lopez. said. The chain will open most of its new shops in the European Union,...

New marketing strategy for Nestle.
February 1, 2005... Swiss foods multinational Nestle has unveiled plants to introduce a fresh marketing strategy, aimed at anchoring its customers more efficiently. The company said it will be introducing projects to tailor diets to the health needs of each...

Developments at France's Nutriset.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Nutriset, a French company based near Rouen, is emerging as one of the more interesting in the European nutraceuticals market in recent years. The firm develops and manufactures products for infants suffering from severe forms of malnutrition....

US pair buy Fiji water.(Roll International)
February 1, 2005... One of Hollywood, USA's richest couples, Lynda and Stewart Resnick, has taken control of Fiji's lucrative bottled water export business through their private company Roll International. Canadian billionaire David Gilmour announced the sale of...

Gentier begins testing functional foods.(Gentier Biosystems )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Japan's Gentier Biosystems has begun testing functional foods and drugs on a subcontracted basis, according to the Nihon Keizai Shimbum newspaper, which noted that the move is intended to bring in some cash until its development of gene therapy...

Naturex boosts capital 10.6M euros via shares.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Naturex, the French producer of natural ingredients for the nutraceuticals and food industries, has raised 10.6 million euros ($13.8 million) through the sale of 414,865 shares. In all, the offer was 4.7 times over-subscribed and,...

AXM Pharma and Sunkist extend deal.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... AXM Pharma says that is has exercised its right to exclusively brand Sunkist vitamin and supplement products in Hong Kong and Taiwan, adding to its existing rights in China. News of the move nudged the firm's shares up 1.5% to $2.76 on the day...

Chr Hansen sees 1st-qtr sales climb 4%.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Danish food ingredients and allergy vaccines-focused biotechnology group Chr Hansen posted a 4% hike in sales to 1.17 billion Danish kroner ($204.9 million) for the first quarter of fiscal year 2004-5, as a decline in the USA was countered by...

Genencor shares leap 24.4% on Danisco deal.
February 1, 2005... In a move that generally seemed to take the industry by surprise, Copenhagen, Denmark-based Danisco, one of the world's largest producers of food ingredients, is to pay 419.0 million euros ($535.0 million) to Eastman Chemical for its 42% stake...

Yakult plans Euro center.(Yakult Honsha )(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Japan-headquartered maker of fermented milk Yakult Honsha says it is planning to establish its first overseas research center in Belgium on April 1. The facility is to be built at a science park in Ghent, and will initially be managed by...

Reliv enters lucrative German market.(Reliv International )
February 1, 2005... US nutritional supplements firm Reliv International has announced plans to expand its presence in the European market and is making Germany its base to get a foothold over the Atlantic. Stephen Merrick, the firm's senior vice president of...

Forbes Medi-Tech ups revenue guidance.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Shares in Canada's Forbes Medi-Tech have been enjoying a good run of late after the firm announced revenue guidance of C$21.0-C$22.0 million ($16.7-$17.5 million) for 2005, a rise of at least 20% over 2004. Forbes expects 2004 turnover to...

Advanced Bionutrition raises $7.5 million.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Advanced BioNutrition Corp, a Maryland, USA-based firm that develops functional ingredients and technologies, has completed a second round of private equity financing, raising $7.5 million. The placement was led by SAM Equity Partners and...

Forthcoming meetings/events.
February 1, 2005... Vitafoods International 2005, Europe's largest event this year for the nutraceutical, cosmeceutical and functional food ingredients industry, will take place May 10-12 at the Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland. This includes a two-day conference...

People on the move.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... - Peter Brabeck, currently chief executive of Swiss nutritional products giant Nestle, will become chairman of the company's board of directors after its annual general meeting in April. He will succeed Rainer Gut, who is retiring on April 14....