Nutraceuticals International articles from July 2007

Nutraceuticals International archives from July 2007

EFSA health claims guidelines "ignore traditional use evidence," says EBF.
July 1, 2007... Botanicals that rely on evidence of traditional use for health claims substantiation face an uncertain future after the European Food Safety Authority's draft dossier guidelines failed to acknowledge the criteria. According to the European...

UK FSA declaration on food health claims.
July 1, 2007... No foods will be allowed to claim they are "good for your heart," "help lower cholesterol" or are one of the growing list of "superfoods" without scientific backing, the UK's Food Standards Agency has announced on its web site, noting that a...

EHPM and ERNA aim to complete Article 13 health claims list by end July.
July 1, 2007... Trade associations compiling a European Union-wide industry list of hundreds of Article 13 health claims for authorization aim to complete the task by the end of July. The European Federation of Health Product Manufacturers (EHPM) and the...

European Commission considers relaxing rules on non-EU novel foods.
July 1, 2007... New ingredients with a proven safe history of food use outside the European Union could have easier access to the European Union market if discussions to amend the Regulation are agreed. Speaking at the Vitafoods International discussion...

Cross allergies - do European Union labeling regulations go far enough?
July 1, 2007... The growing recognition that people who are allergic to birch pollen can have severe cross hypersensitivity to soy protein raises the question of whether soy products should require specific warning labels. The concern is that the steady...

Fish oils for human consumption - another EU crisis.
July 1, 2007... For the last few years, the European supplement industry has been hit by one crisis after another. The latest one could have a dramatic effect on the supply of fish oils, particularly the omega-3 oils and it has the potential of removing a...

Folic acid fortification in Germany.
July 1, 2007... In Germany, mandatory fortification with folic acid has been discussed within the German Nutrition Society (DGE) and the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Both issued statements in 2005 and 2006 respectively. However, there is...

European Union health and nutritiion claims - questions and answers.
July 1, 2007... In an attempt for clarity and transparency, the European Commission has issued a "questions and answers" statement on the proposed European Union Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation. We publish it here in full for the interests and...

FDA/EFSA strengthen food sciences coop.
July 1, 2007... The US Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority have signed the first US/European agreement in the area of assessing food safety risk. This is the first formal international cooperation agreement the EFSA has signed...

FDA warns on dietary sexual enhancers.(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers not to buy two "male energy" products sold as dietary supplements in the country. Both products are advertised for sexual enhancement and as a treatment for erectile...

US dietary supplements cGMP final rule issued by FDA gets mixed reaction.
July 1, 2007... The US Food and Drug Administration has issued the long-awaited final rule establishing regulations to require current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements. The rule, says the agency, aims to ensure that dietary supplements are...

Codex adopts IADSA advised levels.
July 1, 2007... Nine additives widely used in food supplements have been finally adopted by Codex at levels proposed by the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplements Associations (IADSA). The approved levels are: castor oil (1,000mg/kg),...

IADSA on Codex'ginseng decision.(International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Only one species of ginseng should be regulated under the regional Codex Standard for Ginseng Products, the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) has said. Commenting on the draft standard prepared by the...

Health Canada warns against MdMt supp.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Health Canada has warned against use of the dietary supplement MdMt, or any other product containing the synthetic steroids methyl-1- testosterone or methyldienolone obtained without a prescription, due to potentially serious health risks, eg,...

South Africa bans comfrey claim.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Following a complaint by the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa, the country's Advertising Standards Authority has ordered a small Port Elizabeth company, Therons Wonder Comfrey Products that manufactures health products, to stop claiming...

Australian yogurt market growing at 12%, driven by shift toward healthier foods.
July 1, 2007... A general shift towards healthier foods by consumers is the main motivating factor driving sales of Australia's yogurt market, especially as only cheese and fresh white milk in the dairy case are bigger categories. However, dairy case growth is...

NNFA Japan urges govt to take strategic approach.
July 1, 2007... Recently, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced that it had requested that marketers of "health food" products, including dietary supplements, change certain product names that suggest a health effect (for example, treat...

Flavors and health trends in product innovation; move to the nostalgic.
July 1, 2007... While enormous attention is given to supposed upcoming flavors and health trends, it is important to note that core flavors still dominate new product activity, according to The Innova Database. For example, it says, there has been a rise...

Australia tightens kava imports rules.
July 1, 2007... The government of Australia has moved to tighten import restrictions on kava, which it sees as necessary to combat the abuse of the product and significant associated health problems in indigenous communities. From June 26, the importation...

CHC Australia challenge on supplements.(Complementary Healthcare Council)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Complementary Healthcare Council of Australia (CHC) is currently challenging a proposal issued by the Australian government, requiring a Qualified Person (QP) to release food supplements onto the market. Food supplements are regulated...

Phytopharm deal with Beijing Institut.
July 1, 2007... Cambridgeshire, UK-based Phytopharm entered a collaboration and license agreement with the Beijing Institute, Academy of Military Medical Sciences for the development of novel functional foods and pharmaceuticals, including a product for memory...

New alpha-lipoic acid from Aquanova.
July 1, 2007... Darmstadt, Germany-based Aquanova, a supplier of special liquid ingredient formulations ("solubilisates") has applied its unique proprietary solubilization technology to alpha-lipoic acid, a long known but hitherto underestimated nutraceutical,...

Ajinomoto to debut Capsiate Natura in USA.(Ajinomoto Company Inc.)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Japan's Ajinomoto plans to introduce Capsiate Natura, a capsinoid dietary supplement, into the US market. Capsiate Natura is sourced from the CH-19 Sweet chili pepper, selectively bred to contain high levels of capsiate, one of the capsinoid...

Help for Peruvian Maca growers.
July 1, 2007... Avignon, France-headquartered natural ingredient manufacturer Naturex has developed a plan to enhance economic and social conditions for Peruvian maca growers and their communities. Maca, a traditional Andean crop grown at high altitude, is...

Canadian govt calls for trans fat limits.
July 1, 2007... Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement has announced that Health Canada is adopting the Trans Fat Task Force recommendation on trans fats in Canadian foods, by calling on Canada's food industry to limit the trans fat content of vegetable oils...

Oxis' ERGO boosted by German study.(OXIS International Inc.)(L- ergothioneine)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... California, USA-based biopharmaceutical firm Oxis International says that a research group led by Dirk Grundemann at the University of Cologne, Germany, has found evidence that supports the use of L- ergothioneine (ERGO) as a nutritional...

Vitamin D and calcium cut cancer risk, says trial.
July 1, 2007... The results of two recently-published independent studies suggest that improved nutritional status via vitamin D and calcium supplementation may substantially reduce a woman's risk of developing cancer. The findings provide further support for...

Honey antibacterial methyglyoxal found.
July 1, 2007... According to a project conducted in a collaboration between New Zealand's Manuka Health, a marketer of natural health products, and researchers as the Technical University of Dresden, Germany, the presence of methyglyoxal (MGO) in honey is...

Rosehip reduces joint pain in RA patients.
July 1, 2007... Danish scientists believe that a key ingredient contained in a sub- species of rosehip could help reduce the joint tenderness experienced by rheumatoid athritis patients. In the recent the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled...

Echinacea cuts risk of catching a cold 58%.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Echinacea could reduce the chances of catching a cold up to 58%, according to a review published in the July issue of The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The meta-analysis, led by Craig Coleman, of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy,...

Bach Flower Rescue Remedy cuts anxiety.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... A recent study conducted by the University of Miami School of Nursing, in conjunction with the Sirkin Creative Living Center, found that using a natural remedy that is created from wildflowers has a similar effect in relieving anxiety to more...

Blackcurrant tops the health league of fruits.
July 1, 2007... Research conducted at the Scottish Crop Research Institute has found that the blackcurrant is far more nutritious than other more exotic fruits, according to a report in the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper. The investigation was aimed at...

FDA approves Sigma-Tau Pharma's Carnitor SF.
July 1, 2007... The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Carnitor SF (levocarnitine) sugar-free oral Solution for the same indication approved for the current Carnitor oral solution containing sugar. The products, which are both made by the USA's...

Sciele Pharma launches Prenate DHA in USA.
July 1, 2007... USA-based Sciele Pharma has launched Prenate DHA, a prescription multivitamin nutritional supplement with essential minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, including docosahexanoic acid, and metafolin. The product is indicated for improving the...

Synergy launches 15+ Manuka Honey powder.(Synergy Production Laboratories)(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... USA-based Synergy Production Laboratories, a maker of raw materials for the health supplements industry, has launched its 100%-certified organic and kosher Synergized Active 15+ Manuka Honey powder. According to the firm, the product is...

Glucerna could satisfy 80% of type 2 diabetics.
July 1, 2007... According to a US on-line survey commissioned by health care major Abbott Laboratories, more than eight out of every 10 people with type 2 diabetes feel left out at breakfast time when family and friends eat convenient foods such as sweetened...

Study: omega-3s benefit wide range of patients.
July 1, 2007... New research suggests that people with heart disease and type 2 diabetes, mothers and children, and those considered at risk of related disorders may benefit from consuming omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from fish oils. The...

Omega-3s improve cognitive function.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The US Tuna Foundation, an independent committee of the National Fisheries Institute, says that the results of a new survey indicate that children of mothers who consumed increased levels of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy display improved...

Syncan project to confirm BeneoSynergy's benefits against colon cancer.
July 1, 2007... Belgium's ORAFTI, the ingredients business of German sugar giant the Sudzucker group, says that the a new study may confirm whether or not its Beneo Synergy1 product modulates against the risk of colon cancer. The trial builds on data from the...

Brand New Brands completes mission of setting up four therapeutic food firms.
July 1, 2007... California, USA-based Brand New Brands, the innovative venture accelerator that was created to improve and enhance Americans' lives through the development of next-generation healthful foods and beverages, has announced the successful...

France's Danone make $16.8 million offer for Dutch infant foods firm Numico.
July 1, 2007... Following swiftly on the 5.3 billion-euro ($7.3 billion) sale of its biscuit division to US firm Kraft Foods, the French Groupe Danone has announced plans to acquire the Netherlands-headquartered Royal Numico, which includes well-known infant...

Taihua's pretax 2006 profits leap 74%.(Financial report)
July 1, 2007... Taihua, a London, UK, Alternative Investment Market-listed Chinese firm, says that its full-year 2006 pretax profits grew 74% on the comparable period the year before, to 30.1 million renminbi ($3.9 million), as earnings per share rose 75% to...

FTC challenges Whole Foods/Wild Oats deal.
July 1, 2007... The US Federal Trade Commission has approved a complaint challenging Whole Foods Market's, approximately $670.0 million acquisition of its chief rival, Wild Oats Markets, and authorized the staff to seek a temporary restraining order and...

EC clears Nestle's $5.5 billion takeover of Nestle's Gerber, but with conditions.
July 1, 2007... The European Commission has cleared under the European Union Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Novartis' Medical Nutrition business, part of the consumer health division of Swiss company Novartis by Nestle SA, also of Switzerland,...

DSM and Buhler set up new production plant and will launch first NutriRice in China.(Buhler Industries Inc.)
July 1, 2007... Netherlands-headquartered DSM and international engineering group Buhler have announced the opening of Wuxi NutriRice Co Ltd, a production facility operated in a joint venture between two firms. This facility, which they say is the first...

Profit improvement program for DSN Nutritional products.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... Dutch firm Royal DSM has set out a comprehensive profit improvement program for DSM Nutritional Products that, through a mix of cost savings and increased profits from higher revenues, is expected to deliver an annual minimum of 100.0 million...

Cyanotech net losses widen for fiscal year.(Financial report)
July 1, 2007... Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp, which develops natural products from microalgae, says its losses for the year ended March 31, 2007, are expected to be $2.9 million compared with a loss of $391,000 in fiscal 2006, though the firm is still...

Texas issues lawsuit against Mannatech for illegal marketing of its supplements.
July 1, 2007... Shares in USA-based nutritional supplement developer Mannatech have taken a battering on the news that the Texas Attorney General has filed a law suit against the firm, accusing it of illegal marketing practices. Attorney General Greg...

Herbalife expands presence in China.
July 1, 2007... USA-based Herbalife, a marketer of nutritional supplements, says that it has received a direct-selling license from China's Ministry of Commerce to conduct business throughout the entire Jiangsu province. The news follows a decision that...

NutraCea expands into Southeast Asia in JV with PT Panganmas Inti Persada.(jooint venture)
July 1, 2007... Phoenix, Arizona, USA-based NutraCea a world leader in stabilized rice bran (SRB) nutrient research and technology says that it has entered the commercial food ingredient market as well as expanding its humanitarian aid programs in Southeast...

American Oriental to buy Changchun.
July 1, 2007... New York, USA-based American Oriental Bioengineering (AOB) has announced the signing of a letter of intent to acquire Changchun Xinan Pharmaceutical Group Company (CCXA), a privately-owned plant based pharmaceutical enterprise in a transaction...

TC Pharma acquires Sunsnack in Thailand.
July 1, 2007... The producer of Red Bull in Thailand, TC Pharmaceutical Industries, has expanded into the 13.0 billion baht ($434.0 million) snack market through its purchase of Sunsnack for an undisclosed amount. The decision to diversify also conformed...

Thailand's Green Spot Vitamilk campaign.(Brief article)
July 1, 2007... The Thai producer of Vitamilk soy milk, Green Spot Co, is spending 50.0 million baht ($1.6 million) on a new marketing campaign to stimulate consumption and expand its customer, according to Chanit Suwanparin, the firm's general manager for...

Danisco expands in South Africa.
July 1, 2007... Danish food ingredients company Danisco says it has signed an agreement for the acquisition of the shares in Innovative Ingredients in Cape Town, South Africa. Innovative Ingredients is a bakery enzymes formulator, currently providing services...

Lab Ferioux food supplement offerings.
July 1, 2007... Laboratoires Fenioux of France, a manufacturer of food supplements, uses cryomilling to produce a wide range of over 400 food supplements. Cryomilling, a cold-milling process, protects active ingredients from thermal influences. The firm is...

Enzymotec and AAK establish nutra JV.
July 1, 2007... Israeli biotechnology firm Enzymotec and the $1.6 billion specialty fat producer AarhusKarlshamn (AAK) of Sweden have established a new joint venture, Advanced Lipids AB, for the production, sales and marketing of specialty functional...

SPC Ardmona expands.
July 1, 2007... Israeli Coca-Cola Amatil's food business, SPC Ardmona, plans to expand into functional foods after signing an R&D alliance with Melbourne, Australia-based biotechnology company Anadis. Under the alliance, SPC and Anadis will cooperate to...

Japanese drink firms look to PET bottles.
July 1, 2007... Major soft drink firm in Japan, including Coca-Cola (Japan) are seeking methods to develop PET bottles that are both eco-friendly and appealingly designed. The beverage makers are seeking to devise soft drink containers that are...

Forthcoming meetings/events.(Brief article)(Calendar)
July 1, 2007... Dietary Supplements & Health Foods Market in Thailand 2007, which is organized by Asia Business Forum, takes place on August 30-31 at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel in Bangkok. It will cover key industry developments, regulatory updates,...

People on the move.
July 1, 2007... - Israeli nutritional products innovator and marketer LycoRed has named Michael Doyle as president of its US division, LycoRed Corp, in which capacity he will be responsible for all operations in the North American marketplace. He joins the...