Nutraceuticals International articles from June 2005

Nutraceuticals International archives from June 2005

EU Health Ministers reverse Parliament's plan for more liberal health claims reg.
June 1, 2005... The European Union's Health Ministers have unanimously backed tight rules to control health claims such as "low fat" and "sugar-free" being made for food products. The Health and Consumer Affairs Council in early June rejected amendments by the...

UK VMS market sees recovery in 2004.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The overall UK market for over-the-counter medicines and food supplements stood still in 2004, with sales growth at a lower level than inflation, rising just 0.9% to total L2.02 billion ($3.70 billion). In terms of volume, the market...

Food labeling that tells the truth - European Union votes on nutrition claims.
June 1, 2005... The European Parliament voted May 26, in first reading, on a draft regulation on nutrition and health claims made on foods. The plenary confirmed a controversial vote in the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, which decided...

EP proposal on vits and minerals in food.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... National rules throughout the European Union vary widely concerning addition of vitamins or minerals to food. A new European regulation has been welcomed by Parliament, in a first reading, to avoid discrepancies in the internal market and to...

France condemned for hindering imports of herbal medicines for personal use.
June 1, 2005... Back in July of 2002, the European Commission referred France to the European Court of Justice as it was of the opinion that the French regulations on personal imports of both "traditional" and homeopathic medicinal products infringed the...

European nutra news in brief.
June 1, 2005... BELGIUM: a new Order, amending the 1997 Belgian national legislation on plants for use in foods and food supplements, has recently been published. Against a background in which a number of European bodies, including the European Food Safety...

UK FSA decision on phytosterols positive.(Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP))
June 1, 2005... The UK Food Standards Agency says that its expert advisers on novel foods have made an initial decision in favor of approving an application for phytosterols to be added to fruit juices, fruit nectars and tomato juice. Phytosterols are used by...

Italy: pre-marketing notes on food supps.(Federsalus)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... As a result of the Italian government's implementation of the European Union Food Supplement Directive, the country's Ministry of Health now requires pre-notification of the product's label for dietary supplements coming from outside the EU....

EU Food Supps Directive - deadlines rapidly approaching.(European Union Food Supplements Directive )
June 1, 2005... A number of issues relating to the European Union Food Supplements Directive will be coming to a head over the next few weeks. The final date for applications for the addition of nutrients or nutrient sources and for which derogations are...

Tropicana settles US FTC charges of misleading claims for Healthy Heart juice.
June 1, 2005... The US Federal Trade Commission has settled a complaint against Tropicana Products, in which it alleged the company misled consumers with claims that drinking two to three glasses a day of its Healthy Heart orange juice would produce dramatic...

US FDA seeks views on CFSAN FY2006 priorities.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... As part of its annual planning, budgeting and resource allocation process, the US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition is reviewing its programs in order to set priorities and establish work product...

US sports nutrition and weight-loss product sales up 14% to $15.6B in 2004.
June 1, 2005... Sports nutrition and weight-loss product turnover in the USA grew 14% in 2004 to reach $15.6 billion, according to a new report from Nutrition Business Journal. NBJ's Sports Nutrition & Weight Loss Report 2005 forecasts that US consumer...

American adults compromise nutrition for convenience, national survey reveals.
June 1, 2005... Nine out of 10 US adults eat meals or snacks on the go; six out of 10 do so on a daily basis; and about a quarter (26%) do so two to three times daily, according to a new survey carried out by Harris Interactive on behalf of Abbott...

"Numerous cure/treatment claims" made for Gero Vita products, says US FTC.(Gero Vita International Inc., Federal Trade Commission.)
June 1, 2005... Gero Vita International and six related defendants have settled US Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated federal law by claiming their products could cure or treat numerous illnesses and conditions, including asthma, Alzheimer's...

US FTC Food Marketing to Kids deadline extends.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The deadline for public comments regarding the US Federal Trade Commission's forthcoming two-day Marketing, Self-Regulation and Childhood Obesity Workshop has been extended, and now closes July 29. The public workshop, sponsored by the FTC...

Public "trust food retailers and producers for info".(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Food retailers and manufacturers are becoming US consumers' trusted advisors on nutrition, health and cooking information, say the results of a FIND/SVP study, which found 78% would trust such advice from a food retailer. 64% cited package...

Developments in Chinese traditional medicines reviewed at WSMI/AESGP conf.(China Nonprescription Medicines Association)(Association of the European Self-Medication Industry (AESGP), )
June 1, 2005... In China, traditional Chinese medicines accounted for 10% of the 46.1 billion renminbi ($5.57 billion) market for non-prescription drugs in 2004, according to a survey by the China Nonprescription Medicines Association. However, the study...

Australian CU slams St John's wort suppliers.(consumer union.)
June 1, 2005... Studies shows that St John's wort can help relieve mild depression but consumers have no way of knowing which brands live up to the promises and which ones fall short, says Choice, the magazine of the Australian Consumers' Association. The...

Aus/NZ Food Council on biomarker health claims.
June 1, 2005... The Australia New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council's decision to "resist industry lobbying" and remain firm on biomarker health claims means consumers will have greater confidence that the foods they are purchasing will deliver the...

FSANZ seeks views on Food Code changes.(Food Standards Australia New Zealand)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... On May 25, Food Standards Australia New Zealand called for comments on proposed changes to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. One of these relates to an application by the Australian Beverages Council Ltd to add a wide range of...

Global market review of trans fats - consumer and regulatory attitudes.
June 1, 2005... It has been suggested that consumers are currently over-dependent on convenience and processed foods, due to an inability to cook and a lack of understanding of the fundamentals of nutrition. It is argued that the food industry is taking...

Larger waists boost Asian health foods.
June 1, 2005... According to the latest TNS Asiapanel consumer purchasing data released June 10, more Asian consumers than ever are making a move towards a healthier lifestyle through food consumption. Based on the responses of a robust and representative...

Australia's Sanitarium warns granola name.(Sanitarium Health Food Co.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Leading Australian health food company Sanitarium has warned major local food processors it will institute legal action unless they stop using the word "granola" to describe a particular brand of toasted muesli, an increasingly popular...

New health food ads regs for China.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... When the Chinese Food and Drug Administration's interim Rule for Health Food Advertisement Reviewing comes into effect on July 1, provincial level departments will have responsibility of approving food ads, according to the Xinhua News Service....

Almond skin packs antioxidant punch.
June 1, 2005... The skins of almond nuts have significant antioxidant properties that fight the signs of aging, according to scientists at the Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and the Almond...

Almonds "are good for the heart".
June 1, 2005... A new study from the University of Toronto, Canada, suggests that eating a healthy diet, including almonds, reduces inflammation by about the same level as taking a first-generation statin drug. The study, published this month in the...

Martek's DHA lowers triglycerides, impacts cholesterol particle size.(docosahexaenoic acid)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Docosahexaenoic acid significantly loweres triglycerides and decreased harmful small, dense low-density lipoprotein, or "bad," cholesterol particles in both men and women with below-average high-density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol...

Study shows that grapes may decrease the risk of atherosclerosis.
June 1, 2005... A new study that appeared in the Journal of Nutrition (vol 135, pp 722- 728, 2005) has demonstrated that eating fresh grapes may prevent the accumulation of harmful oxidized cholesterol as well as the development of atherosclerotic lesions....

Chromium picolinate reduces weight gain.
June 1, 2005... The mineral supplement chromium picolinate significantly reduces weight gain associated with common antidiabetic medication, according to a study released this month. Researchers at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center of the USA's...

Cranberry's ulcer fighting power.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The first clinical trial of its kind shows that people who drink cranberry juice cocktail twice a day are three times more likely to suppress the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers than those who do not. With around 80% of stomach ulcers caused...

Compounds in raisins fight oral bacteria.(UIC College of Dentistry research)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Phytochemicals found in raisins suppress the growth of oral bacteria associated with dental caries and gum disease, according to Christine Wu, associate dean for research at the USA's UIC College of Dentistry, who presented this data at the...

Nexagen debuts diet patch in USA.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Nexagen of the USA has debuted its Jen Fe Next Patch, a unique self- adhesive diet patch which gently stimulates the body's metabolism for a safe and easy way to increase energy levels and maintain a healthy body weight, according to the firm....

Kesko introduces yogurt with Reducol.(Kesko Food Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Canada's Forbes Medi-Tech says that Finland's Kesko has introduced a range of yogurts containing its cholesterol-lowering ingredient Reducol. The yogurt, sold under the Pirkka brand name, represents the first in a series of scheduled product...

Old Orchard launches new fruit juice.(Old Orchard Brands)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Old Orchard has debuted its Blueberry Pomegranate 100% fruit juice, which has been designed to combine the antioxidant power of blueberry with the health benefits of the pomegranate. According to research by many organizations including the...

Glycology's Celsync for immune boost.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Glycology has launched Celsync, a breakthrough all-natural product that enhances the immune system by improving the way cells communicate with each other. The product is a glyconutrient that surrounds and coats each cell with all eight...

Malaysia: leech oil used to treat ED.(erectile dysfunction)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... An extract combining oil from leeches and eels is the latest home-made remedy being promoted as an erectile dysfunction treatment in Malaysia. The supplier of "minyak lintah," Shady Muliady, Abdul Rahman, said in an interview: "it's a...

Kabbalah drink gets market intro.(Kabbalah Enterprises intrroduces new energy drink.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Kabbalah Enterprises has launched Kabbalah Energy Drink, which contains taurine, vitamin B and caffeine. According to the firm, the drink beat rival energy beverage nine times out of 10 in taste tests.

Tubac Holdings moves into nutra market.(partners with Symbiotics.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tubac Holdings, a US firm that takes equity stakes in emerging companies and claims to give them the "financial guidance, strategic counsel, consulting and business functions they need in order to succeed in the public marketplace," has set out...

Steady quarter for Forbes Medi-Tech.(Forbes Medi-Tech Inc.)
June 1, 2005... Forbes Medi-Tech of Canada says that revenues for the first quarter ended March 31 increased 44.8% to C$4.6 million ($3.7 million), while net loss was just under C$2.5 million, or C$0.07 per share, a leap of 41.4% compared to the corresponding...

Monster sales rise at Hansen Natural Corp.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Hansen Natural Corp of California has posted a 91.7% rise in net sales to $60.0 million for the first quarter ended March 31, while net income reached $8.8 million, or $0.73 per share, quadruple its earnings in the like, year-earlier period....

Tharos Labs links up with Nature's Source.(Tharos Laboratories., Nature's Source Proprietary Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Tharos Laboratories, a nutraceutical and phytochemical ingredient company based in Boston, USA, has signed an agreement with Illinois- headquartered distributor Nature's Sources. Under the terms of the agreement, the latter will distribute...

Lifeline raises $8M.(Lifeline Therapeutics., Keating Securities.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Denver, USA-based Lifeline Therapeutics, which sells nutraceuticals, says it has completed an $8.0 million private placement, led by Keating Securities. Proceeds from the funding will be used to eliminate the company's debt of $3.0 million,...

New supp for female digestive problems.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Susan Lark, a clinical nutritionist and women's health pioneer, has created a new nutritional supplement formula to boost women's digestive systems and keep them running smoothly. Containing a variety of enzymes and health-promoting live...

Indena debuts glucose control supplement.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Milan, Italy-based Indena has added Madeglucyl to its health foods line, offering a patented dietary supplement which was developed from the seeds of the edible Eugenia jambolana plant to maintain normal glucose levels in the blood. The...

Researchers create DHA-making plants.(docohexaeoinc acid)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Representing a world first, scientists from Australia's Commonwealth Science and Industrial Research Organization have developed plants that produce docohexaeoinc acid, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish which is essential for the maintenance...

Frutarom launches functional ice creams.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... USA-based Frutarom has launched an innovative, all-in-one Functional Ice Cream product range, which offers ice cream manufacturers a unique solution that combines natural fruits, natural flavor extracts and natural functional ingredients to...

Natrel extends omega-3 2% line in Quebec.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Canada's Natrel says it has launched a new 2% version of its Natrel Omega-3 milk range in Quebec. According to the firm, the new product is aimed at women aged 18 and over, but generally targets adults who want to reap the benefits of both...

Nutrition 21 sees opportunity for strong growth in food and beverage sectors.
June 1, 2005... US firm Nutrition 21 has posted a 7.7% decrease in revenues for the fiscal third quarter ended March 31 to $2.4 million, while net loss was $1.9 million, or $0.05 per share, a 90% rise compared to the like, year- earlier period. For the nine...

Strong earnings rise at Reliv International.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... US nutrition firm Reliv International says that net income rose 26% to just shy of $2.1 million, or $0.12 per share for the first quarter of 2005, while sales reached $29.0 million, a jump of 23% compared with the like, year-earlier period. ...

Cyanotech goes into red in fourth quarter.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp, which specializes in the development and marketing of natural products from microalgae, has posted a disappointing set of financials for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2005 ended March 31. Sales slumped 22.2% to...

Turnaround going well at Vital Living.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Vital Living of Phoenix, Arizona, USA, has reported its financials for the first quarter ended March 31, which show that revenues shot up 33.8% to $1.3 million, while net loss from continuing operations fell to $401,000, down 85% compared to...

VitaCube and UTEK sign technology deal.(VitaCube Systems Holdings.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... VitaCube Systems Holdings, a nutraceutical company which specializes in nutritional foods, supplements and sports beverages, has signed a strategic alliance with UTEK Corp, a fellow US firm, which is involved with technology transfer. ...

NBTY acquires Solgar for $115 million.(Solgar Vitamin and Herb Co.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... US nutritional supplements behemoth NBTY says that it has agreed to acquire Solgar Vitamin and Herb from Wyeth Consumer Healthcare for $115.0 million, noting that the deal includes net assets of approximately $64.0 million and the purchase...

AXM Pharma's Sunkist vitamins expand in Asia.(Sunkist Growers Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... China-based AXM Pharma says that it has exercised its right to exclusively brand Sunkist products in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, in addition to those it already holds in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. The firm's exclusive trade mark...

Diversa enters nutra enzyme R&D accord.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... San Diego, USA-headquartered Diversa, a supplier of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical active ingredients, has entered an R&D accord with South Carolina-based Clemson University for evaluating the potential use of enzymes from Diversa's portfolio...

The Republic of Tea launches Man Kind.(Prostate Cancer Foundation )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... US specialty tea maker The Republic of Tea has teamed up with the Prostate Cancer Foundation to introduce its new Man Kind Blueberry Green Tea. The Novato, California-headquartered firm will donate $0.75 to the PCF from every tin sold. The...

Nutracea wins patent on arthritis formula.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... US nutraceutical firm NutraCea has been issued US patent number 6,902,739, called Methods for Treating Joint Inflammation Pain and Loss of Mobility, covering its proprietary formula for arthritis and joint health. The patent contains 14...

Nestle apologizes for iodine in infant milk.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Switzerland's Nestle SA has apologized for violating goverment regulations on iodine content in its infant breast milk formula but has denied allegations that its products ever posed a risk to health, reports the Wall Street Journal. ...

Nutrinnovator agrees Provexis take over.
June 1, 2005... Nutritional food and drinks maker Nutrinnovator has agreed a deal for a L6.3 million ($11.5 million) reverse takeover of fellow UK-based functional foods producer Provexis, to form an enlarged group, Provexis plc. The former has received...

Frutarom's 1st-qtr sales leap 47.3%.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Israel-based flavors and fragrances maker Frutarom has reported booming first-quarter 2005 sales of $64.7 million, up 47.3% on the like, year- ago period. Net profit grew 90.6% to $6.8 million as margins decreased to 10.2% versus 8.2% for...

Cargill acquires Citrico's pectin operations.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The UK affiliate of US firm Cargill has completed the acquisition of the global pectin business of Citrico, a manufacturer and international supplier of citrus products for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The latter's 120...

Naturex to acquire Pure World for $36.8 million.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... France's Naturex SA has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pure World, a developer, manufacturer and distributor of botanical extracts for the cosmetic, nutraceutical and drug industries, for $4.30 per share in cash, a deal totaling...

Martek's revenues rise 25% in 2nd qtr.(Martek Biosciences Corp.)
June 1, 2005... Martek Biosciences, a developer of microalgae-derived products, says that revenues for the second quarter ended April 30, were $55.8 million versus $41.9 million for the like, year-ago period, due to higher sales of nutritional products from...

NBTY buys Canada's SISU for $5.7M.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... NBTY, a USA-based manufacturer, distributor and marketer of nutritional supplements, says that it has acquired Canadian vitamin manufacturer and distributor SISU for $5.7 million along with the obligation to repay the latter's debt of $2.5...

GSK settles out of court with Nicodrops.(GlaxoSmithKline PLC.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... The Consumer Healthcare division of UK drug major GlaxoSmithKline has entered into a voluntary settlement with Nicodrops, the maker of Nicodrops herbal dietary supplements, in a law suit involving Lanham Act false advertising and unfair...

Kirin and Yakult expand collaboration.(Kirin Beverage Company Ltd., Yakult Honsha Company Ltd.)
June 1, 2005... Japan's Kirin Beverage, a subsidiary of Kirin Brewery, has agreed to form a business alliance on health and functional foods, focused on the domestic market, with fellow Japanese probiotics maker Yakult Honsha. The groups have stated that the...

Nu Skin to build Chinese manufacturing plant.(Nu Skin Enterprises Inc.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Utah, USA-headquartered Nu Skin Enterprises has purchased 7.5 acres of land in Feng Xian, China, to build a $20.0 million, 180,000-square foot manufacturing facility for its nutritional supplements subsidiary and R&D division, Pharmanex. ...

AXM Pharma gets first Sunkist purchase order.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Chinese drug firm AXM Pharma has received a $1.16 million-purchase order for the Sunkist brand of nutritional supplements from Zeullig, Taiwan. This is the first request from its newly-created subsidiary in Taiwan for the Sunkist line of...

Russia's Baikal seeks expansion partner.(Baikal Herbs)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... Baikal Herbs, a processor and packager of wild herbs and berries located in the Irkutsk region of Russia's Siberia, is seeking to become a distributor and dealer in biologically-active food supplements produced by western countries, according...

BV Pharma opens Vietnam plant.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... BV Pharma, a joint venture established by the UK firm C&TT, the Vimedix 11 and Huong Duong Medical companies in Vietman, has recently inaugurated a new $5.0 million factory in Ho Chi Minh City in southern Vietnam, according to the domestic news...

Forthcoming meetings/events.(Calendar)
June 1, 2005... * The US Council for Responsible Nutrition will be holding its 2005 annual conference on dietary supplements September 24-27 at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa in Indian Wells, California, near Palm Springs. To find out more about this...

People on the move.(appointments., SourceOne Global Partners.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2005... - USA-based Archer Daniels Midland has promoted: Kevin Burgard to president - specialty food ingredients, but remaining as vice president of the firm; Mark Zenuk to managing director, ADM International, at its European headquarters in Hamburg,...