Nutraceuticals International articles from March 2002

Nutraceuticals International archives from March 2002

UK firms fined over claims on web site.
March 1, 2002... A prosecution has been brought under food law in the UK against a food supplement company for offences related to Internet trading, in what is believed to be the first such case in the country. Notably, the case, which was brought by...

UK Joint Health Claims Initiative gives backing to two health claims.
March 1, 2002... The UK's Joint Health Claims Initiative, a body with representation from consumers, food law enforcers and the industry, which was set up to develop an independent means of reviewing proposed generic health claims for foods, has announced two...

Herbal supplements in Europe - is there a future? by Peter Berry Ottaway.
March 1, 2002... A number of recent events in Europe are making it debatable as to whether there will be a long-term market for herbal supplements in the European Union. The EU countries in which herbal products can be sold freely under food legislation are...

UK slimming product claims not regulated.
March 1, 2002... In the UK, advertisers are failing to control claims for slimming products, according to a new survey of Internet advertisements conducted by the Food Magazine. The claims appear on web sites but, the journal believes, would likely be condemned...

Sweden warns on St John's wort and OCs.
March 1, 2002... Over the past few years, the Swedish Medical Products Agency has informed doctors and patients on several occasions of the risk that natural remedies containing St John's wort may affect other medications. Reports and studies have shown risks...

Scots to have vitamin fortified beer?
March 1, 2002... The Scottish government is exploring the possibility of requiring brewers to supplement beer with thiamin, or vitamin B1, with the aim of reducing the public burden caused by alcohol-related disease, according to an item broadcast by the BBC....

Germany to move kava to Rx only.
March 1, 2002... Following recent concerns about kava kava products (NIs passim and page 6 this issue), Germany has decided that, rather than banning products containing this medicinal plant, to transfer them to prescription-only status. The decision will be...

Euro nutraceutical market rationalizing.
March 1, 2002... The European nutraceuticals and functional foods market continues to undergo rationalization, with consolidation ongoing within the industry, says Nick Hawker, managing director of Vitafoods International. An overall growth rate of around 7%...

FDA responds to Rep Dan Burton's dietary supplements enquiries.
March 1, 2002... The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a response to a request from Representative Dan Burton, who is chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform, for information on the progress in implenting the long-awaited Good...

Italy taken to ECoJ over sports drinks reg.
March 1, 2002... Italy has allegedly contravened the Treaty of Maastricht regarding its regulation of sports nutrition drinks and has been referred to the European Court of Justice by the European Commission. The Commission contends that the Italian rules,...

Ireland joins in kava kava withdrawals.
March 1, 2002... The Irish Medicines Board, following consultation with the industry, has instigated a voluntary withdrawal of products containing kava kava (Piper methysticum). The Irish move follows similar ones by Germany and Switzerland, where a series of...

Dutch doping and food supps allegation.
March 1, 2002... Ahead of the Winter Olympics which took place last month in Salt Lake City, USA, the Dutch Sports Federation issued a statement saying that 25% of food supplements used by sportsmen and women preparing themselves for the event contained...

FDA alert as warfarin found in herbal prostate aid: mfr challenges this finding.
March 1, 2002... BotanicLab of California has initiated a voluntary withdrawal of its herbal supplement PC SPES, which it markets as an aid to prostate health, after an alert was issued by the California Department of Health Services stating that the product...

US supplement makers groups merge.
March 1, 2002... The Corporate Alliance for Integrative Medicine, a non-profit group of 10 US manufacturers and suppliers of nutritional and dietary supplements, has voted to merge into the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance. Natrol Inc president and...

Senate OKs vitamins for food stamps.
March 1, 2002... The US Senate has approved the inclusion of a major new provision to its agricultural appropriation legislation, which would allow food stamps to be used for the purchase of vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements by qualified individuals....

FDA to quiz consumers on supplement labels.
March 1, 2002... The Food and Drug Administration is asking for comments by March 22 on a proposal which it has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget to conduct consumer surveys on issues relating to the labeling of conventional foods and dietary...

OTC/supplement cross-usage study.
March 1, 2002... The Hartman Group is undertaking a study to examine US consumers' cross-usage of over-the-counter medications and dietary supplements. The Wellness Product Cross Usage Study will be conducted during February-May, with results scheduled to be...

Hemp industry wins court extension to DEA grace period for THC ban.
March 1, 2002... 4 The Hemp Industries Association has claimed victory in its court challenge to the interpretive rule issued by the US Drug Enforcement Administration on October 9, 2001, which bans hemp seed and oil food products that contain any amount of...

USANA calls for IOC certification of supps.
March 1, 2002... A call for an International Olympics Committee-administered certification program for nutritional supplements has been made by Tim Wood, vice president of R&D at USANA Health Sciences, a US firm which develops, manufactures and distributes...

CRN perspective on dietary supplements.
March 1, 2002... Elite athletes spend years perfecting their skills and caring for every aspect of their body's welfare, says the US Council for Responsible Nutrition in a perspective on dietary supplements with regard to athletics and the use of body-enhancing...

Asia expected to become trading leader.
March 1, 2002... Asia is predicted to become the fastest-growing market for organic, herbal and nutraceutical trading for the next five years, according to leading experts, especially pointing out traditional Chinese medicine. "There is no doubt that Asia...

New report criticizes the Canadian Natural Health Products Directorate.
March 1, 2002... A new report from Canada's Fraser Institute, an independent public policy organization, is criticizing the foundation of the government's Natural Health Products Directorate and further regulation of these products, stating it has been a "waste...

Australian vitamins review.
March 1, 2002... Following the recent change in Australian food regulation, a review of the country's market for vitamins and other health supplements is planned for later this year. The project will be part of a general review of the entire Australian food...

Warning against Hua Fo use in Canada.
March 1, 2002... Health Canada is warning consumers not to use Hua Fo tablets, which are claimed to enhance sexual function. An analyzed sample proved the tablets contained Pfizer's Viagra (sildenafil), which is approved only as a prescribed drug for male...

Naturol and FTC partner for R&D program.
March 1, 2002... Naturol Inc (Canada) has commenced a product R&D program with the Canada-based Prince Edward Island Food Technology Center, a partnership that will cost a total of C$360,000 ($226,000). Phase one of the program will include developing a new...

Novartis and Quaker decide to dissolve Altus joint venture.
March 1, 2002... Having recently announced plans to divest its Health & Functional Nutrition unit (NI vol 7, no 2), Switzerland's Novartis has now decided, along with PepsiCo's Quaker Oats division, to dissolve the firms' Altus Food Company joint venture. The...

Net income falls 20.4% at Wessanen.
March 1, 2002... Wessanen NV of the Netherlands has reported a 20.4% reduction in net income to 78 million euros ($67.8 million), in line with market expectations, while sales from core activities increased 9% to 2.72 billion euros. The company, which is...

Developments in Japan yogurt market.
March 1, 2002... Yogurt brands have entered the health drinks and foods market in Japan with renewed advertising which promises to help bones grow or invigorate the immune system, as dairy companies struggle for identity in a crowded marketplace, report NI's...

Australia/NZ accessing caffeine in drinks.
March 1, 2002... The Australia New Zealand Food Authority is considering whether to allow the same level of caffeine found in cola drinks for all other soft and fruit drinks, according to ANZFA spokeswoman Lydia Buchtmann, who added that "the authority would...

West Bengal eyeing ayurvedic market.
March 1, 2002... West Bengal, India, is exploring methods of tapping the multi-billion dollar export business in ayurvedic medicines by establishing a Medicinal Plants Board to market herbal products in domestic and overseas markets. $61.7 million export...

S Africa's MCC adopts comp meds proposal.
March 1, 2002... South Africa's Medicines Control Council has adopted proposals for a full call-up of complementary medicines, according to the country's Health Products Association. The call-up system is based on a positive list of pre-approved substances with...

Nestle expands deal with LION Bioscience.
March 1, 2002... Switzerland's Nestle says it has extended a collaboration, signed in November 2000, with Germany's LION Bioscience which will cover the implementation of the first phase of an information technology-based knowledge management system. ...

Novartis posts steady set of results.
March 1, 2002... Novartis of Switzerland says that sales at its consumer health division reached 6.68 billion Swiss francs ($3.94 billion), an increase of 2%, or 4% in local currencies (2% in Swiss francs), noting that the USA (+4%) made up 49% of total...

Henkel signs pact with Phytomedics.
March 1, 2002... Germany's Henkel has signed an agreement with Phytomedics, a US company that focuses on the discovery of novel plant-derived health care products, to develop "innovative and proprietary botanical ingredients for cosmetic applications." ...

B-MS in talks to sell Pharmavit?
March 1, 2002... Bristol-Myers Squibb is reportedly in talks with several companies regarding the sale of its Hungarian subsidiary Pharmavit, one of the leading vitamins producers in that country. B-MS recently stated that the divestment of Pharmavit, which it...

Switzerland's Roche looking to dispose of vitamins and fine chemicals unit.
March 1, 2002... 1 Roche of Switzerland has said that it intends to dispose of its vitamins and fine chemicals unit, having announced a 2% decrease in 2001 sales for the division to 3.54 billion Swiss francs ($2.08 billion). The firm noted that revenues in 2000...

Ajinomoto to expand supplements business.
March 1, 2002... Kunio Egashira, president of Japan's Ajinomoto, says that the company plans to focus on fields with strong growth potential, which means expanding its health food and nutritional supplement business through worldwide mergers and acquisitions...

Raisio reports further loss at Benecol unit.
March 1, 2002... Finnish dairy and food group Raisio has posted consolidated turnover up 2.9% to 822.9 million euros ($715.3 million) in 2001, while profits rose significantly to 25.0 million euros, compared to a loss of 32.2 million euros in 2000. The...

Disease Science signs Euro distribution deal.
March 1, 2002... Disease Sciences of the USA has entered into a distribution agreement with Germany's ANT.OX, best known for the development of a biomarker test system claimed to monitor biological aging. Under the terms of the deal, ANT.OX will market and...

Malaysian group enters energy drink sector.
March 1, 2002... A Malaysian property development group, Wong Kwok, has entered the health drink sector with the acquisition of the KK soft drink brand, according to the New Straits Times. Several new varieties have already been introduced, according to the...

Snow Brand and Otsuka set up nutrition JV.
March 1, 2002... Troubled Japanese dairy firm Snow Brand Milk, recently hit by quality-control problems and safety scares, has entered into a joint venture agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals in the area of clinical nutrition. The JV is aiming to develop and...

India's Alembic seeking nutra partners.
March 1, 2002... Indian pharmaceutical and nutraceutical firm Alembic is seeking strategic alliances to help develop and launch new products, according to a report in the Economic Times, which also noted that the firm has just finalized a tie-up with Cognis...

LFRA responds to changing food markets.
March 1, 2002... The UK's Leatherhead Food Research Association has reorganized its business in a bid to address the food industry's changing environment, with growing importance attached to "functional foods, nutrition, food safety concerns and stricter...

Cognis restructuring.
March 1, 2002... Cognis, sold at the end of last year to a consortium of investors (NI vol 6, no 10), has reorganized the business as the first stage in its stated goal of going public in the next four to five years. The business will now operate as five...

Solid sales growth in 2001 for Merck KGaA's CHC division.
March 1, 2002... Merck KGaA of Germany says its Consumer Health Care division achieved a sales increase of 6.7% in 2001 to 314 million euros ($272.9 million), noting that this made up 9% of the Darmstadt-based group's total pharmaceuticals turnover. 25% of...

Nestle posts 15.9% net profit growth for 2001 with sales up 4%.
March 1, 2002... Switzerland's Nestle, the world's largest food group, says that its net profit rose 15.9% to 6.68 billion Swiss francs ($3.93 billion) in 2001, setting a new net margin record of 7.9%, while consolidated group sales were up 4% to 84.7 billion...

Gatorade sales in decline at PepsiCo.
March 1, 2002... PepsiCo says that net profits in the fourth quarter of 2001 grew 16% to $764 million, or $0.42 per share, while sales rose 5% to almost $8 billion. However, revenues at Gatorade/Tropicana North America slipped 2% (although operating profit...

Cetalon in deal with Logic Nutrition.
March 1, 2002... Cetalon Corp, which specializes in the sale of natural vitamins, minerals and supplements, has entered into a "strategic relationship agreement" with fellow US firm Logic Nutrition, a manufacturer and supplier of nutritional products. Under the...

Leiner Health files reorganization plan.
March 1, 2002... Leiner Health Products says it has filed a petition in the US Bankruptcy Court "with the overwhelming support of its bank lenders and senior subordinated noteholders," seeking approval of its prepackaged reorganization plan. The filing is...

NIC acquires three natural food markets.
March 1, 2002... The USA's Nutraceutical International Corp says that Fresh Organics, a wholly-owned subsidiary, has acquired substantially all of the assets of three San Francisco area natural food markets previously owned by the Real Food Co for approximately...

Earnings decrease 23% at USANA.
March 1, 2002... USANA Health Sciences of Salt Lake City, USA, has reported sales in 2001 down 7.2% to $114.3 million, which the company said was mainly due to a disappointing performance in foreign markets that were negatively affected by a relatively strong...

Nutrition 21 posts solid results.
March 1, 2002... Nutrition 21, a USA-based developer and marketer of chromium-based nutritional supplements, has posted a fiscal second-quarter loss of $375,000 or $0.02 per diluted share, compared with a loss of around $1.9 million or $0.06 for the same period...

Slight rise in sales at Nature's Sunshine.
March 1, 2002... Nature's Sunshine Products, a US manufacturer of encapsulated herbs and vitamins, says that revenues for the fourth quarter ended December 2001 rose 1% to $77.3 million, while net income increased 12% to $3.7 million. For the full year, sales...

Natrol to take $20 million charge.
March 1, 2002... Natrol, a California, USA-based manufacturer of vitamins, minerals and herbs, is to take a $20 million impairment charge for the year ended December 31, 2001, writing down the value of goodwill associated with its acquisition of Prolab...

Losses deepen at Imperial Ginseng.
March 1, 2002... Imperial Ginseng Products of Canada has reported revenues of $2.5 million and a net loss of $0.2 million for the six months ended December 2001, compared to $4.8 million and losses of $0.8 million for the same periods in the prior year....

Nutrinova carob fiber cuts LDL cholesterol.
March 1, 2002... Specialty ingredient supplier Nutrinova, a subsidiary of German chemicals group Celanese AG, has reported the results of a clinical trial of its Caromax brand of carob fiber which indicate that foods containing the ingredient can help reduce...

Indena's Sabalselect chosen for NIH trial.
March 1, 2002... Indena's branded version of saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) extract, Sabalselect, has been selected by the US National Institutes of Health for what the company claims is the first large-scale clinical trial of the herb in the USA. The trial will...

AFS unveils healthier coffee roast.
March 1, 2002... Applied Food Sciences of the USA, which was formed through the merger of US companies BioChemix and Oncology Sciences Corp last year, has devised a means of further improving the antioxidant payload of roasted coffee beans. Although green...

Novogen boosted by clinical trial result.
March 1, 2002... Australian company Novogen saw its shares rise 7% to A$3.02 on February 11 after it reported the results of a clinical trial whch suggested that its isoflavone-rich red clover-based dietary supplement, Promensil, was an effective treatment for...

Homocysteine linked to dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
March 1, 2002... An elevated plasma homocysteine level is a strong, independent risk factor for the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, according to a new observational study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (February 14). The paper...

Eating fish may prevent preterm births.
March 1, 2002... The incidence of low birth weight and preterm delivery has been shown to decline with increasing fish consumption, according to a study involving more than 8,000 Danish women published in the British Medical Journal (Volume 324, pp 447-450)....

Homeopathic remedy fails in asthma.
March 1, 2002... A homeopathic remedy based on ultralow concentrations of allergens has failed to provide a significant benefit in patients suffering from asthma and allergic to house dust mites, according to the results of a clinical trial reported in the...

Antioxidants slow progression of cataracts.
March 1, 2002... Supplementing the diet with antioxidant vitamins can slow the progression of age-related cataracts, a leading cause of acquired blindness, according to the results of a three-year study published in the journal Ophthalmic Epidemiology...

Supplement combo extends life in rats.
March 1, 2002... A study conducted in rats has suggested that supplementation of the diet with two widely-used nutraceutical ingredients, acetyl-L-carnitine and lipoic acid, can extend the lifespan of the animals. Despite the preliminary nature of the research,...

Melatonin key to success in World Cup?
March 1, 2002... The Argentinian football team, one of the favorites to win the World Cup this summer, has been advised to consider a program of melatonin supplements, light therapy and exercise to ward off the effects of jet lag by researchers at the...

Rice bran lowers blood glucose in diabetes.
March 1, 2002... Consuming 20g a day of a stabilized rice bran derivative over a period of 60 days can lead to a 20%-30% reduction in average blood glucose levels, according to a study scheduled for publication in the March issue of the Journal of Nutritional...

Otsuka says drink may prevent DVT.
March 1, 2002... A study conducted by Japanese firm Otsuka Pharmaceutical has suggested that its isotonic beverage Pocari may be more effective than mineral water in preventing "economy class syndrome," or deep vein thrombosis, caused by extended inactivity, eg...

Edible vaccines still some way off?
March 1, 2002... The publication of the results of a Phase I study of a genetically-modified potato designed to function as a vaccine against hepatitis B virus has prompted researchers in the area to admit there is still a long way to go before the prospect of...

Kanebo positions green tea product on allergy prevention.
March 1, 2002... 0 Kanebo Pharmaceuticals of Japan has introduced a new powdered herbal Chinese tea to cash in on "a mass market of misery" during Japan's cedar pollen season, reports NI's Tokyo correspondent. A Kanebo official told NI that "the tea is...

Kao extends Healthy Econa Dressing range.
March 1, 2002... Kao Corp has begun marketing two new products in its low-fat Healthy Econa Dressing series. Kao said the products, which went on sale in February, are Chinese Roasted Sesame and Herb French dressings. The dressings are based on Kao's Healthy...

Mackie launches mood-enhancing ice cream.
March 1, 2002... Ice cream maker Mackie of Scotland is launching what it claims is the world's first mood-enhancing ice cream. The firm has added the essence of an Alaskan orchid to its low-calorie ice cream, which it claims makes people happy, and describes it...

British Biologicals launches protein range.
March 1, 2002... India-based British Biologicals will launch a new range of protein products, in order to strengthen its share of the country's nutritional supplement market, of which it already claims a 70% share. Kids-Pro, a supplement health drink for...

Sunny Delight relaunch in UK.
March 1, 2002... Procter & Gamble's Sunny Delight is to be relaunched in the UK in a bid to maintain market share. The drink became an instant success in 1998 when it was launched, but following negative media coverage and the fact that the drink only contained...

Taisho launches FOSHU drink.
March 1, 2002... Taisho Pharmaceutical is to enter the Food For Specified Health Use market in Japan with the launch of its Cholescare, a beverage containing the active ingredient depolymerized sodium alginate, a natural food fiber from seaweed, which lowers...

Weight loss claimed by using scent intensifiers.
March 1, 2002... Flavor intensifiers could be an alternative approach to weight loss and dieting, according to Alan Hirsch of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in the USA. The urge to eat too much is governed by the satiety center in the...

Similac Advance release.
March 1, 2002... Abbot Laboratories' Ross Products Division has launched an iron-fortified infant formula, Similac Advance with iron, supplemented with docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acid, two fatty acids that are important for brain and visual development, in...

Nutricia's new UK range to aid recovery.
March 1, 2002... Nutricia Clinical Care of the UK's new Nutricia Life division has developed a nutrition drink and bar specially formulated to aid the recovery process. The NutriPlus range contains a balance of energy, protein, vitamins and minerals designed to...

Marathon Nutrifoods launches OsteoPure.
March 1, 2002... Texas, USA-based Marathon Nutrifoods' new dietary supplement, OsteoPure, which is positioned in the osteoporosis prevention segment, is now being test-marketed in the USA. Its main ingredient is a strain of red yeast rice (Monascus purpureus...

Heinz' $1 mill for anti- anemia "sprinkles".
March 1, 2002... The H J Heinz Company Foundation is to invest $1 million over three years in the provision of iron "sprinkles" to be added to food, in a program aimed at reducing the incidence of childhood anemia worldwide. The Supplefer Sprinkles to be...

Kirin's Namacha green tea for Shanghai.
March 1, 2002... Kirin Beverage Corp of Japan is to sell its leading green tea drink, Namacha, in Shanghai, China. It will be produced by Kirin's Shanghai joint venture, which it established in 1996, reports the Nikkei Weekly. The tea will be available in...

Pokka Relax Water.
March 1, 2002... Pokka Corp is launching a new lemon drink in Japan in March which it says leaves the drinker in a more relaxed state. Pokka 340 Lemode Relax Water will sell for 115 yen ($0.86) for a 340g can, reports just-drinks.com.

Forthcoming meetings/events.
March 1, 2002... - The UK Council for Responsible Nutrition is holding a symposium, entitled Meeting the Challenge of the Traditional Herbal Medicine Directive, in London on April 16. For additional information, contact the CRN on: phone +44 (0)191 232 3100; or...

People on the move.
March 1, 2002... - Additional executive appointments at Cognis (see also page 18): Alfred Meffert becomes head of worldwide manufacturing; Klaus Kuenstler is named chief of research and technology; and Michael Schulenburg remains general manager, Germany, but...