Nutraceuticals International articles from March 2006

Nutraceuticals International archives from March 2006

NSF Int unveils new banned substances certification program in USA.
March 1, 2006... USA-based NSF International, an independent, not-for-profit organization that develops standards and certifies products, this month announced the launch of a new athletic banned substances certification program for dietary supplements and...

US FDA health claims report from Mintel.
March 1, 2006... A new report from market consultants Mintel analyzes food and health claims authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration. Common health claims found on food labels include those concerning: calcium and osteoarthritis; sodium and...

US House of Representatives delays National Uniformity for Food Act.
March 1, 2006... In a partial victory for consumers across the USA, the House of Representatives has delayed the vote on bill HR 4167, says the Organic Consumers Association. HR 4167, or the National Unity for Food Act, had been set to come before the House on...

New US labeling standards for Hoodia gordonii.(adopted by American Herbal Products Association )(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The American Herbal Products Association has adopted a new trade recommendation for Hoodia gordonii raw materials and finished products containing these. The recommendation sets basic identification requirements consistent with federal...

US FTC testifies on dietary supplements before House Committee.
March 1, 2006... In testimony this month before the US House Committee on Government Reform, Lee Peeler, Deputy Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said that, "although many [dietary] supplements offer the potential for...

Dietary supplements maker Garden Life settles FTC charges over deceptive claims.
March 1, 2006... An operation that marketed dietary supplements sold at Whole Foods Market, GNC, the Vitamin Shoppe and on the Internet has settled US Federal Trade Commission charges that it made deceptive advertising claims about its supplements. The FTC...

US FDA calls for seizure of more ephedra-containing dietary supplements.
March 1, 2006... At the request of the US Food and Drug Administration, the Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia has filed a "Complaint for Forfeiture" against Lipodrene, Stimerex-ES and Betadrene, three dietary supplements manufactured,...

New web site in USA on vits/nutraceuticals.
March 1, 2006... A new one-stop web site, www.vnis.org, which offers in-depth information on all 13 vitamins and a host of important nutrients, including lycopene, omega-3 fatty acids and green tea extract, has been set up in the USA, supported by DSM...

US FDA petitioned on definition of "natural" in foods by Sugar Association.
March 1, 2006... The US Sugar Association has filed a formal petition requesting the Food and Drug Administration to "undertake rulemaking to establish specific rules and regulations governing the definition of 'natural' before a 'natural' claim can be labeled...

US FDA provides draft guidance on "whole grain" for manufacturers.
March 1, 2006... The US Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance on what the term "whole grain" may include. The guidance, it says, will assist manufacturers with what the agency considers appropriate for food label statements related to "whole...

UK's FSA board agrees principles for front of food labeling.
March 1, 2006... The UK Food Standards Agency Board has this month agreed its recommendation for a consistent approach to front of pack labeling that it says will help make it easier for people to choose a healthier diet. The Agency's recommendations are based...

US food labeling, ONDCP re-authorization and nutritional supps center stage on Hill.
March 1, 2006... Upon returning from the President's Day recess, the US House of Representatives addressed some notable issues, reports the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. The House passed the National Uniformity for Food Act on March 8, an initiative...

US FDA warns manufacturers on illegal steroid products sold as dietary supplements.
March 1, 2006... The US Food and Drug Administration has this month warned several manufacturers and distributors of unapproved drugs containing steroids that continued distribution and sale of these products without FDA approval could result in regulatory...

FDA warns on safety of L-tryptophan.(Food and Drug Administration)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Given that the scientific evidence is currently insufficient to determine with certainty whether the occurrence of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome in susceptible people taking L-tryptophan supplements is as a result of the content of the product,...

EU clears Metafolin as dietary supplement.
March 1, 2006... The European Commission has approved the use of Merck Eprova's Metafolin (calcium L-methylfolate), its newly-patented form of folate, for use in dietary supplements and foods for particular nutritional uses. Switzerland-based Merck Eprova,...

Background to UK FSA's market research on supplements.
March 1, 2006... The publication by the UK government's Expert Committee on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) of its report in May 2003produced a subtle change in the control of food supplements in Britain. The EVM had been tasked to provide opinions on the upper...

Australian firms see tougher claims moves.
March 1, 2006... Companies in Australia producing functional foods and nutraceuticals could face the same validation processes as pharmaceuticals, according to manufacturer Fonterra's Angela Rowan, who said at a recent Nutrition Society of New Zealand's...

FSANZ draft on calcium supplementation.
March 1, 2006... Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has released its draft assessment of a petition from functional food maker So Natural Foods, to allow the addition of calcium to rice and oat-based drinks. Australian regulations currently allow...

Australia's TGA calls for safety warning on black cohosh product labels.
March 1, 2006... Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration has recently published on its web site the requirement that products containing black cohosh, commonly used to reduce menopausal symptoms, must carry a safety warning. The decision has been...

Austria et al cricisize EFSA on bias over GMO authorization procedure.(European Food Safety Authority criticizes genetically-modified organisms )
March 1, 2006... Some of the European Union's 25 environment ministers have voiced concern over the EU food safety agency's genetically-modified organisms authorization procedure, saying not enough independent and national studies are taken into account,...

France debuts supps presentation chart.(Syndicat de la Dietetique et des Complements Alimentaires approves food supplements chart )(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... In France, the Administrative Council of Syndicat de la Dietetique et des Complements Alimentaires (SDCA), has recently approved a presentation chart for food supplements aimed at assisting members' marketing and regulatory personnel to...

EHPM comments on herbal claims.
March 1, 2006... The European Federation of Health Product Associations, the EHPM, has recently submitted comment on a draft monograph for Valerian radix, currently under discussion by the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) Herbal Medicinal Products Working Group...

Rising innovation in food and drinks, with new product launched every 3.5 mins.
March 1, 2006... The thirst for innovation continues unabated, as last year a new product was launched every three and a half minutes. In 2005 alone, a staggering 156,125 new food and non-food fast moving consumer goods were introduced around the world,...

Japanese dietary supps market growing steadily via catalog sales, says Yano Res.(Industry overview)
March 1, 2006... Japan's health food and dietary supplements market is growing steadily through catalog sales channels due, in part, to the popularity of coenzyme CoQ10, as identified and evidenced by Yano Research Institute in a market report, entitled Japan's...

JHFNA calls for supps classification.(Japanese Health Food & Nutrition Association, dietary supplements)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The Japanese Health Food & Nutrition Association has urged the government to define the classification of dietary supplements which fall between being foods and pharmaceuticals, by discriminating the health care field from the medicinal, and to...

Cyanotech's BioAstin reduces inflammation.
March 1, 2006... Hawaii, USA-based Cyanotech, a producer high-value nutrition and health products from microalgae, has completed a preliminary study of the effects of its BioAstin natural astaxanthin in humans in reducing systemic inflammation as measured by...

Rose-hip supplement "can alleviate pain" for osteoarthritis sufferers, study shows.
March 1, 2006... Rose-hip supplementation can help alleviate joint pain in patients with knee, hip and hand osteoarthritis, according to latest research, carried out at the Copenhagen Country Hospital in Denmark by Kaj Winther of the department of clinical...

Unexpected results from Ca/vit D study.(for postmenopausal women)
March 1, 2006... Two major studies published in the February 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine on the role of calcium and vitamin D supplementation in the health of post-menopausal women showed disappointing outcomes inconsistent with the large...

Use of glucosamine and chondroitin offers osteo pain relief, NEJM reports.
March 1, 2006... The combined use of two dietary supplements - glucosamine and chondroitin - appears to provide pain relief from osteoporosis, the most common form of arthritis, according to the findings of a study published in the New England Journal of...

Plant sterol-fortified foods a semi-option.
March 1, 2006... Plant sterols and stanols, substances that can lower cholesterol, are now being added to foods ranging from granola bars to chocolate. The catch is that you need to eat about 2g worth of added sterols or stanols every day to put a dent in your...

"Not all chondroitin sulfates are the same".(dietary supplements)
March 1, 2006... A study presented at the 6th ICRS Symposium in San Diego, USA, earlier this year has confirmed that there are significant differences in activity between the various chondroitin sulfate ingredients found in joint health supplements. The...

Modified yogurt may block HIV infection.
March 1, 2006... Researchers at Brown University in the USA claim they have genetically modified some of the baceria found in yogurt to release a drug that blocks HIV. The results are reported inn the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Although the...

CSIRO develops high-amylose wheat.
March 1, 2006... The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australia's national science agency, has developed a new experimental wheat variety with the potential to provide benefits in the areas of bowel health, diabetes and obesity. ...

Strong clinical data for Enzymatic's SmartQ10.
March 1, 2006... Enzymatic Therapy, a USA-based manufacturer and distributor of nutritional supplements, has reported positive safety and tolerability results from a recent clinical study using its Vitaline SmartQ10 supplement for the support of neurological...

Kellog: promotional US heart health project.
March 1, 2006... Kellogg Company's Smart Start Healthy Heart brand is launching a major health initiative in the USA, to call attention to the issue of heart disease, to coincide with the launch of its Smart Start Healthy Heart Maple Brown Sugar. The campaign...

Forbes M-T's Reducol hits Tesco shelves in UK.
March 1, 2006... Forbes Medi-Tech, a Canadian life sciences company focused on solutions for high cholesterol, says that the UK's largest food retailer, Tesco Stores, has started selling a milk drink incorporating its cholesterol- lowering ingredient, Reducol....

Lensi launches gluten-free organic pasta range.
March 1, 2006... Leading Italian pasta manufacturer Pasta Lensi has launched a range of 100% organic gluten-free pasta products under its Mrs Leepers brand. Lensi says that the products agree with Coeliac UK's target of less than 20 parts per million of...

LifeGuard Health launches Omega-Cardio.(fish oil supplement )(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... USA-based supplements firm LifeGuard Health is launching Omega-Cardio, a fish oil supplement specially formulated to optimize cardiovascular health and to reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, on the domestic market. The product is...

Hain Celestial to debut organic baby formula.
March 1, 2006... USA-based natural and organic food and health care firm Hain Celestial says that it plans to introduce and roll out a line of Earth's Best Organic Infant Formula, its organic milk-based powder, which is patterned after breast milk for easy...

Leche Pascual launches Zumusol Activo.(functional drink made of fruit juices and pasturized liquid egg launched )(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Spanish food and beverage firm Leche Pascual has launched Zumosol Activo, a functional drink made from fruit juices and pasturized liquid egg. The product contains freshly-squeezed orange and grape juice and Pascual has introduced Zumosol...

Salt substitute lowers hypertension in China.
March 1, 2006... A salt substitute specially-formulated to be flavorful and effective has significantly reduced blood pressure among high-risk residents of northern, rural China, where the diet heavily features salt-pickled foods and hypertension is, therefore,...

Wassen launches Selen-Activ antioxidant.
March 1, 2006... UK health supplements firm Wassen has launched its antioxidant product Selene-Activ containing 200mcg of selenium as well as 20mg of alpha lipoic acid together with vitamins C and E. The supplement is now available in high street chemists...

Omega Farms launches all-natural range.(natural omega-3 fatty acids used in dairy products)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Californian dairy group Omega Farms says it has launched a range of products which are the first to contain only 100% natural omega-3 fatty acids. The firm, which is part of the Pacific Cheese group, says that its line of milk, cheese,...

Aquanova initiates Alipure SOL deal.
March 1, 2006... Germany's Aquanova, a specialist developer of nanostructured liquid formulas for active substances, says it has entered into a partnership with fellow German firm Degussa Food Ingredients GmbH, covering the distribution of the former's...

Martek's DHA to feature in soymilk.
March 1, 2006... USA-based Martek Biosciences has announced that its omega-3 fatty acid product Martek DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is to be incorporated into a new line of soymilk-based beverages manufactured by Californian drinks firm Odwalla. Martek says that...

Z-Trim adopted by Australian food firm.
March 1, 2006... USA-based FiberGel Technologies, a subsidiary of health technology development specialists Circle Group Holdings, says it has received an order for one metric ton of its Z-Trim, zero-calorie fat replacement ingredient from an unnamed Australian...

Takara Shuzo launches Banquet Supplement.
March 1, 2006... Japanese firm Takara Shuzo, a manufacturer of alcohol, health drinks and foodstuffs, says it began the marketing of a product called Banquet Supplement, containing torula yeast extract, aloe arborescense powder and vitamin C, to Japanese...

Warrior Supplements receives TSN support.(Sports News Network)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... USA-based nutrient manufacturer Warrior Supplements says that its line of dietary products has received the support of US sports newswire The Sports Network. The supplements are designed for the strenuous sports and physical fitness...

NutraCea to build new stabilization plant.
March 1, 2006... California, USA-based NutraCea says it has entered into a raw rice bran supply deal with Louisiana Rice Mill. The agreement triples NutraCea's capacity to produce its proprietary Stabilized Rice Bran in the USA. In addition, the company...

Flat sales at Raisio and earnings dip.(Raisio Group Oyj)
March 1, 2006... Finland's Raisio saw a slight drop in its operating result for 2005, excluding one-off items, over the previous year. Turnover for 2005 was nearly the same as the previous year at 434.6 million euros versus 437.9 million euros in continuing...

Novartis completes nutrition unit sale.
March 1, 2006... Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis has completed the previously- announced sale of its Nutrition & Sante business unit for 220.0 million euros ($261.8 million) under an agreement signed last year with funds managed by ABN AMRO Capital France...

Grape juice may inhibit breast cancer.
March 1, 2006... Drinking Concord grape juice inhibited the formation of breast tumors in laboratory rats while also reducing the amount of DNA damage to mammary glands, according to a study published in a recent issue of Cancer Letters. The study was...

Cognis and Bringwell sign Tonalin CLA deal.
March 1, 2006... Germany-headquartered global nutritional ingredients and speciality chemicals company Cognis and Sweden's Bringwell International AB have agreed to sign an exclusive trade mark sub-licence deal for the former's Tonalina CLA (polyunsaturated,...

Diet Horizon debuts Hoodia prods in UK.
March 1, 2006... Diet Horizon has launched its Hoodia gordonii products in the UK, saying that Hoodia "is the latest revolution to help prevent overeating due to its appetite suppressing properties." It adds that its "unique range of the finest quality...

Forbes Medi-Tech ends stake in JV for $25 million and extends deal with Pharmavite.
March 1, 2006... Forbes Medi-Tech of Canada has announced plans to sell its interest in Phyto-Source LP, the company's 50-50 sterol manufacturing joint venture, for $25.0 million to Chusei Oil Co, the Japanese parent of the Vancouver-based firm's JV partner,...

PacificHealth sells off sports drink patents.
March 1, 2006... PacificHealth Laboratories, a US sports nutrition firm based in Matawan, New Jersey, has sold trademarks, technology and patents connected to its Accelerade and Endurox R4 sports-drink brands to Motts, a Ryebrook, New York-based group owned by...

Spain's Natraceutical 2005 profits rise 4.8%.(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Natraceutical, Spain's fastest-growing functional foods company, has posted a 4.8% jump in 2005 net profits to 3.7 million euros ($4.4 million), helped by rising revenues and the integration of its recently-acquired Obipektin and Overseal...

Oragenics reveals global strategy for 2006.(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Robert Zhradnik, chief executive of US firm Oragenics, has outlined plans for the company for the remainder of 2006 in a letter to shareholders. The company plans to pursue a global strategy in 2006 for conducting clinical trials for its...

Martek earnings fall 21% but beat forecasts.(Martek Biosciences Corp.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... US infant formula and dietary supplements specialist group Martek Bioscience has posted a decline in revenues and profits for its fiscal first-quarter ended January 31, but still beat analysts' consensus forecasts. Sales dipped 5.6% to...

Jamieson Labs looks at income trust route.
March 1, 2006... Ontario-based Jamieson Laboratories, Canada's largest vitamin maker, is considering a move to transform itself into an income trust and launch an initial public offering of around $175.0 million, according to people familiar with the situation...

Cyanotech goes down the direct sales route.
March 1, 2006... Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp, which specializes in developing and marketing natural products from microalgae, has posted yet another disappointing set of results for the fiscal third quarter ended December 31, 2005. Sales fell 27% to $2.3...

Nutrition 21 remains upbeat despite losses.(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... The USA's Nutrition 21, which specializes in chromium-based nutritional supplements, has posted a 41.7% decrease in revenues for its fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2005, to $2.1 million, while its net loss was $3.1 million, or $0.08...

Natural Alternatives sees bright future.(Natural Alternatives International Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... San Marcos, California, USA-based Natural Alternatives International, which specializes in customized supplements, has posted an 8% decrease in revenues for the fiscal second quarter ended December 31, 2005, to $19.9 million, while net income...

Herbalife sees 2005 net sales reach $1.6B.
March 1, 2006... USA-based Herbalife, a developer of nutritional supplements, says that it achieved sales of $1.6 billion in 2005, an increase of 19.6% on 2004's figure. The firm also reported fourth-quarter net income of $30.0 million, or $1.28 per diluted...

Amphion's WellGen completes financing.
March 1, 2006... New York, USA-based Amphion Innovations, an investor in life science concerns, says that one of the companies in its biotechnology portfolio, New Jersey-headquartered WellGen, has completed a series B financing totalling $3.0 million. WellGen,...

GNC's net income falls to $18.4M in 2005.
March 1, 2006... Pittsburgh, USA-based GNC, the largest global retailer of nutritional supplements, says that its consolidated revenues for the full year 2005 were $1.31 billion, a decline from the $1.34 billion it reported in 2004, which it linked to a...

Epax AS splits from Pronova Biocare.(Pronova A/S)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Norwegian firm Epax AS has formerly announced its demerger from its parent company Pronova Biocare. Epax says it will continue to produce omega-3 fatty acid products such as eicosapentaenoic and docosahexanoic acid under the Epax brand name....

Forthcoming meetings/events.
March 1, 2006... The Association of the European Self-medication Industry (AESGP) is holding its 42nd annual meeting in Athens, Greece, June 7-9; For further details, visit: www.aesgp.be. The Evolving Regulatory Framework for Herbal Medicinal Products will...

People on the move.
March 1, 2006... The US Consumer Healthcare Products Association has elected John Henrickson, executive vice president and general manager of Perrigo Consumer Healthcare, as its board chairman. He succeeds Bayer's Timothy Hayes. California, USA-based...