Nutraceuticals International articles from March 2009

Nutraceuticals International archives from March 2009

Beta carotene reduces male cognitive decline.
March 1, 2009... A new study conducted by researchers at the USA's Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, found that men who take beta carotene supplements for 15 years or longer may have less cognitive decline. Two groups of men,...

Probiotics relieve UC symptoms in mice.
March 1, 2009... A study published in the January 21 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology found that four strains of probiotics isolated from human feces (E.feacalis, L.acidophilus, C.butyricum and B.adolescentis) relieved symptoms of ulcerative...

Oxidative stress "may not be cause of aging".
March 1, 2009... Researchers at Canada's McGill University have found that some organisms actually live longer when their ability to rid themselves of free radical build-up is partially disabled, calling into question the theory that oxidative stress is the...

Antioxidants prevent hearing loss in animals.
March 1, 2009... Vitamin supplements can prevent hearing loss in laboratory animals, according to two new studies conducted by US scientists. The antioxidants beta carotene, vitamins C and E and the mineral magnesium prevented both temporary and permanent...

Study suggests multivitamins no benefit to post-menopausal women.
March 1, 2009... The largest study ever conducted on post-menopausal women claims that multivitamins may offer no benefit in reducing the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or overall mortality. The study, published in the Archives of Internal...

DHEA may be effective in prostate cancer.
March 1, 2009... DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a natural circulating hormone and the body's production of it decreases with age. Men take it as an over-the-counter supplement because it has been suggested that DHEA can reverse aging or have anabolic effects...

Fructose impact on triglycerides in obese.
March 1, 2009... Obese people who drink fructose-sweetened beverages with their meals have an increased rise of triglycerides following the meal, according to new research from the Monell Center. "Increased triglycerides after a meal are known predictors of...

Lifewayas buys Fresh Made Dairy for $14M.
March 1, 2009... Illinois, USA-based Lifeway Foods, the maker of a nutritious, probiotic dairy beverage called Kefir, has announced the acquisition of Fresh Made Dairy, its leading competitor in the Kefir market with a number two overall sector share. The...

Omacor sales drive Pronova's 2008 income.(Pronova Biopharma)(Financial report)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Norway's Pronova Biopharma, a developer of omega-3 derived drug products, saw 2008 profit more than double, year-on-year, due to rocketing sales of Omacor (concentrated omega-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids). Revenue jumped 28% to 1.3...

Sanofi expands on Symbion acquisition.(Sanofi-Aventis S.A.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Mergers and acquisitions are occurring more frequently in the region following the economic disruptions of the present financial crisis, but this has not deterred Sanofi-Aventis Australia/New Zealand, a unit of the leading French drugmaker,...

UK's HSIS reaffirms supplementation need.(Health Supplements Information Service)
March 1, 2009... Commenting on a report published on February 9 in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Carrie Ruxton, independent nutritionist and scientific advisor to the UK-based Health Supplements Information Service, notes that "a significant proportion of...

What to look forward to at Vitafoods.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Visitors to this year's Vitafoods in Geneva, Switzerland, being held May 5-7, will be interested by VitaTrend, a joint initiative by Innova Market Insights and the Vitafoods exhibition. Central trends on nutraceuticals and functional foods will...

France's Synadiet outlines plans/goals.
March 1, 2009... France's union of natural, specialist nutrition products and food supplements, the Synadiet, has re-elected Alban Maggiar as president for the fifth consecutive year. He is the managing director of Laboratoire Carrare. The larger of two...

Strategic steps needed to get EU-wide access for "other ingredient" supps.
March 1, 2009... Food supplement companies hoping to market products containing ingredients other than vitamins and minerals across the European Union, must ensure their business strategies take into account national rules now that harmonization is unlikely,...

EU Commission does not want to regulate "other substances" among food supplements.
March 1, 2009... Within the area of food supplements, the European Union Commission has said it does not want to regulate "other substances." A Europe-wide positive list for substances other than vitamins and minerals in food supplements is probably off the...

Danone 2008 sales up 8.4%, but fourth quarter growth slips to 6%.(Financial report)
March 1, 2009... France's Groupe Danone posted consolidated turnover for the full year 2008 that was up 19.1% at 15.22 billion euros ($19.59 billion). Excluding the effects of changes in exchange rates (-3.5%) and in-scope consolidation (+14.2%, total sales...

IADSA workshop keeps the spotlight on Latin America dietary supplements in 2009.
March 1, 2009... The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA) kicked off 2009 with a Latin American workshop for officials and experts on global, regional and national regulatory trends. The workshop, on January 26 in Lima, Peru,...

US FTC targets weight-loss prod marketers on bogus "free" sample offers.(United States Federal Trade Commission)
March 1, 2009... Two US marketers of dietary supplement that lured consumers on the Internet with allegedly deceptive weight-loss claims and bogus "free" sample offers, and then debited their bank accounts or charged their credit cards for continuing shipments...

NPA commends FDA on law enforcement.
March 1, 2009... The USA's Natural Products Association says that it applauds the Food and Drug Administration's ongoing investigation of weight loss products containing prescription medication and falsely marketed as dietary supplements (NIs passim). The...

Yakult USA extends probiotic to Texas.
March 1, 2009... Beginning in March, Yakult USA, a subsidiary of Japan-based Yakult Honsha, will make its signature probiotic dairy beverage, Yakult, available to consumers in the USA's second largest economy - Texas. The product will be sold in Wal-Mart,...

Roex touts antiox benefits of PC Voom.
March 1, 2009... Roex, a US nutritional supplement company, has announced results of the ORAC analysis performed on PC Voom, its antioxidant energy supplement. The findings conclude that PC Voom offers more than three times the antioxidant power of other...

"Black garlic" launched in UK.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Black Garlic Ltd has announced the launch of "black garlic "into the UK. The product is aged and fermented garlic. Its aging process, the firm says, turns regular garlic's bitter white cloves into soft, sweet, black segments which are odorless....

Solbar debuts Bontex at Nat Foods Expo.(Solbar Industries Ltd.)(Natural Foods Expo)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... At the Natural Foods Expo this month in Anaheim, USA, Solbar Industries of Israel introduced its Bontex, the first in a series of new unique applications for its steam-textured product - soy filler in praline chocolate centers. According...

EU Novel Food status for Neptune's NKO.(European Union)(Neptune Technologies and Bioressources Inc.)(neptune krill oil)
March 1, 2009... Canada's Neptune Technologies & Bioressources has announced that the European Food Safety Authority has approved Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) as a Novel Food and PARNUTS (Foods for Particular Nutritional Uses) for commercialization in the European...

Japanese patent for Enzymotec's Lyso-PC.
March 1, 2009... Israel's Enzymotec says that it has received Japanese patent office approval for its production process of Lyso-Phospholipids. The patent entitled "enzymatic process for the production of predetermined 1-acyl-2 lyso and 1,2-diacylated...

Dannon expands Activia range in USA.
March 1, 2009... USA-based Dannon, part of France's Groupe Danone, says that it will expand the Activia brand, adding two new functional products to its probiotic portfolio. The cultured fresh dairy products, Activia Dairy Drinks and Activia Fiber, both with...

Enzymotec expands Krill capacity.
March 1, 2009... In its new 200,000 sq ft Good Manufacturing Practice facility in the USA, set to operate this spring, Israeli firm Enzymotec will consolidate its production and significantly increase its capacity in an effort to meet ever-growing customers...

Abbott opens new pediatric nutrition manufacturing facility in Singapore.
March 1, 2009... US health care giant Abbott Laboratories has opened its largest nutrition product manufacturing facility in Singapore to meet increasing regional demand for its pediatric nutrition products, including Similac. The facility will serve up to one...

Higher calcium intake may prevent cancer.
March 1, 2009... Women with a higher intake of calcium have a lower risk of cancer overall, and both men and women with high calcium intakes have less chance of digestive cancers, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Scientists...

Vit D deficiency linked with common cold.
March 1, 2009... Vitamin D may be an important tool to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study analyzed data from the Third National Health and Nutrition...

AMD risk reduced by Vit B and folic acid.
March 1, 2009... Taking a combination of vitamins B6, B12 and folic acid appears to decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration in women, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Recent studies have drawn a connection between...

Three cups of tea can cut stroke risk by 21%.
March 1, 2009... Drinking green or black tea can significantly reduce the risk of stroke, according to results presented at the American Heart Association's International Stroke Conference, held in San Diego, California. Researchers conducted a review of...

ECJ rules against Spain on botanical prods.
March 1, 2009... The European Court of Justice has issued a judgement against Spain for not applying the principle of mutual recognition in its policy on botanical food supplements has been welcomed by the European Botanical Forum. The ECJ's judgment was...

France's Synadiet's beta carotene opinion.
March 1, 2009... France's union of natural, specialist nutrition products and food supplements, the Synadiet, has issued a statement in response to media claims that beta carotene-based food supplements are dangerous for human consumption, especially for...

UK FSA plans color-free brands list.
March 1, 2009... The UK Food Standards Agency is encouraging food manufacturers to advise if they want their firm or brands to be included on a list of those free from certain colors. The colors in question are Sunset Yellow FCF (E110), Quinolene Yellow (E104),...

Disappointment at US FDA's dismissal of ingredients lists from nutra industry.
March 1, 2009... The US Food and Drug Administration recently announced its conclusion that pyridoxamine does not meet the statutory definition of a dietary supplement. While pyridoxamine is a vitamin, this decision has relevance for the herbal industry because...

US state of Maryland law on nutriton info.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Two pieces of legislation introduced in the US state of Maryland General Assembly would make it much easier for restaurant patrons there to manage their weight and avoid heart disease. The first, sponsored by Senator David Harrington...

Functional foods and beverages in China and Japan; emerging opportunities.
March 1, 2009... With slowing economic growth in Europe and the USA, companies are taking a closer look at the fastest-growing, innovative and emerging markets for foods and beverages. China and Japan are key Asian markets for providing novel ideas and market...

Further US FDA action needed to improve oversight on dietary supps, says GAO.
March 1, 2009... The US Government Accountability Office, in response to a request from the House Committee on Government Reform on regulation of dietary supplements by the Food and Drug Administration, has issued its report, finding that the FDA should take...

European Food Safety Authority meets stakeholder groups on Art 13 claims.
March 1, 2009... Members of the European Food Safety Authority's Stakeholder Consultative Platform met to discuss, amongst other issues, the strengthening of EFSA's approach to public consultation on its scientific outputs and with regard to Article 13 claims....

EP report on food labeling proposals.
March 1, 2009... The European Parliament's Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee recently released its draft report on the European Commission's proposal for a new food labeling regulation. The EP Committee has deleted the proposed 3mm...

Green veg extract has anti-melanoma activity.
March 1, 2009... Compounds extracted from green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage could be a potent drug against melanoma, according to a team of US researchers. "There are currently no drugs to target the proteins that trigger melanoma," said Gavin...

AHCC could benefit West Nile carriers.
March 1, 2009... A study recently published on-line in the Journal of Nutrition has demonstrated that active hexose correlated compound enhances host resistance by boosting protective immune responses specific to West Nile virus, suggesting that AHCC dietary...

99% success for riboflavin eye procedure.(Brian Boxer Wachler)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A US eye specialist says he has developed a nutrient-based surgical procedure that offers 99% success in the treatment of keratoconus, an often devastating condition that can lead to blindness. Brian Boxer Wachler, a world-renowned surgeon...

Potential protective role for vit B in celiac disease.
March 1, 2009... A Dutch team of scientists led by Muhammed Hadithi has found that B vitamin supplements seem to have a protective role against the effect of villous atrophy on homocysteine levels in celiac patients, irrespective of their genetic susceptibility...

Galaxy down 24% on ingredient costs.(Galaxy Nutritional Foods Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Florida, USA-based Galaxy Nutritional Foods has reported a 24% dip in profits, year-on-year, for its third fiscal quarter to December 31, 2008, due to increased costs for one of the company's main product ingredients. Net income was...

DSM profit up 34% on high nutra growth.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Dutch life and materials sciences firm DSM's 2008 profit was up 34%, year-on-year, due to enhanced profitability in its nutrition segment. However, the fourth quarter showed the effect of the current economic climate. Revenue was up 6% to...

NAI reports $3.3M loss on slowing business.(Financial report)
March 1, 2009... The USA's Natural Alternatives International reported a loss of $3.3 million, or $0.47 per share, in the fiscal second-quarter to December 31, 2008 compared to a net loss of $180,000, or $0.03 per share, in the like, 2007 quarter. The...

Nutrition 21 reports 2nd qtr in profit.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... New York, USA-based Nutrition 21 has announced its second quarter of profitability on a cost-cutting program focused on marketing expenses. For the quarter ended December 31, 2008 the firm reported total revenues of $12.9 million versus...

On-line system for Canadians to get safe and faster access to natural health prods.(Colin Carrie)
March 1, 2009... Colin Carrie, Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Health, has launched the first phase of Online Solution, a secure on-line system for processing natural health product submissions, site licenses, and clinical trial authorizations...

Big growth in South Africa's CAM market.
March 1, 2009... Early results from a business survey commissioned by the South African Health Products Association (HPA) indicate an almost 100% increase in financial growth of the complementary and alternative medicine industry in the years 2003-2008....

Japan health food market declining.
March 1, 2009... A recent market research report estimates the size of the Japanese health food market in 2008 to be about $11.5 billion. This does not include Food for Special Health Use( FOSHU) and shows a drop of about 4% compared with 2007. At its peak in...

Codex to consider more key additives.
March 1, 2009... During 2009, the Codex Committee on Food Additives will continue to consider whether to approve the use of a number of key additives in food supplements. In particular, it is seeking more information to justify the use of: aluminium...

Forthcoming meetings/events.(Conference news)
March 1, 2009... Food Safety & Quality, organized by Asia Business Forum, takes place April 20-21 at the Crowne Plaza, Beijing, China, against a background of the recent escalation of food product contamination in China, and will include presentations from...

People on the move.(appointment of James Lintzenich as chief executive at NutraCea)(Valensa International has appointed Rudi Moerck)(China-Biotics has appointed Lewis Fan as chief financial officer)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... - USA-based stabilized rice bran specialist NutraCea says that James Lintzenich, chairman of the audit committee has been appointed to the role of chief executive on an interim basis. He will replace Brad Edson, who has resigned from his...

Eniva launches nutra cholesterol lowerer.
March 1, 2009... Minneapolis, USA-based Eniva Nutraceutics has introduced its new Eniva Cholesterol Reducer formula. This advanced, liquid nutritional supplement is Eniva's newest heart health product, designed to support healthy cholesterol and homocysteine...

SCN gains rights to Coldizin in UK.(Scandinavian Clinical Nutrition AB's agreement with Vital Life International)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Scandinavian Clinical Nutrition AB of Sweden has entered into an exclusive distribution and supply agree -ment for the patented and trade mark protected product Coldizin in the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands with Vital Life International,...

Martek to supply DHA, ARA for Prodigy.(Martek Biosciences Corp's contract with Rice Field Corp.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Martek Biosciences Corp of the USA has signed a multi-year DHA and ARA sole-source supply agreement with Rice Field Corp. Martek will supply its DHA and ARA blend, life'sDHA and life'sARA, for all infant formula products manufactured by Rice...

Sigma Tau debuts carnitine web site.
March 1, 2009... Sigma-Tau HealthScience USA, part of the Italian Sigma Tau group, has launched www.GlycoCarn.com, an informational web site devoted to its new L-carnitine, GlycoCarn, USP (glycine propionyl-L-carnitine or GPLC). GlycoCarn, "the ultimate nitric...

Turmeric acts as cell "disciplinarian" in body.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... Revered in India as "holy powder," the marigold-colored spice known as turmeric has been used for centuries to treat wounds, infections and other health problems. Yet, little has been known about exactly how curcumin works. Research...

Vit C can cut risk of gout; Canadian study.
March 1, 2009... Men with higher vitamin C intake appear less likely to develop gout, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers at University of British Columbia, Canada, examined the relationship between vitamin C intake and...

Data against vit C cancer therapy flawed?
March 1, 2009... A recent study, which concluded that high doses of vitamin C reduce the effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of cancer was seriously flawed, according to an article that was published in the journal Alternative and...

N American children deficient in omega-3.
March 1, 2009... A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that 78% of Canadian children are not receiving adequate amounts of omega-3 in their diets. Researchers from the University of Guelph in Ontario found that the median daily...

Report finds immune health product opps.(Brief article)
March 1, 2009... A growing number of products in the food and drinks sector are being marketed as providing consumers with immune health and vitality benefits. These products claim to protect and defend the immune system, help maintain vitality and inner...

181 new inulin and oligofructose products launched in 2008 worldwide, from 15 in 2002.
March 1, 2009... Dairy drinks that promote health continue to grow in popularity across the globe, according to Belgium-based BENEO-Orafti. New product launches that promote a health benefit have been increasing in popularity and now comprise over 70% of all...

Nanotechnology in supplements and foods - EU concerns by Peter Berry Ottaway.
March 1, 2009... Although research into nanotechnology has been going on for some years, it is only relatively recently that the results of this type of research have become commercially available. Nanoparticles are generally accepted as those with a...

EU Commission opinion on other ingredients offers wide range of solutions for supps: EAS.
March 1, 2009... The European Commission's opinion for no European Union harmonization of substances other than vitamins and minerals used in food supplements has a number of implications for the sector, a Brussels, Belgium-based food policy consultant has...

Burcon NutraScience signs ClarisSoy deals.
March 1, 2009... Vancouver, Canada-basedd Burcon NutraScience Corp says that it has entered into material transfer agreements and non-disclosure agreements with a number of globally recognized food, beverage and nutritional product companies for the evaluation...

Folic, B vit in Animi-3 may prevent vision loss.
March 1, 2009... A new study by researchers at Harvard Medical School has found that combining essential B vitamins, including B6, B12 and folic acid, lower the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), one of the leading causes of vision loss...

M. cymbalaria improves glucose tolerance.
March 1, 2009... A team of Indian scientists has conducted animal studies showing that the roots of a cucumber-like vegetable could have potential in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Presented at Diabetes UK's Annual Professional Conference in Glasgow,...

Folate supps "double prostate cancer risk".
March 1, 2009... A study led by researchers at the USA's University of Southern California found that men who took a daily folic acid supplement of 1mg had more than twice the risk of prostate cancer compared with those who took a placebo. The finding came...

Wine "reduces Barret's Esophagus risk 56%".
March 1, 2009... Drinking one glass of wine a day may lower the risk of Barrett's Esophagus by 56%, according to a new study by scientists at Kaiser Permanente, the USA's largest non-profit health insurer. The condition is a precursor to esophageal cancer, the...

Broccoli compound eases airway inflammation.
March 1, 2009... University of California, Los Angeles, researchers report that a naturally-occurring compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against respiratory inflammation that causes conditions like asthma, allergic...