Nutraceuticals International articles from May 2001

Nutraceuticals International archives from May 2001

Positive list of micronutrients for dietetic products: the implications.
May 1, 2001... After a 10-year delay, the European Commission's directive on "substances that may be added for specific nutritional purposes in foods for particular nutritional uses" has been adopted and published as Directive 2001/15/EC. This new...

AESGP concern at EU trad meds proposal.
May 1, 2001... The Association of the European Self-Medication Industry has expressed concern at the European Commission's proposal that Community scientific monographs should be established by a new Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products of the European...

UK OTC firms accused over price hikes.
May 1, 2001... On April 25, the UK Restrictive Practices Court resumed hearing the UK Director General of Fair Trading's case seeking to abolish Resale Price Maintenance on over-the-counter drugs, including vitamins/minerals/supplements, the last price-fixing...

Japan unveils functional health food category; distinguishes drug from food.
May 1, 2001... Japan's Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Korosho) has published a new guidance entitled "Revision of the criteria regarding the range of drugs," which sets out the framework to determine whether a product taken...

Norway rapped by EFTA over fortification.
May 1, 2001... Following shortly after the decision by the European Commission to start legal proceedings against Denmark for refusing to allow foods fortified with vitamins to be sold (NI vol 6, no 4), the European Free Trade Association has taken a similar...

Greek VMS market grows 24% in 2000.
May 1, 2001... Sales of vitamins, minerals and supplements in Greece grew 24% to 8.7 billion drachmas ($24 million) in 2000, making VMS the fastest-growing sector of the Greek over-the-counter products market, according to Nicholas Hall's OTC News and Market...

Decision on EU food agency location near?
May 1, 2001... The European Union Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs, David Byrne, has suggested that a city close to Brussels, Belgium, or Strasbourg, France, is likely to be chosen as the headquarters of the new Food Safety Agency, according to a...

Brazil in court battle over GM soy.
May 1, 2001... Consumer and environmental groups are fighting in the courts to try to prevent the Brazilian government legalizing the cultivation of genetically-modified soy. Brazil is an important supplier for manufacturers of soy-based foods which want to...

ANZFA slammed for energy drink proposals.
May 1, 2001... The Australia New Zealand Food Authority has been criticized by the Australasian Soft Drinks Association over the ANZFA's proposals to alter the regulations governing energy drinks. In response to the ANZFA's suggestion that such products be...

Japan warns two firms on price-fixing.
May 1, 2001... Japan's Fair Trade Commission has issued warnings to Daiichi Pharmaceutical and Eisai over vitamin price-fixing, although three European companies (Roche, BASF and Rhone-Poulenc [now Aventis]) have escaped censure due to a lack of evidence. No...

Soy vs palm oil in India.
May 1, 2001... High import tariffs in India have led to a sharp decline in the demand for palm oil, and a related surge in imports of soy oil, according to the just-food.com web site. Malaysian and Indonesian suppliers, which have long had a firm grip on...

FDLI meeting views dietary supplement guidelines, RDA-based limits et al.
May 1, 2001... The USA has changed its opinion on support for supplement guidelines drawn up by Codex Alimentarius, Elizabeth Yetley, director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition's Office of Special Nutritionals, told a recent US Food and Drug...

CFSAN to regulate supplement claims.
May 1, 2001... The US Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Science and Applied Nutrition will now have responsibility for regulating claims made for dietary supplements under a new deal worked out with the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research....

New PDR claims to provide answers on supplement science.
May 1, 2001... The newly-published Physicians Desk Reference for Nutritional Supplements, a 700-page reference volume, claims to "summarize and analyze the research data behind nutritional supplements and weigh in on whether or not the health claims are...

HHS report on dietary supplements dismissed by US industry groups.
May 1, 2001... The US Food and Drug Administration cannot sufficiently safeguard consumers from the potential dangers of dietary supplements because of an inadequate adverse event reporting system for these products, according to a report issued by the...

NREA to be re-introduced.
May 1, 2001... The Nutraceutical Research and Education Act, first introduced to US Congress last year (NIs passim), is expected to be re-introduced this session. The NREA would grant manufacturers which conduct clinical trials in support of a product claim a...

Nebraska lifts ephedra ban.
May 1, 2001... The US state of Nebraska has signed into law a bill lifting the ban on sales of ephedra. Nebraska had been the only state which barred the sale of this herb, according to a report from lawfirm Ullman, Shapirro, Ullman. The bill will be...

Negative St John's wort study slammed by industry groups.
May 1, 2001... Groups representing the dietary supplement and herbal industries in the USA have reacted strongly to a new prospective, placebo-controlled study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (April 18), which has found that St...

Protein supplements of little use, says trial.
May 1, 2001... Ingesting protein and amino acid supplements after vigorous exercise does not boost muscle mass and strength, according to a clinical trial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (2001;35:109-113). Researchers from Staffordshire...

L-carnitine improves exercise recovery.
May 1, 2001... Lonza of Switzerland has reported that a clinical trial of its L-Carnipure (L-carnitine L-tartrate) supplement ingredient, reported at the Experimental Biology meeting last month, has shown that it can help recreational athletes recover after...

CoQ10 promising in ataxia, says study.
May 1, 2001... Supplementation with coenzyme Q10 has been shown to provide significant benefits to patients suffering from familial cerebellar ataxia, a rare neurodegenerative disorder which leads to seizures, muscle wasting and an impaired ability to move...

Soy may protect against Alzheimer's.
May 1, 2001... A study carried out in monkeys has come to the conclusion that soy protein may be able to protect against changes in the brain characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Helen Kim of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA, presented the...

SKW East Asia to launch low-cholesterol egg powder in Japan.
May 1, 2001... SKW East Asia has said it will shortly begin importing its Easy Health Egg powder, made at a new plant in Germany, to Japan, in response to what it describes as "a growing awareness of the cholesterol problem." The company is part of the...

Probiotics' benefits in eczema affirmed.
May 1, 2001... Evidence of the health benefits of probiotics continues to mount. A recent Finnish study published in The Lancet (2001;357:1076-79) has found that administering Valio of Finland's proprietary strain of Lactobacillus rhamnosus (Lactobacillus GG)...

More controversy on fiber supplements.
May 1, 2001... The idea that high-fiber diets promote health has entered popular consciousness, and sales of dietary supplements and functional foods with added fiber are strong. However, some supplements could promote colon cancer, a recent review warns (Gut...

Raisio and Valio collaboration bears first fruit with cholesterol-lowering yogurt.
May 1, 2001... The collaboration between Raisio and Valio of Finland in the functional food arena, first announced last December (NI vol 6, no 1), has now reached its first milestone with the launch of a new cholesterol-lowering yogurt product in Finland...

Danisco on the acquisition trail.
May 1, 2001... Danish food ingredients company Danisco has acquired Florida Flavors of the USA for an undisclosed sum, and is reportedly also in talks to acquire Goodman Fielder of Australia's Germantown food ingredients subsidiary, according to the...

Novartis takes Ovaltine out of UK.
May 1, 2001... Novartis has announced that the malted drink Ovaltine, which has at times been promoted as both a sports drink and a sleeping aid, will no longer be manufactured in the UK where it has been made since 1913. Production will now be consolidated...

Roche opens new citric acid plant in China.
May 1, 2001... Roche and partner Wuxi Zhongya Chemical Company have inaugurated a new citric acid production facility in China with an annual production capacity of 40,000 tonnes. The 100 million Swiss franc ($57 million) plant will supply China's domestic...

Cyanotech gets new US patent for BioAstin.
May 1, 2001... Hawaii, USA-based dietary supplements manufacturer Cyanotech has been granted notice that the US Patent and Trademark Office will endorse its application for a patent on the use of the firm's BioAstin brand of astaxanthin for "retarding and...

Nutrition 21's calcium taurate; 2nd patent.
May 1, 2001... Nutritional ingredients firm Nutrition 21 has been awarded a second patent in the USA on calcium taurate (No 6,203,823), covering the oral administration of the nutrient in a prescribed ratio of calcium to taurine. This complex provides...

Martek's oil blends in human nutrition.
May 1, 2001... The European Patent Office has granted a patent (No EP-B-0 586 606) to Martek Biosciences covering compositions and uses of blends of docosahexaenoic acid- and arachidonic acid-containing oils as additives or supplements for the human diet and...

Ortek gains patent on anticaries ingredient.
May 1, 2001... Ortek Therapeutics has been awarded a second US patent (No 6,217,851) for CaviStat, a compound based on saliva chemistry, which is initially targeted for inclusion in toothpaste but could also find applications in chewing gum and candies. The...

Hauser process for catechin extraction.
May 1, 2001... Hauser has patented a novel process in the USA (No 6,210,679) which relates to the isolation and purification of caffeine-free mixtures of polyphenol catechins from various different biomass sources, preferably from green tea leaves. More...

General Mills patents calcium-fortified cereal.
May 1, 2001... General Mills has been awarded a new US patent (No 6,210,720) which relates to a method whereby ready-to-eat cereals and cookies can be fortified with calcium at a level (at least 0.3% on a dry-weight basis) that would ordinarily lead to...

Inter-Cal files for Ester-C protection.
May 1, 2001... Inter-Cal Nutraceuticals has applied for an international patent covering the use of its Ester-C brand of mineral ascorbate to treat cancer in humans and based on preclinical research indicating that the product selectively kills a variety of...

Sabinsa says forskohlin patent defensible.
May 1, 2001... Sabinsa has said that a US patent covering the weight-loss properties of forskohlin (No 5,804,596) has been reviewed by an independent law firm, which has concluded that the claims within it provide Sabinsa with grounds to protect forskohlin's...

Kellogg patents Indian herb technology.
May 1, 2001... Kellogg has been awarded a US patent (No 6,210,722) which covers methods of incorporating the Indian herb Isabgool in milk beverages and foods such as bread, muffins and cakes. Isabgool is a component of certain ayurvedic medicines and is a...

Nestle makes strong start in 2001.
May 1, 2001... Nestle has reported first-quarter 2001 sales of 19.4 billion Swiss francs ($11.19 billion), up 4.5% over the same period of 2000. Real internal growth was 4.6%, at the top end of analysts' expectations and above the firm's 4% long-term target....

Danone sales up 6.6% in first quarter.
May 1, 2001... In the first quarter of 2001, French food group Danone reported consolidated sales of 3.42 billion euros ($3.04 billion), an increase of 3% over the same period in 2000. Like-for-like sales increased 6.6%, as acquisitions and disposals trimmed...

Cognis buys into botanicals sector.
May 1, 2001... Cognis has acquired Laboratorios Dr Vinyals SA of Spain, at a stroke adding a range of natural antioxidant ingredients and botanical extracts to its product line. The Spanish firm had a turnover of 12.5 million euros ($11.1 million) in 2000,...

Imperial sugar sells nutritionals to Hormel.
May 1, 2001... Imperial Sugar has completed the sale of its Crystal Brands nutritional products business to Hormel Foods for approximately $65 million in cash. The transaction was approved by the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, and Imperial...

Cetalon to open retail stores in USA.
May 1, 2001... Cetalon Corp of Canada has signed an agreement with Sears Roebuck to open 10 health food retail outlets in Sears' Californian department stores. The stores will sell vitamins, minerals, supplements and health information technology. Cetalon...

Numico first-quarter sales up 35%; rise of 54% for food supplements.
May 1, 2001... Dutch food group Numico has reported turnover in the first quarter ended March 31 up 35% to 1.07 billion euros ($955 million), in line with its expectations and excluding the figures for its Nutricia dairy and drinks unit, which is due to be...

Wessanen to buy stake in Natudis.
May 1, 2001... Wessanen NV of the Netherlands has announced its intention to buy a 41% stake in fellow Dutch firm Natudis BV, which specializes in health and natural foods. Wessanen notes that Natudis is the country's leading supplier of branded health and...

Unilever profits fall 38%; cuts more staff.
May 1, 2001... Anglo-Dutch food and consumer products group Unilever reported pretax profits in the first quarter of 2001 down 38% to 628 million euros ($560 million), due to higher interest charges and costs relating to the firm's ongoing restructuring...

ADM misses earnings targets in third quarter; nutraceutical results decline.
May 1, 2001... Citing higher energy prices and weakness in its corn sweetener, milling and barge transportation product markets, Archer Daniels Midland reported a third-quarter profit that was below analysts' expectations, leading to a 6% reduction in ADM's...

Suiza to buy Dean Foods for $1.5 billion.
May 1, 2001... Suiza Foods of the USA says it has entered into an agreement to buy rival firm Dean Foods for $1.5 billion in cash and stock, in a bid to strengthen its position against rivals in the soft and sports drink categories. The merged company will be...

1st-qtr vitamin sales rise 4% at Roche.
May 1, 2001... Roche of Switzerland has posted sales of 7.0 billion Swiss francs ($4.11 billion) for the first quarter of 2001, an increase of 3%, though its pharmaceutical division took a slight knock as turnover slipped 2% to 4.49 billion francs. On the...

Gerber turnover up 8.2% at Novartis.
May 1, 2001... Novartis of Switzerland has reported a sales increase of 11% (in local currencies) for the first quarter of 2001 to 7.32 billion Swiss francs ($4.23 billion), while the group's Consumer Health division saw turnover rise 3% to 1.59 billion...

BASF nutrition unit growing strongly.
May 1, 2001... Germany's BASF says that sales for first-quarter 2001 increased almost 10% to approximately 9.3 billion euros ($8.29 billion), while operating income before special items rose 4% to 962 million euros. BASF noted that it has been...

CHC sales up 11% at Boeh Ingelheim.
May 1, 2001... Sales at Boehringer Ingelheim's consumer health care division rose 11% to 642 million euros ($572.9 million) in 2000, with major contributions coming from phytopharmaceuticals and vitamins, especially the multivitamin Pharmaton. Growth was...

Phytopharm losses on the increase.
May 1, 2001... Phytopharm of the UK, which specializes in drugs derived from herbs, has posted a pretax loss of just under L1.4 million ($2.0 million) for the six months ended February 2001, a rise of 60.8%, while revenues fell to L682,000 from L1.6 million....

PepsiCo sees quarterly earnings rise 18%.
May 1, 2001... PepsiCo, which is in the build-up to completing its $13.4 billion merger with Quaker Oats (NIs passim), has announced that strong performances across all its businesses contributed to an 18% increase in first-quarter earnings to $498 million,...

Coke profits impress, but targets lowered.
May 1, 2001... Coca-Cola has reported first-quarter 2001 profits that have beaten the expectations of analysts, but has also warned that it will not meet previous volume targets for full-year 2001, in the face of increasing competition in North America,...

GalaGen losses rise as sales decline in 2000.
May 1, 2001... GalaGen, the US company best known for its Proventra brand of immune-enhancing food ingredients, has reported a net loss in 2000 of $4.9 million, or 7 cents a share, on revenues of under $900,000. The figures compare with the firm's 1999...

Twinlab sells units.
May 1, 2001... Twinlab has sold the assets of two of its operating divisions, Changes International and PR Nutrition, to Goldshield Group of the UK. The sale price of the units was $5 million in cash, and Twinlab said the sale would enable it to focus on its...

Upland Energy to buy LifeSmart Nutrition.
May 1, 2001... Upland Energy Corp has entered into a definitive deal to acquire LifeSmart Nutrition Corp, a nutraceutical firm that claims to provide "great-tasting nutritional products to the masses." These principally consist of chews that combine nutrients...

Galaxy Nutritional raises $3.1 million.
May 1, 2001... Galaxy Nutritional Foods has raised $3.1 million in a private placement, a sum which chief executive Angelo Morini said enables Galaxy "to accelerate sales growth and fund marketing efforts to enhance brand recognition." The additional capital,...

Poor UK V sales hit New Zealand's Frucor.
May 1, 2001... New Zealand designer drinks maker Frucor Beverages plans to boost its UK sales efforts to increase revenues and profits to the levels forecast in last year's prospectus. Frucor's revenue and earnings for the 2001 financial year will fall short...

Taisho's Lipovitan does well in Australia.
May 1, 2001... Sales of the nutritional drink Lipovitan in Australia have exceeded Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturer Taisho's expectations since its launch there late last year, reports NI's local correspondent. The firm says that turnover is already 8%...

India's Kopran opts into nutraceuticals.
May 1, 2001... Kopran Pharmaceuticals, an Indian manufacturer of over-the-counter drug products, says it plans to diversify this month into the nutraceutical sector, initially through the launch of an ayurvedic health tonic called chyanwanprash, which is...

Tsumura in Chinese joint venture for TCM.
May 1, 2001... Japan's Tsumura has signed an agreement with Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Co and Shanghai Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park Development Corp in China to set up a joint venture to manufacture herbal medicines, according to a Kyodo News...

Cadila forges link with Nature's Way.
May 1, 2001... Indian herbal medicines manufacturer Cadila Pharmaceuticals has signed an agreement with Nature's Way, a subsidiary of Murdock Madaus Schwabe, for the introduction of new herb-based health care products in the US market. The deal provides for...

Danisco to buy out Indian JV partner.
May 1, 2001... Danisco of Denmark has announced plans to buy out the 24% stake held in its loss-making Indian joint venture company, Danisco Ingredients India, from partner Shiv Jatia. A report on the just-food.com web site notes that the Indian government...

Unilever mulls exit of Sri Lankan market.
May 1, 2001... Consumer product and food giant Unilever is considering ending its 64-year-old production operations in Sri Lanka, as rising costs and labor action impede growth and cut profits, according to Bloomberg. Unilever Ceylon, the group's Sri Lankan...

Firms vie for Japan's healthy oil market.
May 1, 2001... Following the success of Kao Corp's diacylglycerol-based, cholesterol-lowering cooking oil, Healthy Econa, in Japan, several other firms have entered the market with competing products, according to a report in the Nikkei Weekly. Sales of...

Forbes may position drug as supplement.
May 1, 2001... Forbes Medi-Tech of Canada has said that a Phase II clinical trial of its sterol-based product CardioRex in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia did not meet the expected target of a 20%-25% reduction in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol,...

Forthcoming meetings/events.
May 1, 2001... - The University of Illinois' Functional Foods for Health Program is holding its 10th annual conference in Chicago, USA, on June 10-12. For further information, contact the FFH Program on: phone +1 (217) 333 6364; fax +1 (217) 333 7386; or...

People on the move.
May 1, 2001... - Charles Butt, formerly senior vice president, operations, at Canada's Forbes Medi-Tech, has been promoted to president, while chief executive Tazdin Esmail takes on the additional role of chairman. Meantime, Don MacDonald becomes senior...