Nutraceuticals International articles from November 2008

Nutraceuticals International archives from November 2008

Processed cocoa powder still rich in antioxidants.
November 1, 2008... In a study published in the October issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists from US confectionary company Hershey found cocoa powder to have one of the highest antioxidant levels. Analyzing Hershey's Natural...

ACG hears strong data for probiotics in IBS.
November 1, 2008... Several studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's 2008 annual meeting, held in Orlando, Florida, highlighted the safety and efficacy of probiotics in improving symptoms and normalizing bowel movement frequency in patients...

Meta-analysis questions probiotics use in eczema.
November 1, 2008... At a time when the use of probiotics to treat eczema is increasing, a meta-analysis involving data from 781 children performed by UK researchers suggests that there is no evidence they can relieve the symptoms of this itchy skin condition, but...

Acai antioxidants absorbed by body.
November 1, 2008... US researchers have shown that the juice and pulp forms of the acai berry can be absorbed by humans, supporting the consumption of this Brazilian fruit as a "super food." Known to contain a variety of antioxidants such as flavonoid-like...

EFSA fails to establish link between DHA, ARA benefit to brain/eye development.
November 1, 2008... Following an application from Martek Biosciences Corp submitted pursuant to Article 14 of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 via the Competent Authority of the UK, the European Food Safety Authority's Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and...

EC proposal to authorize GM soy bean.
November 1, 2008... The EuropeanCommission will transmit to the Council a proposal to authorize a genetically modified soy bean after member states did not endorse it during a meeting of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH). The...

UK's FSA expert panel presents views on front-of-pack nutritional labeling.
November 1, 2008... The UK Food Safety Agency's panel of independent research experts - the Project Management Panel - has presented a paper which sets out the scientific basis for the main phase of the independent evaluation of front-of-pack nutritional...

Probi's Lp 299v to be launched in Spain.
November 1, 2008... Swedish firm Probi's partner Institut Rosell has signed an agreement giving the independent Spanish drugmaker Salvat an exclusive right to sell a dietary supplement based on Probi's bacteria, Lp 299v in Spain. The first order from Salvat has...

Mannatech debuts OsoLean products.
November 1, 2008... Mannatech, a Texas, USA-based developer and provider of dietary supplements and skin care solutions, has announced the launch of its new fat-loss product OsoLean powder. OsoLean whey protein supplement is an all-natural powder product that...

Eisai introduces Chocola BBR Drink bit.
November 1, 2008... Japanese company Eisai has announced the launch of a new over-the-counter product Chocola BBR Drink bit, a 50mL vitamin B2-based pharmaceutical drink. Chocola BBR Drink bit is an OTC product for acne and skin care available in drink form....

CHPA comments on US FDA's public meeting on pediatric cough/cold medicines.
November 1, 2008... CHPA comments on US FDA's public meeting on pediatric cough/cold meds The US Food and Drug Administration has rejected calls made at a public hearing on pediatric over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for a ban on products aimed at...

FDA "should ban OTC cough/cold OTCs for under 12s".
November 1, 2008... The US Food and Drug Administration "should immediately ban all over-the-counter cough and cold medicines for children under 12," the consumer group Public Citizen told an FDA committee (see story above). "The FDA is well aware that...

Sports doping in the Olympic Year, message getting out - by Peter Berry Ottaway.
November 1, 2008... The XXIX Olympiad held in Beijing, China, in the summer had a number of remarkable aspects, not the least being the considerably reduced publicity given to sports doping. This was in contrast to the previous five Olympiads where there were a...

IADSA comments on health claim proposal.
November 1, 2008... The International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplements Associations (IADSA) says it is continuing pressure on achieving a change to the Codex draft guidance as to how health claims should be substantiated. In 2007, Codex concluded that its...

Australia RFA debuts vitamin converter.
November 1, 2008... The Australian Regulatory Affairs team officially launched its new look web site along with an innovative vitamin converter. This world-first on-line calculator has been developed by the RFA and will save people time and effort. They can enter...

India: state support for noni cultivation.(cultivation of noni)(National Bank for Rural and Agriculture Development )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... India's National Bank for Rural and Agriculture Development (NABARD) has recently decided to introduce and promote cultivation of noni (Morinda citrifolia), a highly nutritious fruit. Noni juice is rich in micro nutrients and is a popular...

Germany's Schwabe to acquire Enzymotec Therapy via Nature's Way.
November 1, 2008... Nature's Way Holding Company, a subsidiary of Germany-based Dr Willmar Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, a global producer of clinically-proven phytomedicines, has reached agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of US firm Enzymatic Therapy with...

Danone yogurt under scrutiny in France.
November 1, 2008... The French consumer watchdog body UFC-QC has published a study arguing that domestic food giant Danone's yogurt brand Essensis launched in 2007 does not have the effect of "nourishing the skin" claimed. The allegation has been rejected by...

EFSA consults on draft opinion of nanotechnology and food/feed safety.
November 1, 2008... The European Food Safety Authority has launched a public consultation on its draft scientific opinion in relation to nanoscience and nanotechnologies and food and feed safety. Nanotechnologies involve the use of substances on a very small...

Key EU food supps polices debated.
November 1, 2008... Regulators, scientists and industry representatives came together recently in Prague the Czech Republic, to discuss the food supplement industry's top four regulatory concerns in the European Union.Organised by Czech dietary supplement...

Danisco invests in apple-based health and nutrition ingredient Evesse.
November 1, 2008... Denmark's Danisco has signed a long term cooperation agreement with UK-based company Coressence to gain exclusive rights for certain apple-based ingredients, to be marketed under the brand name Evesse. The ingredients contain polyphenols...

Mannatech's BounceBack shown to reduce muscle soreness after over-exertion.(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Mannatech, a US developer and provider of dietary supplements and skin care solutions, says that the results of a recent randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover human study indicate that the company's BounceBack capsules...

US industry leaders give dietary supps sector outlook for next two years.(Conference notes)
November 1, 2008... The US dietary supplement industry will likely witness changes in consumer activity and more emphasis on manufacturing standards within the next 18 to 24 months, according to some experts in the sector, who participated in a panel discussion,...

Vit B does not slow AD cognitive decline.
November 1, 2008... A clinical trial showed that high-dose vitamin B supplements did not slow the rate of cognitive decline in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease. Published in the October 15 issue of the Journal of the American Medical...

Resveratrol could cut alcoholism liver damage.
November 1, 2008... The accumulation of fat in the liver as a result of chronic alcohol consumption could be prevented by consuming resveratrol, according to a new study with mice. A team of US researchers found that resveratrol reduced the amount of fat...

Quincy's Prevagen improves memory.(Prevagen, a dietary supplement )(Quincy Bioscience )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Quincy Bioscience announces that Prevagen, a dietary supplement consisting of the jellyfish protein apoaequorin, improved memory in healthy human subjects in a 30-day, 56-patient study. The open-label study tested 10mg of the...

AAP doubles vit D for children guidelines.(American Academy of Pediatrics)(Vitamin D)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... The American Academy of Pediatrics has doubled the recommended amount of vitamin D for infants, children and adolescents. The AAP adjusted its recommendations for vitamin D issued in 2003, from 200 IU a day beginning in the first two months of...

Vietnam and USA sign accord on safety of food and medical products.
November 1, 2008... The Japanese and South Korean markets for over-the-counter vitamins, minerals and tonics (VMS) for the 12 months to June 2008 have reached $2.73 billion and $241.1 million, respectively, according to Nicholas Hall's Insight Far East Focus: OTC...

Main supplier of Chinese fake milk additive arrested.
November 1, 2008... Zhang Yujun, described by the Chinese government Xinhua news agency as "a suspect who produced the largest-ever amount of 'protein powder' with the chemical melamine," has been arrested by police in Handan City, Hebei Province, north China. ...

Ginseng injection kills three in China.(Wandasan Pharmaceutical )(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... China's Ministry of Health has revealed the deaths of three people in Yunnan Province who received injections of an extract from Siberian ginseng. The product was manufactured by Heilongjiang-based Wandasan Pharmaceutical and is used to treat...

Cognis gains rights to InterMed obesity drug.
November 1, 2008... Global specialty chemicals supplier Cognis has exclusively licensed a preclinical anti-obesity product candidate from Dortmund, Germany-based InterMed Discovery. Under the terms of the agreement, Cognis will continue the development of the...

Qiagen partners with CAS on food safety.
November 1, 2008... Netherlands-based diagnostics company Qiagen and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have begun a collaboration to develop new molecular testing solutions to improve the safety of food products. The project is based at the Institute of...

Boiron to regroup five units as profits fall.
November 1, 2008... French homeopathic drugmaker Boiron is to regroup five of its regional units into eight others and to shed a handful of jobs as part of a strategy to reduce its activity. The group said that the removal of "a great majority of mainstream...

Omega sales flat in first half-year 2008.(Omega Pharma)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... Belgian Omega Pharma reported net turnover of 423,652 euros ($576,251) for the first six months of 2008, versus 422,392 euros in the same period of the year before, noting that a weak first quarter was recovered in the second. Net income...

MDY launches new DTC business.(MDY Healthcare)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... MDY Healthcare, a UK strategic investor in health care companies, has launched Trust William, its multi-channel retail business selling natural health care products direct to consumers. The firm also offered a pre-close update on its...

Ginkgo herb shows neurological benefit.(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... Two recent studies have highlighted the potential benefits of the German Dr Willmar Schwabe Company's patented ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 in treating Alzheimer's disease and preventing damage during stroke. A randomized,...

Another anti-cancer plus for fruit and veg.
November 1, 2008... Scientists from the UK Institute of Food Research have found a new possible explanation for why people who eat more fruit and vegetables may gain protection against the spread of cancers. They say that a fragment released from pectin, found...

Green algae shows potential for SBS.(short bowel syndrome)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... A new study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology suggests that a species of freshwater green algae may have benefits for people suffering from short bowel syndrome. A team from the Turkish Gazi University Experimental Surgery...

Parkinson's linked to vitamin D deficiency.
November 1, 2008... A majority of Parkinson's disease patients had insufficient levels of vitamin D, according to a new study from the US Emory University School of Medicine published in the October issue of the Archives of Neurology. The retrospective study...

Forthcoming meetings/events.(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
November 1, 2008... l Towards Healthy Natural Options is the title of a food additives conference organized by Asia Business Forum. It is scheduled to take place November 12-13 at the InterContinental Hotel in Singapore. To view the full program of the meeting and...

People on the move.(Ferrosan has appointed Ola Erici)(Nellson Nutraceutical has appointed Allan Lutz )(Baywood International has appointed ric Skae and Scott Ricketts)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... - Ola Erici, chief executive at Skanemejerier, one of the leading food companies in the Scandinavian market, has succeeded Niels de Coninck-Smith as CEO at Danish health care group Ferrosan. Mr de Coninck-Smith will continue to be a member of...

Indena partners Gum Base on nutra gum.
November 1, 2008... Thanks to the cooperation with Indena, the world's leading company in botanical derivatives, Gum Base Co will offer a preview of an innovative chewing gum providing the beneficial effects of some of fellow Italy-based Indena's well-known...

Cargill showcases health promoting product developments at Hi Europe.(Cargill Health and Food Technologies partnering with customers in the European Medicines Agency)
November 1, 2008... Responding to consumer demand for health-oriented, great-tasting food and beverage products, USA headquartered Cargill will demonstrate its expertise in partnering with customers in the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) region to develop...

US FDA assesses safety and risk of melamine and related products in food.
November 1, 2008... In the wake of the Chinese infant formula contamination issue (NI vol 13 no 10), the USA's Food and Drug Administration has issued the results of its interim safety and risk assessment of melamine and melamine-related compounds in food,...

US weight-loss patch makers settle with FTC.
November 1, 2008... Marketers of a weight-loss patch in the USA have agreed to pay $110,539 to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated two 2004 consent orders by continuing to make false claims that their product causes substantial weight loss...

CRN survey finds that slumping economy won't deter most supplement buyers.
November 1, 2008... When it comes to the downturn in the economy, many dietary supplement users in America do not intend to cut back their supplement regimen. According to a new survey conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs for the USA's Council for Responsible...

USA's CRN updates ethics code.
November 1, 2008... The US Council for Responsible Nutrition says that its members will be asked to adhere to a revised Code of Ethics recently adopted by the association's board. "In addition to following government regulations - those things they must do -...

Criticism of NZFSA is "tired and unfounded," says NZ govt minister.
November 1, 2008... Criticisms by a lobbyist of the New Zealand Food Safety Authority's (NZFSA's) risk management processes are tired and unfounded, Food Safety Minister Lianne Dalziel has argued in an official press statement. The comments follow a...

Australia's NHF urges omega-3 consumption.(National Heart Foundation)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... The Australian National Heart Foundation has recommended that adults who do not have existing heart conditions should increase their consumption of omega-3 fish oils to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. The move has been welcomed by...

UK FSA withdraws novelty products.
November 1, 2008... The UK's Food Standards Agency has issued another food alert about novelty food products from China. Spencer and Fleetwood has withdrawn certain varieties of chocolate novelty products that have been tested in the UK and found to be...

EFSA begins work on health claims list.
November 1, 2008... The European Food Standards Authority's NDA Panel has started evaluating the scientific substantiation of health claims indicated in the draft list received from the European Commission in July (NIs passim) and which have passed the...

French nutras market up 10% and rising.(Brief article)(Market overview)
November 1, 2008... The French market for nutraceutical products, including functional foods, so-called bio-products, dietary specialties and supplements, rose 10% in 2007 to about 8.0 billion euros ($10.6 billion), according to a report from the Precepta...

New US nutra firm BioTherapeutic set up.
November 1, 2008... A new company is being created in the USA as a spin-off from Virginia Tech research to develop nutritional interventions against chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases. BioTherapeutics Inc. will promote health and well-being through the...

Omega third-quarter sales up 10%.(Omega Pharma)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 1, 2008... After reporting a flat first-half 2008, Belgium's Omega Pharma recorded consolidated turnover of 182.5 million euros ($5247.7 million) for the third quarter, with a particularly strong showing in its domestic market, where sales advanced 21% to...

Anthocyanin-rich tomatoes developed.
November 1, 2008... A team of UK scientists have expressed genes from the snapdragon flower in tomatoes to grow purple tomatoes high in health-protecting anthocyanins - the naturally-occurring pigments found at particularly high levels in berries such as...

NR supports benefits in grape polyphenols.
November 1, 2008... A growing body of research data suggests that consuming foods rich in polyphenols from grapes, including red wine, helps reduce the risk of heart disease, according to a review article in the November issue of Nutrition Research. The...

Soy isoflavones aid stroke patient arteries.
November 1, 2008... A new study examined how a certain naturally-occurring component of soy may enhance the function of arteries in stroke patients. Published recently in the European Heart Journal by researchers at the University of Hong Kong, the evaluation...

Vit D expert suggests higher daily intake.(vitamin D deficiency)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
November 1, 2008... In a paper published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, vitamin D expert Anthony Norman identifies the nutrient's potential for contributions to good health in the adaptive and innate immune systems, the...

Danisco acquires stake in beta-glucan firm GraceLinc of New Zealand.
November 1, 2008... Danish company Danisco has agreed to acquire an equity stake in the New Zealand company GraceLinc. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed, GraceLinc produces and markets Glucagel , which is a naturally-extracted barley beta-glucan....

Japan's Kaneka starts selling next-gen co-enzyme Q10 supplement in USA.
November 1, 2008... Osaka, Japan-based Kaneka Corp has begun full-fledged sales of antioxidant form of co-enzyme Q10 (Kaneka QH), alongside the previously-available oxidized co-enzyme Q10 (Kaneka Coenzyme Q10). The high level of safety of Kaneka QH has been shown...

New European Novel Food Regulation - impact on industry assessed by EAS.
November 1, 2008... With the date for adoption of the new European Union Novel Food Regulation provisionally scheduled for January 2009, major changes to the text at this point would be surprising. Minor amendments, however, are many and varied, and the European...

Food for Brain Conference report.(Brief article)(Conference notes)
November 1, 2008... At the second Food for the Brain Conference held in the UK, Joe Hibbeln from the US Public Health Service presented undeniable evidence for the link between low intakes of omega-3 and seafood with poor mental health as the basis for...

New front-of-pack nutrition labeling program to help US shoppers choice.
November 1, 2008... To help Americans make smarter nutrition choices and improve public health, a diverse group of scientists, academicians, health organizations, food and beverage manufacturers and retailers have created a new, voluntary front-of-pack nutrition...

US FDA warns Bayer for illegally marketing aspirin "plus" products.
November 1, 2008... The US Food and Drug Administration has sent Warning Letters to Bayer HealthCare concerning two allegedly unlawful, over-the-counter aspirin products - Bayer Women's Low Dose Aspirin + Calcium and Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage. The...

IADSA pushes for consideration of all evidence for Codex basis of health claims.
November 1, 2008... The scientific substantiation of health claims must be based on a systematic and objective compilation of all the available scientific evidence, says the International Alliance of Dietary/Food Supplement Associations (IADSA). Providing its...

ANZFR considers food labeling, trans fat acids.
November 1, 2008... The 12th meeting of the Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council considered a number of strategic policy and food standards issues including a comprehensive review of food labeling law and policy. The meeting agreed in...

EU Mutual Recognition Regulation gives clarity for food industry, says the EHPM.
November 1, 2008... The European Union's recently adopted Mutual Recognition Regulation appears to be a "user-friendly" tool for the food industry in the fight to break down EU-wide barriers to trade, the trade organisation, the European Federation of of...

EAS helps companies clarify procedures for marketing food supplements in Europe.
November 1, 2008... Food supplement makers from across Europe gathered in Brussels recently for a workshop on how to master the European Union's changing regulatory environment for their products. The workshop, titled Building a Regulatory Strategy for Marketing...