Nutraceuticals International articles from October 2004

Nutraceuticals International archives from October 2004

UK's MHRA cautions against use of some Chinese herbal medicines.(Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency)
October 1, 2004... The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has issued advice to consumers and the herbal sector (writing to the Herbal Interests Group) about the poor quality of some traditional Chinese medicines now on the UK market. The...

"De-reimburse homeopathics:" France's NMA.(National Medical Academy)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... France's National Medical Academy has not only called for all homeopathic medicines to be removed from state reimbursement, but it has also claimed that these products are not drugs at all under French legal definitions, especially because...

EMEA herbal medicines committee starts work; impact set to be global.(European Medicines Agency Committee )(Panel Discussion)
October 1, 2004... The new European Medicines Agency Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products held its inaugural meeting at the EMEA, in London, UK, September 23-24. Konstantin Keller, head of the division of herbal, homeopathic and anthroposophic medicinal...

Implications for industry of new EU supps and herbals regs: AESGP meeting.(supplements)(registrations)(Association of the European Self-Medication Industry)
October 1, 2004... Within seven years, the European Union could either be a global source for safe, effective food supplements or, alternatively, its market for these products could consist mainly of imports, with little in the way of manufacture for export, a...

UK campaign against supps directive - is it rational/sustainable?(supplements)
October 1, 2004... For well over two decades, the UK supplement industry has enjoyed a considerable amount of freedom in both the composition of the products and methods or routes of sale that can be used. In the absence of any specific legislation on...

US FDA's qualified health claims for omega-3 fatty acids broadly welcomed by nutra industry.
October 1, 2004... The US Food and Drug Administration last month announced the availability of a qualified health claim for reduced risk of coronary heart disease on conventional foods that contain eiscosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid omega-3 fatty...

Diet supp access must widen through health plans and tax breaks, US House hears.(Dietary supplements)
October 1, 2004... US consumers should have information about dietary supplements and also access to them through their government and private health plans, an oversight hearing of the US House Government Reform Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness has been...

US supplement makers back anti-doping agency.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Several US dietary supplement makers and the Council for Responsible Nutrition have issued a statement to indicate their support for the World Anti-Doping Agency and other sports organizations in ensuring that athletes should not violate the...

US study suggests fiber-enriched products the next big opportunity.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... With the low-carbohydrate food and beverage trend beginning to wilt, fiber-enriched products could be the next big opportunity, according to the Naples, New York, USA-based Productscan Online database of new products. The percentage of new...

US study says calcium and folic acid use could save $15B in health costs.
October 1, 2004... A study released last month shows that daily use of calcium would prevent 734,000 hip fractures and save the USA $13.9 billion in health care costs over the next five years. Daily use of folic acid by women would prevent as many as 600...

New regs will pose problems in S Africa.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Only the largest companies making complementary and traditional medicines in South Africa have the ability to comply with the regulations proposed by the country's Department of Health, according to the Complementary and Traditional Medicines...

Canadian vitamin A aid claims disputed.(Canadian International Development Agency)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Canadian International Development Agency boasts it is "the world's leading donor of vitamin A capsules" for undernourished poor children, claiming its efforts have saved the lives of 1.5 million children in Africa and Asia since 1998. ...

Australia recovers from "Pan crisis".(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Australia's complementary medicines industry has fully recovered from last year's devastating Pan Pharmaceuticals crisis (NIs passim), according to Marcus Blackmore, chairman of supplements maker and distributor Blackmore. He said in an...

Thai ban on sweetners in children's food.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Thai government says it plans to ban the use of sugar, sweetners and honey in manufactured foods for babies and infants, due to the worsening problems of tooth decay and obesity among the country's children, reports the Thai News Agency....

Strong global demand for nutraceutical chemicals; $9.6B market in 2008.
October 1, 2004... World demand for nutraceutical chemicals will advance 6.1% annually to $9.6 billion in 2008, serving a $173 billion nutritional products industry, and the strongest growth opportunities will remain in herbal and non-herbal extracts, according...

Japan's Kyowa Hakko develops new technology for making di-peptides.(Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Company Ltd)
October 1, 2004... Japanese pharmaceutical and biotechnology company Kyowa Hakko Kogyo has developed a novel, efficient and versatile process for manufacturing amino-acid dimers (di-peptides). The company says it intends to begin commercial production of...

Vanilla may have a role in the treatment of sickle cell anemia, lab research suggests.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... In addition to its popular role in flavoring ice cream, fudge and cake frosting, vanilla may have a future use as a medicine. Specifically, recent laboratory research has strengthened the possibility that a form of vanilla may become a drug to...

Soy may help beat breast cancer.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Researchers are investigating whether it is possible to turn the active ingredients of soy into a useful medicine that may help to beat breast cancer, the British Pharmaceutical Conference, held in Manchester, UK, has heard. Soy contains...

Selenium-enriched yeast is bioavailable and safe, research review shows.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Selenium-enriched yeast, used to supplement dietary intake of this important trace mineral, is bioavailable and safe, according to a report by researcher Margaret Rayman of the Centre for Nutrition and Food Safety, School of Biomedical and...

Stakes raised in the fight against cholesterol.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A compound with significantly stronger capabilities in lowering cholesterol compared to similar commercially-available plant-based products has been developed by a scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA. Nutrition scientist...

Cargill's Regenasure cleared in the UK.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Iowa, USA-headquartered Cargill Acidulants says that its Regenasure glucosamine, the first commercially-available glucosamine derived from fermentation, has been approved for use in the UK. The clearance of Regenasure, a kosher-approved...

Lipid Nutrition launches Clarinol A95.(NPIcenter.com)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... US functional foods and supplements producer Lipid Nutrition, a division of Loders Croklaan, has introduced the highest form of concentrated conjugated linoleic acid, known as Clarinol A95, onto the nutraceuticals market, according to...

Cyvex introduces BroccoSinolate.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Cyvex Nutrition has announced the launch of BroccoSinolate, an innovative natural antioxidant (glucosinolates), adding to the line of broccoli-based nutraceuticals already marketed by the firm.E "BroccoSinolate is a very important dietary...

Supplements may stop muscle wastage linked with long periods of inactivity.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... New data published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggest that supplements containing essential amino acids and carbohydrates can reduce the muscle-wasting associated with extended periods of...

Hibiscus extract may lower cholesterol.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Hibiscus flower extract may have the same health benefits as red wine and tea, according to scientists in Taiwan. The research, published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, showed that the antioxidant properties of...

Anti-platelet effects of kiwi fruit revealed.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Research published in the August 2004 issue of Platelets, and conducted by the University of Oslo in Norway, has found that eating two to three kiwi fruit per day can work to thin blood, reduce clotting and lower fat in the blood that can cause...

Maxim to launch Nutrition bars in USA.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Maxim America will introduce its Maxim Nutritionals line of fortified sports bars and gels to the North American market at the International Bike Show, InterBike, to be held in Las Vegas on 6-8 October, 2004, reports NutraIngredientsFirst.com....

Universal Nutrition unveils Ultra Iso Whey.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... US sports supplement and health nutrition producer Universal Nutrition has launched Ultra Iso Whey, an ultrafiltrated whey protein isolate containing no carbohydrate, sugar, lactose or fat. The product consists of 100% whey protein isolates and...

Nordic Naturals' blend of fatty acids launched.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... California, USA-based Nordic Naturals has introduced Omega 369 Junior, a blend of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids for children of three years old and above. The product, available as lemon-flavored chewable capsules, has been formulated...

Energy drinks fail to buffer alcohol effects.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Findings from a recent study go against the popular notion that energy drinks, such as Red Bull, reduce the depressant effects of alcohol on the central nervous system. The study, results of which were published in the September edition of...

Hero launches new dietary supplement.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Hero Nutritionals, a USA-based provider of nutritional supplements, has launched CinnaBeticII, a new dietary supplement which promotes glucose metabolism by increasing insulin sensitivity. The product is made from purely natural ingredients and...

McNeil introduces Benecol Smart-Chews.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... McNeil Nutritionals, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary and maker of Benecol cholesterol-lowering products, has launched Benecol Smart Chews. The soft chews significantly reduce cholesterol in an easy, convenient form that can "help millions of...

Antioxidant supplements may increase risk of early death, says Lancet study.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Research published in The Lancet suggests that antioxidant supplements do not provide any benefit in the prevention of gastrointestinal cancer but, notably, seem to increase overall mortality. The study, led by Goran Bjelakovic from the...

Cost savings with Diachrome use.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nutrition 21 says that the initial results of an economic analysis, conducted by Thomas Jefferson University's Department of Health Policy, Philadelphia, USA, suggests that use of Diachrome as an adjunct nutritional supplement for people with...

Beneficial effects of resistant starch.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition confirms the beneficial effects of resistant starch on digestive health. Using dextran sulfate sodium to induce ulcerative colitis in rats, the study analyzed how the choice of...

Malaysia's Permanis sets sights on isotonics.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Malaysian soft drinks manufacturer Permanis plans to secure 30%-45% of the local isotonic drinks market by the end of next year, with the introduction of its new Excel Berry Blast variant. Currently, the company holds 20% of the 150 million...

Solbar opens Shanghai office.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... US firm Solbar, which began constructing a specialty soy protein plant in China at the Ningbo Free Trade Zone, southeast of Shanghai, early this year, has now opened a new office in Shanghai to meet the fast- growing demand for soy products in...

Dabur of India's 1st-qtr net profit up 9%.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dabur Pharma, India's largest and oldest ayurvedic company, has said that its net profit for the first quarter ended June 30 increased 9% to 49 million rupees ($1.1 million), on turnover which was up 11% to 588 million rupees compared with the...

Phosphagenics' vit-E hits US shelves.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Melbourne, Australia-based Phosphagenics has announced that its patented vitamin E, which claims to protect against heart disease, is now on supermarket shelves throughout the USA, including Wal-Mart's 3,000 shops, under the brand name Ester-E....

Himalayan Herbal to expand in SE Asia.(Himalayan Herbal Healthcare)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Indian group Himalayan Herbal Healthcare is to make Malaysia its regional center for expansion in Southeast Asia. Ravi Prasad, HHH's president, said Malaysia had a very good consumer base with discerning consumers exposed to world market...

New production plant for Baidyanath.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Indian ayurvedic medicines company Baidyanath is setting up a new manufacturing facility at Dehra Dun in Uttaranchal, India, according to director Ram Sharma, who added in an interview that "the new plant would be producing about 10-12 products...

Low chromium linked to CVD in diabetics.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A new study published in the September issue of Diabetes Care suggests that lower levels of chromium in the body may be associated with a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease in men with type 2 diabetes. The investigation, a...

Red wine may cut risk of prostate cancer.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... New findings reported on-line in The International Journal of Cancer indicate that drinking a glass of red wine a day may cut a man's risk of prostate cancer by half, with the protective effects appearing to be strongest against the most...

Fish oils can prevent arrhythmias.
October 1, 2004... Two new studies reported in Circulation and Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids suggest that taking fish oil supplements and eating fatty fishes, such as salmon, cod and tuna, may reduce the risk of developing abnormal heart...

Steep profit climb at Reliv International.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... US nutrition firm Reliv International says that net sales for the second quarter ended June 30 climbed 34% to $23.9 million, while net income was $1.2 million, or $0.08 per share, representing a 32% rise on the like, year-earlier period. For...

Nutra International Corp EPS disappoints.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nutraceutical International Corp has posted disappointing figures for its fiscal 2004 third quarter ended June 30 which show that, while sales were up 13.8% to $33.8 million, net income was just $2.9 million, or $0.24 per share, down 9.4% on...

Adv Nutraceuticals is bouncing back.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Advanced Nutraceuticals has posted its financials for the third quarter and the nine months ended June 30, 2004, its second set of results since the recent divestiture of its unprofitable subsidiary, ANI Pharmaceuticals (NI vol 9, no 4), now...

Profits down 25% at Hain Celestial.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... US natural and organic foods company Hain Celestial Group has reported net income for the fiscal fourth quarter ended June 30, 2004, of $5.1 million, or $0.14 per share, representing a 25% decline compared with the like, year-earlier period but...

Arkopharma posts 16.4% sales increase.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... French plant-based medicines and slimming products group Arkopharma has posted a rise in sales of 16.4% to 143.2 million euros ($176.0 million) for the first half of 2004. International turnover grew 31.3%, with Arkopharma's subsidiary in...

Royal Numico to optimize its clinical nutrition manufacturing platform.(Valio Group)
October 1, 2004... Royal Numico NV of the Netherlands has announced its intention to implement an optimization plan which will achieve economies of scale and enhance the focus and quality of its clinical nutrition manufacturing platform. The plan will lead to a...

Thailand's Prasart-Thong to expand.( Prasart-Thong Osoth )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... An aromatic herbal medicine that has been sold in Thailand for decades is undergoing a modernization, according to the Bangkok Post, which said that the 82-year-old Thai company Prasart-Thong Osoth is trying to capture the youth sector and is...

Mannatech in South Korea.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... - US firm Mannatech, which sells its "wellness" products through global network marketing, has opened a branch in South Korea, where it has held an opening seminar for new associates who had signed up during the company's pre-opening...

Chr Hansen in Argentina.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... - Danish food ingredients firm Chr Hansen has officially opened new facilities in Argentina. The new premises will be the cornerstone of the firm's aim to expand its activities into the Argentinian food market and has involved investment of 5...

Strong quarter for Martek Biosciences.(Martek Biosciences Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Martek Biosciences Corp says that, for its fiscal third quarter ended July 31, revenues leapt 62.5% to $47.3 million, while net income was $5.0 million, or $0.16 per share, representing a rise of 8.7% compared with the like, year-earlier...

Nutri Source sets up China joint venture.(Nutri Source Industries)(North West Huan Dao Investment Company)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nutri Source Industries of Washington, USA, which is in the business of purchasing berry crops for nutraceutical use, has entered into a joint venture with North West Huan Dao Investment Company of Shan Xi province, China. The companies...

Dynamic acquires O'Leary Health.(Dynamic Health Products)(Bob O'Leary Health Food Distributor Co)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dynamic Health Products, a Florida, USA-based dietary supplements firm, has acquired Bob O'Leary Health Food Distributor Co, which specializes in wholesaling supplements, vitamins, health foods and nutritional products. Under the terms of...

Prime Capital buys Virtual Apothecary.(Prime Capital Resources)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Prime Capital Resources of Reno, Nevada, USA, says it has completed the acquisition of Virtual Apothecary, a firm which has developed a computer program that provides physicians with the capability of analyzing a patient's health and...

AOB gets US office.(American Oriental Bioengineering)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... American Oriental Bioengineering, which is based in Hong Kong and produces a broad range of nutraceutical products, has established its first US office, in New York, as part of expanding its business through strategic partnerships with US...

Nutrition 21 looks forward to future.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nutrition 21, a USA-based firm which markets chromium-based nutritional supplements, has announced its financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter year ended June 30, which show that revenues climbed 55.6%. Net loss fell to $2.6 million or...

Agricore makes key research investment.(Agricore United)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Canada's Agricore United has announced plans to invest $1 million over a five-year period into the University of Manitoba's new Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals. Brian Hayward, Agricore's chief executive, said that...

Zuellig sets up new nutritional group.(ZGNI)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... California, USA-based Zuellig has announced the formation of a new global nutritional group which it says will supply premium quality nutritional ingredients as well as develop and market innovative dietary supplements. This new group,...

Sunwin applies for listing on the ASE.(Sunwin International Neutraceuticals)(American Stock Exchange)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Sunwin International Neutraceuticals, a Shandong, China-headquartered firm that specializes in the distribution and manufacturing of traditional Chinese medicines and nutraceutical products, is to apply for a listing on the American Stock...

American Longevity buys Bio-lumin.(Bio-lumin Essense)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... American Longevity, a California, USA-based manufacturer of dietary supplements, has acquired Bio-lumin Essense, a firm which specializes in systemic enzymes and probiotics. Financial details were not disclosed. The purchaser, which has...

Forthcoming meetings/events.
October 1, 2004... The US Council for Responsible Nutrition will hold a one-day science seminar on the supplements industry on October 28, with the aim of reviewing scientific advances in the sector. For more information, visit: www.crnusa.com. The 6th Asia...

People on the move.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... - Switzerland-headquartered food giant Nestle has named Frits van Dijk, now chief executive of Nestle Waters, as the successor to Michael Garrett, executive vice president and head of the company's Asia, Oceania and Africa operations, when the...