Nutraceuticals International articles from September 2003

Nutraceuticals International archives from September 2003

P&G's olestra: US FDA removes label requirement for GI, vitamin warnings.
September 1, 2003... The US Food and Drug Administration has published a Final Rule which amends the food additive regulations to remove the requirement for the label statement prescribed specifically for savory snack products containing sucrose esterified with...

US FDA Final Rule on cGMPs must include best practices, says industry group.
September 1, 2003... In drawing up its long-awaited Final Rule on current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements, the US Food and Drug Administration should seriously consider industry recommendations that would incorporate current "best practices"...

US anti-aging herbal, vitamin sales to 2007.(forecasts)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... US sales of herbal extracts used for their anti-aging properties will grow from a value of $177 million in 2002 to $300 million in 2007, while anti-aging vitamin and antioxidant sales will reach $390 million from $270 million over the period,...

Systems approach to supp GMPs: CHPA.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The US Consumer Healthcare Products Association has told the Food and Drug Administration that the requirements in its Proposed Rule on current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements (see also page 2) are far too detailed and...

US functional foods: 13.3% AAGR to 2007".(market forecast)
September 1, 2003... The US market for functional foods is forecast to show a 13.3% average annual growth rate to 2007, reaching a value of $37.7 billion in that year from $20.2 billion in 2002, says a new study from Business Communications Co. Moreover,...

Codex Alimentarius health claims guidelines fall at the final hurdle.
September 1, 2003... The pragmatic compromise on health claims reached at the last meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Labeling (NI vol 8, no 6) has proved as unstable as it was hard-won. At its 26th session in Rome, Italy, the Codex Alimentarius...

US NIH "glue grant" for five-year lipids study.(National Institutes of Health )
September 1, 2003... An agency of the US National Institutes of Health is to provide total funding of around $35 million over five years for research into the role of lipids in serious diseases. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences has awarded the...

US FDA OKs health claim for D-tagatose.
September 1, 2003... The US Food and Drug Administration has adopted as a Final Rule, without change, the provisions of its interim Final Rule covering health claims on sugar alcohols and dental caries (tooth decay), to permit the inclusion of the sugar D-tagatose...

Australia finds fault with vitamin labels.(discrepancies between listed and actual ingredients)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Tests on vitamin supplements carried out in Australia have found discrepancies of up to 46% between ingredient quantities listed on labels and the content of the tablet, according to an independent Melbourne laboratory's analysis of the levels...

Canada: health food stores give bad advice.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... According to a survey carried out in Canada by undercover researchers, health food store employees often recommend unproven products for breast cancer patients. This type of activity could hamper traditional treatments and put lives at risk,...

Australians favor soy milk and derivatives boosting market over last two years.
September 1, 2003... The soy drinks sector and associated segments of the total non- alcoholic beverage market in Australia showed little change for some years, but in the last two they have received a boost from the emphasis on promoting soy milk and soy...

Japan's MoH ponders functional categories.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... A working group of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor (Korosho) held a meeting recently to sound out views on the classification and definition of functional health foods. Representatives from six bodies with an interest in the...

Thailand's energy drinks market spared advertising ban.
September 1, 2003... Manufacturers of energy drinks in Thailand have escaped draconian advertising restrictions that would have kept brands such as Krating Daeng, Red Bull and M-150 off the local airwaves until late in the evening. Energy drinks were included...

EU claims proposal risks bad food stigma, says the UK's BNF.(British Nutrition Foundation )
September 1, 2003... The British Nutrition Foundation has joined the chorus of dissent over European plans to restrict the use of health claims based on a food's "nutrional profile." The BNF argues that the scheme would not only be unworkable but could stigmatize...

Scrap ambiguous health claims, urges Dutch Health Council report.
September 1, 2003... There is no practical or scientific distinction between health maintenance and disease prevention claims for foods and dietary supplements, despite the existing legal boundary that classifies the latter as medicinal, concludes a recent report...

Swiss investment incentives for nutra.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Companies looking to expand into Europe could do worse than consider the region of western Switzerland, which is offering life sciences (including nutraceutical and biotechnology) firms very attractive financial and other incentives to set up...

Upcoming legislation will change Europe's supplements market.
September 1, 2003... The European food supplements directive will come into effect in less than two years' time, on August 1, 2005, and it is now expected that by then the directive on traditional herbal medicines will also be law. These two directives, plus...

"Not all natural cholesterol fighters are equal," notes a JAMA study.
September 1, 2003... A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (August 13 issue), entitled Herbal extract not effective in treating high cholesterol, found that guggulipid, a herbal extract, did not reduce cholesterol levels. However, the...

Low dietary calcium may cause rickets.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... New research shows that some North American infants are not receiving sufficient dietary calcium and, as a result, are developing rickets - a disease usually attributed to lack of vitamin D or not enough exposure to sunlight - at a higher level...

St John's wort healing reputation upheld?(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... St John's wort has been the subject of strong debate as to its safety and efficacy (NIs passim). However, according to an Instant Poll of the Science Advisory Board (an on-line panel of over 15,600 science and health professionals from 62...

Chromium picolinate may enhance insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes.
September 1, 2003... The results of a new double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled human trial of people with type 2 diabetes revealed a potential mechanism that may explain the ability of chromium picolinate to overcome insulin resistance in human skeletal...

Soy component helps blood flow.(genistein)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... An Italian study has found that a component of soy products, genistein, can bring about improved blood flow and blood vessel health, suggesting that soy may be a substitute for hormone replacement therapy which some doctors now warn against due...

Perrigo to launch new supplement line.(Dr Steven Rosenblatt brand)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... US firm Perrigo has signed a licensing agreement with Sierra Medicinals to manufacture and market the eponymously-named Dr Steven Rosenblatt brand of dietary supplements which, the former firm says, offers another area for growth. Dr...

New women's joint health product.(Daily Balance Joint Answer for Women)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... US preventive medicine and clinical nutrition specialist Susan Lark has created a new natural health product, called Daily Balance Joint Answer for Women, designed to address the joint health of females as they age. Dr Lark's formula is...

Mohawk debuts Intelectol in USA.(Mohawk Marketing memory supplement )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Mohawk Marketing says that it will begin distributing Intelectol, which it claims is a powerful memory supplement and has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, in the USA at the beginning of September. The primary ingredient in...

Everlast to launch nutritional products.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Everlast Worldwide, a US manufacturer, marketer and licensor of sporting goods and apparel under the Everlast brand name, has announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with New York City-based Vitamin Branding for the development...

Ensure now in bottles.(nutritional supplement)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Abbott Laboratories says it is "kicking the can" and introducing an 8- fluid-ounce reclosable plastic bottle for its Ensure nutritionals, a first in the adult nutritional category. The new Ensure bottle is now appearing on store shelves and is...

Hain/Cargill deal on functional food/bevs.(Hain Celestial Group and Cargill Health & Food Technologies )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The USA's Hain Celestial Group and Cargill Health & Food Technologies have announced plans to jointly develop new food and beverage product solutions for consumers to address a broad range of health concerns. "By combining our expertise,...

PrimaVu launches botanical eye drops.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... San Diego, USA-based PrimaVu has debuted PrimaVu Herbal Eye Drops, claimed to be a safe and effective alternative to traditional eye drops to lubricate eyes and alleviate irritation associated with dry-eye conditions. An estimated 12...

Japan's Taisho to release new vitamin C prep which works on freckles.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Taisho Pharmaceutical of Japan has launched its new product ALFE White, a vitamin C treatment that is said to work on freckles from inside the skin, on August 18. In a company survey (women ages 20-40, n=1,000) on beauty concerns the number one...

Tsumura plans to sell Chinese herbal medicines in the USA.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Japan-based Tsumura has said it will start selling Chinese herbal medicines in the USA. It plans to start clinical trials of these products this year and expects marketing to commence in 2005 or 2006, reports the Nikkei Weekly. Pending...

News from Vietnam and China.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The Bien Hoa Coffee Factory in southern Vietnam's Dong Nai province has launched a non-cholesterol and vitamin E-enriched cereal product onto the domestic market, according to the Vietnamese News Agency. Medicinal teas producer Khoi...

NIH to look at benefits of soy supplements.(US National Institutes of Health looks at benefits to women with menopausal problems)
September 1, 2003... The US National Institutes of Health has announced that it is to set up a study to evaluate the dietary benefits of soy for women with menopausal problems. The trial will be conducted at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and will...

Antioxidant supp cuts cancers and death risk.(vitamin and mineral antioxidant supplement )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Results from a study conducted in France have demonstrated that men who took a vitamin and mineral antioxidant supplement daily over 7.5 years had a reduction in their risk of cancer and death, compared with those not taking supplements. ...

Cholesterol-lowering effect of green tea.(theaflavin-enriched green tea extract)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Positive findings have been reported from a trial examining the potential cholesterol-lowering effect of a theaflavin-enriched green tea extract. The results were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The double-blind,...

Kyowa Hakko unveils new CSPHP product.(soy protein hydrolyzate with bound phospholipids for lowering cholesterol)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Japan's Kyowa Hakko Kogyo showcased a newly-developed liquid version of CSPHP (soy protein hydrolyzate with bound phospholipids) at the annual Institute of Food Technologists meeting in Chicago, USA, last month. Since its release in Japan...

Aussie Bodies' award for Protein Whip.(state government award for protein-enriched ice cream)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Small Melbourne, Australia-based nutrition company Aussie Bodies, which specializes in protein-enhanced products, has won a state government award for its Protein Whip, a novel protein-enriched ice cream. After 11 years in virtual obscurity,...

Tofu desserts become popular in Japan.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Desserts made with tofu are becoming much more widely available in Japan in response to an increasing demand from health-conscious customers. Ice cream made with a famous brand of Kyoto tofu costs 350 yen ($2.96) per cone and soft soy casein...

Parmalat expands in Oz health snacks mkt.(Parmalat Australia)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Parmalat Australia has announced a major promotion for its healthy flavored milk, launching a new advertising campaign for the iced coffee drink IceBreak. The company's beverage manager, Jenni Booth, said unit sales of IceBreak's core pack size...

Cadila launches five ayurvedic products.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Cadila Pharmaceuticals has entered the ayurvedic segment by launching five herbal drugs - Tummyease soft gel capsules, Fleximuv pain reliever ointment and oil, Antisept Cream and NT Tus cough, in the over-the- counter market in India's western...

Cyanotech posts 19% sales increase.(1st-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Hawaii-based Cyanotech Corp, which specializes in the production of natural products from microalgae, has posted its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2004, which ended in June 2003. Net sales increased 19% to just over $2.4...

USA's Natrol goes down road of major restructuring in bid to halt losses.
September 1, 2003... California, USA-based Natrol has posted its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2003, which show a net loss of $550,000 compared with income of about $130,000 for the like, year-earlier period. Sales increased 6.4% to $19.0 million....

ZonePerfect deal complete, says Abbott.(acquisition deal)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... US health care major Abbott Laboratories says that it has completed the previously-announced $160 million acquisition of ZonePerfect Nutrition Co (NI vol 8 no 8), a privately-owned firm based in Beverly, Massachusetts, that markets a line of...

Japan's Sato targets Canadian market.(Sato Pharmaceutical)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Sato Pharmaceutical of Japan is planning to accelerate its overseas activities by commencing sales in the Canadian market. The company, which already has a presence in the USA, Europe and Asia, will enter the Canadian over-the-counter sector...

Vitabiotics moves HQ as growth continues.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The UK's Vitabiotics, which shot to prominence on the back of the success in the UK of its leading Wellwoman and Wellman brands and is currently the nation's fastest-growing vitamin manufacturer, has moved to a new L8 million ($12.9 million)...

Galaxy struggling amid refocusing of cash.(Galaxy Nutritional Foods first-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The USA's Galaxy Nutritional Foods swung to a loss in the fiscal first quarter ended June 30, as the firm reigned in its sales activities and focused its "limited cash resources" on the production of higher-margin branded items. The...

Novogen improves performance in 2003.(earnings report)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Nasdaq-listed Novogen has reported gross revenues of A$33.1 million ($21.5 million) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2003, compared with A$29.7 million during the like, year-earlier period. Moreover, the company saw its net losses...

Danone ahead of forecasts in 1st-half.
September 1, 2003... France-based food and beverages giant Danone has posted a dip in operating profits for the first half of 2003 as the negative impact of foreign currency and a weakening consumer goods market took their toll. However, net profits soared to...

EC clears Archer Daniel VDBO purchase.(Van den Bergh Oils to be acquired by Archer Daniels Midlands)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The European Commission says that the acquisition of Van den Bergh Oils, a division of Unilever Bestfoods which operates in the seed oil and seed oil by-products sector, by Archer Daniels Midlands, has now been granted regulatory approval. ...

Currency effect hits sales at Nestle.(first-half 2003 earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Switzerland's Nestle, the world's largest consumer foods group, has reported a dip in sales for the first half of 2003 as adverse foreign exchange movements impacted on turnover, although, on the upside, the firm posted solid organic growth....

Degussa and Thuris in development deal.(to determine the sites of action of certain brain active compounds)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The USA's Degussa Food Ingredients says that it has entered into an accord with biopharmaceutical concern Thuris in a bid to determine the sites of action of certain brain active compounds. Under the terms of the deal, Thuris, which...

HNS sells Acutrim brand to Amerifit.(Health & Nutritional Systems International)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Health & Nutritional Systems International, a developer and retailer of weight management products, says that it has sold its Acutrim brand to Amerifit. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The decision to dispose of the...

Novogen wins patent on estrogen compound.(US patent)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Australia's Novogen, a drug discovery and development concern focused on degenerative diseases, says that it has been granted a US patent for its isoflavones (natural estrogens) to treat estrogen-dependent gynaecological conditions. The...

Merck KGaA acquires Peter Black Marketing.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Merck CHC Holding, controlled by the German drugmaker Merck KGaA, has acquired the UK nutritional supplements, vitamins and minerals direct marketing company Peter Black. The purchase will enable Merck's Consumer Health Care division, active in...

Net income doubles at Natural Health.(Natural Health Trends Corp. second quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The USA's Natural Health Trends Corp has posted results for the second quarter ended June 2003 which show that net sales rose 33% to almost $12.2 million, helped by expansion into new international markets, particularly the launch of its Lexxus...

Weider enjoys a profitable quarter.( Weider Nutrition International 4th-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Salt Lake City, USA-based Weider Nutrition International says that net sales for the fiscal 2003 fourth quarter ended May 31 reached $55.8 million, down from $72.8 million for the same period last year. Net income was $281,000, or $0.01 per...

Good earnings rise for Forbes Medi-Tech.(2nd-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Forbes Medi-Tech of Canada says revenues for the second quarter ended June 2003 increased 29.6% to C$3.5 million ($2.5 million), while net income was C$2.1 million, or C$0.09 per share, compared with C$3 million, or $0.14 per share, for the...

Business booming at USA's Mannatech.(quarterly earnings report)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Mannatech has posted a 31.4% rise in sales for the three months ended June 30, 2003, to $46.5 million, while net income was $1.2 million, or $0.04 per share, up from $228,000 in the like, year-earlier period. Revenue for the six-month period...

Revenues roll into Vital Living.(2nd-quarter earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Vital Living, which calls itself "the physician's nutraceutical company," has posted revenues of $408,000 for the second quarter ended June 30, 2003, compared with $17,000 for the same period last year. The rise is mainly due to the purchase of...

Food Science Australia and Clover team gains US award for microencapsulation.
September 1, 2003... Australian research in microencapsulating fish oils has resulted in the American Oil Chemists' Society giving its International Corporate Achievement Award 2003 to members of the microencapsulation team from Food Science Australia and Clover...

China's Sanjiu to sell herbals in Japan.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Leading Chinese pharmaceutical firm Sanjiu Enterprise Group plans to market over-the-counter drugs based on kampo herbal medicines through a nationwide pharmacy association in Japan, starting in October. The drugs will be shipped to member...

Forthcoming meetings/events.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... l Two soy foods conferences are scheduled: The 5th International Symposium on the Role of Soy in Preventing and Treating Chronic Disease will take place September 21-24 in Orlando, Florida, USA. This will cover the latest and evolving ideas...

People on the move.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Leiner Health Products has appointed Crystal Wright to head up its newly created corporate communications department in Washington, DC. Ms Wright was previously vice president of media relations for the National Association of Chain Drug...