Fruitflow tomato extract hits the food supplement aisle (with omega-3)

31-Oct-2016 - Last updated on 02-Nov-2016 at 07:57 GMT

Provexis Fruitflow+ contains 150 mg of Fruitflow and 500 mg of omega-3s including 150 mg EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), 100 mg DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)

Related tags Nutrition

Fruitflow, the Provexis-owned blood flow boosting tomato extract has launched in an omega-3 blended food supplement in the UK.

Fruitflow won the first article 13.5 proprietary science claim under the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) in 2009, but sales of products like Sirco juice have remained at niche level as the blood flow-benefitting claim has failed to gain widespread consumer traction.

The product follows the development of the ingredient for the supplements market by Provexis’ long-term partner, DSM Nutritional Products (DNP). A food supplements-targeted version entered the market in 2013 and about 50 brands including Swanson and Healthspan have added the nutrient at varying doses (150 mg – 1 mg) to heart health-promoting nutraceuticals globally.

Now Provexis has entered the retail space with its own brand, Fruitflow+ Plus, being sold via its own website for £15.95 (€17.70) for a 30-pill box.

The firm, working with DSM, has also set up a Facebook page and been endorsed by popular UK nutritionist Dr Sarah Brewer, who has more than near 70,000 followers on Twitter.

DNP global business and marketing manager Reudi Duss told us omega-3 had been added to the blend to more fully target the cardiovascular system.

“The cardiovascular system has three components: the heart, the blood vessels, and the blood,” Duss said.

“Together the blood vessels and the blood can be viewed as ‘the circulation’, and these are targeted by Fruitflow. By adding in something that helps maintain heart health, the blended product could then be marketed as helping to maintain overall cardiovascular health.”

blood clot stroke cardiovascular heart iStock wildpixel — ©iStock/wildpixel

“Omega-3 has an EFSA health claim for maintenance of normal heart function, and secondly, there is some work showing that tomato polyphenols and omega-3 oils may work synergistically. So this combination seems a very good fit for a product looking to provide enhanced benefits.”

The supplement contains 150 mg of Fruitflow tomato extract and 500 mg of omega-3s including 150 mg EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), 100 mg DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and 250 mg of other fatty acids including ALA (alpha linoleic acid).