New, improved ISP from Nutri Pharma

Norwegian soy technology company Nutri Pharma yesterday announced the results of a clinical trial which it claims demonstrated its new isolated soy protein (ISP) is significantly better at lowering serum cholesterol values than the best commercially available ISP (control ISP).

As such Nutri Pharma says it hopes that the new soy protein will open up the possibility for superiority claims.

In a placebo-controlled, double-blind study of 120 hypercholesterolemic individuals, Nutri Pharma's new ISP is said to have decreased serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol significantly more than the control ISP. The serum LDL-cholesterol reduction with the Nutri Pharma​ ISP was reportedly as much as 92 per cent greater than with the control ISP.

The company explains the development of its new ISP as a result of the company identifying the fact that altering the biochemical structure of soy protein may adversely affect the cholesterol lowering effects in humans. Nutri Pharma's new ISP is therefore said to be based on the company's understanding of the mechanisms by which soy proteins lower cholesterol, and shows how the key components of the protein can be protected during processing.

Nutri Parma say their new ISP is also more than 95 per cent soluble - which they point out is especially noteworthy when compared to the 20-55 per cent solubility of most other isolated soy proteins.

This development is further said to be of particular significance given the continuing growth of the soy market. Since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States approved a health claim relating soy to cholesterol reduction in 1999, the US soy market has seen double-digit growth and, with the Joint Health Claims Initiative (JHCI) approved claim in the UK in 2002, significant growth is also expected in this market.

Nutri Pharma's new ISP is expected to further improve the beneficial effects of Abacor - its natural cholesterol lowering ingredient. The company recently developed a third generation of Abacor, based on a new PCT composition patent application combining soy protein and phospholipids.

Following these developments Nutri Pharma says it has filed for five new PCT patent applications for its novel soy protein products and process technologies for the incorporation of soy proteins into functional foods.

With Nutri Pharma's new ISP and patented products and technologies, the company feels it is ideally positioned to provide product technologies to companies looking to take a lead in this growing soy market. As a result Nutri Pharma, mainly an R&D organisation, is now seeking industrial partners in the food and pharma sectors with international reach for its patented technologies.