Pan-European health and nutrition claims moved a step closer to reality after 2870 claims were delivered to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for assessment by January, 2010.
A UK start-up has launched with the aim of fast-tracking the process by which novel ingredients and technologies migrate from the academic arena to fully-branded, on-market, functional food status.
UK Sport has altered its position in regard to the use of food supplements and now says supplements such as whey, isotonic drinks, creatine and multivitamin and mineral complexes should be safe in most cases.
A US product survey has found that four out of ten red yeast rice
supplements were contaminated with a fungal substance called
citrinin that has been linked with kidney problems in animal and
human populations.
The use of rising eye health phytonutrient, zeaxanthin, in food
supplements in doses of up to 20mg has been rejected by the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Mangosteen pioneer Xango has taken a major category leap by
launching a range of dietary supplements in the US with Canada and
Mexico to follow later in the year.
The launch of a plant sterol-aspirin combination product being
marketed as both a dietary supplement and a drug, highlights a
legal grey area that requires refinement, according to the American
Herbal Products Association (AHPA).
The Danish Medicines Agency has issued a public warning against an
illegal ephedrine-containing supplement that has been linked with
several adverse event reports and one death.
Rising Czech nutraceutical and pharmaceutical manufacturer,
Walmark, has gained the right to produce and distribute several
brands from American pharma giant Bristol-Myers Squib (BMS)
including supplement products, as its eastern...
A new dietary supplement ingredient combines different extracts
from the pomegranate fruit, which is said to provide a tailor-made
antioxidant and anti-inflammatory blend for supplement makers.
A Guernsey-based company has been told by the voluntary watchdog,
the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), to withdraw an advert
for a prostate supplement because it failed to provide supporting
evidence for its claims.
NZTE is a government-backed scheme that has helped Kiwi ingredients start-ups compete with companies with much deeper pockets around the globe. Andrew Easdale, business development manager at NZTE's UK office, explains the benefits.
The soy ingredients market has grown up a lot in 20 years. Solbar vice president of marketing and development Gary Brenner casts an eye over a mature ingredients sector.
Robinson Pharma marketing vice president, Kenn Israel, discusses the recent GlaxoSmithKline petition for weight loss claims be treated as disease claims, and the potential impact of this on the dietary supplement market.
A petition by drug firm GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) requesting that
weight loss claims be treated as disease claims maintains that
there is no credible science to back up weight loss ingredients
used in dietary supplements.
A petition filed with the US FDA calling for the agency to treat weight loss claims as disease claims could wipe the weight loss category from the dietary supplement map.
A pan-European healthy food and supplements trade group has
criticised the UK's "first professor of complementary
medicine", Edzard Ernst, for taking an "unscientific"
approach in a new book.
Lifelong supplementation with the prebiotics inulin and
oligofructose may extend lifespan by over 30 per cent, according to
a new animal study from France.
The recent food supplements contamination case that led to banning
from competition of a number of Greek weightlifters, would never
have happened in the Netherlands, according to the trade
association there.
Food supplements manufacturers may have to reformulate thousands of
products aimed at both children and adults if calls for bans on the
use of certain artificial colours become reality.
Greece's Olympic weightlifting team is blaming contaminated
Chinese-made food supplements for some of its members being charged
with doping violations.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) expects to process
applications for 1000-2000 health claims, 900 food additives and
2800 flavours in the next 12 months, according to EFSA executive
director, Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle.
A UK-based food supplements comparison website has launched today
that rates the 20,000+ products on-market there in a bid to provide
consumers with unbiased purchasing advice.
Finnish pharma player Actavis has launched three ranges of VMS and
herbal products in Bulgaria with more planned as the company
attempts to meet revenue growth targets of 20 per cent by 2010.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has removed a section
devoted to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) from its
website in a move that has caused consternation throughout the
British CAM community.
Poland has established a government-backed group briefed with
developing criteria relating to the classification of a range of
nutrients under either food or medicine law.
Food supplements should be exempt from European nutrient profiling
regulations because their fat, salt and sugar levels are scant
enough not to warrant concern, according to an industry group.
Supplementing the diet of elderly people with the full set of
essential amino acids can boost their lean body mass, strength and
physical function, according to a new study.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has requested that the
FDA withdraw its guidance on the labeling of dietary supplements,
suggesting it is unnecessary and potentially misleading for
consumers.
Danisco has today said it has entered into a new licence agreement
with Fonterra for the "long term use" of two probiotic strains,
which will see them added in supplements.
The headlines are sensationalist: twenty-four people have died in a
probiotic trial. Therefore, probiotics may be fatal. Throw those
yoghurt shots away!
A draft document on how to assess the safety of botanicals for use
in food and food supplements has been released by the European Food
Safety Authority (EFSA).
BI Nutraceuticals is seeking to tap potential for its ingredients
for supplements in a high-potential emerging market by signing a
deal which will see its ingredients available in Turkey.
A European wide set of guidelines has been developed by a team of
technical experts to help companies comply with EU laws on
producing and selling supplements.
As the European Food Safety Authority prepares its opinion on the
feasibility of nutrient profiling, the trade organisation EHPM has
asked that food supplements should be exempted from the rule.
Mastertaste is aiming to tap two key trends for food formulation
with it new range of Active Botanicals: natural flavours and
perceived health benefits.
Supplements of folic acid may lower blood levels of arsenic in
individuals exposed to the toxin in contaminated drinking water,
researchers have suggested.
Capsugel has extended its line of supplement capsules by adding a
range of colours to them, which it says will make bland formulas
more appealing to consumers.
An extract from American ginseng berry may reduce blood sugar
levels by 30 per cent and aid weight loss, reports a new study from
the University of Chicago using obese diabetic mice.
Vitatene has been granted permission to market two ingredients in
Australia and New Zealand as supplements, a move which will open up
further horizons for the Spanish company.
The European Court of Justice's opinion to not allow Germany to
label garlic supplements as a medicine has been seen as a fine
example of the intended use principle winning out.
Vitiva is introducing a lutein ester ingredient extracted from
marigold flowers that is being aimed at enabling higher
dosages in dietary supplements in the US and Europe.
Ajinomoto has announced it is introducing its capsinoid dietary
supplement into the US market after being given the green light as
a new dietary ingredient.
