The understanding of what happens within the human digestive system has always been hampered by the inability to observe that system in action, leave alone the imperfect understanding of one of the major components of the system, the gut microbiome. ...
The immediate future of the probiotics space is clouded by regulatory uncertainty but is buoyed by new science and technology, speakers at the recent Probiota Americas event said.
The dawn of inexpensive, rapid genetic sequencing has opened up new avenues for explaining the connection of the gut to the brain. With this new understanding of the precise makeup of the gut microbiome, medical science, and by extension the probiotic...
Evidence continues to mount that the gut microbiome affects gut health in a number of ways, one of which appears to be by inducing the nervous system to send signals to the brain via the vagus nerve and other pathways. Can the makeup of this microbial...
A study detailed at the Probiota Americas gathering in San Diego showed how supplementation of Bacillus coagulans combined with protein decreases muscle damage and boosts recovery post exercise. And it’s the first study that directly links probiotics...
In the wake of the New York Attorney General affair, one question that has been raised is whether barriers to entry in the US market are too low, and give bad actors too much room to maneuver. But an expert on the supplement trade in Europe says barriers...
Europe, and especially Germany, has historically been a hotbed of herbal lore, science and product development. The American Botanical Council recently tapped into this knowledge in a more fundamental way by adding Joerg Gruenwald, PhD, to its advisory...
An article in late March in The New York Times called the efficacy of omega-3s into question, citing a number of older equivocal studies. Rather than get down into the trenches on this one, a leading spokesperson in the field said it’s time for the industry...
According to one prominent executive, for the probiotics industry, the fallout from the NYAG affair should be fairly straightforward: Make sure you know how to do what you’re supposed to do in the first place. Identify and count, it’s as simple as that.
Blackmores, the leading supplement brand in Australia, has taken the unusual step of sending a company representative on a two week-long trip to verify the sustainability practices of Aker BioMarine, the world’s largest harvester of krill used to supply...
Outsourcing. It's no secret it can bring big financial and logistical gains. But in an age when traceability and accountability carry increasing value, are we now seeing a shift towards a new concept of insourcing?
The firms that manufacture healthy food and supplement products do much more than just make products – they are integral partners in product development, regulatory compliance and much more…
An trend for outsourcing science and research may be good news for contract research organisations (CROs) and open innovation partnerships, but does it mean that internal R&D is suffering?
The rise of social media has led to a shift in the way consumers view food brands – and the way that food brands interact with their customers, according to experts speaking on the side lines of Food Vision in Cannes.
Nutrigenomics – the idea of optimising nutrition via individualised and/or pooled genetic data – is one that has long promised to revolutionise how we eat – not to mention keeping us healthy and out of hospitals. Are converging technologies about to deliver...
The analytical community should embrace transparency to then allow manufacturers to share that with consumers to build confidence, says Elan Sudberg, CEO of Alkemist Labs.
The recent NY AG probe has kick-started some industry organizations to say self-policing needs to be better, and transparency needs to come to the fore, says Aaron Secrist from NOW Foods.
Qualitas Health, a supplier of a unique polar-lipid structured algal omega-3 ingredient, is now at full scale production and is participating in what an executive calls “the future of omega-3s.”
Mazza Innovation, a producer of botanical extracts, has moved beyond the proof of concept stage and is close to full scale production with its unique water-based extraction technology.
Cargill is “all in on stevia,” according to Scott Fabro, global business development director. At the forefront of this commitment is the company’s Viatech stevia technology, which analyzes the various stevia components separately and reassembles them...
The New York Attorney General’s investigation into herbal supplements has been headline news for over a month, but for every problem there is an opportunity. NutraIngredients-USA caught up with some industry giants to see if there is a silver lining in...
A new, more efficient form of plant-based omega-3s is coming to market in the form of Ahiflower, the branded name of a special strain of an oilseed species that has been developed by British firm Technology Crops International to contain high levels of...
Like many areas of nutrition research, probiotic and prebiotic science relies on strong collaboration between academic experts and businesses. But there are some who say such links create biased science.
Probiotics, prebiotics, and microbiome science are big business, and already generate a great deal of scientific and commercial interest. But what does the future have in story for the sector?
Clinical data is building around the role of probiotics to aid athletic performance – from recovery to muscle development to immune defense. We spoke to a leading researcher at Probiota in Amsterdam this month…
Yakult at Probiota 2015: “We want to be clear that before we invest we need to have some dialogue with EFSA...”
Yakult and leading academics expressed frustration at what they see as unfair and opaque scientific requirements around probiotic health claims in the European Union – but how much is industry to blame and could social media be a data-sharing saviour?
The holidays are fast upon us, so let’s put ‘business’ to one side and get into the festive mood. To keep in the spirit of things, we’ve got a ‘gift’ for you – enjoy. Happy Holidays!
The Botanical Adulterants Program is “raising the bar of awareness of this growing problem among industry stakeholders and is trying to bring various remedies to the table,” program director Mark Blumenthal said at the SupplySide West trade show in Las...
The dietary supplement business has gone from fighting for its life to enjoying the fruits of an open, dynamic marketplace, and it’s all because of DSHEA, according to Loren Isrealsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance.
Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, has a unique perspective on the 20th anniversary of DSHEA having started in the herbal products industry in 1974, twenty years before the law was passed. The law, as he sees it,...
A unique collaboration of experts worked together to identify an adulterant in the chondroitin supply and the industry took note, but still some suppliers are not using the right methods and that’s a concern, says the president of Synutra International.
The 20th anniversary of the Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA) is ‘monumental’, says Steve Mister from the CRN, but the industry shouldn’t rest on its laurels too long. ‘The important thing is to figure out what change is necessary to...
Despite ongoing vacancies in the main office of the Division of Dietary Supplements, companies must continue to build relationships with FDA’s district offices to ensure ongoing GMP compliance, says Dr Daniel Fabricant, CEO of the Natural Products Association.
Ingredient supplier Compound Solutions has introduced a nature identical version of theacrine branded as TeaCrine. The ingredient offers benefits over caffeine, the mainstay of energy formulations, the company says.
Reporting adverse events is something all dietary supplement companies must prepared to do to be in compliance with the law. But beyond that basic requirement, companies that fully embrace an AER system can use it to provide valuable market data, an...
Nutraceuticals and dietary supplements are attracting a lot of private equity attention, and it’s not surprising, says George Pontiakos, given that ‘it’s a growing market that historically provides efficacy and value to consumers’.
Tom Tolworthy worked to restructure Twinlab from the time he took over the iconic brand in 2010. The final deal, which closed in early October, turned out better than orignially envisaged and will put the company on the path to ‘reauthenticate’ the brand...
Beverages continue to be one of the hot beds for innovation when it comes to nutrient fortification, with insoluble fiber, nutritional oils, and (of course) protein all catching the eye.
The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s’ campaign to promote positive messages about omega-3s has finally launched, but more funds needs to be raised to allow a national roll-out, said GOED’s Adam Ismail.
Consumers are looking for individual and integrated strategies to optimize their health and wellness, but no company has yet put all the pieces together, says BrandHive’s Jeff Hilton.
Cargill has weathered a potential media storm concerning its functional ingredient Trehalose. The ingredient, a glucose dissaccharide, was one of the potentially ‘scary’ food ingredients seized upon for its use by a well known fast food chain.
The GRAS process as it stands in the United States is vulnerable to criticism based on possible conflicts of interest and low-quality safety work, said Claire Kruger, PhD, president of Spherix Consulting, a division of ChromaDex.
The submissions of New Dietary Ingredient notifications seems as fraught as ever, and part of the issue is that regulators are not as communicative as they could be, according to Alex Schauss, senior director of AIBMR Life Sciences.
Consumer awareness of the importance of immune health throughout the year is driving significant growth in that category, and there are still plenty of opportunities in the category, says the CEO of Biothera.
Recent pathogen outbreaks in raw chia powder and concerns over whether some psyllium is actually food grade highlight the ongoing importance of selecting suppliers wisely, says the CEO of BI Nutraceuticals.
Women, protein blends, and the ‘anti-wasting’ market are all areas of significant opportunity in sports nutrition, says Jeff Hilton, co-founder and CMO of BrandHive.
Botanical adulteration, like doping in sports, is a problem that can be controlled but never totally resolved, but what is being done about it? Here the world’s biggest botanical players debate their attacks on the problem.
