Fruit antioxidant extraction method patent lodged

Ethical Natural’s ORAC-15,000 technology has been applied to something it is calling Standardized Fruit Blend – which includes extracts from bilberry, blueberry, chokeberry, cranberry, goji berry, grape, mangosteen and pomegranate.

It has a standardized ORAC Value of7,500 units/gram and for polyphenols (40 percent), as measured by Brunswick Laboratories. While it could be years before the patent is processed, the fact it is pending offers protection to the technology in the mean time.

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“The technology is protected now but we have already begun marketing Standardized Fruit Blend,” ​said Ethical Naturals president, Cal Bewicke.

He said dietary supplements and functional beverages companies in the US were the main initial targets and discussions had begun with players in the area already.

Bewicke said the technology used ethanol extraction to provide high dose levels of polyphenols and antioxidants. “This method is different because we separate other constituents in ethanol solution to concentrate them at the highest possible levels.”​

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The company was in the process of developing a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) dossier for the multi-fruit technology.

Bewicke said the selection of fruits had been chosen because of the polyphenols balance it delivered. “We have done a lot of polyphenols testing over the years,” ​he said.

“We have begun to see how a wide range of companies can improve both the nutritional quality and marketability of their products by incorporating the defined levels of antioxidant power offered by these proprietary ingredients.” ​

Glucosamine​

Ethical Naturals was involved in a patent dispute with​Cargill in 2009 that saw the company agree not to sell its GreenGrown glucosamine into Canada, the EU or Brazil. But it continues to sell the ingredient in the US and is able to in other parts of the world.

Cargill claimed that Ethical Naturals Inc (ENI) was infringing on its patents for the production and sale of glucosamine from vegetable sources.

ENI entered the vegetarian glucosamine market in January 2008 with the US launch of its GreenGrown ingredient. This is available in both HCL and Sulfate forms and is derived from corn.