Supplier XSTO Solutions to distribute ABR’s 'cell cultured' botanical extracts in North America
Ingredients from the Brendola, Italy-based ABR are produced using plant cell culture technology, according to a press release from XSTO Solutions.
This process involves isolation of plant parts where an active molecule is expressed, and then creating a ‘wound’ in this area for cellular calli to form, a spokesperson from XSTO Solutions explained to us.
After selection of the most efficient cell population among the calli, the production of the active molecules is amplified in sterile and highly controlled bioreactors, he added.
“The advantages of this technology include higher sustainability, lower resource consumption, increased scalability, no contaminants (pesticides, fertilizers, heavy metals, etc.), full traceability, and independence from climatic dynamics,” according to the release.
For now, the plant extracts offered include Echinacea angustifolia, Lippa citriodora, and Ajuga reptan, though the spokesperson added that this is likely to expand.
The botanical category has continued to expand in the US. Numbers from the latest Herbalgram report by the American Botanical Council revealed that retail sales for herbal supplements have consistently grown at around 7.5% year-over-year, passing $7 billion in 2016.
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