NIU’s Global Round-up: ESSNA warns of risk of failed drug tests with CBD products, Blackmores eyes India, and more

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What's happened this week around the Nutra-Verse? Stay on top of things with our weekly round-up of key news from across the globe.

Europe

ESSNA warns of dangers of failing anti-doping tests because of potential contaminated CBD products

The European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) has warned athletes that using CBD (cannabidiol) products may be at risk of failing anti-doping tests due to contamination of banned THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).

The Alliance added that “even if CBD is not considered a prohibited substance, the risk of traces from other cannabinoids entering athletes’ bodies after using CBD containing products is too high to be ignored.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD as a banned substance in 2018 and raised the legal THC limit from 15 nanograms/millilitre (ng/ml) to 150ng/ml, but CBD use has still led to doping bans because of the presence of trace amounts of THC in products.

“It is difficult to extract CBD from the cannabis plant without any traces of other cannabinoids, such as THC, being found in the final product,” said ESSNA. “Moreover, there are risks of cross contamination in manufacturing facilities if CBD products are produced in such environments.”

For more on this, please click HERE.

Asia

Blackmores eyeing India as a potential new market

With dipping sales in China, Australian supplements giant Blackmores is considering entering India, the company’s new CEO told our Asian edition.

CEO Alastair Symington told NutraIngredients-Asia: “India is a market we are looking at very closely and will undertake a thorough assessment. There is a lot of opportunity there, but it can be challenging. We need to make sure we do anything in a way that will have a long-term impact.”

Symington also discussed Blackmores’ new multi-channel strategy for China.

“I announced that Kitty Liu will join us on December 1 as Managing Director for China. She has a wealth of experience at companies such as General Mills, Reckitt Benckiser, Yum! and Unilever across diverse markets like China and Japan,” he said. “With our combined experience I think we will have a good understanding of what it takes to sell in the China market and we will be announcing the key strategies soon.”

LATAM

Article reviews policies, regulations, programs and priorities in the LATAM region

From dedicated efforts to create clear food labeling nationally and proposals on harmonized nutrition labeling throughout the region to reports and plans on the commitments to reduce malnutrition, obesity and non-communicable diseases while achieving zero hunger — 2019 has seen multiple developments that strive to improve nutrition across Latin America.

Looking ahead, “a key highlight in 2020 is the adoption and implementation of front of pack nutrition labeling systems across the region”, David Pineda Ereño, Advisor on Strategy, Policy and Regulation at DPE International Consulting, told NutraIngredients-LATAM.

The Pacific Alliance of Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru is currently in the process of harmonizing regulations in several crucial areas, such as food supplement regulations through the implementation of a food supplement regulation at national level in Chile.

Mercosur is reviewing harmonized nutrition labeling regulation and food additives regulation. Adopting a front of pack nutrition labeling model for Mercosur is also forming part of the discussions on the nutrition labeling regulation.

The Central American Economic Integration System (SICA) is also exploring the prospect of creating a front of pack nutrition labeling system.

For more on this, please click HERE.