Maternal & infant health

Physicians receive inadequate nutrition education, study calls for policy changes

27-Sep-2019 By Danielle Masterson

Poor diet is the leading risk factor for early death worldwide. Yet nutrition is insufficiently incorporated into medical education, according to a new report from the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic (FLPC).

GOED Exchange 2020 open for registration

27-Sep-2019 By Stephen Daniells

The GOED Exchange is open for registrations, and will feature presentations from a NY Times best-selling author, updates on the latest science around omega-3s for brain health, and consumer insights data.

Genomma Lab and UPI promote infant nutrition in Mexico

23-Sep-2019 By Natasha Spencer

Leading personal care producer, Genomma Lab Internacional, and nutrition and health specialists, UP International, enter an exclusive agreement to expand infant nutrition.

Omega-3 and pre-term births: Why targeted supplementation could be critical – major new Australian trial

12-Sep-2019 By Gary Scattergood

A targeted omega-3 supplementation policy for at-risk pregnant women, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, could be a the most effective strategy to reduce pre-term births, suggests the findings from a trial of more than 5,500 Australian women.

Walgreens helps Vitamin Angels reach over 200 million women and children

11-Sep-2019 By Danielle Masterson

Vitamin Angels and Walgreens have announced they have reached a new milestone in their partnership to improve child and maternal health.

Choline must be integrated into the prenatal supplement regimen, says expert review

11-Sep-2019 By Stephen Daniells

The importance of choline during the first 1,000 days after conception is increasingly understood by the medical community, and dietary supplement manufacturers are “beginning to recognize the potential that choline offers” says an industry expert.

GNC teams up with Banco De Franquias to expand presence in Brazil

05-Sep-2019 By Natasha Spencer

Health and wellness brand, GNC Holdings, announced a partnership with professional retail operator, BFG Brasil Comercial de Vitaminas LTDA, to help grow its brand awareness and reputation in Brazil.

Bifidobacterium infantis EVC001 probiotic may protect against antibiotic resistance in infants

30-Aug-2019 By Stephen Daniells

A new study by scientists from California-based Evolve Biosystems has found that feeding babies B. infantis EVC001 along with breast milk may lower the levels of antibiotic resistance genes in the infant gut microbiome by 90 percent.

Pilot study: Pomegranate juice shows promise for baby brain development

23-Aug-2019 By Nikki Hancocks

Consuming pomegranate juice daily during pregnancy may protect brain development and brain connectivity in growth restricted babies, a new pilot study has revealed.

Editor's Spotlight

What do parents want? Baby food start-up Little Spoon boosts product portfolio with Boosters

14-Aug-2019 By Adi Menayang

In its quest to cater to a new generation of parents, New York-based Little Spoon launched a new line of nutrition Boosters—powder supplements to sprinkle into baby food.

‘Intriguing’: Prebiotics may protect against detrimental effects of early life stress

06-Aug-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Early life stress, such as maternal separation, may cause long-term alterations to behavior and brain neurochemistry. It also causes changes to the gut microbiome, which offers the potential to modulate these detrimental effects using interventions such...

Mimicking mother’s milk: Morinaga Milk Industry to focus on probiotic applications in infant formula

01-Aug-2019 By Guan Yu Lim

Japanese dairy giant Morinaga Milk Industry, a probiotic strains supplier, has plans in the upcoming year around to expand the application of its functional proprietary probiotic strain into infant formula, to aid with gut health and immune protection.

Nutrition Asia

WATCH: Maternal and infant health – what can probiotics offer?

26-Jul-2019 By Tingmin Koe

Asia-Pacific is driving the growth of the global probiotics market, and two of the most in-demand areas are for infant and maternal health.

From the editor's desk

Images of newly empowered women challenge marketing stereotypes

25-Jul-2019 By Hank Schultz

Product marketers will need to wrap their heads around new visions of women as this segment becomes every more powerful in the dietary supplement market.

Editor's Spotlight

How debilitating morning sickness inspired one woman to build an empire of women’s health products

24-Jul-2019 By Adi Menayang

Amy Upchurch’s pregnancies have not been easy. Dealing with debilitating morning sickness and infections for her first few pregnancies while her military husband was deployed motivated her to create products to help women ‘enjoy their pregnancies and...

Could eating fibre during pregnancy help tackle autoimmune disease burden?

11-Jul-2019 By Nikki Cutler

A lack of fibre during pregnancy could be contributing to the burden of the serious condition preeclampsia, according to researchers who also argue the lack of fibre in Western diets may explain the rapid increase of allergies and autoimmune conditions.

‘A landmark trial’: DuPont supports Gates Foundation with ‘unique’ probiotic for infant sepsis treatment

10-Jul-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, DuPont is providing a “unique” probiotic strain to help treat sepsis in infants in Bangladesh, but the strain may also have commercial applications closer to home.

Pharmavite review supports choline, DHA role in infant brain and eye health

10-Jul-2019 By Adi Menayang

Insufficient intakes of choline and the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may have lifelong deleterious impacts on maternal and infant health, according to a paper by researchers from Pharmavite LLC, the company behind Nature’s Made supplements.

Wakunaga expands multistrain probiotics line to serve consumers at all stages of life

09-Jul-2019 By Hank Schultz

Wakunaga is betting hard on the multistrain side of the probiotics realm with the planned launch of three new products.

Probi’s ‘pregnancy probiotic’ proves potent in preventing anaemia

24-Jun-2019 By Will Chu

Swedish bioengineering company Probi reveals its probiotic-focused product improves iron status in pregnant women in a study that highlights this gut-related approach in tackling a growing problem

FDA issues pregnancy warning on troubled ingredient vinpocetine

04-Jun-2019 By Hank Schultz

The US Food and Drug Administration issued a warning on Monday advising pregnant women to avoid the use of dietary supplements containing the ingredient vinpocetine. Industry stakeholders wondered if the missive has more to do with ingredient’s regulatory...

High omega-6 intake linked to lower likelihood of male offspring being conceived: Australia study

31-May-2019 By Gary Scattergood

Eating a diet high in omega-6 could play a role in a lower percentage of male babies being conceived, along with a higher risk of pregnancy complications, according to a new Australian study on rats.

BASF and Glycosyn partnership to capitalise on HMO and gut health interest

24-May-2019 By Will Chu

BASF are to enter an agreement with biotechnology firm Glycosyn to develop and commercialise human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) for use in dietary supplements, functional nutrition and medical food.

Study linking vitamin D to autism retracted over reliability issues

21-May-2019 By Will Chu

Journal editors have withdrawn a paper said to be the first randomised controlled trial looking into vitamin D supplement links to autism after concerns over the findings’ reliability.

New products in infant nutrition sift through limited number of ingredients

15-May-2019 By Hank Schultz

The infant nutrition market is characterized by few new ingredients, but lots of new players, according to information shared at a recent event hosted by ingredient supplier DSM.

Probiotics in the first 1,000 days: Fertility is an under-explored area, says expert

13-May-2019 By Stephen Daniells

The first 1,000 days after conception are vital to the long-term health of an infant, and we’re gaining a deeper understanding of the vital role of the developing microbiome in this. But an area that needs more understanding is around how the microbiota...

DuPont to manufacture novel probiotic strain for clinical trial on sepsis in Bangladeshi infants

06-May-2019 By Cheryl Tay

DuPont is manufacturing a new probiotic strain for use in an upcoming large-scale clinical study in Bangladesh, which will test the effects of probiotics on gut microbiome of infants with sepsis.

Rainbow Light teams up with Vitamin Angels to provide vitamin drops to underserved US communities

26-Apr-2019 By Adi Menayang

Rainbow Light, a Clorox Company-owned supplement brand, has pledged to donate portion of its sales to public health nonprofit Vitamin Angels this summer, as well as help organize vitamin drop donations to 25 underserved communities in the US.

NIU’s Global Round-up: Blackmore’s ‘not fantastic’ Q3, Vitamin Angels in Central America, and more

22-Apr-2019 By Stephen Daniells

It’s a global industry and there’s a lot happening. We know it’s not always easy keeping up with everything that’s happening around the world that could impact the US dietary supplements industry. The answer? Our weekly round-up of key news from across...

Vitamin Angels hopes to break 'intergeneration cycle of malnutrition' in Central America

17-Apr-2019 By Kacey Culliney

Non-profit Vitamin Angels wants to strengthen its partnership network in Central America to produce transformative change among women and children facing malnutrition, its program leader says.

Daigou and direct-selling clampdown in China 'growing pains', but market will still thrive: HPA

08-Apr-2019 By Cheryl Tay

The recent slew of crackdowns, regulatory reviews and stricter rules for China's health food and supplement industry are 'growing pains' the industry must overcome, as regulators double down on efforts to promote safety and collect taxes.

US Military, A.I., and mechanisms of action: First speakers announced for IPA World Congress + Probiota Americas

14-Mar-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Delegate registration is now open for the IPA World Congress + Probiota Americas in Vancouver, with speakers already confirmed covering topics including the US Military, Artificial Intelligence, and probiotic mechanisms of action.

NutraIngredients Omega-3 Summit

WATCH: Why omega-3 policy needs to keep pace with research around pregnancy benefits

05-Mar-2019 By Gary Scattergood

Industry has a crucial role to play in educating policymakers about the maternal and prenatal benefits of omega-3 supplementation, on the back of new and "compelling evidence".

Can high vitamin C intake decrease the chances of developing gestational blood sugar issues?

04-Mar-2019 By Adi Menayang

Researchers in China found that pregnant women who had higher dietary vitamin C consumption also had lower odds of developing gestational diabetes.

New JAMA study supports importance of prenatal supplementation

28-Feb-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Prenatal vitamin supplementation may be associated with a decreased prevalence of autism in children from high-risk families, according to a new study in JAMA Psychiatry.

Inter-species communication? New study shows gut bacteria can control our genes and development

28-Feb-2019 By Nathan Gray

Bacteria in our guts may be impacting human health and disease by telling host genes what to do, say researchers who have uncovered a new mechanism by which our microbiome communicates with and controls the DNA of our own cells.

DuPont partner with Lonza in HMO-focused infant nutrition venture

28-Feb-2019 By Will Chu

DuPont Nutrition & Health and Lonza Consumer Health & Nutrition are to join forces to manufacture and supply human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) in a deal that looks to meet rising demand in a €44bn global infant nutrition sector.

Despite food-only bias, many dietitians use and recommend supplements, survey finds

26-Feb-2019 By Hank Schultz

A survey by Trust Transparency Center has found that despite the cool reception the concept of supplementation historically has received from organizations of dietitians, a majority of the practitioners themselves use dietary supplements regularly.

Front the Editors Desk:

Is it time to tell pregnant women to ask their doctors about DHA?

08-Feb-2019 By From the Editor's Desk: Is it time to tell pregnant women to ask their doctors about DHA?

In light of developing research on the connection of omega-3s and pregnancy, it’s high time that the medical community consider making omega-3s testing and supplementation a standard part of prenatal care. Perhaps one way to bring this about more quickly...

New DHA test could help more mothers carry babies to full term

06-Feb-2019 By Hank Schultz

Omega-3s testing firm OmegaQuant has launched a new test aimed at lessening the risk of preterm births by providing expectant mothers with information on their DHA blood levels.

Omega-3 intakes among ‘vulnerable populations’ well below recommended levels: Study

06-Feb-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Intakes of omega-3 fatty acids across the US population are lower than recommended intake levels, showing the need to boost omega-3 consumption for all, but especially vulnerable groups like children and women of childbearing age.

Scientists use protein to encapsulate omega-3 oil and boost brain development

06-Feb-2019 By Will Chu

An intriguing method of delivering higher omega-3 fatty acid levels to a foetus’ developing brain is the focus of a new paper that outlines the role of nano-encapsulation technology.

Strict and serious: '100-day operation' to clean up China's health food market

25-Jan-2019 By Tingmin Koe

The Chinese authorities have started a '100-day operation' in a bid to weed out unscrupulous industry practices prevalent in the country's health food market.

2019 Trends: The ingredients and categories to watch this year

14-Jan-2019 By Stephen Daniells

As an avid industry watcher, I like to keep a close eye on what’s hot and what’s not in the market. Here’s my list of the top 10 categories and ingredients to keep an eye on for 2019…

Longer pregnancies & bigger babies: RCT supports omega-3s birth weight benefits for babies

08-Jan-2019 By Stephen Daniells

Consumption of fish oil omega-3s during the third trimester of pregnancy may prolong gestation and increase birth weights of the newborns, according to a new double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Arla reveals easy-digest whey protein infant formula concept

07-Jan-2019 By Nikki Cutler

Arla Foods Ingredients is 'optimising comfort' with its new whey protein-based concept for infant formula.

Guest article

EPA and DHA Omega-3s: Reflections on 2018

12-Dec-2018 By Ellen Schutt, Executive Director, GOED (Global Organization for EPA & DHA Omega-3)

New science, developments in contaminant regulations, a new conversation around micro- and nanoplastics, and challenges on the regulatory front: In this guest article, Ellen Schutt, Executive Director of GOED, looks back on a very busy 2018 in the omega-3...

Closing the DHA data gap: DSM striving to secure information to drive policy recommendations

04-Dec-2018 By Cheryl Tay

Assessment of nutritional status and solutions to micronutrient deficiencies must be in sync if maternal and infant health is to improve, says Peter van Dael, DSM's Senior VP of Nutrition Science and Advocacy.

Omega-3 innovation: KD Pharma launches DPA and PRM ingredients

29-Nov-2018 By Stephen Daniells

EPA and DHA: These two fatty acids have been the focus of omega-3 research for a long time, but emerging data is shining the spotlight on DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) and the fascinating world of the pre-resolving mediators (PRMs).

Increased parental interest in gut health of their children creates opportunities for prebiotics

19-Nov-2018 By Stephen Daniells

As parents become more aware of the importance of the developing gut microbiome in their infants and children there will be opportunities for prebiotics, says ingredients supplier Beneo.