Fibers & carbohydrates

Chicory root dietary fiber improved bowel regularity in Beneo-backed study

07-Mar-2018 By Adi Menayang

Daily supplementation of 15 g of oligofructose—a dietary fiber found in chicory roots—significantly increased stool frequency per week, according to a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Memphis.

Here are some dietary supplements, functional food and beverages you'll see at Expo West 2018

01-Mar-2018 By Adi Menayang

From ‘beauty sleep water’ to a handful of protein + probiotic snacks, we dug through the press releases to get a feel of what type of dietary supplements, functional foods, and functional beverages one can find at the Natural Product Expo West 2018 expo...

Potato-derived prebiotic shows insulin resistance benefits in study

28-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

A recent study conducted in Canada demonstrated that a potato-derived resistant starch showed positive results in lowering insulin resistance in elderly subjects.

View from the Editor's Chair

Where’s the innovation in dietary supplements? Part 2: From delivery to personalization

15-Feb-2018 By Stephen Daniells

In part 2 of my two part series on innovation, I will look at innovation in delivery techniques and the rise of customization and personalization in dietary supplements.

View from the Editor's Chair

Where’s the innovation in dietary supplements? Part 1: From supply chain to new science

15-Feb-2018 By Stephen Daniells

A couple of years ago the CEOs of some of the industry’s specialist retailers were lamenting what they saw as a lack of innovation in dietary supplements, but there is much to be excited about in dietary supplements and innovation is everywhere.

Pro sports dietitians find role for NSF’s redesigned mobile app for certified supplements

06-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

Dietitians working with pro sports teams said NSF’s redesigned mobile app will help athletes stay in compliance by making it easier to choose certified supplements when they are not under team supervision.

Personalization mostly a matter of statistical analysis for Styr Labs founder

02-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

The application of statistical techniques to personalized nutrition has allowed Sergio Radovcic, founder of supplement marketer Styr Labs, to take the concept to new levels of sophistication.

Beta glucan immune ingredient manufacturer pivots toward direct marketing

01-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

Immudyne, a company founded on the development of a beta glucan immune health ingredient, has sold that business amid a restructuring that positions it solely as a direct response marketing company.

NIH summary of weight loss, sports products takes dim view of efficacy

01-Feb-2018 By Hank Schultz

An NIH communique on weight loss and sports performance supplements takes a dim view of the science backing for these ingredients, while at the same time providing a valuable service to industry, sources said.

NutraIngredients-USA 2018 predictions, Part 2: From CBD, Amazon, personalization & more

31-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

Carrying on from Part 1 yesterday, we round out our predictions for the US dietary supplements industry in 2018, including CBD, transparency, personalized nutrition, Amazon, the food-supplement interface, and Congress.

Your Super brings line of functional ‘superfood’ powders to US market

24-Jan-2018 By Adi Menayang

Offering a line of functional powders made of freeze-dried, plant-based ingredients, Your Food is entering the US—a market with a consumer base that is relatively more familiar with smoothies, milkshakes, and functional powders.

Microbiome manipulation: Could fibre-rich muesli help fight arthritis and other autoimmune conditions?

23-Jan-2018 By Nathan Gray

A diet rich in fibre could aid chronic inflammatory joint diseases, leading to stronger bones through the increased production of short-chain fatty acids in the microbiome, say researchers.

Benexia CEO: “The plant-based blends industry is booming and we want to be a partner for new product development for our customers.”

Chia supplier Benexia enters finished product space with launch of supplements and packaged food line

19-Jan-2018 By Adi Menayang

Chilean chia supplier Benexia announced earlier this month that it is launching a line of omega-3 softgel supplements, as well as a line of chia-based packaged food under the brand Sow.

Sneakz Organic unveils vegan protein powders for kids

19-Jan-2018 By Elaine Watson

‘Stealth nutrition’ brand Sneakz Organic – best known for its veggie puree-infused milkshakes - is entering a new category with the launch of vegan protein powders for kids, which will be followed by a dairy-free ready-to-drink shake, and new products...

Special edition: Weight management

Popular diets could create opportunity for fiber ingredients

18-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

The explosion of new diet plans that demonize carbohydrates offer a unique opportunity for fiber ingredients that can be added to foods or be offered as standalone dietary ingredients.

Finding right partners key to entering US market, Canadian distributor says

18-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

Branded ingredient distributor CK Nutraceuticals, up to now a Canadian market specialist, is leveraging a deal with a direct response marketing company to expand into the US market.

ABC's HerbClip research reporting service now numbers more than 7,000 publications

17-Jan-2018 By Hank Schultz

The American Botanical Council passes a significant milestone this week with the publication of the 7,000th Herb Clip Research Summary. The service helps stakeholders keep abreast of the rapidly expanding body of botanical ingredient research.

Cargill & PURIS team to expand production of pea protein to feed demand for plant-based options

17-Jan-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

A joint venture between ingredient suppliers Cargill and PURIS announced today will allow for the significant expansion of pea protein production at a time when more consumers are looking for plant-based options that deliver health benefits, are sustainable...

Knowing when and who to ask for help allowed Phyter Foods to quickly expand nationally

15-Jan-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Most food and beverage startups dream of expanding from a local brand serving only a handful of stores to one that is nationally distributed to hundreds or thousands of retailers, but the logistics of getting there can be a nightmare if not carefully...

Aussie firm targets functional beverage and supplement growth after receiving EU novel foods status for fucoidan extracts

11-Jan-2018 By Cheryl Tay

Australian biotechnology firm Marinova has achieved novel foods status in the EU for its Maritech® fucoidan extracts, and the firm is now targeting growth in the region's functional beverage and supplement sectors.

Mediterranean diet could inspire functional food development to tackle type 2 diabetes: Review

05-Jan-2018 By Cheryl Tay

Components of the Mediterranean diet could provide a multi-component model for functional foods to combat type 2 diabetes, according to a recent review.

What’s on NutraIngredients-USA's calendar for 2018?

04-Jan-2018 By Stephen Daniells

From weight management to deep dives into sports nutrition, multivitamins, beauty-from-within, personalized nutrition, botanicals, omega-3s, probiotics, and more, Nutraingredients-USA’s 2018 editorial calendar of special editions spans the hottest trends...

Link between fast food and ‘bad’ cholesterol reinforced

19-Dec-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Regular fast food consumption means more calories, less nutrients, suggests research published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Quinoa compounds may boost ‘healthspan’ and slow aging: Study

13-Dec-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Specific phytochemicals in quinoa may contribute to slowing aging and improved metabolic health, suggests new data from a study in nematodes (C. elegans).

‘Watershed moment for type 2 diabetes understanding and management’ as study confirms disease reversal is possible.

12-Dec-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

The ability to reverse type 2 diabetes (T2D) through an intensive weight management program has been proven in a groundbreaking study recently published in The Lancet.

Rice Bran Technologies exits Brazil in effort to stem losses

11-Dec-2017 By Hank Schultz

Rice Bran Technologies has exited the Brazilian market and will concentrate on growing its ingredients business in North America, the company announced recently.

‘Unique’ bioactive content of chia oil driving dietary supplement interest: Benexia

21-Nov-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Interest is just starting to grow in chia oil, with its omega-3s, tocopherols, phytosterols, and polyphenols giving an oil with superior handling and a 2-year shelf stability.

‘Needed’: FDA issues draft guidance for best practices for GRAS panels

20-Nov-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Hailed by experts as ‘needed’ and ‘significant’, the US Food and Drug Administration has issued draft guidance on best practices to follow when convening a panel of experts to evaluate whether a substance is “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).

Diverse mix of prebiotics and dietary fibre necessary for intestinal health: Chinese study

17-Nov-2017 By Cheryl Tay

A combination of fibre and probiotics post-operation could benefit gastric cancer patients by preventing diarrhoea, improving intestinal movement and decreasing intestinal disorders, say researchers in China.

Research backing for synbiotic effects still a bit thin, experts say

07-Nov-2017 By Hank Schultz

Synbiotics, or the pairing of a probiotic organism with a compatible prebiotic, remains an alluring concept, but one that still needs more data support, experts say.

Prebiotics forge forward on gut health benefits during fiber guidance interregnum

07-Nov-2017 By Hank Schultz

The state of prebiotic fibers remains in limbo while FDA mulls over comments to its guidance on the subject. But companies can still market their ingredients based on gut health benefits, experts say.

Cargill adds EpiCor to ingredients stable

31-Oct-2017 By Hank Schultz

Cargill has moved to purchase the parent company of Embria, makers of EpiCor, a major immune health ingredient.

Usage and confidence in supplements up, trust stays high: CRN data

20-Oct-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Seventy-six percent of US adults are using dietary supplements, an increase of 5% on 2016 values, according to results of the 2017 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements.

Drying technology revolutionizes delivery of polyphenol rich fruit ingredients

20-Oct-2017 By Hank Schultz

Delivery system innovation for polyphenols is being driven by a technology developed by Taura Natural Ingredients of New Zealand.

DuPont explores ‘untapped opportunity’ in fermented plant-based beverage whitespace

19-Oct-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Interest in plant-based beverages and fermented beverages separately is intense and growing, but a combination of the two – fermented plant-based beverages – is an untapped opportunity for industry, says DuPont Nutrition & Health.

Consumers of milk-alternative drinks may face iodine deficiency

27-Sep-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Milk-alternative drinks are not a suitable substitute for cows’ milk when it comes to iodine content, reports a new study in the British Journal of Nutrition.

Agave fibers show gut health and weight management potential

27-Sep-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Extracts from agave may boost the diversity of the gut microbiota and help promote weight management, says a new study using lab mice. 

SupplySide West 2017

Ingredion launches new ‘slowly digestible’ carbohydrate

26-Sep-2017 By Adi Menayang

Ingredion has launched a new ingredient that will help finished product manufacturers “meet consumer demand for convenient, long-lasting energy in nutritional products,” according to the company.

The Supplement OWL seeks to improve transparency

14-Sep-2017 By Paul Bolar, VP regulatory affairs, Pharmavite

At Pharmavite, we pride ourselves in the work we do and the products we make. Since 1971, we’ve been a leader in the health and wellness industry, and, with our Nature Made brand, have earned the trust of consumers, healthcare practitioners, retailers,...

Global Probiotics Council announces young investigator grant recipients

07-Sep-2017

How gut bacteria affect nutrient absorption and immune status, how protein malnutrition alters the gut bacterial communities, and how bacteria in the intestines interact with dietary fibers are the three topics picked for research grants from the Global...

Could an altered microbiome predict Parkinson’s disease risk?

01-Sep-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

People with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) appear to have a different gut bacteria composition to healthy individuals, suggests a new study in Movement Disorders.

Seasonal variation in hunter-gatherer diet drives gut bacteria shifts

You are what you eat: Hadza study links diet changes to altered microbiome

29-Aug-2017 By Tim Cutcliffe

Seasonal changes in gut bacteria make-up of a small African community strengthens the evidence that diet strongly influences our gut microbiota, finds a new study in Science.

Role for cranberry seen in oral health for seniors

28-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

The biofilm-fighting property of cranberry could play a key role in improving oral health for seniors in nursing homes, according to a dental expert who has studied the problem.

Medical food category continues to develop with Fiber Choice acquisition

28-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

Caret Pharma, subsidiary of a company that focuses on medical foods for intestinal conditions, announced that it will acquire Fiber Choice, a line of fiber supplements.

Cyanotech claims to be getting handle on production issues

25-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

Algae products producer Cyanotech has made progress in nearing reliable profitability by focusing on cost cutting and more consistent cultivation.

Extended release form of herbal weight loss ingredient could be winner in US market, supplier says

25-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

A weight loss supplement that combines four herbal extracts with a fiber carrier is now available in the US in a once-a-day dosage form, through branded ingredient specialist Zanda LLC.

Online curriculum could boost supplement knowledge among doctors, paper finds

23-Aug-2017 By Hank Schultz

Online training of physicians in integrative medicine could help boost the number of family doctors educated in the value of dietary supplements in health and prevention.

Nellson exec: Demand for plant-based product development up by around 140%

23-Aug-2017 By Adi Menayang

Plant-based formulations for bars, beverages, and powders made up about 60% of all orders to California-based manufacturer Nellson in 2016, compared to just 25% last year, and a negligible amount in 2014, the company’s SVP of commercial development Bart...

Are anthocyanins a prebiotic? Brazilian researchers summarize what we know so far

22-Aug-2017 By Adi Menayang

The study of prebiotics — a term used to describe the ‘food’ beneficial gut bacteria feed on — is still in its infancy. Researchers in Brazil synthesized existing studies of dark blue flavonoids called anthocyanins and found that more and more studies...

Nutrition program could save hospitals up to $3,800 per patient

17-Aug-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Tackling malnutrition in American hospitals could help save millions of dollars by shortening hospital stays and lowering readmission rates, says a new study conducted in four Chicago area hospitals.