Flaxseed is one of the best sources of vegetarian omega-3 in the form of alpha linolenic acid, which has been studied for its role in heart, immune, and joint health, as well as for maintaining good skin.
Cranberry, meanwhile, is best known for its benefits for urinary health. Clinical trials have identified the beneficial mechanism as being down to proanthocyanidins, (PACs) preventing the adherence of E.coli bacteria to the walls of the urinary tract.
Called BioFlax Elite with Cranberry, the product is a combination of milled flaxseed and cranberry powder. The company will be selling it as a finished supplement to manufacturers, who will then package it themselves for retail sale.
Like the company's other milled flaxseed products, it is intended to be added to food products by the consumers themselves.
The main benefit for manufacturers, plant category coordinator Kristen Trautman told NutraIngredient.com, is convenience since it removes the need to source the two components separately.
She said that she is not aware of any other products on the market combining flaxseed and cranberry, so the innovation will differentiate Bioriginal's offering from those of its competitors.
As for the technical aspects to development, Joelle Lynchuk, new product development technician, said that the main challenge was ensuring the two elements have a common partical size, so that they mix uniformally.
BioFlax Elite with Cranberry will be launched to the industry at Vitafoods in Geneva in May, and will be available on a global basis. Also at Vitafoods the company will be announcing another product combining flax and a second healthy ingredient, but details of this are being kept under wraps until the show.