Polish firm reformulating based on positive EFSA opinions

16-May-2010 - Last updated on 17-May-2010 at 11:04 GMT

Poland’s Europharma Alliance said reformulation of its chewable products for children, which it will showcase at Vitafoods in Geneva, was informed by the positive opinions given to iron and iodine by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Piotr Jandziak, business development manager at the Wroclaw-based technology developer and contract manufacturer, told NutraIngredients.com that the firm has been reviewing all the positive opinions issued by EFSA under Articles 13.1 and 14.1 and proposing formulation ideas to its clients accordingly.

In opinions issue last November, EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) found that iron could help with cognitive development and iodine could assist the growth of children.

The NDA also noted that iodine deficiency was common in most countries and that iodine intake among children and adolescents may be deficient in some European countries.

“We already had an omega-3 capsule targeted at the supplement market for children’s health and decided that it order to add value we would incorporate microencapsulated iron and iodine into the orange-flavoured soft gel chewables.

With European Commission backing for the benefits of DHA and infant eye and brain health, this reformulation means that our customers can make three health claims in regard to one product,” he said.

Jandziak said that Europharma Alliance has also devised a confectionery product that includes the cholesterol lowering ingredient beta-glucan, which received a positive scientific opinion from EFSA back in October 2009, in combination with a special grade of guar gum and also omega-3 and omega-9 in, he stressed, high dose forms to ensure that the health effects are achieved.

According to Jandziak, Europharma Alliance differs from conventional contract manufacturers in that, as well as cost effective supplying gels, tablets and liquids, it can provide R&D and regulatory expertise for small and medium size private label firms to ensure they remain competitive in the highly challenging EU marketplace.

The company was set up in 2007, following on from what its management saw as a gap in the market.

"Traditional contract manufacturers wait for the client to approach them in terms of product development, whereas we do the research and come up with the formulations that overcome processing challenges and meet strict regulatory standards to offset input costs and increase margins for our client base," said Jandziak.