News Roundup: October 2023
While the UK CBD industry grappled with the impact of changing Food Standards Agency guidance and the Gov accepting advice on THC levels; World Menopause Day (18th October) brought attention to the role of supplements in managing menopause symptoms, with experts emphasising the need for further scientific research in this area; and the Active Nutrition Summit brought a full spectrum of insights including regulatory challenges and industry shifts in personalised nutrition.
CBD Regulatory Updates
Holland & Barrett temporarily removed 31 CBD products from its UK shelves in response to new guidance from the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), which reduced the recommended daily intake of CBD from 70mg to 10mg, before putting products back on shelves within a matter of days.
Some industry experts raised questions about the FSA's reliance on limited data for its guidance, while others called for more transparency on the data used and a consistent approach to regulation in the CBD sector.
Just two weeks after the shock guidance update, the Gov accepted advice on recommended THC level in CBD products, but left many details and murky waters yet to be cleared for industry players.
World Menopause Day
Dr. Sarah Berry, chief scientist at ZOE and associate professor at King’s College London, spoke to NutraIngredients about the role of supplements in managing menopause symptoms and the need for more scientific research in this area.
She emphasised the potential of nutrition and lifestyle interventions, but cautioned against excessive claims by nutritional supplements, discussing the potential benefits of natural ingredients like red clover and black cohosh, as well as vitamins, probiotics, and diet in alleviating menopausal symptoms.
Heather Jackson, founder of the global menopause movement Gen M, highlighted the overlooked opportunities for businesses to cater to menopausal women's specific needs and the need for societal change in addressing this significant life stage. Jackson encouraged businesses to develop products and services tailored to the diverse symptoms associated with menopause and highlighted the importance of recognising and supporting menopausal women.
The Active Nutrition Summit
The Active Nutrition Summit, held in Amsterdam, addressed several key issues of regulatory challenges, industry transformations, and personalised nutrition.
The regulatory challenges faced by the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA) in advocating for the sports and active nutrition industry in Europe were addressed, and Holland & Barrett representatives spoke about the store's transformation to meet evolving consumer demands in the active nutrition and women's health categories.
Thought leaders in the personalised nutrition segment emphasised the importance of scalability, simplicity, and integration in delivering health benefits, with a focus on automation, user engagement, and simplified consumer experiences.
Additionally, experts discussed the potential for personalised health advice systems in sports nutrition, stressing the importance of real-time measurement, data validation, and personalising recommendations based on personality and preferences.
Biotic personalisation for the microbiome: is it worth it?
At the Future Food Tech event in London, a panel discussed the potential for personalised biotics tailored to individual microbiome compositions for targeted health benefits, emphasising the challenges of expense, limited scientific data, and regulatory constraints.
Pannelists warned against the premature commercialisation of biotics, highlighting the need for robust scientific evidence and regulatory flexibility. They emphasised the importance of cautious progression in the emerging field of microbiome research. While some companies are making strides in the research, defining a healthy microbiome is still evolving, necessitating large datasets and AI for detailed insights.
The question of whether hyper-personalisation of biotics is worth it was raised, with concerns about scalability and accessibility. Regulatory hurdles also hinder progress in microbiome research, and experts stated that a more flexible regulatory framework is needed to bridge the gap between food and pharmaceutical products.
FrieslandCampina Ingredients doubles production
FrieslandCampina Ingredients, a leading dairy company specialising in nutrition solutions, announced a significant expansion of its production capacity for whey protein isolate and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) at its Borculo plant in the Netherlands.
The expansion is being driven by the growing consumer interest in health and well-being, as more people seek specialised ingredients to support their nutritional goals.
The firm says the demand for whey protein isolate and MFGM is on the rise, with whey protein being particularly popular in the performance nutrition market, and MFGM gaining interest for its cognitive and gut health benefits in the adult nutrition market.
