A lot has happened in the global nutrition industry over the past seven days, with headlines covering an intriguing study into the gut microbiome benefits of coffee, EFSA’s creatine health claim decision, IFF’s advances with a novel Akkermansia species, and more.
USA & UK: Coffee drinkers have distinct gut microbiomes
Researchers have discovered a metabolic link between coffee and a specific bacterium in the gut that may help to explain the health benefits associated with one of the world’s most popular beverages.
Their findings, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, examined the relationship between coffee intake and the gut microbiome through a multi-cohort, multi-omic analysis of U.S. and UK populations with detailed dietary information from over 22,800 participants.
The gut microbiomes of coffee drinkers were clearly distinguishable from those of non-drinkers, the study reported, as illustrated by the 115 species of bacteria positively associated with coffee intake.
Of these, “good” bacteria Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus showed the strongest association. It was 4.5 to 8 times more abundant in coffee drinkers than in non-drinkers—a link confirmed through a correlation of estimated per capita coffee intakes and L. asaccharolyticus prevalence in 25 countries with re-analysis of thousands of public metagenomes.
Read our full coverage of this study on NutraIngredients-USA.
Europe: EFSA rejects creatine for cognitive function health claim
The European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) rejected claims that creatine monohydrate may improve cognitive function, with one expert telling us that “it’s way too early to conclude that creatine improves cognition overall”.
EFSA’s Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) concluded that a cause‐and‐effect relationship could not be established between creatine supplementation and an improvement in cognitive function in one or more of its domains. The Article 13(5) health claim was filed by creatine market leaders Alzchem Trostberg GmbH.
A spokesperson for the company acknowledged EFSA’s decision but also welcomed the panel’s conclusion that creatine is sufficiently characterized as a food ingredient and that the improvement of cognitive abilities can be a potentially beneficial physiological effect.
“This underscores the relevance of further research in this area. Additionally, numerous researchers and media independently report increases in cognitive performance through creatine,” said the spokesperson.
Read the full article on NutraIngredients-Europe.
USA: IFF on the emergence of a new Akkermansia species that builds on obesity knowledge
A new species of Akkermansia is found to colonize the guts of lean individuals and not that of obese people, according to a recent discovery by researchers at IFF Health Sciences.
Writing in the journal Microbiome Research Reports, the scientists detail how the fecal samples of lean participants indicate the co-existence of more than one Akkermansia phylotype or species and that this finding “paves the way for additional Akkermansia species-based interventions to provide health benefits,” the researchers wrote.
The new species is called Akkermansia massiliensis, and it was shown to be the second most prevalent Akkermansia species in the human gut behind Akkermansia muciniphila.
“We know A. massiliensis is in the digestive tract and we probably know it has some cardiometabolic benefit based on our animal trials so far. We just have to demonstrate that in humans,” a spokesperson for IFF told NutraIngredients-USA.
Read the full article at NutraIngredients-USA.
China: Amway to build first organic farm in Sichuan
Amway is building its first organic farm in China to support a growing demand for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) products.
President and CEO Michael Nelson announced the above on Nov. 23 during Amway China’s annual gala event.
Amway currently operates two organic plant farms in the United States, specifically in California and Washington State, as well as another two farms in Mexico and Brazil. Botanicals grown from these farms are used in its Nutrilite brand of health supplement products.
The decision to build its fifth in Sichuan, China, is to further support its TCM products and Nutrilite line of products.
“After nearly of two years of site assessments, screening 40 different locations across 25 cities, 10 provinces, the Sichuan province will be home to the first organic farm in China and the fifth farm for Amway,” said Nelson.
Read the full article on NutraIngredients-Asia.
