Dosage forms & delivery formats

Advertising regulator rules against Alpro over paid-for tweets

21-Sep-2016 By Niamh Michail

Alpro did not make it clear enough that it had paid a British celebrity to post tweets about one of its products, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled.

Mixed results for probiotic cirrhosis study

20-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Probiotics given to liver cirrhosis sufferers boosted neopterin levels and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, but had no significant effect on white blood cells’ ability to consume bacteria, the original aim of the study.

‘huge win for the industry’

Swedish court throws out EFSA vitamin upper limits

20-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

The Swedish food supplement industry is breathing a sigh of relief that a sales ban imposed on vitamin B6 supplements that exceed “EFSA-recommended upper limits” has been overturned by a Swedish court.

New EHPM chair promises botanicals progress at ‘crucial point for our industry’

19-Sep-2016 By Shane Starling

EHPM, the Brussels-based group representing smaller firms in the EU supplements space has elected a new chair, Michel Horn, who has promised action in the limboed botanicals sector with regard to health claims.

Tetra Pak Index report

100% juice products to expand beyond fruit base drinks to vegetables, exotic plants and coconut

19-Sep-2016 By Jenny Eagle

100% juice products are capturing the imagination of consumers and driving growth, which will see expansion beyond traditional fruit base drinks to include vegetables, exotic plants and coconut, according to Tetra Pak.

Vitamin drink slugs double digit growth (without claims)

16-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

The EU should “quicken its step” and raise the upper limit of stevia that is permitted in soft drinks, says VitHit’s founder, Gary Lavin, whilst dismissing health claims as “unnecessary” when marketing a vitamin drink. 

Tate & Lyle increases capacity for added value oat ingredients

16-Sep-2016 By Niamh Michail

Tate & Lyle has upped its manufacturing capacity for added value oat ingredients ten-fold at its Swedish facility.

'The race is on in this industry to take positions for future growth of probiotics.'

Probiotics giant buys world’s best-documented strain

16-Sep-2016 By Shane STARLING

Danish probiotics and enzymes leader Chr Hansen has paid €73m in cash to acquire the Lactobacillus rhamnosus-based LGG suite of probiotic strains from Finnish dairy group, Valio.

Australian nutrition industry cheers landmark changes to regulation

15-Sep-2016 By RJ Whitehead

Australia’s natural nutrition and complementary health industry has received a “once in a lifetime” boost after the government gave the green light to a raft of changes to how businesses will be regulated.

Mice study shows chilli & ginger cancer-battling properties

15-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Consuming gingerol and capsaicin together could combat cancer, with gingerol counteracting capsaicin’s carcinogenic effects, according to a new study on mice.

#DNPkills: ‘if you are selling DNP online or offline we will find you’

Dangerous weight loss pill dealers busted in Northern Ireland

14-Sep-2016 By Shane Starling

Authorities in Northern Ireland have shut down two operations selling weight loss products containing the dangerous industrial chemical DNP (2,4 dinitrophenol) as part of a broader sting.

Frankfurt, 28 November, 2016

NutraIngredients picks final sports nutrition congress line-up

14-Sep-2016

A controversial Oxford University ketones spin-off; GSK Nutrition on new EU caffeine regulations; and a sports nutrition veteran on what the ‘mainstreaming’ of sports nutrition really means are highlights of a 1-day event in Frankfurt in November.

Mango could help maintain gut bacteria at risk from high-fat diets

14-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Mango consumption could help prevent the loss of beneficial gut bacteria caused by a high fat diet, according to research on mice.

Lonza buys InterHealth Nutraceuticals for up to €267m

13-Sep-2016

Swiss ingredients and pharma giant Lonza has agreed to pay up to $300 million (€267m) for Californian nutrient specialist InterHealth Nutraceuticals.

Protein boosts muscles but not cycling performance: Study

13-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Protein supplementation during intensive cycle training increases muscle growth and improves heart rate, but does not have a measurable impact on performance, according to a study.

Xylitol anti-cavity debate settled, says DuPont

13-Sep-2016 By Natalie Morrison

Consuming xylitol does prevent cavities despite recent uncertainty over its anti-caries properties, according to a DuPont study.

Decoding the secrets of Japan’s fucoidan-rich seaweed

12-Sep-2016 By Nathan Gray

Researchers have begun to decode the genetic secrets of mozuku, a famous fucoidan-rich Okinawan seaweed linked to health and longevity.

Slimming food companies welcome EU law changes

09-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

Forza Industries and trade association Specialised Nutrition Europe (SNE) voice their support for new EU legislation that has clarified the use of weight loss claims on meal replacement products.

Sirco seeks fresh blood with EU claim-backed juice

09-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

Whether “ahead of its time” or just very niche, blood flow beverage brand Sirco is seeking to attract a broader consumer base, with the launch of of two new ‘easy to drink’ products.

Liverpool FC recruits bespoke sports nutrition player; vegans score

09-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Science in Sport (SiS) is Liverpool Football Club’s new official sports nutrition provider, with an emphasis on customised solutions to the giant club’s players.

Genosa enlists Cambridge Commodities to grow UK olive extract market

08-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

As Spanish hydroxytyrosol extract producer Genosa appoints Cambridge Commodities as its UK distributor, anecdotal evidence indicates that the interest in olive polyphenol extracts ignited five years ago by EFSA’s positive scientific opinion is far from...

High fibre intakes as a baby linked to better cardiometabolic health later: Generation R study

08-Sep-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Consuming more dietary fibre as a baby could lead to better cardiometabolic health later in childhood, according to the ‘Generation R’ study involving over 2,000 children.

Unhealthy obsession with total cholesterol reduction is thwarting CVD prevention

07-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

Strategies to tackle cardiovascular disease (CVD) need to move away from statins and cholesterol reduction and focus on reducing inflammation and increasing HDL cholesterol through dietary intervention, urges a leading food lipids academic.

Supplements slipping the net: Is a self-regulatory registration scheme the solution?

07-Sep-2016 By Lynda Searby

On the back of findings that up to 40% of herbal supplements are mislabelled or contain adulterants, a University of Westminster researcher is calling for an industry regulated scheme to quash adulteration.  

Vitamin B clinical trials first to use neuroimaging technology

07-Sep-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Supplementation with B vitamins significantly improves general mental health, reduces subjective stress and increases vigour and overall mood in mentally demanding situations, according to research from Melbourne’s Swinburne University.

Popular but illegal: Legal certainty on the horizon for Tongkat ali extract?

06-Sep-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) is seeking feedback on a novel food application for Tongkat ali extract, a process which could lift a formal EU ban on the ingredient which is being sold online regardless.

Cornelius’ future suite-smelling as new lab opens for business

06-Sep-2016 By Will Chu

Ingredients distributor Cornelius has opened its new research and development facility which the company said would add ‘insight’ and ‘inspiration’ to new product development (NPD).

Believe it or not: Why 64% of Danes take supplements

05-Sep-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Despite being among the highest consumers of food supplements in Europe, the Danish have “very little knowledge” of supplements and nutrition recommendations, and botanical users are particularly clueless, a survey has revealed.

Health claim opens door for vitamin D immune products for children

05-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

New health claims for vitamin D’s immune-system benefits for children have been passed into EU law, creating new opportunities for promoting vitamin D consumption according to VAB-nutrition.

UK-China probiotics centre plans GM research

02-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

The UK-China Joint Centre for Probiotics Research is focusing on specific probiotic applications, and plans to use GM techniques to engineer highly targeted microorganisms to fight specific pathogens.

Polish pulse: Firm seeks safety approval of novel circulation-boosting ingredient

01-Sep-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is considering the safety of a substance similar to nicotinic acid following a novel food application from Polish company Pharmena.

New carotenoid source? Purslane plant gets nitrogen nutrition boost

01-Sep-2016 By Eliot Beer

Researchers have found a way to boost the nutritional properties of leafy green purslane, increasing carotenoid and chlorophyll concentrations in the plant by providing additional nitrogen.

OMEGAWATER uses encapsulation technology to deliver omega-3s in liquid form

01-Sep-2016 By Mary Ellen Shoup

OMEGAWATER, a health water product enhanced with omega 3s and eight vitamins, is planning to launch a line of beverage products across the UK.

Rising tide for seaweed phlorotannins in the EU?

31-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is looking at a novel food application for Ecklonia cava phlorotannins from Korean firm Botamedi.

Beetroot juice helps muscle recovery, but not through antioxidants

29-Aug-2016 By Eliot Beer

Drinking beetroot juice after exercise can reduce muscle pain and improve recovery, but does not improve real-world performance, according to a study also showing no benefit from antioxidants.

Germany overtakes US as top energy drink innovator

29-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

For the first time Germany has overtaken the US as the top energy drink innovator with the highest rates of new product development (NPD) in 2015, according to Mintel. 

Males with more muscle don’t need more protein, study finds

26-Aug-2016 By Will Chu

More protein intake equals more muscle growth, according to a Scottish study, but the amount of growth does not depend on an individual’s overall muscle mass.

Diabetes game changer? Researchers to look at green tea catechins & insulin

26-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Botanical supplier Plandaí Biotechnology has signed a research agreement with North West University in South Africa to investigate green tea catechins and type 2 diabetes. 

Infant formula sales slump at Biostime but firm bullish over future growth

26-Aug-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Sales at Chinese infant nutrition firm Biostime dropped by 14% in the first half of 2016 to RMB1.46bn (US$220m), with the Biostime brand – which accounts for 86% of the company’s sales – down 5.4% and the value brand Adimil down 65.7%.

Mimicking human breast milk: Another novel synthetic formula ingredient on the horizon?

25-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Danish biotech firm Glycom has filed another application for a synthetic version of a compound found in breast milk, a development one infant formula expert said was promising.

Cacao extract may improve atopic dermatitis-like symptoms, rodent study

24-Aug-2016 By Adi Menayang

Researchers in South Korea studied how the polyphenols in Theobroma cacao extract may reduce atopic dermatitis-like symptoms.

Could Brexit give a boost to the UK’s supplements industry?

24-Aug-2016 By Eliot Beer

Amid the uncertainty of Brexit, supplement industry groups see opportunities for a more liberal UK regime outside the EU, but others question how much practical difference the UK’s split will make.

Leftover coffee grounds: Unlocking 6m tonnes of unused antioxidant dietary fibre

24-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The use of leftover coffee grounds as an antioxidant dietary fibre is a low-cost value-added opportunity for an otherwise waste product, say Spanish researchers.  

Which supplements should women take during pregnancy?

23-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) is seeking insights into general public opinion on supplementation in pregnancy.

Probiotic problems: Mastitis marketing flawed, say researchers

23-Aug-2016 By Eliot Beer

A paper claiming the marketing of probiotics to treat mastitis is problematic has caused a controversy, but probiotics researchers and manufacturers say the science is sound.

Vegans should take vitamin B12 supplements ‘permanently’: German Nutrition Society

23-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

It is “difficult or impossible” for vegans to get enough of nutrients like vitamin B12, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) has said in a position paper now cited by the government.

Study delivers blow to nutrigenomic hopes – but damage not fatal

22-Aug-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Results of a huge EU-backed project have dashed hopes that phenotypic and genotypic information could boost the effectiveness of personalised nutrition programmes. But one of the researchers behind the project says the findings open as many doors as they...

Targeted intervention boosts Irish athletes’ vitamin D levels

22-Aug-2016 By Eliot Beer

Targeted vitamin D supplementation of elite Irish athletes, prompted by research showing high deficiency levels five years ago, has helped cut deficiency rates according to a new study.

Fortification, standards and investment: Three priorities for India’s booming food industry

21-Aug-2016 By Gary Scattergood

Implementing stringent safety and quality regulations, tackling micronutrient deficiencies and maximising the opportunities from inward investment need to be three of key priorities for the food industry in India, amid projections of a doubling of production...

'there are times when using supplementation is needed'

British dieticians issue safe sports supplement guide

19-Aug-2016 By Shane Starling

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has produced a guide to help athletes “from the elite to the exercising public” buy and use sports nutrition products.