Omega-3s & nutritional oils

VITAFOODS 2017 PREVIEW

Curcumin concoction could combat colitis: Study

25-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

A formula that blends curcumin and turmeric oils can prove effective against the activity and inflammatory burden of colitis, a study has determined.

New laser technology from New Zealand finds omega-3 supplements meet PUFA labelling claims

25-Apr-2017 By Gary Scattergood

New omega-3 laser testing technology in New Zealand has showed that 11 widely-available supplements were in line with their label claims, “which should give consumers reassurance regarding the quality of the oil in the capsules.”

Fish oil molecule ups brain and eye cell survival odds from stroke

24-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

A molecule made from omega-3 fish oil could help damaged brain and retina cells survive in the event of a stroke or other neurodegenerative and eye-blinding disorders, a study has shown.

Aker ends ITC case against Olympic, but district court patent infringement suit to continue

20-Apr-2017 By Hank Schultz

Aker BioMarine has pulled the plug on its patent infringement suit that was being pursued before the International Trade Commission.  But the company is still suing a Norwegian competitor and an American distribution partner in district court.

VITAFOODS 2017 PREVIEW

Sports Nutrition is all about balancing innovation and risk, says NSF

19-Apr-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Adulteration in the sports nutrition industry remains a global issue, says John Travis of NSF International ahead of his talk on adulteration and innovation in sports nutrition at Vitafoods. 

DHA vs EPA: Which omega-3 is better for raising the Omega-3 Index?

14-Apr-2017 By Stephen Daniells

High-doses of the omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) may boost the Omega-3 Index (O3I) more than EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), says a new study.

Special Edition: Omega-3s

Stronger Together: Can Omega-3 combination supplements attract new buyers?

12-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

While sales of omega-3 supplements have remained stagnant, brands and manufacturers are testing out the market with more omega-3 combination product launches.

Pregnancy and supplements: What every pharmacist and consumer needs to know – Blackmores Institute

12-Apr-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Pharmacists in South East Asia need to play a pivotal role in guiding pregnant women to take the correct supplements and combat the widespread ‘misinformation’ that is available online.

EFSA must make claims process easier to promote innovation, warn experts

11-Apr-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Health claim applications to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) are too lengthy and too expensive, experts from the EU-backed Rediclaim said during its recent online conference.

Probiotics and omega-3: Co-microencapsulation boosts bacteria survival and fatty acid retention

11-Apr-2017 By Millette Burgos

The co-microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria with omega-3 rich tuna oil improved its survival and intestinal adhering ability, and also helped to retain a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids in the digestive system.

Omega-3 supplements may provide long-term diabetic benefits

10-Apr-2017 By Will Chu

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may benefit those with autoimmune conditions, as research describes the fish oil’s ability to reduce inflammation typical of type 1 diabetes.

Combined with omega-3 oil, microencapsulated probiotic has higher survival rate, says study

06-Apr-2017 By Adi Menayang

When a probiotic is co-encapsulated with omega-3-rich tuna oil, not only do the bacteria adhere better on the intestinal wall, but more chemically intact omega-3 fatty acids are released from the oil, researchers in Australia discovered from an in vitro...

‘Fragmented’ Europe needs nutrition research platform

EU project to create unified infrastructure for food and nutrition research

05-Apr-2017 By David Anderson

A pan-EU consortium is looking to build an online ‘nutrition hub’ that will unify the way research relating to food, nutrition and health is done across the continent.

Europe needs 'proper' cannabidiol regulations for foods and supplements, says association

04-Apr-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) says there is an “urgent need for proper legislation” in a position paper asking for Europe to recognise cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp as safe ingredients in food and cosmetics – not just medicines.

NutraIngredients Awards: Readers' category open ... YOU decide who wins!

03-Apr-2017

Have your say and vote to decide who will win Readers’ Ingredient of the Year and Readers’ Food Supplement of the Year at this year’s NutraIngredients Awards.

'Fibre is the only option to turn our comfort foods from toxic to therapeutic,' says FiberFlour founder

28-Mar-2017 By Niamh Michail

What made a practicing doctor give up medicine to create and supply a high-fibre flour? “I saw an opportunity to be infinitely more effective in preventing disease in the first place. Fibre is the only option to transform our staple comfort foods from...

‘Extreme superfoods’: Diets yielding high levels of acetate and butyrate protect against type 1 diabetes

28-Mar-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Specialised diets designed to release large amounts of acetate or butyrate after bacterial fermentation in the colon protected against type 1 or juvenile diabetes in mice, said researchers from Monash University in Australia.

Canadian firm to launch cannabidiol nutraceutical in UK

28-Mar-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

A functional food containing cannabidiol and hemp seed oil has been launched in the UK by Canadian hemp seed product manufacturer, HempCo, under the brand name PlanetHemp.

Alzheimer's linked to fat metabolism malfunction, research notes

24-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

The metabolism of omega-3 and omega-6 unsaturated fatty acids in the brain may be linked with the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Probiotics/prebiotics: Large-scale trials needed to asses Crohn’s disease potential

23-Mar-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Large trials are desperately needed to understand if supplements and dietary interventions can play a positive role in the treatment of Crohn’s disease, according to academics in Japan.

‘No valid conclusions’: Omega-3 trade body fires back over prenatal DHA supplementation findings

22-Mar-2017 By Gary Scattergood

A randomised trial follow-up found little benefit of prenatal DHA supplementation on the IQ of children at age seven, academics in Australia have reported.

38 finalists will battle it out in 13 categories

Finalists announced: Find out who made the NutraIngredients Awards 2017 shortlist

20-Mar-2017 By Nathan Gray

NutraIngredients is pleased to announce the shortlisted finalists for the 2017 edition of the NutraIngredients Awards, ... with the winners announced at our exclusive awards evening in Geneva on 10th May. Will you be joining us?

Special Edition: Functional Foods

Naturally functional: Are consumers turned off by 'added' functionality

15-Mar-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

A huge 70% of Europeans prefer health benefits from natural foods, rather than added benefits, according to Mintel - so could the perception that functional foods are unnatural be a barrier to casual users?

Scoop of the day! Ice cream fortified with chia seed oil found to be a ‘superb’ source of omega-3

15-Mar-2017 By Millette Burgos

This could be as close to guilt-free that ice cream is ever going to get: Researchers have revealed that fortification with chia seed oil ramps up omega-3 levels while maintaining taste and texture.

Study shows Ahiflower oil’s anti-inflammatory and immune potential

14-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

A daily dose of Ahiflower oil from Buglossoides arvensis may increase production of the cytokine IL-10,  which plays a role in immunoregulation and inflammation, says a new study.

'Caviar oil' omega-3 supplement set for UK debut with Holland & Barrett

09-Mar-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

An omega-3 supplement made from herring caviar oil will hit the shelves of Holland & Barrett in the UK and Ireland after success in Asia and UAE.

Low omega-3 intakes a ‘concern’ for pregnant women: US data

08-Mar-2017 By Stephen Daniells

Pregnant women in the US should be encouraged to consume more omega-3s, with a new analysis showing that intakes of EPA and DHA are falling short of recommendations. 

Omega-3's could defend against air pollution damage: Mice study

07-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

Supplementing the diet with omega-3 fatty acids could restrict the tissue and organ damage caused by air pollution, says research.

Kiwi supplement and health food firms targets for Chinese takeovers as dairy deals come under increased scrutiny

03-Mar-2017 By Gary Scattergood

New Zealand supplement and health food manufacturers are likely targets for merger and acquisition activity over the next year, with private equity firms, notably from China, increasingly looking to splash the cash.

Omega-3 firm SeaDragon warns of $4.5m annual loss after fish oil supply struggles

03-Mar-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Fish oil supplier SeaDragon has revealed it expects to report an annual loss of up to NZ$4.5m, due to a longer than expected transition time from its legacy Omega-2 business to Omega-3 fish oil produced by its new $10m refinery.

Walnut fatty acids could boost sperm potency: Mice study

02-Mar-2017 By Will Chu

The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) contained in walnuts might improve sperm quality as findings support previous evidence suggesting the nut contains key nutrients essential for sperm function.

Omega-3 could decrease mortality rate in postmenopausal women, study suggests

01-Mar-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Women with a high omega-3 status are up to 20% less likely to die from any cause, compared to those with low levels of DHA and EPA, finds a new study.

Omega-3 rich diet may block absorption of saturated fatty acids: Mouse study

26-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

A diet rich in omega-3 can significantly modify the distribution and bioavailability of fatty acids, and may block the absorption of saturated fatty acids (SFA) in the gastrointestinal tract, a study on mice has shown.

EPA-dominant omega-3 and other nutraceuticals can boost effectiveness of anti-depressants

23-Feb-2017 By Millette Burgos

Nutraceuticals have the ability to boost the effectiveness of traditional anti-depressive medications, according a new review.

Continued buzz about mercury in fish could bolster omega-3 supplements

22-Feb-2017 By Hank Schultz

The gravity of questions about mercury in fish seems to depend on the particular expert’s point of view, with neurologists high on the concern curve. But those concerns could bolster the uptake of omega-3 supplements, one expert says.

Omega-3 and chemotherapy: Supplementation reduces stomatitis and diarrhoea in cancer patients

21-Feb-2017 By Millette Burgos

Omega-3 supplementation helped lessen chemotherapy-induced mucosal toxicities such as stomatitis and diarrhoea, and provided liver protection for oesophageal cancer patients, revealed a Japanese study.

Medical Nutrition: RCT finds little benefit from fish oil for fistula failure

20-Feb-2017 By Eliot Beer

Fish oil supplementation may have no benefit in preventing the failure of fistulas in dialysis patients, with a failure rate similar to placebo, a new RCT suggests.

Precedent setting: The development and legacy of the GOED monograph

20-Feb-2017 By Stephen Daniells

The early 2000s were a time of health claims success and growing consumer awareness around the benefits of omega-3s, but concerns over quality in the sector spurred stakeholders to work together to create quality standards for the industry. The result...

DSM sees profits soar as innovation drives success

15-Feb-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

One of the world’s biggest makers of nutritional ingredients, Royal DSM, saw pre-tax profits increase by 17% last year, with a strong performance from its nutrition division.

Aker BioMarine invest €112.6 million in new krill vessel

14-Feb-2017

Norwegian krill player Aker BioMarine has commissioned a new environmentally-friendly krill fishing vessel, at a cost of around €112.6 million (NOK 1 billion).

New Australian university centre eyes Asia opportunities for omega-3 and probiotics products

14-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia is opening a $1m new Food Science Innovation Precinct to drive new products and research in probiotics, omega-3, functional foods and dairy.

Fish oil asthma benefits may be blocked by medication

10-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

Omega-3 fatty acids could reduce the production of antibodies that cause allergic reactions and asthma symptoms. But the possible benefits are reduced by asthma medication, say researchers.

Nutritional upgrade: Changes to diet may address depression: Study

09-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

Tweaks to a diet’s nutritional make-up may provide an effective strategy for depression, says a study detailing extended benefits towards the management of associated disorders. 

Med diet approach could help children with ADHD: Study

08-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

Sticking to foods that typically make up the Mediterranean diet may prove to be an effective approach in managing ADHD, a Spanish team has deduced. 

'Minor' effect of omega-3s on ADHD - but future bright for probiotics, study suggests

07-Feb-2017 By Will Chu

Omega-3 supplementation may only have a minor effect on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), say researchers who add that the gut microbiota and the use of probiotics may have long-term promise.

‘Substantial evidence’ that DHA has a favourable effect on liver disease treatment: Meta-analysis

06-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

New meta-analysis from China “provides substantial evidence” that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation, especially DHA, can play a positive role in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Finns gain berry win with safety certification

03-Feb-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Supplier of wild forest berry ingredients, Kiantama, has received a certification of safety from the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

Gee Lawson merges with Lehvoss UK

02-Feb-2017 By Emma Jane Cash

Nutritional ingredients specialty distributor, Gee Lawson, has merged with Lehvoss UK allowing it to enlarge its international market reach effectively.

Blackmores Institute: It’s vital we help pharmacists enhance supplements knowledge

01-Feb-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Blackmores Institute is to hold its first Singapore symposium as part of its efforts to help train and guide pharmacists to safely and effectively integrate supplements into their practices.

Indonesia unexpectedly limits omega-3 supplement claims

26-Jan-2017 By Gary Scattergood

Badan Pom (BPOM), the National Agency of Drug and Food Control of Indonesia, has unexpectedly limited supplement claims for EPA and DHA.