Naturex unveils koji-derived zinc

17 Jun 2020 --- Ultimine Zinc is the latest addition to the koji minerals portfolio of Naturex, part of Givaudan. Known as a “miracle mold,” koji is a culture widely used to make fermented products such as soy sauce, miso, amazake and sake. This whole food launch addresses current immunity concerns, as well as trends for ingredients perceived as natural. Also active in this space, Nutritional Brands is launching Zinc Up, which features a spray form of the mineral to help support immunity.

“The patents are on the process and the composition of this new whole food product, which addresses several technical and scientific challenges. These are mastering the technology so the koji fungus absorbs the minerals; ensuring the minerals are within the cells in order to be considered whole food minerals; and developing products that are proven for better efficacy. This latter point includes a clinical study on bio-availability and slow release,” Timothée Olagne, Global Category Director of Nutritional Ingredients at Naturex, tells NutritionInsight.

He continues that Ultimine Zinc is the world’s first fermented wholefood zinc supplement. It delivers high levels of zinc in a small dose and can be used in a range of food and nutrition applications. “With broadly recognized regulatory acceptance, it offers an exciting source of zinc, an important nutrient that many people do not get enough of,” he adds.

Ultimine Zinc is available in powder and granule formats and can be used in tablets, capsules and gummies. Meanwhile, F&B applications include smoothies, non-clear ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages such as nutritional beverages, meat analogs, snack bars, yogurt and instant drinks.

A patented fermentation process is used to produce the product, during which koji culture biomass incorporates food grade zinc. The resulting product, which delivers an 11 mg dose in a 200 mg serving, is a dried biomass, rich in protein. The process naturally encapsulates the zinc – responding to the growing demand for mineral ingredients from whole food sources.

Consumers are increasingly conscious of naturality, which allows for brand storytelling – Innova Market Insights’ Top Trend for 2020. Indeed, 56 percent of global consumers say that stories around a brand influence their purchase decision, with manufacturers increasingly paying attention to ingredient provenance. This goes hand in hand with the clean label trend, with two in three global consumers saying that they specifically want to avoid products with ingredients that are difficult to understand. 

It was developed in partnership with Cura Global Health, which holds the patents on the technology for delivering Ultimine Zinc as well as the range’s other whole food minerals. Ultimine Zinc has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US for a range of foods. In the EU, it is considered a non-novel food. Registration in other countries will occur over the next five years, driven by Cura with incentives and support from Naturex. 

Nutritional Brand’s Zinc Up uses an ionic form of zinc in its spray.A spray delivery format
Meanwhile, Nutritional Brand’s Zinc Up uses an ionic form of zinc in its spray. This allows zinc to bond readily with water making it possible for the body to absorb it, according to the US-based company. The spray is made without preservatives and only contains simple ingredients that are meant to support the body and immune system. Each 2 oz bottle contains around 70 servings, with the average serving size being four sprays. This launch comes as delivery formats are diversifying, with sprays emerging as a popular choice.

“The oral route of absorption is the same as a capsule or tablet. However, being delivered into the mouth via a spray is fairly novel. There’s only one other brand out there that is similar, but it does not have immune-boosting vitamin C in its product. Spray format is a very effective delivery system for many types of vitamins and minerals,” Gene Tracy, Director of Quality Assurance and Control at Nutritional Brands, tells NutritionInsight.

He details that it was difficult to find the right balance of zinc and vitamin C for the spray. “One may think it’s easy just to throw some powders into a solution and send it out to market, but viscosity, pH, taste and keeping the product into solution were challenges.” 

Addressing immunity needs
Nutritional Brands notes that COVID-19 played a significant role in speeding up the innovation of Zinc Up. Meanwhile, Olagne comments that the launch of Ultimine Zinc is particularly relevant in the current market situation, wherein solutions for immune health are in high demand. In April, NutritionInsight detailed how zinc has emerged as a so-called hot ingredient on the market, thanks to its contribution to both the innate and adaptive immune systems, which are the body’s first and second lines of defenses, respectively.

Additionally, nearly a third of the global population suffers from a zinc deficiency, according to the World Health Organization. The US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention considers it to be one of six essential minerals that are key to fighting micronutrient malnutrition. In the EU, zinc is subject to several authorized health claims, reported by the European Food Safety Authority, including one relating to the normal functioning of the immune system.

By Katherine Durrell