Weekly Roundup: F&B alliance requests USFDA flexibility on new nutrition labeling updates, Lallemand launches dual-chamber probiotic supplement

11 Oct 2019 --- In nutrition news this week, The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) joined leading trade associations to form an alliance to advocate for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide flexibility on the enforcement of new nutrition labeling rules. Meanwhile, the upcoming SupplySide West show, held in Las Vegas, US, October 15 to 19, will see an array of innovative releases. Notably, in the probiotics space, Lallemand Health Solutions is presenting the world’s first dual-chamber capsule probiotic concept. TIC Gums will also showcase ingredient solutions for keto ice cream, organic tableting and ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee beverages.

In brief: Industry news
AHPA has joined twelve leading trade associations to form the Food & Beverage Issue Alliance. The move is a bid to advocate the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to provide flexibility in its enforcement of the new nutrition labeling rules, as the January 1, 2020 compliance date approaches. In a letter to Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless, the association requested from the FDA to provide a six-month period of enforcement discretion following the compliance date. During that time, the agency would not take enforcement action against companies unable to transition their full portfolio of labels to the new format. The letter notes that the requested increased flexibility and exercise of enforcement discretion is similar to the FDA’s approach in implementing several of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) final rules. 

In brief: Launches and releases
Probiotic manufacturer, Lallemand Health Solutions is presenting a new probiotic concept touted as the world’s first dual-chamber, wet-and-dry transparent capsule with a moveable membrane. ComboCap’Biotics will be showcased at this year’s SupplySide West. The product offers a solution in combining probiotics with incompatible ingredients without further processing and manages to help them retain their identity and efficacy for an unlimited range of probiotic possibilities. Event attendees are welcome to discuss new partnerships and licensing opportunities with the company’s business and product development experts. Moreover, the company’s experts will be available to explain the science behind its probiotics for gut health, natural defenses, brain-gut-axis, women’s health, sports, skin health and oral health. 

At SupplySide West, TIC Gums will showcase ingredient solutions for keto ice cream, organic tableting and RTD coffee beverages. Also at SupplySide West, TIC Gums will showcase ingredient solutions for keto ice cream, organic tableting and RTD coffee beverages. The company will be showcasing solutions in three prototypes that tap into some of the industry’s largest trends. Dairyblend Natural IC 21 will be showcased in a Keto Caramel Delight Frozen Dessert. The product is an optimized hydrocolloid blend that provides an all-in-one solution to emulsify, stabilize and texturize while adhering to label-friendly claims. The second sample is Pre-Hydrated TICorganic Arabic SD, which is an agglomerated single ingredient solution that acts as a superior binding agent that allows for higher concentrations of actives in tablet applications. Lastly, Ticaloid PRO 122 RD will address the common formulation hurdles in the shelf-stable coffee beverage category: emulsion stability, elimination of particulate sedimentation and texture optimization.

DuPont is also set to display a wide range of market-relevant health and wellness innovations at SupplySide West, including premium probiotic solutions for head-to-toe wellness and indulgent plant-based beverages. The company will also be featuring mindful snacking solutions leveraging plant-based proteins and clinically backed probiotics as well as clean label solutions to deliver strong softgel capsules and other advanced delivery formats. Visitors to the DuPont booth will discover a broad portfolio of innovative products from the company’s wide-ranging portfolio. These and other ingredients will be available for sampling in various formats at the DuPont booth, including supplements, ready-to-drink beverages, non-dairy ice cream and breakfast bars.

Nature’s Power Nutraceuticals (NP Nutra) is launching eight products including two new Signature Ingredients at SupplySide West. “We always launch products at SupplySide, but this year we have gone further and included two new Signature Ingredients: SachiPlus and CocOganic Plus. SachiPlus is an innovative new plant protein blend with a unique taste. Coconut products, including CocOganic have drawn strong interest in recent years. CocOganic Plus is a naturally sweet ingredient that has the ability to bring different flavors together,” says Thomas Walton, Founder and CEO. 

The Specialty Botanicals & Extracts (SBE) division of OmniActive Health Technologies is launching its Blend Ideation Sessions at SupplySide West. The sessions will focus on how manufacturers can formulate exciting new products to help grow their business through customized combination ingredient profiles. Attendees are encouraged to visit the SBE team at the show to discuss unique, complementary blend options and solutions to help fill the current gap in the botanicals and extracts market. “The industry is seeing a growing interest in blending botanicals and extracts to find combinations that support multiple health benefits to support the savvy, complex customer who is looking for that next new product,” says Bhavprita Harshawardhan, General Manager, Strategy & Marketing, OmniActive Health Technologies, SBE. 

In brief: Awards and certifications
Israel-based, NextFerm Technologies Ltd has announced that it has filed for a patent for its astaxanthin-producing yeast strains. The company is the first to produce natural astaxanthin from yeast fermentation for human nutrition, which is branded as astaferm. The patent will protect specific yeast strains used for its production. “At the fundamental level of the company’s production capacity, the yeast strain Phaffia rhodozyma naturally expresses astaxanthin. “By applying strain-improvement technologies, we’ve been able to develop proprietary Phaffia strains, which are capable of over-expressing astaxanthin at commercial levels. Such levels of expression have not been recorded previously and make our fermentation process, a commercially preferable source of astaxanthin moving forward,” says Dr. Tzafra Cohen, NextFerm’s Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Astaferm is the first yeast-derived astaxanthin offered for human consumption along with clinical data and self-GRAS approval. It will be exhibited by NextFerm at the coming SupplySide West show.

By Kristiana Lalou