Beyond The Headlines: AHPA addresses trade challenges members, Nexira’s sustainability commitment

24 Nov 2023 --- This week in nutrition news, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) communicated concerns to the US regarding Canadian and Mexican import challenges. Meanwhile, Nexira started the third phase of its Acacia planting initiative in Africa. Also, Marriott International announced its “Check Out for Children” donation program in collaboration with UNICEF.

Industry news
The AHPA is actively addressing challenges faced by its members involved in the dietary supplement trade with Canada and Mexico. In Canada, the agency has communicated concerns to the US Trade Representative and the US World Trade Organization regarding Health Canada’s proposal to establish user fees for natural health products, questioning its compliance with the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement and potential inequitable burdens on foreign products. In Mexico, AHPA and other supplement associations have approached the Mexican Ministry of Health and the Mexican Ambassador to the US regarding import challenges member companies face. These challenges include difficulties obtaining import permits from Mexico’s Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risk, causing critically low inventories of dietary supplements and disrupting the supply chain for Mexican distributors and retailers. 

Spar International introduced a new healthy food-to-go brand, at the opening of Spar Lamot in Belgium.Natural ingredients supplier Nexira has unveiled the third phase of its Acacia Program, showcasing a commitment to sustainability and positive social impact in Africa. The program, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, builds upon a decade-long collaboration in Chad, focusing on acacia resource protection, local community enhancement and sustainability promotion. The new phase (2022-2030) will involve 200 villages and 50,000 producers. The program aims to work on 300,000 hectares of sustainably managed forest, double gum acacia production from 2,600 to 5,000 tons, empower women in the sector and implement regenerative natural agriculture methods.

Health and wellness company Rebalance Health has released preliminary results from an Institutional Review Board-approved open-label study to be published in the North American Menopause Society’s Menopause Journal. The study, led by Dr. Todd Dorfman, chief medical officer at Rebalance Health, involved 101 women experiencing hot flashes with a 90-day supply of The Hot Flash System, a product designed to affect cortisol levels naturally. The results indicate a 90% reduction in menopausal symptoms, an 80% reduction in hot flashes and a 25% complete elimination of hot flashes. The study also highlighted improvements in sleep quality, energy levels, mood, libido, mental clarity, workout recovery, skin and nail health. Rebalance Health’s proprietary delivery system, Directline, demonstrated a 300% greater peak serum level and a 60% longer peak blood level compared to other products on the market.

Nutrition news 
Marriott International, in collaboration with UNICEF, marked World Children’s Day (November 20) by relaunching and expanding its “Check Out for Children” donation program. The initiative, active in over 500 properties across 40 countries, involves guests making voluntary contributions for each night of their stay. Since the program’s relaunch in February 2023, it has generated an additional US$250,000 in support. Contributions from Marriott, the Marriott Disaster Relief Fund, Marriott Bonvoy and guests since 2022 have exceeded US$1.3 million. These funds address global challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters and humanitarian crises. The program aligns with Marriott’s Serve 360 sustainability platform, reflecting the company’s commitment to making communities better places. 

Spar International has introduced Spar Enjoy, a healthy food-to-go solution, at the opening of Spar Lamot in Mechelen, Belgium. Developed in collaboration with Spar International, this initiative responds to the growing demand for healthy and sustainable food options. Spar Enjoy aims to provide customers daily meals, including breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu, displayed on digital screens, features set ingredients for boxes, bowls and wraps prepared by culinary staff in-store. The offering includes pre-made and customizable options, catering to various dietary preferences, including meat, vegetarian and vegan. 

In collaboration with Olympic champions Christie Pearce Rampone and Bode Miller, 1MD Nutrition has launched its annual Giving Tuesday campaign to benefit Vitamin Angels. The campaign, running from November 20 through Giving Tuesday (28 November), offers up to 50% off 1MD’s physician-formulated health supplements. Five percent of all online sales generated during this period — up to US$50,000 — will be donated to Vitamin Angels to provide essential vitamins and minerals to underserved pregnant women and children worldwide. The campaign aims to address malnutrition and support global health. So far, 1MD has raised US$125,000 for Vitamin Angels, reaching 500,000 underserved individuals. The campaign aligns with #GivingTuesday, a global generosity movement to transform communities globally.

Scientific research
A recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE revealed that transplanting gut microbes from an obesity-resistant shrew, Suncus murinus, can enhance the diversity of the gut microbiome and reduce the weight of obese mice on a high-fat diet. The research, conducted by teams in Japan and China, focused on the gut microbiota of Suncus murinus, a naturally obesity-resistant animal. The findings suggest that introducing these microbes into obese mice leads to an improvement in the ecological diversity of their gut microbiota, ultimately contributing to weight reduction. The study highlights a potential avenue for exploring microbiome-based interventions to address obesity. 

By Milana Nikolova