Beyond The Headlines: Antarctic fishery has lowest bycatch rate, Robert and Alland launch vegan gelatin substitute

16 Dec 2022 --- This week in nutrition news, Aker BioMarine released study results showing that, as a result of the low bycatch rate, the Antarctic krill fishery is the cleanest in the world. Also, acacia gum R&D company Alland and Robert launched Syndeo Gelling, a vegan substitute for pectin and gelatin. Meanwhile, ADM received a sustainability, environmental achievement and leadership (SEAL) Business Sustainability Award in the environmental category for its regenerative agriculture programs.

In brief: New releases
Norwegian krill oil manufacturer Aker BioMarine revealed the findings of a new study published in Fisheries Management and Ecology, which showed that the Antarctic krill fishery has the lowest bycatch of any fishery in the Southern Ocean. The findings showed that from 2010 to 2020, krill catch increased from 200,000 tons to 450,000 tons a year. However, the bycatch ratio was 0.1% to 0.3%, which it said was stable and far below that of other fisheries.

Aker BioMarine’s Antarctic fisheries have the lowest bycatch of any fishery in the Southern Ocean.Acacia gum innovator Alland and Robert launched an acacia gum-based vegan solution for gelatin and pectins. The product, Syndeo Gelling, can be combined with vegetal and hydrocolloids to create a “credible and efficient” gelatin substitute. Additionally, the company stated that it utilized a texture profile analysis to evaluate four texture attributes it said is important for consumers’ sensory perceptions in confectioneries to create the product.

ADM announced that it had won the Environmental Initiatives category of the 2022 SEAL Business Sustainability Awards. The award is the result of ADM’s expansion of its regenerative agriculture programs into North America. In 2022, the company launched several projects to assist North American farmers financially, technically and with educational resources to support transitioning to regenerative farming practices. They also partnered with the US Department of Agriculture, PepsiCo, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Farmers Business Network to help aid North American farmers.

In brief: Business news
PharmaNutra announced the incorporation of its wholly owned subsidiary company, PharmaNutra USA. The new company’s operational headquarters is in the US state of Florida, and it will distribute the company’s iron and mineral-based nutritional supplement products and medical devices in the US starting in the first half of 2023. The distribution will occur between direct and e-commerce channels throughout the country.

At the same time, Univar Solutions revealed that it reached an exclusive agreement with the US-based natural ingredient provider Kalsec to distribute the company’s natural taste, colors, and food protection ingredient solutions for savory applications in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Univar Solutions stated that the partnership strengthens and expands its ingredient portfolio and furthers its commitment to working with premier ingredient suppliers.

In brief: Research and studies
A study published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science revealed that the Sand Lance – a phospholipid-rich and vital schooling and forage fish found from the coast of New Jersey, US, to northern Greenland – may be unable to adapt to warming waters in these areas. Researchers genetically sequenced two distinct groups that lived north and south of the Scotian Shelf, an area off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, and found that those living north of the Scotian Shelf were genetically ill-equipped to tolerate the warmer waters and died even at a difference of just a few degrees Celsius. Similar findings have been noted with cod, scallops and lobster at the Scotian Shelf, and experts say the findings point to the importance of ocean temperatures and ocean species survivability.Researchers found that the sand lance may not survive climate change, significantly reducing ocean phospholipids.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) awarded three separate grants totaling US$1.3 million to scientists at the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in the US to research the effects of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) on the human body. The goal of the research, according to the NIH, is to provide definitive answers to the effects of UPFs on human health, noting that UPFs account for an estimated 58% of total calories consumed per day in the US. The study will include a “normal” representation of the sedentary US population.

A study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements conducted on 364 elderly participants in Greece found that 62.6% of those surveyed used dietary supplements during and since the COVID-19 pandemic – the most popular of which were vitamins D and C, followed by multivitamins and mineral supplements. The researchers stated that an interesting finding was that those consuming supplements regularly experienced significantly less COVID-19 related anxiety. The researchers found this is important as anxiety and stress levels have been shown to suppress immune activity in some individuals.

Additionally, a meta-analysis study published in Nutrients revealed that the bovine milk protein lactoferrin demonstrated a potential antiviral and immune-supportive effect at a dosage of 200 to 1000 mg. The dosage increased total T-cell – a type of lymphocyte, also known as white blood cells – activation in the bloodstream. In light of the study’s findings, the researchers stated that more studies should be done on whether or not lactoferrin may aid the immune system’s battle against viruses like COVID-19.

In brief: Regulation
Finally, a “first of its kind” analysis conducted by the US-based Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPSI) found that 51 products by 11 different dairy companies and found that many exceeded salt and sugar recommendations. The study found that salt varied between 95 to 250 mg in some products, with huge differences occurring even within the same company’s products in some cases. Furthermore, sugar contents ranged from 6 to 16 grams. CPSI notes that, by law, school meals must comply with dietary guidelines issued by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which recommends that less than 10% of calories come from added sugars and calls for the USDA to require manufacturers of school milk products to lower salt and sugars and eliminate synthetic dyes and sweeteners.

By William Bradford Nichols