Evonik launches direct-to-consumer anthocyanin supplement in Germany

07 Jul 2020 --- Germany-based Evonik has released an anthocyanin food supplement to support the health of blood vessels in pharmacies across its local market. The Medox food supplement is directly available to consumers, marking a first for the B2B company, and includes plant pigments from Scandinavian bilberries and blackcurrants in high concentrations.

“Until now, in Germany, Evonik has functioned as a B2B company, with the customer responsible for supplying the finished product to patients and consumers. With the launch of Medox in Germany, this is the first time that Evonik is directly supplying a finished product – in this case a dietary supplement, directly for purchase by the end-consumer,” Susanne Pluta, Director Consumer Products, Health Care Business Line, at Evonik, tells NutritionInsight.

“The innovation here is our approach to the market, rather than the actual product itself. Evonik also provides Medox directly to consumers in Norway via its 100 percent owned subsidiary MedPalett,” she adds. Indeed, the product was previously available via webshop in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the UK for the F&B industry.

“Particularly, seniors as well as athletes can benefit from the anthocyanin combination in Medox,” says Thomas Riermeier, Head of the Health Care Business Line at Evonik.

The anthocyanins in Medox are valuable, secondary plant compounds, helping to fight free radicals. They support the health of vessels and veins.“By building closer relationships with the consumer, we aim to gain market insights. We intend to transfer the existing market knowledge of our Norwegian subsidiary, MedPalett, to the wider European market,” Pluta explains.

Flavonoids backed by science
Anthocyanins are red-pigmented flavonoids that give certain fruit and vegetables their rich red, purple and blue colors. They are found in berries, black soybeans, black rice and cherries. Studies have linked the consumption of anthocyanin-rich foods to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

Few other plant ingredients for dietary supplements are as well documented scientifically as anthocyanins, Evonik says. The deep purple plant extracts from dark berries have antioxidative properties, contributing to healthier blood circulation. 

“The anthocyanins in Medox are valuable, secondary plant compounds, helping to fight free radicals. They support the health of vessels and veins,” says Thomas Hermann, Head of the Pharma & Food Ingredients Product Line at Evonik. 

He goes on to mention that in total, 24 placebo-controlled double-blind studies have been completed in Norway, Italy, Australia, China and Germany on the specific combination of 17 different anthocyanins in Medox. The supplement was originally developed in Norway 20 years ago, where it has been produced ever since.

According to Pluta, consumers are becoming more informed about their healthcare choices and are actively seeking out nutraceutical products to address dietary deficiencies. Increasingly, they are demanding innovative health ingredients made from natural and vegan substances with scientifically proven health benefits. 

“Anthocyanins can be a highly potent source of antioxidants. Numerous international studies support the ability of anthocyanins to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. We produce anthocyanins in two different forms. On the one hand, there is our food supplement Medox, which comes as small, easy to swallow capsules that contain high-dosed 80 mg of anthocyanins. One capsule is equivalent to eating about two handfuls of blueberries,” she notes.

Anthocyanins can be a highly potent source of antioxidants. Numerous international studies support the ability of anthocyanins to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. “On the other hand, we produce the ingredient Healthberry, a highly potent source of anthocyanins that is 100 percent naturally sourced from wild Scandinavian bilberries and blackcurrants grown in New Zealand. It has a particularly high and stable anthocyanin content. Healthberry has a wealth of potential applications in the functional food and beverage sector, such as energy bars, effervescent tablets, gummies or small volume shots. Healthberry comes in powder form and is not suitable for direct consumption,” Pluta details.

Advancing the Health Care segment
Notably, the company’s Nutrition & Care segment, which Health Care is part of, is manufacturing AMObiome, GNUbiotics Sciences SA’s product to restore natural symbiosis in pets and livestock animals with a microbiota imbalance. AMObiome is a response to the increasing demand for “natural breakthrough” products for companion and production animal health.

Furthermore, in a bid to expand its Care Solutions business line with a nutricosmetics component, Evonik acquired Wilshire Technologies, a global supplier of phytochemicals and derivatives to the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The acquisition jumpstarted Evonik’s focus on its Health & Care growth engine, established to meet the increasing demands from customers toward the global trend of bio-based products.

One of the company’s most recent innovations includes the development of an advanced collagen platform produced via fermentation-based processes without any animal or human-derived ingredients. Evonik notes that the new, recombinant technology provides the pharmaceutical, medical, cell culture and tissue engineering markets with a highly soluble, ultra-pure form of collagen that is safe, sustainable and commercially scalable. 

By Kristiana Lalou