Fun for children and helpful for seniors: Vitux launches soft chews for brain health

10 Dec 2021 --- Vitux is spotlighting its new brain health “jelly-like” soft chew ConCordix formulated to boost the brain health of children and older adults. The company has teamed up with companies such as Amway to formulate the product’s technology after a decade of work aimed at elevating industry’s delivery system formats.

“ConCordix patented technology masks unpleasant flavors and is less of a choking hazard, as the material easily ‘melts’ in your mouth, making it more ideal for children and older adults who have trouble chewing and swallowing multiple gummies,” Marc Van Maris, senior vice president sales and marketing, tells NutritionInsight.

The item is currently available in the US while the company will be opening a new manufacturing facility in Canada early next year to support clients across North America and Europe.

Brand-name customers include Amway’s Nutrilite Kids Brainiums DHA supplement, Childlife Essentials and Nordic Naturals.

Innovative solutions
According to Van Maris, gummies have matured as a delivery system and offering the item as a chew is a “giant leap forward in innovation.” 

Omega 3s delivered using ConCordix are clinically proven to be 43.4% more bioavailable than when using traditional soft gels, he adds. The item can hold up to 250 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 50 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in a single chew.The industry has a lot of pressure to innovate but the chew is marketed as 'game changing'.

“ConCordix sugar-free Smart Chew technology can carry more active ingredients than gummies and candy-like delivery systems, enabling us to deliver the maximum amount of active ingredients in there while still maintaining the taste profile. This typically results in a single-dose chew with a higher potency.” 

Companies are innovating on delivery formats, with younger generations keen to consume products in different formats. 

Child brain health
Amway has formulated the product into Jelly Splats, available in a range of flavors such as strawberry citrus. 

“The new Jelly Splat is a little different than a gummy and easier for kids since they don’t have to chew hard. Being sugar-free was also a big factor in our decision to use ConCordix. Millennial mothers don’t want their kids to get too much sugar. The blister packs keep the chews fresher longer,” Amway brand manager Marlene Zuidema says.

“End-consumers, especially parents, like the fact that smart chews are packaged in recyclable, single-serving blister packs, so they are hygienically sealed and the packaging protects against oxidation,” Van Maris notes. 

“The kids found the format fun. They could play with it before taking it. We really wanted something that kids were not only willing to take, but ideally they would ask for it,” she adds. 

ConCordix is free of artificial colors, flavors, gluten, dairy, sweeteners and preservatives, staying with clean label trends. 

Supplements featuring brain health claims have seen major growth with this trend looking set to continue, according to Innova Market Insights. 

Omega 3s, in particular, have been spotlighted in research pointing to a strong correlation between blood levels of omega 3s – especially DHA – and better brain function in children aged two to six years old.

By Andria Kades