IFF Health partners with Dolcas Biotech to market curcumin ingredient

26 Aug 2020 --- IFF Health and DolCas Biotech have partnered for the sale and marketing of Curcugen, dubbed as a “next-gen,” all-natural turmeric extract for supplements, food and beverages. Curcugen is positioned as a highly concentrated and highly dispersible curcumin ingredient with “superior functionality,” recently backed by a human study. The new partnership will enable IFF Health, part of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF), to expand its activities into the market for curcumin nutraceuticals.

The collaboration will provide a large customer base and improved market access for the ingredient. At the same time, the two companies will be able to exchange expertise and combine Dolcas’ scientific knowledge with IFF’s application technologies, Wouter Haazen, Product Manager IFF Health Business Unit, explains to NutritionInsight.

“The interest in turmeric is driven by the growing consumer awareness and appeal of natural anti-inflammatory compounds,” he adds. However, turmeric’s low bioavailability has long been a challenge for nutraceutical firms. 

A new human bioavailability study has supported Curcugen’s profile in showing a significant increase of bioavailability over standard extracts, with more data from ongoing clinical trials still coming in. 

The dispersible curcumin has been shown to contain 50 percent curcuminoids concentration, registering significantly higher than many of the dispersible curcumin brands recently on the market and strongly competing with older, more established brands, note the companies. 

Curcugen boasts being more similar to turmeric found in food than other curcumin ingredients on the market today. Differentiation with other technologies used for the optimization of turmeric products was a defining factor in the aim to have an all-natural, fully turmeric-derived product, Haazen continues. 

“Some of the main R&D challenges were related to the extraction technology end production process, with the aim to obtain optimal characteristics of the product without the use of any additional carriers or additives,” he says.

Getting back to the root
Curcugen boasts “whole rhizome synergism.” This means it’s more similar to the food format of the turmeric spice used as a staple in Indo-Asian cuisine than other curcumin ingredients on the market. 

“Many of the health benefits and historical knowledge of turmeric has been based on the use of the whole root as a powder. Curcugen aims to contain this concept and uses the natural compounds of turmeric to improve its characteristics,” details Haazen. 

“On the one hand, the curcuminoid actives are present in their natural ratio and concentrations and on the other hand, turmeric resins are the emulsifying agents. The product is closer to turmeric as a food, more similar to its natural form and brings additional benefits without focusing on a single active compound.”

“Being close to the form found in food, we are certain that this product has better performance in multiple functional food applications,” Haazen states.

Adding value to the ingredient
The composition of Curcugen provides a spectrum of native bioactive compounds, including the three major curcuminoids in their natural ratios, turmeric essential oils, polar resins and other natural constituents from turmeric that make its bioactive profile as robust as the rhizome itself. The standard formulation grade is palatable, disperses quickly without the need for agitation and is suitable for use in dietary supplements, foods, and beverages. 

Curcugen’s production begins with turmeric oleoresin, a base ingredient already having long-standing use in the food flavor and coloring industry – an arena in which IFF has decades of proven expertise. 

Studies are still in the pipeline to further investigate the efficacy of Curcugen for several different health conditions. The oleoresin is then optimized by the patent-pending SELF-D platform technology, which takes otherwise discarded resins of turmeric and makes them functional by giving priority to those that are naturally more polar. The process simultaneously concentrates the natural curcuminoids to the 50 percent standard.

“The functional polar resins in Curcugen add significant value to the ingredient, avoiding the common practice of adding non-turmeric bio-enhancers or nanotechnology,” explains Dr. Shavon Jackson-Michel, Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs for DolCas-Biotech. “The polar resins are believed to increase the surface area of otherwise clustered curcumin molecules, enhancing their interaction with water. 

Based on human bioavailability data, this mechanism effectuates a significant increase in absorption. Compared to unformulated curcumin, this results in a bioavailability increase of 39 times for free curcumin, 52 times for total curcuminoids and 31 times for tetrahydrocurcumin, which is the most beneficial and active metabolite. This concept provides a complete picture on the bioavailability of curcumin.

In the coming years, Haazen predicts that new forms of turmeric, which can also be used in a wide variety of applications, are expected to be the next focus. He further states that there are additional studies in the pipeline. 

“These studies are focused on the efficacy of the product for several different health indications,” he affirms. Published clinical data and safety dossiers are expected later in 2020.

By Missy Green