New products at Euromed: Blending nature with science to unlock potential of botanicals

28 Feb 2024 --- Amid a growing consumer demand for natural health products and scientifically supported benefits, Spanish botanical extract supplier Euromed finds inspiration for innovative solutions in traditional knowledge and employs a comprehensive research strategy to develop new products, verify their health benefits and ensure their quality. 

Nutrition Insight meets up with Andrea Zangara, Euromed’s head of scientific communication and medical affairs, for an insight into the company’s product development process, the role of research in creating new products and validating their health benefits and how EU health claim legislation affects this process. 

“Inspiration for our new products comes primarily from the rich heritage of the Mediterranean diet, known for its significant health benefits such as longevity and cardiovascular health,” underscores Zangara. 

“We are tapping into this heritage to develop a diverse portfolio of Mediterranean fruit and vegetable extracts, each selected for its unique health-promoting properties. These products reflect the global trend toward natural, effective solutions that align with the heart-healthy principles of the Mediterranean lifestyle.” 

“Our approach is to blend traditional knowledge with the latest technological advances, including chromatographic resins, membrane filtration, supercritical fluid extraction, molecular distillation, biotechnology and enzymatic synthesis. This fusion revitalizes existing products and unlocks their potential in new applications and presentations to meet the evolving needs of the health and wellness market.”

New product development 
Euromed’s New Product Development (NPD) process includes innovation, scientific rigor and market responsiveness, details Zangara: market-driven requirements and the company’s NPD committee, central to the process, guide product development. 

He explains that the company aims to “harness the power of nature to enhance well-being and promote healthy aging” by building from tradition and ethnopharmacology. Euromed offers a selection of extracts from Mediterranean fruits and vegetables renowned for their health-promoting properties. 

Before ingredients go to industrial-scale production, they are tested in pilot plans to refine their composition and efficacy. “Incorporating ethnobotanical knowledge into our development strategy is key. We use the monographs of the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP) to validate traditional uses of botanicals with scientific evidence.” 

“This combination of tradition and science is further supported by advanced technological applications in our research methodologies, including in silico studies, bioinformatics and exploring the potential of AI to predict the efficacy and safety profiles of new extracts.”

Moreover, Zangara underscores that the company evaluates the sustainability and scalability of raw materials to ensure the viability of promising ingredients for future demand. 

“Our commitment to sustainability influences our sourcing practices, which focus on natural, ethical and organic sourcing. This minimizes our environmental impact and supports the development of innovative products derived from locally sourced materials, particularly those associated with the Mediterranean diet.”

In December 2023, Euromed received the EcoVadis platinum medal for sustainability, which means that it is among the “top 1% of over 100,000 companies rated by EcoVadis in the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, medicinal chemicals and botanical products,” illustrates Zangara.

Euromed offers a portfolio of health-promoting Mediterranean fruit and vegetable extracts, such as its pomegranate extract.Validating health benefits 
As Zangara explains, Euromed uses EU, US and ESCOP monographs to validate new products. “These resources are invaluable for our extensive catalog of botanical extracts and provide a solid foundation for our products’ quality, safety and efficacy.” 

“The health properties of Euromed’s extracts are supported by a rigorous and multi-faceted research strategy, including in vitro studies and randomized controlled trials, which represent the most reliable evidence.” 

The company conducts targeted clinical trials of specific extracts to build on preliminary results and provide evidence of their health benefits, specifically in cognition, aging and skin health. Last year, it unveiled clinical trial findings for Pomanox, a pomegranate fruit extract with beauty and healthy aging benefits.

“An essential part of our research ethic is our collaboration with respected academic institutions,” continues Zangara. “These collaborations facilitate the verification of the biological activities of our products and the exploration of innovative applications for our existing product range.” 

“We are also supporting Ph.D. programs and master’s theses that explore the effects of Mediterranean fruit and vegetable extracts on the microbiome and its role in healthy aging. This research is critical to understanding the complex relationship between diet, gut health and overall wellness.”

Euromed uses advanced analytical techniques to identify and quantify its raw materials and extracts. According to Zangara, this framework ensures that “all Euromed products meet the most stringent criteria for quality, safety, efficacy and consistency.”

The company uses EU, US and ESCOP monographs as a basis for its products’ quality, safety and efficacy.Health claim legislation 
Zangara details that Euromed’s approach to navigating EU health claims legislation allows the company to develop and market new products without significant disruption. This legislation, particularly the “on hold” status of botanical claims, presents a unique set of challenges for the dietary supplement industry, including Euromed, and impacts the communication of health benefits to consumers. 

The assessment of botanical health claims has been on hold since 2010 by the European Food Safety Authority. The methodologies to authorize nutrient claims are ineffective for more complex foodstuffs, such as botanicals. 

“Our proactive measures, including registering a growing number of our extracts as Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products in Europe, exemplify our commitment to compliance and excellence,” explains Zangara. “This affirms the medicinal value of our botanical extracts within the regulatory framework and provides a solid foundation for product presentation and development.”

Moreover, Euromed focuses on the scientific substantiation of its products. “Our branded ingredients are supported by specific published studies demonstrating their health benefits.” 

“This is particularly important in an environment where regulatory constraints require robust scientific evidence to support health claims. By investing in clinical research and supporting our products with published efficacy studies, we meet regulatory requirements while enhancing consumer confidence and the marketability of our products.”

To ensure product quality, Euromed’s manufacturing process employs rigorous in-process controls and laboratory validation.Ensuring product quality 
Euromed selects botanical raw materials following Good Agricultural and Collection Practices to ensure raw material and extract quality.

Zangara highlights: “Our team of agronomists and botanists methodically source pharmacopeial-grade botanical materials from their optimal geographic environments to ensure the highest quality and sustainability.” 

The company uses various extraction technologies to preserve extracts’ phytochemical profile, such as “industrial scale absorption columns, tangential flow filtration and environmentally-friendly extraction processes,” he explains. “Our manufacturing process is characterized by rigorous in-process controls and validation of laboratory test parameters at critical stages to ensure the highest quality standards.” 

“Adherence to European and US Pharmacopeia botanical monograph guidelines is central to our process, confirming that the correct species and plant parts are used.” In addition, Euromed meets Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and GMP standards for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients and holds specific quality control certifications. 

“We employ a comprehensive suite of laboratory tests to verify the identity, potency and purity of each batch of extracts. These include TLC, HPTLC, HPLC and GC analyses, which are integral to our PhytoProof quality control process, ensuring that our products are free of unwanted contaminants and adulterants.”

Zangara underscores that the company also aims to raise product quality standards throughout the botanical industry by collaborating with international pharmacopeias and trade organizations. 

To differentiate its ingredients on the market, Euromed brands specific ingredients, highlighting their unique quality, efficacy and scientific substantiation. 

“Euromed’s branded ingredients are often backed up by published efficacy studies,” continues Zangara. “These studies highlight not only the efficacy of the extracts but also the proprietary nature of the raw material sources, extraction methods and specific compositions that define them. This level of specificity and scientific support is rarely associated with generic, traditional extracts.”

By Jolanda van Hal