US FDA approves Solabia Nutrition’s patented orange extracts for sports nutrition and recovery

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an approval letter regarding the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status of Solabia Nutrition’s two flagship ingredients, Watts’Up and Cordiart. The two ingredients — derived from sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) grown in Europe — are designed for use in dietary supplements, functional foods, and beverages. 

Watts’Up and Cordiart underwent a rigorous safety evaluation, are covered by patents, and are optimized for high bioavailability.

Watts’Up is clinically validated to support power output and sports performance in both professional and recreational athletes. Solabia’s latest consumer study shows its “significant benefits” for sports recovery. With the daily dose of 400 mg, it has been integrated into products globally.

Meanwhile, Cordiart is clinically proven to promote vascular health by enhancing blood flow and

improving flow-mediated dilation. With a convenient daily dose of 500 mg, it has also been adapted for a variety of finished product formats.

“Receiving the FDA’s approval letter for GRAS status is a major milestone that underscores our commitment to safety, science, and innovation,” says Alessandra

Rinaldi, quality and regulatory manager at Solabia Nutrition.

“This recognition further enables our customers to confidently formulate with Watts’Up and Cordiart across a wide range of delivery systems and product categories.”

Rigorous safety evaluation

The GRAS designation, established under the US Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, affirms the safety of food ingredients based on scientific evidence and expert consensus.

Watts’Up and Cordiart are ideal for inclusion in powder blends, beverages, sachets, and liquid formulas.

Headquartered in Maastricht, the Netherlands, Solabia Nutrition (part of the Solabia Group) develops and supplies proprietary bioactive ingredients for the health and sports nutrition sectors. All products are derived from natural sources and supported by robust clinical research.

Solabia Nutrition focuses on key health areas including the gut microbiome, cognitive function, women’s health, energy and vitality, and skin health.

Sports nutrition advances

In other sports nutrition sector developments, Gnosis by Lesaffre recently announced its landmark ingredient, Landkind Pure Salidroside, is set to shake up the sports nutrition world following a “first-of-its-kind” clinical study on its benefits for exercise performance. Salidroside is the bioactive compound in Rhodiola rosea, a well-known adaptogen traditionally used to support energy and stress resilience.

Nutrition Insight previously caught up with sports nutrition experts from Gencor, Tirlán, and Valio to explore the latest top post-workout supplements powering recovery — from fast-acting whey protein to curcumin and palmitoylethanolamide.