Weekly Roundup: Aker BioMarine enters partnership to boost sustainable krill harvests, Nestlé Cereals joins PHE campaign

11 Jan 2019 --- In nutrition news this week, Aker BioMarine and Cognite are to digitalize the krill company's harvesting and manufacturing operations to improve its sustainability efforts. It comes as Antarctic krill company Rimfrost gains its second license for krill harvesting in Antarctica. A number of Nestlé cereals are to bear the “Good Choice” badge from the recently launched Change4Life campaign from Public Health England (PHE). In research updates, Sabinsa’s probiotic LactoSpore has illustrated functional benefits such as survival during simulated digestion. Quercefit, Indena’s Phytosome formulation of quercetin has demonstrated strong results in terms of bioavailability, efficacy and high tolerability in a recent study.

In brief: Business
Aker BioMarine and Cognite have signed an agreement to digitalize the harvesting and manufacturing operations to improve Aker BioMarine's sustainability efforts. The Amesto Solutions-owned data science company NextBridge Analytics has also recently joined the strategic alliance. The initial goal for Aker BioMarine will be to use data contextualized in Cognite’s platform and AI applications developed together with NextBridge Analytics to increase efficiency, including the reduction of fuel consumption. By using live data and machine learning, the company aims to optimize and better manage harvesting patterns, production flow and maintenance.

Nestlé Cereals has partnered with Public Health England (PHE) for its latest Change4Life campaign, where it asks parents to “Make a swap when you shop” to lower sugar consumption among children. The partnership will see some Nestlé brands – including Shredded Wheat and Less than 5% Sugar Oat Cheerios – displaying the “Good Choice” badge between January and March. According to the campaign, making simple swaps such from a higher-sugar cereal to a lower sugar cereal could remove around 2,500 sugar cubes per year from a child’s diet. 

Kemin Industries, a Des Moines, Iowa-based global nutritional ingredient company, has announced the selection of its leadership team for its newest business unit, Kemin AquaScience, formerly known as AquaKulture. In April 2018, Kemin officially announced it would be dedicating a global team to the aquaculture market in 2019 with a newly formed business unit. The now-launched Kemin AquaScience serves the growing aquaculture industry as it shifts from wild caught to farmed fish and shrimp, expanding its partnership with feed mill operators, farmers and fish meal producers to help raise the healthiest aqua species with better growth, uniformity and economic returns.

In brief: Research studies
Quercefit, Indena’s Phytosome formulation of quercetin has demonstrated strong results in terms of bioavailability, efficacy and high tolerability in a recent study. Quercefit is a standardized quercetin formulated with Phytosome, a food grade delivery system which should synergize the biological absorption of certain compounds, such as flavonoids. The researchers noted that the Indena extract, compared to other unformulated quercetin extracts, proved to be up to 20-fold more bioavailable and able to be used at lower dosages, thereby preserving its profile of a natural ingredient. The study further highlighted the effectiveness of Quercefit for use in sports people, finding that supplementation among amateur athletes maintained body resistance by optimizing performance and recovery and offering acceptable muscle wellbeing after physical activity.

A recent study has highlighted the functional aspects of Sabinsa’s probiotic Bacillus coagulans MTCC 5856, known as LactoSpore, including survival during simulated digestion. LactoSpore was able to survive gastric and intestinal conditions (92 percent) and then was able to colonize the intestine by effectively adhering to the colonic epithelium. The authors also noted that LactoSpore showed remarkable immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activity under co-treatment relative to post-treatment condition. This suggests the significance of early application to suppress inflammation and support its incorporation into functional foods for improved gut health.

In brief: Product launches and certifications
Two ingredients from dietary supplement ingredient developer Nutrition 21 have been included in Complete Nutrition’s new product line: Prime Trim weight management system. The ingredient Nitrosigine is incorporated in Prime Man, which works to improve nitric oxide levels, boost free testosterone and enhance vascularity. The second ingredient, Chromax, is included in both Prime Drive and Prime Tone. Prime Drive targets increasing focus, enhancing metabolism and curbing appetite, while Prime Tone works to support joints, helps to suppress appetite and acts as a powerful antioxidant.

Antarctic krill company Rimfrost has been awarded a second license for krill harvesting in Antarctica by the Directorate of Fisheries in Norway. The award was given as the company fulfilled the necessary criteria, including the ability to maintain Norwegian interests and the environment in Antarctica.

By Laxmi Haigh