Weekly Roundup: Balchem reports strong Q2 sales, Gelita to sponsor ESSNA 2020

07 Aug 2020 --- In nutrition news this week, the Balchem Corporation reported positive growth in its Q2 financial report, while Gelita revealed that it will be the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Awards (ESSNA)’s official sponsor. Meanwhile, three NPD launches tapped into the trending areas of immunity and digestive health. In research developments, Marinova’s seaweed extract was found to improve the gut health of high-performance athletes and Gnosis by Lesaffre made the purity profile of its VitaMK7 publicly accessible.

In brief: Business news
Balchem reported record second-quarter net earnings of US$21.1 million for 2020, compared to net earnings of US$19.8 million for the second quarter of 2019. The Human Nutrition & Health segment generated quarterly sales of US$97.4 million, an increase of US$11.6 million or 13.5 percent compared to the prior-year quarter. The increase was primarily driven by strong sales growth of chelated minerals and choline nutrients as well as increased sales into the food and beverage markets from the legacy business. Moreover, the Animal Nutrition & Health segment generated sales of US$46.3 million, an increase of US $2.9 million compared to the prior year quarter, due to higher volumes in both the ruminant species and monogastric species markets. 

Dark berries are known to deliver phytonutrients and antioxidants, while having a positive effect on the immune system.A year after acquiring Algatech last May, Solabia will promote its nutrition offer under the name of Solabia-Algatech Nutrition. Algatech’s portfolio of microalgae-derived nutrients has been integrated into the Solabia Nutrition product line. As part of the integration, the two companies’ process of rebranding includes adding Algatech’s name to the Solabia logo to preserve the look and feel of Solabia, the company states. Solabia Algatech Nutrition’s portfolio includes the patented prebiotic compound Bioecolians, a brown algae nutritional complex Nutralga, AstaPure natural astaxanthin, FucoVital- Fucoxanthin that targets liver health, glucose and triglycerides management and Alganea Nannochloropsis used in aquaculture. 

SmithFoods is to voluntarily recall its 16-oz pint packages of Earth Grown Vegan Non-Dairy Almond Based Frozen Desserts considering they may contain an undeclared cashew allergen. Consumers who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to cashews run the risk of a severe or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products. With one reported incident of an allergic reaction as of July 31, the company is conducting a detailed review of allergen controls within all aspects of operations and supply chain processes. Moreover, the grocery retailer chain Aldi will be removing the product from its shelves throughout the 36 states in the US where the Smith Foods desserts were previously available.

In brief: Launches and releases
Together with FANCL, Kirin Beverage will launch its flavored water throughout Japan. The beverage, called Kirin x FANCL BASE Peach & Pomegranate, combines 500 mg of HTC collagen and 5 mg of rose bud extract with vitamin C. The companies offer a new beauty habit via this beverage format to help busy consumers easily supplement vitamins. FANCL will begin selling this beverage on its e-commerce website, mail order and retail stores nationwide as of October 20. 

Z Natural Foods released its newest superfood powder called Organic Freeze-Dried Super 8 Berry Blend. This dark purple berry mix is a potent blend of eight organic nutrient-rich berries: goji berry, acai berry, maqui berry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry and raspberry acerola cherry. Dark berries are known to deliver phytonutrients and antioxidants while supporting good health and having a positive effect on the immune system. Rich in vitamin A and C, as well as omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids, Organic Freeze-Dried Super 8 Berry Blend is soy-free, gluten-free, vegan and does not contain added preservatives or sugar. 

Inner Life! launched a prebiotic drink mix that supports digestive health and immunity. The company uses steam and pressure to extract its Arabinoxylan prebiotic fiber rather than chemicals or enzymes. The Arabinoxylan prebiotic fiber in the drink mix is extracted using Comet Bio’s patented method of upcycling crop leftovers, allowing farmers to utilize their entire harvest and reduce food waste. The peach iced tea-flavored drink mix is free of artificial sweeteners and contains 3.8 g of prebiotic fiber and packaged in single-serve stick packs.

In brief: Approvals and appointments
Collagen proteins supplier Gelita joined the ESSNA 2020 as an official “silver sponsor.” Now in its second year, the ESSNA attracts sports nutrition brands, companies and individuals from across Europe to celebrate the sector’s expansion and prosperity. Notably, sports nutrition is one of the major pillars within Gelita’s business in 2020. This year, four new categories have been added, including best protein bar, best energy drink and sports nutrition in lockdown, as well as a new cohort of judges, competitions and sponsors. The ESSNA ceremony will take place on December 10 at the Stade de France, in Paris. 

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Epidiolex, an oral cannabidiol (CBD) solution for treating seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) in patients one year of age and older. TSC is a rare genetic disease that causes non-cancerous (benign) tumors to grow in the brain and other parts of the body like the eyes, heart, kidneys, lungs and skin. Currently, Epidiolex is the only FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from cannabis. It is also the second FDA approval of a drug for the treatment of seizures associated with TSC.

Marinova’s seaweed extract fucoidan was found to improve the gut health of high-performance athletes.In brief: Research and study
Marinova’s seaweed extract fucoidan was found to improve the gut health of high-performance athletes. The study measured key markers of immunity and inflammation, including fecal lysozyme – an antimicrobial enzyme considered an indicative marker of mucosal immune function. Following fucoidan supplementation, lysozyme concentrations in the elite athletes increased by 45 percent. These results demonstrate fucoidan has the potential to restore beneficial antimicrobial activity. “A future role for fucoidan in sports performance is increasingly promising,” says Dr. Helen Fitton, Marinova’s Chief Scientist.

Gnosis by Lesaffre publicized the purity profile of its VitaMK7 production batches via a leaflet that is available on its company website. “We are the first and only supplier of vitamin K2 that discloses such a level of information, as we believe that it demonstrates both the quality of our products and our desire to be a transparent organization,” the company highlights. The leaflet includes the definition of isomeric and general purity regarding vitamin K2 production and the actual results of purity profile of VitaMK7.

A study recently published in Current Developments in Nutrition examined nutrient adequacy, iron deficiency and anemia in US children aged one to three years old. Overall, the test participants’ dietary intake appeared to be adequate. ; HhHowever, intakes below the estimated average requirements for vitamin D, vitamin E, calcium and iron were 83 percent, 71 percent, 4 percent, and 1 percent, respectively. Only 1 percent of children in this age group had fiber intakes greater than the adequate intakes group. 

By Anni Schleicher