Weekly Roundup: INS Farms launches elderberry seed oil, Prune study reveals heart health benefits

25 Jun 2021 --- This week in industry news, INS Farms launched elderberry seed oil for cosmeceutical product development. A study funded by the California Prune board reveals that daily prune intake can aid in heart health and reduce inflammation in postmenopausal women. Additionally, Resolve to Save Lives, a Vital Strategies project, presented more than US$1.1 million in grants to improve cardiovascular health around the world.

In brief: Launches and releases
INS Farms, a producer of elderberry in North America, has introduced Elderberry Seed Oil, a versatile ingredient for cosmeceutical product development. Its high fatty acid concentration in cosmeceuticals repairs and re-establishes the skin’s protective lipid barrier, reduces breakouts and reduces indications of aging. The oil is abundant in antioxidants and other critical nutrients for nutraceutical use. For example, elderberry seed oil contains beta-sitosterol, which has been linked to prostate health.

TCI Japan’s Science of Probiotics revealed a patented process that uses high-efficiency fermentation technology to infuse 100 billion live probiotics into each tiny glass bottle of drink, roughly equivalent to the total probiotic count in ten bottles of standard lactic acid bacteria drinks. The probiotics aid in intestinal health and reduce the pathogenic bacteria in the gut.INS Farms’ new Elderberry Seed Oil is available in both certified organic and conventional options.

Bulletproof 360 expanded its supplement lineup with a line of sugar-free gummy vitamins that address specific health concerns. The four sugar-free gummy vitamins range are named turmeric, ADK, immune and sleep, and align with individual nutritional needs.

Nature’s Bounty Optimal Solutions unveiled advanced hair, skin and nails jelly beans. The mixed berry, strawberry and watermelon fruit-flavored jelly beans include keratin and twice the amount of biotin as the brand’s original formula. The jelly beans also contain vitamins A, C and E.

In brief: Business news
Nutrify Today, an Indian-based global organization announced new business services for US-based nutraceutical companies. During the 2020 pandemic global lockdowns, the company completed several business transactions valued at over US$9 million through its idea-to-commercialization solutions platform, with companies launching nutraceutical innovations.

Pharmavite, the creators of “Nature Made” vitamins and supplements, and One Step Closer, a natural products industry organization, announced their partnership intended to make a difference in the health and wellness business. One Step Closer’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) collaborative project will focus on systemic change and support and equip companies to make meaningful changes in three critical areas: culture, consumer and communities. Pharmavite will donate US$100,000 (€83, 680) over three years while exploring additional opportunities to leverage the company’s voice in support of JEDI Collaborative’s efforts to advance social justice.

In brief: Awards and programs
Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, announced awards totaling more than US$1.1 million to improve cardiovascular health around the world. Awardees in Cameroon, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico and the Philippines will support new primary care strategies to control hypertension, advance trans fat elimination policy and support sodium reduction.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the industry’s trade group for dietary supplements and functional foods, announced a partnership with the American Society for Nutrition Foundation (ASNF) to provide study enrichment for aspiring nutritionists. CRN and ASNF’s Scholars Program (CASP) will provide five ASN student members with educational awards to virtually attend this year’s “Science in Session” annual event. CASP awards will be given out based on students’ educational and career goals, prior involvement in the ASN community, and academic performance.

In brief: Research and studiesDaily intake of prunes can help in cardiovascular health and alleviate inflammation in premenopausal women. 
Research funded by the California Prune Board reveals that eating prunes each day may benefit the heart, including raising antioxidant capacity and reducing inflammation among healthy, postmenopausal women. The study was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food and shows that eating 50 g of prunes each day for six months resulted in improved cardiovascular biomarkers – including raising the body’s “good” cholesterol, known as HDL, and lowering the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL.

Scientists at the Quadram Institute entered into a new initiative to learn more about how bacteria in the gut microbiome create and use vitamin B12. They expect to develop novel approaches to improve the gut microbiome by better understanding the role of this crucial micronutrient in the complex microbial population, thereby benefiting health.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s hospital found that the time of day of eating milk chocolate can impact body weight regulation. The study of postmenopausal women revealed that eating a concentrated amount of chocolate during a narrow window of time in the morning may help the body burn fat and decrease blood sugar levels.

Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that eating starchy snacks high in white potato or other starches after any meal was associated with at least a 50 percent increased risk of mortality and a 44 to 57 percent increased risk of CVD-related death.

By Nicole Kerr