Weekly Roundup: Protein Industries Canada to boost canola offering, Biosearch Life launches new composition to help cognitive impairment

24 Jan 2020 --- This week in nutrition news, Protein Industries Canada announced an investment into a canola breeding project, which aims to improve the protein content of canola meal, making it more suitable for higher value markets. In the same week, Biosearch Life developed a new plant extract product to help with brain function abnormalities and cognitive impairment. Meanwhile, research this week also yielded results for the anti-aging effects of BiovaBIO hydrolyzed eggshell membrane supplementation, while soybean oil may affect neurological conditions, according to a US mice study.

In brief: Business news
Protein Industries Canada announced an investment of more than CA$27 million (US$20.5 million) into a canola breeding project focused on making canola hybrids that produce high-protein meal for downstream use. Led by Corteva Agriscience and including canola processor Bunge and Botaneco, the consortium will invest CA$14 million (US$10.7million), with a $13.6 million (US$10.4 million) investment from Protein Industries Canada. In this project, genetics from Corteva’s breeding programs and public sector sources, such as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, will identify genes that result in high protein and reduced fiber. This is the first commercial breeding project explicitly focused on protein quality improvement. Higher protein canola meal will result in new, diversified, higher-value markets for canola meal, creating economic benefits across the entire value chain, the company states.

In brief: Launches and releases
Biosearch Life developed a new composition of plant extracts and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – a fatty acid with recognized beneficial effects on brain function – to help prevent or reduce cognitive impairment associated with age. The mixture is made up of Ginkgo biloba, which improves brain vascularization, sage extract Ursolia, with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and Carositol, a carob extract rich in Pinitol for its effect on the insulin response together with DHA. The company touts its launch as helping alleviate the changes that lead to the decrease of cognitive abilities during brain aging. 

Kiva Confections' Camino Midnight Blueberry (Sleep).Cannabis-infused edibles company Kiva Confections introduced cannabinol (CBN) – a mildly psychoactive cannabinoid found only in trace amounts in cannabis – in its first product as part of its Camino gummy range. One of its applications, Camino Midnight Blueberry (Sleep), offers a combination of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with CBN, relaxing terpenes, chamomile and lavender oils. “With over a third of all US adults sleep-deprived, it became clear that there was a need for a product that enabled people to rest and recover from their busy lives and we are now able to offer consumers our most calming product yet,” says Kiva CEO and Co-Founder Scott Palmer.  

Z Natural Foods released its new proprietary superfood blend, called Ultimate 25 Superfood Fusion. The blend features 25 organic superfoods including berries, fruits, roots, mushrooms and greens. These all come together in one concentrated, synergistic blend. Ultimate 25 Superfood Fusion is rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and an array of phytochemicals. Organic Ultimate 25 Superfood Fusion is certified organic, has a good taste and texture and mixes easily with water, juice or smoothies. It is also soy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and does not contain any added preservatives or sugar. 

Z Natural Foods' Ultimate 25 Superfood Fusion. In brief: Research and studies
Daily oral supplementation of 450 mg BiovaBIO hydrolyzed eggshell membrane for 12 weeks is associated with improvement in the appearance of facial skin and hair. This is according to a study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dematology, which evaluated the impact of nutritional intervention as compared to placebo on the appearance of hair, skin and nails in healthy middle‐aged adults. There were no observed subjective improvements for nails regarding appearance, strength or growth. However, the specified supplementation showed signs of significant improvement in facial skin appearance in crow’s feet in four weeks and skin tone in eight weeks, with significant impact on hair thickness, reduction in hair breakage and improvement in hair growth. 

Research from the University of California-Riverside (UCR) shows soybean oil can not only lead to obesity and diabetes, but may also affect neurological conditions like autism, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety and depression. Published in the journal Endocrinology, the mice study’s researchers found pronounced effects of the oil on the hypothalamus, where several critical processes take place. This research is particularly significant given soybean oil is by far the most widely produced and consumed edible oil in the US, used for fast-food frying, added to packaged foods and fed to livestock, according to the US Department of Agriculture. 

A healthy low-carb and low-fat diet were associated with lower total mortality in the US study.In a JAMA-published cohort study of over 37,000 US adults above the age of 20, researchers found that associations between low-carbohydrate and low-fat diets and the risk of death may depend on the quality and food sources of the carbohydrates, proteins or fats that people eat. While an overall a low-carbohydrate diet and a low-fat diet weren’t associated with mortality risks, a healthy low-carbohydrate diet and a healthy low-fat diet were associated with lower total mortality. This research points to how crucial it is to take into account the quality and types of carbohydrate and fat when investigating the associations of low-fat and low-carbohydrate diets with mortality. 

In brief: Patents
The US Patent and Trademark Office Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) found another patent related to krill oil production, owned by Aker Biomarine, unpatentable. The PTAB’s decisions come as a response to two inter partes review petitions filed by Norway-based biotechnology company Rimfrost, which produces krill oil. “This is another victory in a long row of patent cases for Rimfrost. We hope this will settle any confusion created by Aker Biomarine in the US market. That means the uncertainty which Aker Biomarine has sought to create around our products and ability to deliver is repudiated,” affirms Stig Remoy, CEO and principal owner of Rimfrost.

In brief: Awards and recognitions
Taiyo Kagaku India, manufacturer of Sunfiber soluble prebiotic fiber, celebrated its win of the prestigious Functional Food Ingredient Company of the Year. In more than 100 clinical studies, Sunfiber is proven to aid in digestive health, gut health, glycemic control and weight management without any known side effects, the company highlights. Sunfiber has no taste or texture, dissolves clearly and is used in beverage, food, bakery, dairy, snacks and supplements formulations. Moreover, it is certified kosher, halal, non-GMO, Low FODMAP by Monash University, glyphosate residue-free and TRU-ID DNA. 

By Anni Schleicher