Weekly Roundup: Kyowa Hakko ingredients featured in new nitric oxide booster, Non-GMO certification for Valensa's organic Spirulina and Chlorella

01 Feb 2019 --- In nutrition news this week, Kraft Heinz completed the sale of Indian health brands Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil and Sampriti to Zydus Wellness Limited and its affiliates. Valensa International’s Parry Organic Spirulina and Parry Organic Chlorella will continue to bear the Non-GMO Project verified ingredients mark and MyHealthDriver has developed EnerFlex Forte 2.0 using Kyowa Hakko’s Kyowa Quality L-Citrulline and L-Arginine. In UK news, The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has called on National Healthcare Service (NHS) England to recognize the vital contribution of dietitians in the recently announced plans to expand the primary care workforce in the country.

In brief: Acquisitions, partnerships and mergers
Kraft Heinz has completed the sale of Indian brands Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil and Sampriti to Zydus Wellness Limited and its affiliates. Under the terms of the agreement, Kraft Heinz sold to Zydus Wellness Limited 100 percent of its equity shares in Heinz India Private Limited, which is comprised of Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil and Sampriti brands and two manufacturing facilities, with approximately 760 employees associated with these brands and operations. “The sale of this niche business fits into our overall global growth strategy and our focus on investing in and growing brands within our core categories, and where we see a clear path to sustainable competitive advantage,” says Bernardo Hees, Chief Executive Officer of Kraft Heinz.

In brief: Product certifications and launches
The butterfly wings “seal of approval” that mark Non-GMO Project verified ingredients will continue to feature Valensa International’s Parry Organic Spirulina and Parry Organic Chlorella, as the application for renewal was recently granted. The mark gives manufacturers and distributors the opportunity to serve the growing demand for vegan and vegetarian lifestyles known to be deficient in plant-based sources of protein and vitamin B12 and require food sources from non-genetically .modified organisms (GMO), the company reports. “Spirulina seems to get more attention, but Chlorella has great potential as a promising and sustainable microalgae superfood,” says to Umasudhan, C.P, President and CEO of Valensa International. “When cultivated with natural light, chlorella is an important vegan source of vitamin B12 which is available in the most biologically nutritious form. This is what the vegan and vegetarian populations need as a supplement to add vitamin B12 to their diets.”

Food products supplier MyHealthDriver has developed EnerFlex Forte 2.0 using Kyowa Hakko’s Kyowa Quality L-Citrulline and L-Arginine. L-Arginine, an amino acid critical to the production of nitric oxide (NO). Kyowa Hakko received a patent in 2014 for the combination of L-Citrulline and L-Arginine which is said to quickly increase blood arginine levels compared to individual amino acids. According to the patent, this combination “increases blood flow within 1 hour and 40 minutes […] compared to Citrulline or Arginine alone.” EnerFlex Forte 2.0 is touted as promoting healthy blood flow. “Healthy blood flow is closely related to a healthy life, from cerebrovascular flow to brain performance to heart health, and genital blood circulation,” says Lin-Keong Kim, Director and Product Innovator for MyHealthDrive. “Adding Kyowa Quality L-Citrulline and L-Arginine to EnerFlex Forte 2.0 provides a nitric oxide boost to help increase peripheral and central blood flow.”

In brief: Research studies
A post-exercise snack can threaten to undo the gains (or losses) of a workout. But the decision itself may depend on when you make it, according to a new study from the University of The earlier the decision for a post-workout snack is made, the more likely temptation for an unhealthy post-workout snack will be kept at bay. Credit: Craig Chandler, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.Nebraska-Lincoln. The study notes that the earlier the decision is made, the more likely temptation for an unhealthy post-workout snack will be kept at bay. Before exercising, members of one group decided whether they wanted an apple, brownie or no snack following the exercise session. Members of the other group were presented with the same choice after they had already exercised. Roughly 74 percent of participants who were asked prior to the workout session chose an apple, compared with 55 percent of those asked afterward – making the latter about one-third less likely to favor the fruit. And whereas just 14 percent of the pre-exercise group selected the brownie, about 20 percent of the post-workout group decided to indulge. The findings suggest that simply committing in advance to a post-exercise snack may increase the odds of eating more nutritiously, the researchers said. 

In brief: Miscellaneous
The BDA has called on NHS England to recognize the important contribution of dietitians in the recently announced plans to expand the primary care workforce in the country. The healthcare provider's proposals will see an additional 20,000 posts created as part of a wider “local primary care network,” including physios and pharmacists, but no mention is made of the vital role dietitians can play in managing and preventing conditions such as diabetes, obesity, IBS and malnutrition, reports the BDA.