Weekly Roundup: Lehvoss Nutrition to distribute Restoridyn in Europe, Camu camu powder touting 25 percent vitamin C debuts

17 Apr 2020 --- In nutrition news, Verdure Sciences teamed up with Lehvoss Nutrition for the distribution of the former’s Restoridyn ingredient to the European sports nutrition market. Meanwhile, Peru-based NXTDRIED Superfoods SAC launched a camu camu powder containing a whopping 25 percent vitamin C. Nektium received a US patent for its Zynamite ingredient, while Corbion’s AlgaPrime DHA contributed to the American Heart Association (AHA)’s Heart-Check Food Certification for Kvarøy Arctic Atlantic salmon. Finally, Kate Farms closed a Series A funding round.

In brief: Business news and launches
Verdure Sciences teamed up with Lehvoss Nutrition to distribute its polyphenol blend Restoridyn to the European market. The ingredient taps into the booming sports nutrition sector and targets performing athletes and active men and women alike. This is the latest solution to join the range of exclusive partnerships for European customers. “Through our partnership with Verdure Sciences, the launch of Restoridyn is expected to meet the needs of many food supplement brands in the increasingly popular sports nutrition market. This ingredient offers many benefits for our customers with clinical research support and third-party verification that further benefits our customers in their finished product solutions,” says Teresita Rudà, Marketing Manager at Lehvoss Nutrition.

Lehvoss is set to distribute Restoridyn, a sports nutrition ingredient, to the European market.NXTDRIED Superfoods SAC launched a camu camu powder containing 25 percent vitamin C, which it says is a world record level of the vitamin for an entirely natural product. Traditionally dried forms of the sour berry contain up to 6 percent vitamin C, even with the seeds removed. However, NXTDRIED uses a proprietary preparation, conditioning and dehydration processes to fully preserve all the natural flavors, colors, vitamins and bioactives. The final powder has no additives and contains less than 3 percent moisture. The company says the powder can be added to a wide variety of foods and beverages, and can be used as a natural preservative in processed foods and baked goods to extend shelf life.

Plant-based formula for medical nutrition company Kate Farms closed its US$23 million Series A financing round, which brought the total raise to US$48 million. The round was led by a personal investment from David Roux, Co-Founder of Silver Lake. Other individual investors include the former CEOs of McKesson, WhiteWave Foods and Lazard. Kate Farms states it will use the funds for accelerated growth, additional hiring and continued innovation as the global demand for plant-based alternatives in the dairy sector continues to rise.

In brief: Labels and certifications
Nektium received a patent for Zynamite from the US Patent and Trademark Office. The caffeine-free botanical ingredient can now claim “Compositions for Enhancing Brain Activity,” as it delivers physical and mental energy boosts for performing athletes and active people. It also taps into the rapidly expanding nootropics space. Zynamite took home the inaugural European Specialist Sports Nutrition Awards (ESSNA) award for Best Free-From Product last year. 

Corbion’s AlgaPrime DHA is a key source of omega 3 fatty acids fed to Kvarøy Arctic Atlantic salmon, which contributed to the salmon’s official certification by the AHA’s Heart-Check Food Certification Program. The iconic Heart-Check logo provides consumers with clear ingredient information and that it meets the nutritional requirements of the AHA. According to Kvarøy Arctic, one 3.5-oz serving of its Atlantic salmon has over 2 g of long-chain omega 3s, which help exceed the weekly intake recommendation set by the US Dietary Guidelines and AHA.  

Kate Farms states it will use its funding round to further invest in plant-based innovation.In brief: Policy and regulation
The US federal court for Maryland ruled in favor of the Center for Science in The Public Interest (CSPI) against the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a case concerning the nutritional standards on whole grains and sodium in school meals. In 2018, the Trump administration eliminated a final sodium-reduction target for schools, as well as removing the requirement that all grains be whole grain-rich. However, this decision has now been invalidated on the grounds that the USDA failed to provide public notice of its plan to alter the standards. 

In brief: Research and study
A triple-blind randomized study has revealed that Euromed’s olive fruit extract Mediteanox shows chemomodulatory effects when combined with chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. The extract contains hydroxytyrosol, which is an antioxidant polyphenol with anti-inflammatory potential that occurs naturally in olives and extra virgin olive oil. The researchers gave 20 women a single dose of Mediteanox per day in the form of hard capsules, while 20 women received a placebo. Ultimately, the plasma levels of a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) in patients receiving hydroxytyrosol were significantly lower than those in the control group. Euromed states that this is a promising starting point for further clinical research on hydroxytyrosol as an adjunct to pharmaceutical therapy for breast cancer.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet correlates with higher cognitive function, according to a recent analysis published in the Alzheimer’s Assocation journal. The researchers examined data including the cognitive function of 4,000 participants over a course of up to ten years. Participants also filled out a questionnaire about their average consumption of nine different components of the Mediterranean diet over the last year. This includes whole fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish and olive oil, and a reduced consumption of red meat and alcohol. Participants with the greatest adherence to the Mediterranean diet had the lowest risk of cognitive impairment. High fish and vegetable consumption appeared to have the greatest protective effect. While the differences were relatively small, with individuals unlikely to see a difference in daily function, the researchers state that the results are notable at a population level.

By Katherine Durrell and Anni Schleicher

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