Weekly Roundup: NHSc to acquire IM HealthScience, Bayer-supported study highlights multivitamins to shorten sickness

21 Aug 2020 --- This week in nutrition news, Nestlé Health Science (NHSc) agreed to acquire IM HealthScience (IMH)’s products, which offer dietary, digestive and sleep solutions. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided a “no questions” letter to DF FutureCeuticals’ coffee fruit extract. New stress relief supplements tapped into the natural ingredients trend, while functional beverages for pets’ emotional, oral and immune health proliferated. Finally, CP Kelco, Azelis and Ingredia all won Ringier Technology Innovation Awards.

In brief: Business news
NHSc has agreed to acquire IMH’s IBgard, FDgard, Fiber Choice and REMfresh brands. IMH is the creator of IBgard and FDgard for the dietary management of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Functional Dyspepsia (FD), respectively. IMH also added Fiber Choice, a line of prebiotic fibers, to its product range via an acquisition in 2017. Finally, REMfresh is a continuous release-and-absorption melatonin supplement for sleep.

The Tally-Ho water enhancers can boost pets’ immune, oral and emotional health with vitamin C, E and zinc (Credit: Tally-Ho).Coffee fruit ingredients producer DF FutureCeuticals Inc has received a “no questions” letter from the FDA regarding the self-affirmed Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status of Coffeeberry Coffee Fruit Extract with 40% Chlorogenic Acids. After its comprehensive review, the FDA did not dispute the independent panel’s Self Affirmed GRAS conclusion. The company sees this move as further expanding on the already vast potential for Coffeeberry Extract by opening avenues for the use of this ingredient in bars, ready-to-drink beverages, teas and other F&B applications. 

In brief: Launches and releases
Usana has unveiled its new Stress Relief mood-support supplement and Calm Response essential oil balm. Stress Relief is an herbal-based formula made with saffron, lemon balm and ashwagandha. Together, they can promote a calm and balanced mood while helping the body adapt to feelings of mild and occasional stress and nervousness. Meanwhile, Calm Response provides aromatic support for a “resilient emotional state,” notes the company. Calm Response contains ylang ylang, ho wood, bergamot, patchouli and lavender, all known to promote relaxing and positive feelings. Usana adds that Stress Relief and Calm Response can be used separately or together for added support for emotional and mental wellbeing.

Tally-Ho, a new brand from Ocean Spray’s Lighthouse Incubator, is test-launching a line of functional benefit water enhancers for dogs using vitamin C, E and zinc. The Tally-Ho line of products features three types of daily-use water enhancers: Oral Health, Emotional Health and Immune Health. The functional beverages can be squeezed out of the package and into their water both at home or on-the-go. Importantly, Tally-Ho provides pet owners with a convenient means of being proactive in caring for their pets’ health.

In brief: Research and study
Cranberry juice may assist with managing H. pylori in adults, the study found.Daily multivitamin and mineral (MVM) supplementation with zinc and vitamin C may help older adults be less sick for shorter periods. This is the main finding of a 12-week study conducted by Oregon State University researchers and funded by Bayer Consumer Care. The 42 test participants supplementing with the vitamin and mineral booster showed less severe symptoms and quicker recovery from illness than counterparts in a control group receiving a placebo. Although the research team did not observe statistically significant changes in immune outcomes, they found a statistically significant decrease in reported length and severity of illnesses in the MVM arm versus the placebo arm.

Vitamin D supplementation has been associated with compositional changes in babies’ microbiome at three months of age, according to the latest findings of a Gut Microbes-published study. The researchers examined fecal samples from 1,157 infants. Among all infants, vitamin D supplementation was associated with a lower abundance of genus Megamonas in gut microbiota. Among those exclusively breastfed, maternal prenatal supplementation was associated with a lower abundance of Bilophila and of Lachnospiraceae but a higher abundance of Haemophilus. “The impact of this compositional difference on later childhood health, especially defense against viral respiratory infection, may go beyond the expected effects of vitamin D supplements and remains to be ascertained,” the study authors state.

Twice-daily consumption of 44 mg proanthocyanidins (PAC) cranberry juice has the potential to be a natural, complementary management strategy for adults infected with H. pylori, which can cause gastritis. These findings, published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology examined adults in a high-risk region of China with an endemic infection rate of over 50 percent. “While [they are] not alternatives to antibiotics, effective complementary strategies, like cranberry, that can contribute to managing H. pylori infections without negative side effects are highly desirable,” says lead researcher Professor Kai-Feng Pan from the Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute. Notably, cranberry juice was not effective if taken only once a day or if juice with the lower PAC content of 23 mg was consumed. 

For the second time, Azelis won a Ringier Technology Innovation Award with Ingredia (Credit: Azelis).Biomega has revealed the third in a series of whitepapers regarding how hydrolyzed salmon peptides could replace glycerine – a nutritionally devoid ingredient – in semi-moist pet snacks. This could deliver high nutritional protein value and great palatability, alongside other health benefits. Passion4Feed – an independent pet food research facility in Norway – carried out the study using the salmon peptide Biomega branded product, Salmigo Protect L60. Following a thorough investigation, the results concluded that removing glycerine from both cat and dog snacks is possible when using Salmigo Protect L60 as a substitute. 

In brief: Awards and recognition
Azelis and Ingredia have won a Ringier Technology Innovation Award for the second consecutive year. Their partnership scored the 2020 award in the Food & Beverage category. Competing with 54 companies and 66 ingredients, the award was granted for the advanced research and analysis provided on Lactium by Ingredia, a natural ingredient that helps consumers manage better their overall wellbeing and deal with anxiety related symptoms. “We are very appreciative that Azelis offered us the opportunity to promote Lactium for the prestigious Ringier Technology Innovation Awards 2020. More than a distributor, Azelis is our partner in innovation in China. We look forward to many more accomplishments together,” Thierry Foucher, Director Ingredia Asia Pacific comments on the award. 

CP Kelco has won the 2020 Ringier Technology Innovation Award for Creative Plant-Based Product with its Nutrava Citrus Fiber. The nature-based ingredient supports sugar and fat reduction efforts, while also enabling stabilization, thickening, suspension, emulsion stability and water-binding capabilities. Moreover, it is sourced from intact citrus peels, a byproduct of the juicing industry. CP Kelco’s patented process converts the peels into a citrus fiber that is both highly functional and close to nature. 

By Anni Schleicher