Weekly Roundup: PLT Health Solutions’ vitamin D receives ANVISA approval, Lief Labs unveils ingredient supplier division

11 Feb 2022 --- This week in nutrition news, PLT Health Solutions’ whole-food vitamin D Earthlight receives approval from the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA). Lief Labs has created Lief Raws, a nutraceutical supplier division. Meanwhile, Lifeway Foods released a line of adaptogenic functional mushroom-infused beverages.

In brief: Business news
Earthlight was approved by ANVISA, paving the way for PLT Health Solutions’ dietary ingredient in Brazilian cuisine, beverages and supplements. Earthlight is produced from mushrooms via a patented process of exposing them to light. It delivers 1,000 μg (40,000 IU) of vitamin D per gram of ingredient. ANVISA's approval of Earthlight is timely considering the rapidly growing interest in Vitamin D supplementation. PLT Health Solutions will be able to expand into the Brazilian market.

Lief Labs’ new Lief Raws division is a performance ingredient supplier that provides sales, distribution and a range of full-service capabilities, including product formulation, scientific education, marketing and ideation development. Lief Raws’ current ingredient offerings include Biozomal caffeine, CeleVida celery powder, CellFlo6 green tea extract, flolí organic rice-based excipient blend, Kocha Bucha kombucha powder and oatzi oatmilk powder. Lief Raws also features its Lief Evolutions offerings. The latters’ first offering is Biozomal, a liposomal technology applied to a range of ingredients, including caffeine, zinc, vitamin C and iron.

In brief: Launches and releases
US-based supplier of kefir and fermented probiotic products, Lifeway Foods, unveiled a line of adaptogenic functional mushroom-infused beverages. The Lifeway MSHRM Oat line is the latest addition to Lifeway’s portfolio of cultured oat beverages. It contains ten live and active probiotic cultures. The available flavor combinations include Calm with reishi and vanilla flavor that is said to decrease stress and anxiety while boosting mood. The Support is a mushroom immune blend with aronia berry for immune support. Lastly, the Focus is a lion’s mane golden milk with L-theanine to promote stress reduction.Lifeway Foods’ line of adaptogenic functional mushroom-infused beverages.

The Vitamin Shoppe unveiled TrueYou, an assortment of supplements that support women’s health. The Women’s Equilibrium Blend is a blend of nutrients selected to support a healthy estrogen balance and overall well-being. This blend includes diindolylmethane (DIM), a phytochemical found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale, positioned to support a healthy estrogen balance; calcium D-glucarate, which has been shown to support liver detoxification and estrogen metabolism; and organic broccoli sprouts, which provide potent antioxidants and aid cellular health. Additionally, TrueYou features TrueYou Perfect Ensemble to support energy production and eye health. Secondly, the TrueYou Head Over Heels is formulated for healthy nails, hair, skin and joints. Lastly, the TrueYou Balancing Act may support estrogen balance, fertility and ovarian function.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herb supplier Nuherbs has released a new product line, NuTraditions, that features two products. The two are formulated to deliver a good night’s sleep and adaptogen-fueled energy to get through the day. The Hello Dreams Strips with melatonin and Calm Down TCM herbal blend are available in individually wrapped strips. They are marketed to aid consumers to fall asleep, sleep better and wake up restored. Meanwhile, Good Morning Sunshine Coffee is available in recyclable pods containing fair trade coffee infused with red ginseng. The packaging boxes are made from 75% post-consumer waste and can also be recycled.

UK-based sports nutrition company Applied Nutrition released its new L-carnitine sports drink, Carni-Tone. The latter is the company’s first flavored spring water and an addition to the company’s growing product portfolio of ready-to-drink products. Carni-Tone is available in three flavors: summer fruits, raspberry and cherry, and apple and blackcurrant. The 500 ml drink contains zero sugar, no calories, 1,500 mg of L-carnitine, vitamins B3, B6, B12 and high levels of calcium and magnesium.

In brief: Regulations
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decommissioned an inaccurately titled repository of references following several years of requests by the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA). The “FDA Poisonous Plant Database” system was presented as an online source for scientific references describing toxic properties and effects attributed to plants or plant parts. FDA had stopped updating the database in May 2008, but it remained visible and linked across multiple parts of the FDA site, and entries from the database could be found in internet searches. Following several consumer and industry inquiries regarding listed plants, AHPA requested in 2017 that FDA revise the database name and provide additional stronger disclaimer materials.

In brief: Announcements and appointments
Christian Wichert has been appointed as the new CEO of Evolva to accelerate the company’s growth strategy and move into the next phase of development and commercialization. Over the last 18 months, Evolva’s manufacturing network has been significantly expanded and strengthened to lay the foundation for growth prospects. The company’s portfolio of nature-based ingredients produced by fermentation, which it markets to the food, flavor and fragrances, and health and wellness industries, will be part of this growth strategy.TrueYou supplements feature the Women’s Equilibrium Blend of nutrients that may support a healthy estrogen balance and a woman’s overall well-being.

Mineral producer Innophos added a technical application guide to its website to help supplement formulators and manufacturers learn about the Chelamax proprietary three-step verification process to confirm full chelation. Now manufacturers can formulate fully chelated supplements to provide greater solubility, stability and bio-accessibility than traditional calcium, magnesium and zinc. The guide offers insights, including the physical and chemical properties of Innophos’ Chelamax minerals. Additionally, it has a detailed application selector that allows viewers to explore options such as tablets, capsules, soft gels, gummies and dry-mix beverages.

In brief: Research and studies
Pennsylvania State University researchers discovered that prune consumption could help prevent or delay bone loss in postmenopausal women, possibly due to the dried fruit’s ability to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which contribute to bone loss. Eating 50 or 100 g of prunes a day for six months prevented total bone mineral density loss and decreased TRAP-5b – a marker of bone resorption – compared to women who didn’t eat prunes. Prunes contain minerals, vitamin K, phenolic compounds and dietary fiber.Roquette’s study unveiled pea protein offers a balanced amino acid profile and digestibility that fully responds to consumers’ nutritional needs.

Roquette, a plant-based ingredients producer, highlighted the exceptional properties of peas through a Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS) study on its pea protein. Roquette is the first key player in the pea protein market to use this method, recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN. The study unveiled pea protein offers a balanced amino acid profile and digestibility that fully responds to consumers’ nutritional needs.

In brief: Miscellaneous
One A Day, a multivitamin brand, is embarking on a mission to encourage acts of appreciation, and actor and producer Samira Wiley is joining them. Rather than expressing thanks, One A Day encourages people to practice gratitude for their bodies and everything they do for us. One A Day teamed up with Wiley to co-produce The Gratitude Project documentary to highlight the power and impact of practicing gratitude for the things that make your body uniquely yours. The film will tell true tales about people who have used thankfulness as a tool for self-improvement and why they have decided to demonstrate appreciation, love and care for their entire selves.

By Nicole Kerr