Weekly Roundup: Sun Chemical forms food and nutrition group, DSM wins biotin patent court fight

05 Mar 2021 --- This week in nutrition news, Sun Chemical announced a planned expansion into the food and nutrition markets, while Royal DSM won a legal battle over its patented biotin process. Also, researchers linked meat consumption to high mortality rates resulting from a number of non-cancerous diseases.

In brief: Business news
Printing inks and pigments giant Sun Chemical is forming a food and nutrition group. Sun Chemical, part of Japan-based DIC Corporation, will leverage its expertise in color and algae cultivation to provide coloring solutions and nutraceutical ingredients to the dietary supplement, food and beverage industries. As part of the Food and Nutrition Group development, Sun Chemical integrated Earthrise Nutritionals’ sales and marketing functions, a subsidiary member of DIC, into its organization. This includes the marketing and distribution of its Spirulina Linablue and Spirulina Extract product lines. 

Royal DSM won a court victory against Anhui Tiger Biochemical and Anhui Tiger Vitamin Industry in the Supreme People’s Court of China. The ruling against Tiger came after it was found to be making a biotin (vitamin H) intermediate with a patented DSM process. DSM says the case “proves the power and relevance of its patent.” 

Stratum Nutrition and Adare Biome entered into a value-added distribution agreement for LBiome, a postbiotic composed of two human-origin strains that have been heat-stabilized with its culture medium. LBiome, also known as Lactobacillus LB, has been used as a digestive health solution for over a century. This partnership says its alliance will add strategic value for both companies within the dietary supplement marketplace. 

Gummies took several years to formulate, combining sweet flavor with typically bitter health ingredients.Ingredients by Nature (IBN) announced the latest upgrades made to its Brewster and Montclair facilities in California, US. The upgrades will allow IBN to improve multiple processes for better ingredient production and customization and further precautionary employee work conditions. The Brewster facility now includes a probiotic blending room designed to increase capacity and support colder temperatures for probiotic strains that exceed traditional standards. IBN also added two new freeze dryers and a Munson 1,500 kg blender, allowing better citrus flavonoids and ingredient customizations.

The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) improved the design of its Owl Supplement online service to increase industry transparency. The updated design prioritizes user experience, welcomes a broader registry audience and enables easier industry participation in the voluntary product listing, says CRN. 

In brief: Launches and releases 
US-based Remedy Organics launched a new product portfolio branded Immunity+ Shots. Available in four flavors, the shots are made with elderberry, acerola, ginger for immune support, turmeric for inflammation, cayenne for metabolism, Japanese matcha for energy and prebiotics for gut health. 

Gummies, a company describing itself as the world’s “only real gummy brand,” launched in the US, offering a range of “reengineered” gummies formulated with natural ingredients. ashwagandha, elderberry, apple cider and turmeric gummies made with organic cane sugar are offered as an alternative to what the company says are fake products dominating the gummy market. Biohm’s non-GMO pomegranate flavored prebiotic and probiotic powder formula.

Biohm Health added a probiotic supplement to its portfolio called Biohm Super Reds – a powder formula containing probiotics, prebiotics and digestive enzymes with red fruits, functional mushrooms, vegetables and herbal extracts. The company says this is a “breakthrough” formula capable of breaking down the digestive plaque and balancing bacteria and fungi in the gut.

Maypro added NeuroHD to its portfolio of proprietary and branded ingredients. It is touted as the first complete non-synthetic histidine dipeptide complex derived from a natural source commercially available for neuro-cognitive support. NeuroHD has been the subject of eight human clinical studies, which show that it helps reduce markers of cognitive decline, works to preserve cognitive function, aids brain blood flow, reduces neuroinflammation, enhances memory, helps reduce the loss of memory, supports a healthy weight and improves cardiovascular health.

In brief: Research and studies 
A University of Oxford, UK, study linked meat consumption to a higher mortality rate than previous studies, reestablishing the connection between red meats and non-cancerous diseases. Diets and disease rates were recorded for almost 475,000 adults. Eating high levels of both unprocessed red meat and processed meat was associated with higher risks of ischemic heart disease, pneumonia, diverticular disease, colon polyps and diabetes. The researchers are calling on the UK government to make lower meat diet choices easier for the public.

Statins, a heavily prescribed cholesterol medication, may enhance calcium accumulation in the arterial wall by inhibiting vitamin K-dependent proteins involved in vascular protection, according to a study set to be published in Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences. NattoPharma is touting the results as evidence vitamin K supplementation is important in mediating the side effects of calcification in statin users. 

Gencor reported positive results from a pharmacokinetic study on trans-resveratrol oral bioavailability in humans using its resveratrol powder ingredient VeriSperse. The 150 mg dose of VeriSperse showed a two-fold increase in absorption and a three-fold increase in Cmax of trans-resveratrol conjugates compared to the 150 mg Veri-te dose, thereby supporting LipiSperse as an effective mechanism in improving the absorption of resveratrol.

By Louis Gore-Langton