Weekly Roundup: UK government restricts unhealthy F&B promotions, Taiyo’s SunActive IsoQ receives Informed Ingredient certification

15 Apr 2022 --- This week in nutrition news, the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care aims to implement an approach that limits in-store placement and multi-buy pricing promotions on F&B high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS). Taiyo’s SunActive IsoQ is now an Informed Ingredient certified product. Meanwhile, Winclove Probiotics pledges to be carbon neutral by 2030.

In brief: Business news
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) and the American Conference Institute (ACI) partnered to provide industry’s annual legal, regulatory and compliance forum on dietary supplements for the second year. The conference will be held live at the Westin Grand Central hotel in New York City, US, from June 29 to 30. The ACI-CRN Dietary Supplements Forum will be a two-day event this year, with an additional workshop day covering international advertising and social media issues for the sector. The event will also provide possibilities for networking and benchmarking on the most recent advancements influencing “products intended to supplement the diet.”

Advanced Nutrients was named the best cannabis nutrient brand in 2022.The UK’s Department of Health and Social Care released detailed technical guidance and a suggested enforcement strategy for new limits on in-store location and multi-buy pricing promotions on HFSS F&B. For more than two decades, the Children’s Food Campaign worked to remove junk food from the spotlight at supermarket tills. The Food Promotions and Placement legislation was passed by parliament in December 2021, restricting multi-buy deals and prominent location displays, in-store and online, for a targeted list of products that have been identified as contributing the most excess sugar, salt and calories to children’s diets. Despite this, the media has reported significant pressure on the government to delay implementation of the regulations, citing cost-of-living concerns, despite evidence that buy-one-get-one-free deals do not save households money.

Netherlands-based Winclove Probiotics and B Corp-certified business Climate Neutral Group (CNG) implemented sustainable practices to reduce CO2 emissions and combat climate change. Winclove Probiotics aims to be CO2 neutral by 2030 and as a result, the company is making a considerable contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement’s goals. Additionally, CNG is assisting over 3,000 organizations in achieving “net-zero CO2” status by 2050.

In brief: Launches and releases
The van Breemen Company unveiled its first hemp-based wellness product, the Original Wellness Formula. The product is available in pineapple flavor and may be beneficial for immune health. The van Breemen Company will submit portions of this formula to the Food and Drug Administration for approval shortly to obtain optimal health via the use of plants and science.

US-based children’s gummy vitamin brand L’il Critters released L’il Critters Melatonin, a gummy supplement that may aid with sleep and function in children. According to an American Academy of Pediatrics study, adequate sleep is defined as sleeping for at least nine hours, which only 48% of school-aged children in the US attain. Melatonin regulates sleep cycles and the L’il Critters Melatonin contains 1.5 mg of melatonin,is suitable for children aged four and above. It has a natural peach flavor with a blend of passionflower, chamomile and lemon balm. The gummy is sugar-free and free of high fructose corn syrup, synthetic FD&C colors, artificial flavors, gluten or dairy.

The van Breemen Company introduced its first hemp-based health and wellness product. Functional shakes company Muniq unveiled Empowerfull, an on-the-go prebiotic fiber blend . Muniq’s patented prebiotic blend is unflavored and unsweetened, with more than 8 g of fiber and resistant starch, a potent prebiotic fiber that promotes a healthy gut microbiome and immune system. According to Muniq, 95% of US citizens do not meet the daily recommended fiber requirement. The fiber blend can be added to coffee, tea, yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, muffins and soups. Additionally, the mixture may reduce the risk of blood sugar issues and improve cardiovascular health and immunity.

In brief: Accreditation and certification
Taiyo’s highly bioavailable and water-soluble isoquercitrin SunActive IsoQ has now received Informed Ingredient accreditation, which is free of contaminants and substances banned in sports nutrition products. This certification gives Taiyo’s consumers even more assurance that the brands they use in their formulas are safe for athletes. The LGC’s Informed Ingredient certification is a testing process that includes the ingredient and manufacturing process. This voluntary program ensures that ingredients have been consistently tested for a wide range of forbidden substances and are safe for athletes to consume without concern of adulteration or contamination.

Muniq’s fiber blend can be added to coffee, tea, yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, muffins and soups.Cannabis nutrients company Advanced Nutrients was voted the Best Cannabis Nutrient Brand 2022 by the growers at Grow Diaries, a cannabis cultivation website. Big Bud, their best-selling product, was named the Best Nutrients 2022 by Spannabis – an annual cannabis event held in Spain. Additionally, growers in approximately 110 countries useAdvanced Nutrients to cultivate clean, safe and potent cannabis.

The Australian seaweed industry-recognized Adrian Spencer as “Researcher of the Year.” Spencer’s “The algae and seaweed opportunity: An Australian Perspective,” a national report published in 2021, analyzed the future of Australia’s rapidly developing seaweed industry. Seaweed producer Marinova contributed to the report as an industry stakeholder. The AgriFutures Research Awards recognize and reward researchers who have produced outstanding results and significantly impacted Australian agriculture.

Gail Mahady, an associate professor and director of the Clinical Pharmacognosy Laboratories in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, US, has received the American Botanical Council’s (ABC) Fredi Kronenberg Excellence in Research and Education in Botanicals for Women’s Health Award for 2022. The associate professors’ research focuses on the chemistry and pharmacology of natural products, dietary supplements and traditional medicines. Additionally, the study examines these medicines and extracts’ applications for women’s reproductive health issues (PMS), infectious diseases (such as chlamydia and helicobacter pylori infections), cancer and menopausal symptoms.

In brief: Research and studies
Researchers studying immunity and aging have formed a new network for collaboration. The Catalyst Reducing Immune Ageing (CARINA) Network is a new collaboration network for immune system researchers. The network, funded by the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, brings researchers together from various disciplines to identify priority areas for a better understanding of immunity and aging.

By Nicole Kerr