Weekly Roundup: Vitafoods Europe 2021 plans hybrid event, OmegaQuant launches at-home vitamin D level kit

20 Nov 2020 --- This week, Vitafoods Europe announced it will be hosted both physically and virtually in 2021. Amid the on-going pandemic, nutraceutical players catered to rising vitamin C and D demands with new supplement launches. Meanwhile, cardiovascular disease and diabetes featured prominently in research findings from the American Heart Association and the Chinese Medical University, respectively.

In brief: Business news
Next year, Vitafoods Europe will return as a hybrid event. An in-person event will take place at the Palexpo in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 5-7. Meanwhile, an accompanying virtual event will run in parallel from October 4-8. By integrating virtual aspects to forums, webinars and roundtables, the Vitafoods organizers aim to bring its core physical trade show “to the next level.” This follows “a fantastic response” to Vitafoods’ Virtual Expo and Summit that took place this September.

Biotech company Hemp Synergistics’ THC-free, powdered hemp oil Bio-Dri will be used by SDC Nutrition, a global supplement manufacturer. With Bio-Dri, the supplement manufacturer can include a hemp oil-containing ingredient with at least eight times higher potency than past “state-of-the-shelf” extraction technology. Bio-Dri utilizes only 8 percent of a capsule volume to achieve a 25 mg hemp dose. This provides space for other ingredients, including botanicals such as turmeric or melatonin.

Vitafoods Europe announced a hybrid event for its 2021 event.In brief: Launches and releases
Responding to a surging demand for immune health products, supplements brand Natrol expanded its immunity line with three new formulas. Immune-Biotic is a dissolvable, no-water-needed powder that can be poured directly on the tongue to help support immune and digestive health. Elderberry Gummies contain 90 mg of vitamin C and 7.5 mg of zinc per serving, while Easy-C Tablets provide “high potency” vitamin C that is “easy on the stomach,” says Natrol.

Meal replacement provider Runtime is now available in the US. Developed in Germany, Runtime integrates sugarbeet-derived isomaltulose in its products instead of “big sugars” such as sucrose, fructose and artificial sweeteners. The meal replacement portfolio targets working professionals in need of substantial energy sources, including pro-athletes, software developers and fighter pilots, says Runtime.

OmegaQuant launched a blood sample collection kit that allows consumers to test vitamin D levels at home. The test requires a prick of the finger and a couple of drops of blood for analysis, similar to OmegaQuant’s range of omega 3 blood tests. Research continues to bring to light the crucial role vitamin D likely plays in a variety of health issues, ranging from cardiovascular disease to immune function and obesity. 

In brief: Research and studies
Eating plant-based dinners from Purple Carrot’s meal kit showed a statistically significant reduction in both “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and body weight as compared to dinners by a nationally-known non-plant-based meal kit. Tested in a clinical study over four weeks, participants in the Purple Carrot group had a 3.82 lb weight reduction from baseline compared to a 0.87 lb weight gain in the non-plant-based group. “With more people than ever turning to meal kits to manage through the complexities of the pandemic, it’s great to see this important clinical data confirming the health benefits that Purple Carrot meals provide,” says Andy Levitt, founder and CEO of Purple Carrot. 

Natrol welcomed three new additions to its family of immunity supplements.A BMJ-published study found a link between excess egg consumption and diabetes in Chinese adults. Conducted in partnership with the China Medical University and Qatar University, the longitudinal study (1991 to 2009) is the first to assess egg consumption in a large sample of Chinese adults. It found that people who regularly consumed one or more eggs per day – equivalent to 50 g – increased their risk of diabetes by 60 percent.

A study to be published in the Oxford University Press Journal suggests that high-protein total diet replacements may help combat rising rates of obesity. The study also provides evidence that diets with a higher proportion of protein might offer a metabolic advantage compared to a diet consisting of the same number of calories and a lower proportion of protein. It showed that a high-protein total diet replacement led to higher energy expenditure, increased fat oxidation and a negative fat balance. “Although these results are restricted to a specific population of healthy, normal-weight adults, they can help nutrition scientists and healthcare providers better understand the real physiological effects of a high-protein total diet replacement in humans,” comments principal investigator Dr. Cala Prado.

Preliminary research from the American Heart Association flags that greater meal timing variability may be related to poorer cardiovascular health, as well as higher BMI, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and fasting glucose. Larger meals at dinners were shown to present a higher risk of heart disease. “It’s not just about eating timing – it’s also about the day-to-day and the weekend-weekday regularity in our food intake,” notes lead researcher Nour Makarem. The initial results suggest that stabilizing meal timing patterns should be considered for lowering cardiovascular disease risk. Confirmation in a larger sample is warranted, says Makarem.

By Anni Schleicher