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Winter Issue 2020

latest technology • latest technology • latest technology • latest technology

ScIence SuStaInabIlIty & technology

helping to shape the future of the krill oil market

covId-19: Where next?

From health appeal to texturewhat do consumers expect from plant-based solutions?

Winter Edition 2020 | 32 | Nutraceuticals Now

Manufacturers of natural ingredients with the highest quality and purity criteria to enhance people’s life and create value to the company and its customers.

Vitapherole®

IP Mixed tocopherols and IP natural Vitamin E

AOX Antioxidant Systems100% natural ingredients, different applications

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MANUFACTURERS OF WELLNESS

forewordMarch 2020

From health appeal to texture: what do consumers expect From plant-based solutions?

as readers of this publication will be aware, the plant-based food market has witnessed a sharp growth in demand worldwide

as awareness of the benefits of alternative diets rises. on a mission to live a healthier lifestyle with minimal impact on the planet, consumers are increasingly limiting their animal product consumption to follow a wholesome diet, such as flexitarianism, vegetarianism or veganism. alternative food options are, as a result, growing in popularity, presenting an opportunity for food, beverage and supplements manu-facturers to tap into the plant-based trend. Questions, however, remain over the qual-ity, taste and texture of these solutions.

The rise of plant-based Plant-based alternatives span across a num-ber of industries, with substitutes available for anything from meat and dairy to vita-min ingredients and capsule coatings. the strong growth shown by these markets is remarkable; the dairy-free market, for exam-ple, expanded from approximately Us$2 bil-lion in 2013 to an estimated Us$17.3 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach Us$29.6 billion by 2023.1 similarly, the meat-substi-tute market has shown exceptional growth. In 2012, the total sales of plant-based pro-teins amounted to Us$553 million, but by 2019, the value of this market had jumped to Us$1.6 billion. growing at a compound annual growth rate (cagR) of 12%, it is an-ticipated to reach Us$3.5 billion by 2026.2,3

The challenges aheada driving force behind this growth is con-sumers’ increased awareness of the poten-tial health benefits of a reduced meat diet combined with a better understanding of the environmental impact of consuming animal products, and the rise in demand for plant-based solutions shows no sign of

slowing down.4 however, producers are now under pressure to develop products that provide the quality, taste and texture expected by consumers. 15% of global consumers now identify as flexitarian, which means they limit — but not elimi-nate — meat from their diet.5 combine this with the 23% of global consumers who are concerned about the taste of plant-based food, and it becomes clear that producers must create plant-based substitutes that provide an eating experience that matches that of eating meat if they are to succeed in an increasingly crowded marketplace.6,7

In addition, manufacturers must align their products with the health-positioning ex-pected by today’s discerning consumers. given their motivation to go animal-free to follow a wholesome diet, people are unlikely to purchase plant-based alterna-tives for meat or dairy if they are heav-ily processed or contain large amounts of salt, sugar or fat. a UK-based study, for in-stance, found that 28% of meat alternatives have very high salt levels, many of which exceed those of meat products.8

the ‘health halo’ effect currently observed in the plant-based food, beverage and die-tary supplements markets — whereby buy-ers believe that these options are healthier simply because they do not contain animal products — is likely to fade in the light of the clean label movement. Predominantly an industry-led term, ‘clean label’ describes consumers’ wish to understand what is in the products they purchase, with an ever-rising number of people checking product labels for both ingredients they are famil-iar with and those they recognize to be healthy. this means that producers must ensure the health factor associated with plant-based alternatives can live up to the expectations of an increasingly critical so-

ciety to not only meet demand, but estab-lish an industry-leading position.

at this year’s Vitafoods europe, we are aim-ing to provide a platform that encourages the industry to come together and develop practical solutions for a variety of challeng-es, including how to create plant-based foods, beverages and dietary supplements that create a strong appeal and ensure op-timal health for consumers. as a meeting point for the nutraceutical community and with over 25,000 industry experts set to at-tend, Vitafoods europe 2020 will allow all stakeholders to easily navigate the plant-based domain — using science to fuel product innovation and development. We hope you will be able to join us in geneva in september and look forward to as many of you as possible joining the debate.

References1. Markets and Markets, ‘Dairy alternatives Market by

source, application, Distribution channel, Formulation

and Region – global Forecast to 2023’, Markets and

Markets [Website], January 2019.

2. Mintel, ‘Meat alternatives – Us’, Mintel [Website],

June 2013.

3. Markets and Markets, ‘Meat substitutes Market by

source, type, Product, Form, and Region - global

Forecast to 2026, Markets and Markets [Website],

January 2020.

4. Deloitte., ‘Plant-based alternatives’, [report], https://

www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/uk/Docu-

ments/consumer-business/deloitte-uk-plant-based-

alternatives.pdf, 2019.

5. FMcg gurus, ‘top trends PR 2020’ [website],

https://fmcggurus.com/top-trends-2020/

6. Ibid.

7. ahDB, ‘consumer Focus: the Rise of Plant-Based

Food Products and Implications for Meat and Dairy’,

July 2018.

8. action on salt, ‘Meat-Free alternatives’ [report],

http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/media/action-on-salt/

Meat-alternatives-oct-18-Report.pdf.

Foreword by chris lee, Managing Director, Health and Nutrition Network, Europe, at Informa Markets

4 | Nutraceuticals Now

contentsarticles

advertisers

Foreword – chris lee ............................................................................................................................... 3

covid 10: Where next ............................................................................................................................... 6-7

cannabidiol (cbd) from hemp, the rising star molecule

fascinating the natural markets. a view from europe ................................................................... 9-10

levagen+ pea: the cbd alternative ................................................................................................... 12-13

hemp or cbd? What Formulators and marketers need to Know ............................................. 14-15

Stevia innovation accelerates: from losing bitterness to modulating flavour ...................... 16-17

Science, Sustainability & technology are helping to

shape the future of Krill oil market ..................................................................................................... 20-21

getting the benefits from your omega-3 ......................................................................................... 22-23

omega fatty acid supplementation not limited to fish oil ........................................................... 24-25

understand consumer preferences towards omega 3 ................................................................ 26

Identifying infants vulnerable to the adverse effects of iron supplements ........................... 28-29

natural astaxanthin keeps body and mind in shape ...................................................................... 30-31

“probiotics more important than multivitamins and should be taken daily” ........................ 32

Editor:Charles Faulkner

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vitaenautrals .................................... Inside front cover

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IFt 2020 .......................................................................... 19

vitafoods europe ........................................................ 27

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now on the world stage, covid-19 has passed the containment stage, and political and health care systems everywhere have

moved directly to disease management. this was largely inevitable, given the viral attributes of high transmission rates and long incubation, and the common politi-cal tendency to normalcy bias.

some nations have relied on contact trac-ing and lock-down to slow the increase in affected cases, essential in preventing hospital overload and – hopefully – in starving the virus of fresh victims. china appears to have done so fairly successful-ly, effectively militarizing their viral control effort in tandem with sophisticated online tracing and localization tools available via Wechat. south Korea has been able to achieve something similar, combining so-phisticated tracing tools with a highly edu-cated, motivated and relatively homog-enous population who were willing to take appropriate actions such as self-isolation and, where necessary, self-reporting.

It remains to be seen if nations in europe and north america will be able to follow suit. France has joined Italy in imposing a national lockdown; and germany, aus-tria and Denmark have joined the czech Republic, hungary and Poland in closing their borders. the czech Republic has also joined in the mass quarantine movement, sealing off some towns entirely.

the problem with lock-down, is that it is rarely completely effective, and infection may reappear once social conditions are normalized. other nations have chosen a different path, with the UK in particular having decided to opt for herd immunity. the aim here is to trade larger numbers of initial cases with a longer-term reduction, achievable once 60% of more of the herd have been exposed and gained a degree of resistance to the virus. the problem with this approach, however, is that no one yet knows how many recovered indi-viduals generate strong and/or permanent

immunity. Initial reports indicate that after covid-19 infection, immunity may not always be strong or long-lasting; and if these reports are represent-ative, effective herd immunity may not be achievable. Viral mutation, as occurred with the 1918-19 influenza and may have already oc-curred with covid-19, can also undermine the herd immunity strategy.

Both of the above options incur sig-nificant economic costs, due to dis-ruption of sup-ply chains and working patterns; and some believe that these may be so severe as to impact health sta-tistics even more profoundly than the disease itself. there is a growing need, there-fore, to shift resources to acute and to systemic disease treatments.

there will always be a place for symptomatic approaches (de-congestants, iv drips, nasal washes and in severe cases ventilators and antibiotics/antifungals), but it is self-ev-ident that more fundamental strategies are needed to protect our national health. Which brings us to the anti-virals, and the vaccines.

Initial promising reports of using com-bined antiretrovirals and neuraminidase-inhibitors continue to be investigated, and more recent reports on combinations of antiretrovirals and anti-malarials and/or remdesivir, are being evaluated. the anti-malarial hydroxychloroquine is in-creasingly being reported by scientists as a

covid-19: where next?

promising candidate for both prevention and treatment. yet, data collection is at an early stage, and definitive efficacy remains to be proven. a number of vaccines are in prototype pro-duction and pre-clinical testing, with at least one vaccine already used in individual patients, but here again there is insufficient

Dr. Paul ClaytonFellow, Institute of Food, Brain and Behavior, Oxford

References1. hesselink et. al. “ Palmitoylethanolamide: a

natural Body-own anti-Inflammatory agent,

effective and safe against Influenza and common

cold”, International Journal of Inflammation

Volume 2013, article ID 151028. http://dx.doi.

org/10.1155/2013/151028

2. Masek et. al., “ Prophylactic efficacy of n-2-

hydroxyethyl Palmitamide ( Impulsin ) in acute

respiratory tract infections”, european Journal of

clinical Pharmacology, 7, 415-419 [ 1974 ]

3. Kahlich, R., et al. " studies on prophylactic efficacy

of n-2-hydroxyethyl Palmitamide (Impulsin) in

acute respiratory infections. serologically controlled

field trials." Journal of hygiene, epidemiology,

microbiology, and immunology 23.1 (1979): 11-24.

4. steels, e., et. al. “ a double-blind randomized

placebo controlled study assessing safety, tolerability

and efficacy of palmitoylethanolamide for symptoms

of knee osteoarthritis”, Inflammopharmacology. 2019

Jun;27(3):475-485.

5. Mallard, a., et. al. “ the effect of orally Dosed

levagen+™ (palmitoylethanolamide) on exercise

Recovery in healthy Males-a Double-Blind,

Randomized, Placebo-controlled study”, nutrients.

2020 Feb 25;12(3).

data at the time of writing to issue clinical guidelines or recommendations.

going back to the basic epidemiology, it is known that 80-85% of infected individu-als suffer only minor symptoms and do not

require hospitalization. While size of inoculum may play a role

here, the func-tionality of

the in-

n a t e i m m u n e

system and the presence or absence of

comorbidities appear to be the criti-cal determining factors. In both of these factors nutritional status plays an abso-lutely crucial role, and this opens the pos-sibility of using nutritional tools to increase the size of the group who experience only mild illness, and reduce the numbers re-

quiring hospitalization to more manage-able levels.

the disease progresses through a series of stages. It begins with a virusaemia last-ing 7 to 9 days, which is associated with relatively nonspecific symptoms such as nasal discharge, sore throat and mild fe-ver. In 80-85% of cases the disease does not progress beyond this point, because the innate immune system succeeds in overcoming the viral challenge. In approxi-mately 15% of cases the innate immune system fails to contain the virus and the

disease progresses to a mixed viral and bacterial pneumonia, and finally to a

mixed viral and fungal pneumonia as the immune system breaks

down and inflammation over-whelms the patient.

Food and food com-ponents have always

played a preventive role in human health and such nutritional approaches can be manipulated to in-tercept and treat health conditions. Further botani-cal extracts have played a role in immune health across all tradition-al medical treatises. For instance, cin-

chona gave us chlo-roquine that is being

considered with great interest in the man-

agement of the cur-rent coVID19 epidemic.

shikimic acid from star anise inspired the develop-

ment of tamiflu. Various el-ements of the innate immune

system can be enhanced using such tools as the 1-3, 1-6 beta glu-

cans to increase cellular competence, and iron and thiocyanates (co-factor and

substrate respectively), to optimize the hu-moral component lactoperoxidase (lPo). exogenous lPo may be an effective treat-ment on its own, and is just about to go into clinical trials. Palmitoyl ethanolamide (Pea) is another such constituent of food-based tool, due to its physiologically appro-priate anti-inflammatory properties. Pea as a constituent of food had been studied in clinical trials to help manage symptoms of influenza and common cold thru' its physi-ological effects on metabolic and cellular homeostasis, and anti-inflammatory and

immune-modulating properties. Pea was originally trialled against influenza in the 1970’s, with 6 clinical studies showing a degree of prophylactic efficacy.1,2,3 It is believed that Pea’s immune-modulating and anti-inflammatory effects, mediated in-ter alia via the Ppar-alpha receptor, help to prevent excessive inflammatory responses and local tissue damage (via tnF-alpha, Il-1beta, IcaM-1, P-selectin and nF-kappaB ), thus improving the likelihood of an initially successful innate immune reaction. as the immune system’s nutritional require-ments are so diverse, and as dysnutrition is so prevalent today, a nutritional approach would generally also include a compre-hensive micro- and phytonutrient support program.

More research is currently being undertak-en on Pea and levagen+, its bioavailable form, to explore the potential of the prod-uct in other therapeutic segments based on the same mechanisms of action.4,5

the effectiveness of such programs are not yet proven, but they are supported by circumstantial evidence and unlike the pharmaceutical approaches, they have very wide therapeutic indices. this makes them eminently suitable for general usage, and for consideration as a mainstay of pub-lic health strategies going forwards.


Consumer Experts, Insight Driven

ARE CONSUMERS LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM

FMCG GURUS [email protected]+44 (0) 207 096 0559@FmcgGurus FMCGGURUS.COM

The following are based on our Q3 Global Immunity Surveys - 26,000 respondents.

Are not suffering but wanted to take a proactive approach

to their health.

Of consumers feel that their immune system is poor or very poor.

Of consumers think that a poor immune system means being susceptible to day to day illness such as catching a cold.

Feel their immune system has worsened in the last 2 years.

35%3 in 10

What actions are consumers taking to improve their immune system.

Of consumers associate iron with immune improvement.

89%

25% 61%

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Have eaten more fresh food and

vegetables.

Have increased

their protein intake.

Have changed diets

to improve immune system.

53% 63% 63%

cBD, the iconic representative compound of cannabis sativa, is the subject of a rocketing trend, but this substance and the very

exciting opportunities it brings is still fac-ing barriers worldwide. hemp is becoming a significantly interesting raw material for different reasons. several ingredients with health benefits have been identified in all parts of the plant. obtained from the seeds, hemp oil and hemp proteins present high nutritional values, while the stems can be used to produce eco-friendly insulation for houses. Regarding physiological properties, the flowers produce compounds called cannabinoids, such as the well-known cBD or thc. over 100 cannabinoids have al-ready been identified, and very recently two new cannabinoids have been discovered, one of them being much more psychoac-tive than the well-known thc.

last but not least, one major key advan-tage of hemp is its limited environmental impact and feasible agronomical proper-ties, making its cultivation a valuable diver-sification of agriculture. hemp cultivation could become a new source of work and income for farmers.

A lot of confusion, despite promising health benefitseven if the frontiers between the pharma-ceutical and nutraceutical, not to mention physiological, properties of cBD must be disentangled, clarification must also be provided in communication concerning hemp cannabinoids. Despite its promis-ing and innovative components, hemp is harshly and inconsistently regulated in the european Union, for example. to illustrate this purpose, it should be considered that in France, crops are strictly regulated and only 20 varieties of hemp are authorised to be grown. these controlled varieties are characterised by less than 0.2% thc and a

low amount of cBD, leading to thc-free oils and proteins naturally containing very low levels of cannabinoids such as cBD. a low natural level of cannabinoids in the final products is the result of traditional transformation processes, and not inten-tional enrichment. Based on this very strict traceability, Vidya is able to produce hemp seed oil with high nutritional values and proteins with no thc and naturally low level of residual cannabinoids.

hemp seems to suffer from an undeserved “bad” reputation. Indeed, despite the fact that cBD is not psychoactive and has been used for more than 50 years in some countries for its health benefits, media and consumers still confuse cBD and the psy-chotropic compound thc.

Regarding the health benefits of cBD, it seems that cBD may help to manage anxi-ety and mood disorders. the anxiolytic ef-fects of cBD have been extensively dem-onstrated in animal studies and in healthy volunteers subjected to anxiety induced by several situations including the simula-tion of public speaking, for example. More precisely, cBD seems to act on the reduc-tion of anticipatory anxiety. a recent clinical study conducted in Japan confirmed the very interesting anxiolytic activity of cBD on a specific population of teenagers with social anxiety disorders. after only 4 weeks, the evaluation in the form of a questionnaire showed that cBD decreased their anxiety1. Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, cBD seems to indicate positive results for the relief of joint pain, even if more studies are needed to clarify the mechanism of ac-tion and the active dosages2. the analgesic property of cBD is often used in pharma-ceutical products in association with thc3. the analgesic property of cBD, as well as its anxiolytic property have been confirmed in a study on 397 subjects conducted in new Zealand, but with limitations due to individual reactions to the treatment4. the long-term uses of hemp extracts, for health purposes associated with the treatment

of diseases that are aimed at improving a patient’s quality of life, are still not globally recognised. Dravet syndrome or resistant epilepsy may be alleviated by cBD5. Inter-estingly, in the context of refractory epi-lepsy treatment, cBD-rich extracts seem to present a better therapeutic profile than purified cBD, at least for the population of patients studied with refractory epilepsy. the roots of this difference are likely due to the synergetic effects of cBD with other phytocompounds6. cBD is currently used by people suffering from multiple sclerosis. effectively cBD could be advisable to re-duce fatigue, pain, spasticity, and ultimately improve mobility7. Because of an ageing global population, cBD’s ability to provide neuroprotection should also be consid-ered8. as described above, cBD could be a valuable natural alternative for epilepsy and multiple sclerosis providing more comfort in patients’ lives and it may also provide beneficial effects for those with alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.

Which regulatory status for CBD?cBD is a very promising compound for the nutraceutical market, due to its numerous potential health benefits, but it is also used and coveted by the pharmaceutical indus-try. the criteria required for the future au-thorisation of cBD in nutraceutical prod-ucts are of two main considerations:

the physiological properties and related health benefits provided by cBD indepen-dently of therapeutic properties.

and the authorised dosages enabling the physiological health benefits, which are lower than the pharmaceutical ones.

cannabidiol (cbd) From hemp, the rising star molecule Fascinating the natural markets. a view From europe

By: Dr. David Daguet, PhDScientific [email protected]


there is no shortage of examples in the current regulations to pave the way for cBD, like with ascorbic acid. at high doses of often more than 1,000 mg/day, ascor-bic acid, better known as vitamin c, is a medicinal product, while at lower doses compatible with Recommended Daily In-takes, it is a food supplement. and finally, at a very low dosage, it is the food additive e300, an antioxidant that protects food.

then the debate could focus on determin-ing what dosage of cBD should be clas-sified in each type of use. Despite their various interests and promises, cBD and hemp are still facing opinion and regulato-ry barriers in europe. now allowed in sev-eral states of the Us, although uncertain-ties still remain at a national level, there is no doubt that cBD will be authorised both in europe and in north america.

Spotlight on the regulatory status of CBD in EuropeVery recently, cBD has been classified as a novel Food, but with some restrictions concerning products derived from can-nabis sativa: “some products derived from the cannabis sativa plant or plant parts such as seeds, seed oil, hemp seed flour, defatted hemp seed have a history of con-sumption in the eU and therefore, are not novel. other specific national legislation may restrict the entrance into the market of this product as a food or food ingredi-ent in some Member states. therefore, it is recommended to check the status of can-nabis sativa with the competent national authorities” (eU novel Food catalogue9).

the novel Food catalogue states on can-nabinoids including cBD: “extracts of can-nabis sativa l. and derived products con-taining cannabinoids are considered novel foods as a history of consumption has not been demonstrated. this applies to both the extracts themselves and any products to which they are added as an ingredient (such as hemp seed oil). this also applies to extracts of other plants containing can-nabinoids. synthetically obtained cannabi-noids are considered as novel”.

considering the two above statements about cannabis sativa and cannabinoids, hemp seeds, flour and seed oil remain ex-cluded from the categorisation of novel Foods if cannabinoids have not been add-ed as ingredients. consequently, traces of cannabinoids, but with undetectable thc, are then authorised because they have not been added as an ingredient.

this information should be treated with cau-

tion as the catalogue has no legal status. In practice, it is the national authorities that have the final say on whether foods con-taining cBD may be placed on their market with a varied range of decisions. For ex-ample, in Ireland, the authorisation of cBD products will be based on the manufactur-ing process applied; oil prepared through the cold pressing of hemp seeds may be sold on the basis that this oil contains low levels of cBD. In contrast, Belgium does not authorise products that contain cBD.

Vidya is currently working with the profes-sional union synadiet and some new prod-ucts could be registered in France even though Vidya’s products contain only nat-ural traces of cBD. For any help, or to dis-cover our cold-pressed hemp seed oil and proteins cultivated and made in France, please contact our sales team.

Is the future promising?considering the present regulatory situ-ation, and how it is changing this seems complicated. the FDa concluded that cBD does not meet the definition of a food supplement, while in europe, cBD has been classified as a novel food, thc always being classified as a narcotic. even if the FDa has pledged to define the regula-tory conditions of lawful sales of cannabis sativa-derived products, the process will be long. the first step will be the definition of safe ingredients.

considering that the interest, the curiosity and also the knowledge of consumers, or potential consumers, concerning cBD or hemp-derived products is still increasing, we should be optimistic. the sales of exist-ing products are still increasing, and more and more new products are entering the market despite the regulatory situation.

effectively, pressure from consumers, and in some case patients that have no choice but to improve their quality of life by taking cBD, could help cBD to be authorised for use in food supplements. We could then hope that cannabinoids, and more specifi-cally cBD, will no longer be the symbol of the difficulties encountered by the nutra-ceutical, food & beverage, or even cos-metic, markets by introducing innovative plant-based renewable ingredients.

at Vidya we are confident in a positive fu-ture for cBD in food supplements. as a result, we continue to improve our knowl-edge and to implement our technical plat-form, using analytical tools and capacities to be able to positively respond to market expectations.

ConclusionIn an ideal world, hemp will become one of the best representative case studies on our modern ability to rapidly develop an eco-friendly, sustainable and circular prof-itable economy. But this is not an ideal world.

there is a consumer demand for cBD and hemp-derived products. scientific studies, experiments and clinical trials are discov-ering and demonstrating the physiologi-cal properties and health benefits of cBD. hemp cultivation could represent a new source of income for farmers. as a result of all of this, we may wonder if our scien-tific tools, the new ingredients and claims regulations, the safety procedures, are re-ally adequate for consumer expectations, really adequate for the innovation require-ments and the unstoppable globalisation of the market.

the coming years will provide the answers.

References1 Masataka n (2019) anxiolytic effects of Repeated

cannabidiol treatment in teenagers With social anxi-

ety Disorders. Front. Psychol. 10:2466. doi: 10.3389/

fpsyg.2019.02466.

2 Miller RJ , Miller Re ., Is cannabis an effective treat-

ment for joint pain?, clin exp Rheumatol. 2017 sep-

oct;35 suppl 107(5):59-67.

3 Russo eB. cannabinoids in the management

of difficult to treat pain. ther clin Risk Manag.

2008;4(1):245–259.

4 gulbransen g, Xu W, arroll B., cannabidiol prescrip-

tion in clinical practice: an audit on the first 400

patients in new Zealand., BJgP open. 2020 Feb 4. pii:

bjgpopen20X101010.

5 hazekamp a., the trouble with cBD oil, Med can-

nabis cannabinoids 2018;1:65–72.

6 Pamplona Fa, da silva lR and coan ac (2018) Po-

tential clinical Benefits of cBD-Rich cannabis extracts

over Purified cBD in treatment-Resistant epilepsy:

observational Data Meta-analysis. Front. neurol. 9:759.

7 Rudroff t and sosnoff J (2018) cannabidiol to Im-

prove Mobility in People with Multiple sclerosis. Front.

neurol. 9:183.

8 Mannucci c , navarra M , calapai F , spagnolo eV ,

Busardò FP , cas RD , Ippolito FM , calapai g ., neu-

rological aspects of Medical Use of cannabidiol., cns

neurol Disord Drug targets. 2017;16(5):541-553.

9 https://ec.europa.eu/food/safety/novel_food/cata-

logue/search/public/index.cfm, consulted on February

2020.

Vidya Europe6 Avenue de la Baltique91140 Villebon sur Yvette, FranceTel: +33 (0)1 69 07 31 19Contact: [email protected]


the demand for cBD and its po-tential therapeutic benefits has driven sales of the extract to an all-time high with market pre-

dictions of $57 billion by 2027. however, with this growth, comes confusion around cannabis, cannabidiol (cBD), and hemp. In the U.s. it reached a tipping point when the 2018 Farm Bill federally legalized the production of industrial hemp-derived cBD containing less than .03 percent of thc (tetrahydrocannabinol). Most states, though, have not been able to update their laws to match this new federal law, leaving them without answers to cBD’s legalities. similar confusion is taking place in europe. In January 2019, the european commission added extracts of cannabis sativa, including cBD, to the novel Food catalogue, there-fore requiring pre-market authorization. eu-ropean Food standards agency (eFsa) has yet to approve any cBD supplier.

so, what is cBD and is it worth the poten-tial risk? In the 1990s, scientists discovered endocannabinoids, the natural cannabis-like molecules produced on demand by the body. the endocannabinoid system (ecs) has been found to help to balance and maintain many physiological systems such as memory, pain, mood, appetite, stress, sleep, immune function and more.

the ecs consists of the endocannabinoids (e.g. anandamide [aea]), cannabinoid re-ceptors, and the enzymes that synthe-size and degrade endocannabinoids. two receptors, called cB1 and cB2, mediate many effects of endocannabinoids within the central nervous system. Phytocannabi-noids are also known to act on these recep-tors, as they are a naturally occurring plant. this may be why the cannabis plant, mainly

1960’s, researchers established Pea to be an endogenous compound naturally present in all mammalian tissues (muscle, brain, heart etc).

How does it work?Pea operates through multiple pathways and mechanisms within the body to provide its beneficial analgesic and anti-inflamma-tory effects. It has the ability to work both directly and indirectly within the ecs.

Directly, Pea reduces inflammation locally by inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflam-matory molecules (e.g. histamine) via the PPaR-a receptors. Furthermore, on a cel-lular level, Pea stimulates a cascade of reactions that ultimately leads to regulat-ing the expression of proteins that reduce inflammation.

Indirectly, Pea enhances the levels of oth-er anti-inflammatory compounds that can regulate pain, such as aea (often dubbed as the ‘bliss molecule’ or the body’s own ‘natural thc’). this is done by inhibiting the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase (Faah), which breaks down aea. this mechanism is known as the ‘entourage effect’. aea’s ability to bind on to both cB receptors and tRPV-1 channels helps combat pain and increase relaxation.

Importance of PEA?levels of Pea naturally decrease with age. Moreover, when an individual encoun-ters painful and/or inflammatory stimuli (e.g. exercise-induced inflammation from running), Pea levels drop precipitously as they start binding on to PPaR-a receptors. exogenous supplementation is therefore needed in order to restore levels of Pea in the body.

cBD, has recently emerged as a promising therapy for a number of ailments.

today, there are various other barriers prov-ing the cBD market to be a ‘grey area’ such as the lack of clinical evidence, emerging toxicity studies and products found to con-tain more than the legal amount of thc (this can be detrimental a professional ath-lete’s career). thus, ingredients that simi-larly influence the endocannabinoid path-ways should be sought out.

Fortunately, for those concerned about the potential risks, there is palmitoyle-thanolamide or Pea for short. Pea is a relatively new supplement with research beginning to surface highlighting its anal-gesic, anti-inflammatory and neuro-pro-tective benefits.

What is it?Pea is a fatty acid amide that is naturally produced by the body in response to stress, pain and inflammation as a repair mecha-nism. It is categorised as part of the extend-ed endocannabinoid family and research has demonstrated its benefits for inflamma-tion, pain, sleep and exercise performance.

Pea was first discovered in 1957 from isolating from egg yolk and was found to be the compound that gave eggs their anti-inflammatory properties. In the mid-

PEA vs CBD?Pea resembles cBD in that both sub-stances have anti-inflammatory and neu-ro-protective properties. however, cBD is not produced by the human body unlike Pea, which is endogenously produced as a direct response and repair mechanism to inflammation and pain.

cBD also has yet to be proven effective and safe, as studies have only shown its benefits for certain diseases such as epi-lepsy. Pea on the other hand has a wealth of safety and efficacy studies in the areas of managing discomfort, supporting joint health and enhancing recovery.

More relevant in the realm of sport, Pea is an excellent supplement for professional ath-letes. Whilst thc levels in cBD supplements is highly regulated and will only be found in very small concentrations, both compounds occur naturally in the hemp plants, thus is not possible to remove thc completely. this provides issues for professional athletes who are regularly drug tested.

Pea can provide many of the same ben-efits as those anecdotally claimed for cBD (i.e. pain, inflammation, sports recovery and sleep), yet removes the concern around thc trace levels which are banned by the World anti-Doping agency in competing athletes.

The superior PEA - Levagen+Due to Pea being lipid in nature, it does not dissolve well in water, reducing both the absorption and bioavailability in the di-gestive system. In order to overcome this issue, gencor has developed a branded form of Pea, levagen+. levagen+ utilizes

the novel, award-winning lipisperse deliv-ery technology, created by Pharmako Bio-technologies, that helps increase bioavail-ability and functionality of Pea.

one study showed an approximate 1.8 in-crease in Pea blood levels when comparing 300mg of levagen+ to 300mg of standard Pea formulation. this increase in absorp-tion and bioavailability leads to a higher ac-tive concentration of Pea and suggests that lower dosages will have the same efficacy when compared to standard Pea.

Moreover, with the ability of levagen+ to disperse freely in water, formulators are able to develop various formats beyond capsules and tablets, which standard Pea is only limited to. these innovative formats include: RtD shots, effervescent, gels etc.

What can PEA help with?Reducing acute and chronic soreness/inflammation: through the mechanisms described previously, Pea has been shown to reduce acute and chronic soreness and decrease inflammation across a number of different ailments. a meta-analysis by Berker et al (2017) showed that Pea was associated with significantly greater pain reduction compared to control conditions.

exercise performance & recovery: whilst currently there is limited data around the efficacy of Pea in exercise performance and recovery, the preliminary findings of a recent trial by gencor demonstrated promising results. after supplementing with Pea, subjects had lower lactate levels than the control group signifying increased aerobic energy metabolism and decreased

anaerobic energy metabolism, allowing for a higher level of intensity for a longer period of time. Participants also resulted in lower levels of myoglobin post exercise – a marker of muscle damage. therefore, Pea could potentially lead to decreased muscle damage, increasing sports performance.

sleep: Pea can help promote restful sleep through activation of cB1 receptors which increases a calming effect inducing sleep. By activating tRPV-1 channels, Pea may also increase ReM sleep – our deep phase of sleep.

Immune boosting: there is a wealth of evidence demonstrating Pea’s role lower-ing symptoms of cold, fever, headaches and sore throats, thus may be a potential immune-boosting ingredient.

general wellbeing: endocannabinoids helps to regulate mood, emotion, pleas-ure perception and much more. Pea may also be able to reduce anxiety and stress through its ability to enhance the levels and actions of anandamide. Further, those with higher levels of Pea in their blood also showed to have a higher stress tolerance.

all in all, there is a tremendous amount of evidence demonstrating the benefits of Pea in various segments. Branded in-gredients, such as levagen+, presents in-gredient manufacturers a solution to the demands of consumers and regulators for a safer, more efficacious cBD-alternative. levagen+ is gRas, approved by health canada as an nhP, and accepted as a di-etary supplement in U.s., europe, australia and India.

levagen+ pea: the cbd alternative

Mariko Hill(Product Development Executive)


all one needs to do is to use their favorite search engine on the topic of “cBD,” and immediately, the confusion begins. through-

out the past hundred-plus years, trade names have become synonymous with different categories of products. For exam-ple, Kleenex is used for the facial tissue, or Xerox has been used for copy machines. today, cBD is being used “generically” for what could be cBD isolate, hemp oil, full-spectrum hemp oil, and Broad-spectrum hemp oil. If you search medical websites such as PubMed to look for clinical studies done in the arena of cBD/hemp/cannabis, you will get a broad range of studies using all forms. here are some of the questions we still need to answer: Which is best? Is it safe? are there any drug interactions? What is the best dose to take?

the above questions are just the tip of the iceberg in this new and booming market. Before answering those questions, let’s start from the beginning: hemp vs. Mari-juana. Keeping this simple, marijuana and hemp contain virtually the same number of phytochemicals and nutritional compo-nents but in differing amounts. of all of the compounds, the one that makes the differ-ence is tetrahydrocannabinol (thc). thc is the phytochemical known to cause the “high” from marijuana use. hemp plants are defined as any cannabis plant that has 0.3% or less of thc, and anything higher (no pun intended) would be considered marijuana. other than this commonality, both contain differing amounts of phy-tochemicals (cannabinoids, terpenes, for example), vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and essential fatty acids.

What’s the difference between CBD, Hemp Oil (HO), Full Spectrum HO, and Broad-Spectrum HO? this question is one of the leading areas in which I believe manufacturers and market-ers deceive or fall short on behalf of con-sumers. Before digging into why this com-

ment is made, let’s take a quick look at what the “definitions” are of the terms above.

CBD – cBD should only refer to the pu-rified or concentrated phytochemical iso-late found in hemp – cannabidiol. It does not contain the other phytochemicals and nutrients found in hemp. Regretfully due to the confusion mentioned above, with regards to generically using cBD to mean all things hemp, the natural products indus-try and consumers use these three letters loosely. the FDa does not consider cBD isolate a dietary supplement ingredient.

Hemp Oil – this term can mean just about anything and is the oil extracted from one of the many parts of the hemp plant. Most of the current research on hemp oil re-volves around the oil, which originates from the seed. In the modern cBD-mar-ket, hemp oil is mostly derived from stalk, leaves, and flowers, all of which have dif-ferent nutritional values. hemp oil may or may not have the full array of nutrients and phytochemicals you are seeking. this is another area of huge confusion for the consumer and whether or not they will re-ceive the benefits they seek.

Full-Spectrum Hemp Oil (FSHO) – Fsho refers to hemp oil that contains the full array of nutrients and phytochemicals found in hemp, including 0.3% or less thc. In most cases, Fsho ingredients can be tested for precise phytocannabinoid and terpene lev-els. Using Fsho will allow manufacturers to give consumers precise amounts of phyto-cannabinoids per serving.

Broad-Spectrum Hemp Oil (BSHO) – Bsho like that of Fsho also contains the phytonutrients and phytochemicals, but it has been processed in such a way as to remove all thc. this is a good option for those concerned with drug tests for thc. even with the minimal amount of thc found in Fsho, a person may test positive during a drug test. I believe that thc is part

of the plant, which provides some of the health benefits which consumers seek this category and should be part of the mix.

Referring back to my comment about manufacturers and marketers deceiving consumers, just do an internet search for cBD, and you will find a plethora of prod-ucts that cross all of the versions of hemp mentioned above. these ingredients are not equal and should not be easily inter-changed or meta-tagged as part of a mar-keting plan. this is not the first time in the natural product industry in which this has happened. a great example is in the area of omega-3s from fish oil. Just because a product states it is fish oil, the ratio of ePa and Dha may differ in product a vs. prod-uct B even though the label on the front of the bottle states each capsule contains 1,000 mg of fish oil. It may say 1,000 mg of fish oil and contain zero omega-3s. the hemp arena is the same. Just because an ingredient is called hemp oil doesn’t mean it contains phytocannabinoids or in the same amounts. this is an area that needs either government regulation or better po-licing by the industry to avoid consumer harm or disappointment.

From discussions with industry colleagues, the hemp/cBD industry isn’t taking off as fast as initially thought. Perhaps this is due to companies marketing a product con-taining hemp/cBD but only uses traces amounts, or well below what might be therapeutically effective. this is why we need better science substantiating what to take and how much. Until we have clinical substantiation, this market is like throwing darts in the dark, hoping to hit the target.

Safety and Toxicitythe area of safety and toxicity is often looked at by those in the R&D field and should be passed on to the end consumer. this area is not unique to this either. hulled hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil are generally recog-

nized as safe (gRas) in the United states.1 Regretfully, most products on the mar-ket are not derived from the seed but the stalk, leaves, and flowers. so, does this still mean it should be gRas? More specifically related to cBD or cBD amounts found in full or broad-spectrum products, research shows cBD is well tolerated, with a good safety profile.23 there is, however, a con-cern with this phytocannabinoid use and drug-drug interactions. given cBD effects on common biological targets for drug metabolism and excretion, the potential for drug-drug interactions with commonly used medication is high4. cBD is linked to both drug-drug interactions and adverse drug events. these effects should be read-ily made to consumers for the potential safety issues using cBD containing prod-ucts (full, broad, etc.).5

the potential toxic effects of cBD have been extensively reviewed6 with a recent update of the literature.7 In general, cBD has been found to have relatively low tox-icity, although not all potential effects have been explored.

DosingDosing opens Pandora’s box one more time. With the majority of the informa-tion in clinical studies revolving around the isolate cBD, it is challenging to get the precise dose to yield an effect. here are a couple of examples:

•Insomnia – 160 mg 30 minutes before bed8•social anxiety Disorder – single doses of cannabidiol 300-600 mg have been used for anxiety related to public speak-ing or medical imaging910

If I were formulating a product to help with sleep using an Fsho product and the dos-ing per capsule yielded 25 mg of “cBD,” then the suggested dose per night would be six capsules per night.

the remainder of the research on dos-ing is still insufficient to list in this article. suffice it to say that the amounts used in just these two examples show that many products claiming to help with sleep are not suggesting the accurate dose to be consumed. Until we have more independ-ent clinical studies, health benefit claims should be limited.

Are you confused yet? Before continuing, the organization or-ganic & natural health association cur-rently has an active educational platform to help educate consumers on the safety

and efficacy of “cBD” products. By sorting through the confusion, organic & natural health is empowering consumers through education to make informed decisions about “cBD” and a plethora of other topics such as vitamin D, omega-3s, and other di-etary ingredients. I am so excited about the efforts and currently sit as a part of their scientific advisory council.

as a pharmacist and natural health expert, the category of hemp/cBD/cannabis has been a challenging one to wrap my head around. Making things simple, there are several key areas we need to focus on in the B-to-B world:

1. clear labeling: What is being sold, dosing, etc. Is it Fsho, Bsho, just ho?2. education: Both industry and consumer education3. Verify the supply chain4. 3rd Party verification for contami-nants and active compounds5. Reporting of safety issues, interactions, and adverse events

this is not the first time in the dietary sup-plement industry in which an ingredient has been controversial. the industry has been dealing with this type of confusion, rush to market, lack of information on what form, how much, etc. for decades. the example of fish oil above is just one of many instanc-es of this occurring. ginseng, st. John’s Wort, natural vs. synthetic, and the list goes on. as we learn more, we re-educate our-selves, and the market, as to what is best. too many are bastardizing the cBD/hemp/cannabis space because we don’t know the answers to all of the questions. this, combined with mavericks, with little to no knowledge of the industry and its standards, are making wild and outrageous claims about their products. this is nothing new and should not scare reputable compa-nies from joining this space. the more who

hemp or cbd? what Formulators and marketers need to knowBy: David Foreman RPh, Organic & Natural Health Association Advisory Council

enter it with integrity and honesty, the cream will always rise to the top.

BiographyDavid Foreman RPh, is a pharmacist, author and media personality

known to consumers nationwide as, “the herbal Pharmacist.” Well

versed on the healing powers of herbs, vitamins and other natural

supplements and how they interact with pharmaceutical drugs,

Foreman’s career as a registered pharmacist gives him the founda-

tion to now impart his expertise in physiology, pharmacology

and integrative medicine to educate consumers on cutting edge

approaches to natural health and healing. his shift from traditional

pharmacist to herbal pharmacist was based on his belief that educa-

tion is the key to understanding that natural health plays a vital role

in mainstream medicine and he has dedicated his entire career to

educating consumers about the benefits and power behind natural

herbs, supplements and functional foods. Foreman is a graduate of the University of south carolina college of

Pharmacy, currently serves on organic & natural health association’s scientific advisory council and is author

of, “4 Pillars of health: heart Disease.” twitter: @herbalrph Facebook: facebook.com/theherbalPharmacist

References1. center for Food safety and applied nutrition. FDa

Responds to three gRas notices for hemp seed-De-

rived Ingredients for Use in human Food. available at:

https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/

fda-responds-three-gras-notices-hemp-seed-derived-

ingredients-use-human-food. accessed December

20, 2019.

2. Fasinu, P.s., et al., current status and Prospects for

cannabidiol Preparations as new therapeutic agents.

Pharmacotherapy, 2016. 36(7): p. 781-96.

3. Iffland, K. and F. grotenhermen, an Update on

safety and side effects of cannabidiol: a Review of

clinical Data and Relevant animal studies. cannabis

and cannabinoid Research, 2017. 2(1): p. 139-154.

4. Brown JD, Winterstein ag. Potential adverse Drug

events and Drug-Drug Interactions with Medical

and consumer cannabidiol (cBD) Use. J clin Med.

2019;8(7):989. Published 2019 Jul 8. doi:10.3390/

jcm8070989

5. Brown JD, Winterstein ag. Potential adverse Drug

events and Drug-Drug Interactions with Medical

and consumer cannabidiol (cBD) Use. J clin Med.

2019;8(7):989. Published 2019 Jul 8. doi:10.3390/

jcm8070989

6. Machado Bergamaschi, M., et al., safety and side

effects of cannabidiol, a cannabis sativa constituent.

current drug safety, 2011. 6(4): p. 237-249

7. Iffland, K. and F. grotenhermen, an Update on

safety and side effects of cannabidiol: a Review of

clinical Data and Relevant animal studies. cannabis

and cannabinoid Research, 2017. 2(1): p. 139-154.

8. carlini ea, cunha JM. hypnotic and antiepileptic

effects of cannabidiol. J clin Pharmacol 1981;21(8-9

suppl):417s-27s

9. Bergamaschi MM, Queiroz Rh, chagas Mh, et al.

cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated

public speaking in treatment-naïve social phobia pa-

tients. neuropsychopharmacology 2011;36(6):1219-2

10. crippa Ja, Derenusson gn, Ferrari tB, et al. neural

basis of anxiolytic effects of cannabidiol (cBD) in gen-

eralized social anxiety disorder: a preliminary report. J

Psychopharmacol 2011;25(1):121-30


as sugar reduction remains a leading trend throughout eu-rope and around the globe, we’ve seen consumer aware-

ness around the topic mature and peo-ple gradually gain a more sophisticated understanding of the sugar replacement solutions available to them. It is no longer enough for manufacturers to reduce sug-ar in their recipes; they must increasingly take into account consumer preferences when it comes to sweeteners. With one-third of consumers looking to avoid food or drink that contains artificial ingredients1,

there has been a notable shift in demand towards ingredients from plant sources, such as stevia sweeteners.

the industry has responded to this consumer preference – we have seen the number of food and beverage for-mulations containing stevia increase ex-ponentially over the last few years, with a particular spike in the last two years2.stevia sweeteners have now overtaken aspartame as europe’s third most popular sweetener and accounts for more than a quarter3 of all sweetener usage in europe, behind only sucralose and acesulfame K. It continues to grow at a faster pace than any other sweetener in europe4, gaining traction across a wide range of categories, including beverages, confectionery, dairy and convenience.

From early formulation challenges to combinatory applicationsWhile we know that many consumers are attracted to plant-based sweetening solu-tions, they’re not willing to sacrifice great taste, which is still the dominant factor impacting buying behaviour5. stevia sweet-

one of the biggest challenges ingredients manufacturers have faced in the last few years has been around removing the bitter aftertaste commonly associated to early-generation stevia products. standard stevia products with lower Rebaudioside a con-tent were known to exhibit a detectable bitterness or lingering aftertaste, which was enhanced by the content of other com-

eners have therefore been on a journey to achieve the best taste profile possible, and the scientific applications used have evolved enormously over the last few years. those applications involve controlling the steviol glycosides compositions, which are the active compounds in the stevia leaf that deliver sweetness, of which the most com-monly used is Rebaudioside a (Reb a).

pounds such as stevioside, the second most common steviol glycoside in the leaf. When the Reb a content was increased to improve the purity and therefore the taste, cost typically went up and solubility could then also become an issue. to combat this, first-generation stevia products often had to be formulated with other sweeten-ers or masking agents, in order to mask bit-ter aftertastes for consumers and manage solubility issues for manufacturers.

scientific advances are now increasingly focused on the usage of rarer steviol gly-cosides, including Rebaudioside M, c, B and D, which all have different proper-ties and individual taste profiles. as part of this, scientists have explored the bitterness concentration thresholds for individual molecules and developed combinatory formulations to achieve an improved taste compared to first generation technology.

the combining of steviol glycosides allows a countless number of different molecular combinations. Different blends can be tai-lored to suit specific formulation require-ments across a variety of food and drink categories. For example, sweetener solu-bility is particularly crucial for use in bev-

erages, whereas a rich, dairy formulation such as ice-cream would require a blend very closely matched to the taste profile of sugar.

Stevia – more than just a sweetener there is also more to stevia than just its sweetening properties. scientists have in-creasingly been experimenting with steviol glycosides blends to utilise it as a flavour modifying ingredient. this works in relation to ‘time intensity’ principles, which refer to how long a flavour component takes to deliver taste once in the mouth.

certain steviol glycosides present in the blend have an earlier onset of taste, while others have a delayed onset. combined, they are able to react with different fla-vours in a formulation in order to enhance or subdue various elements. Depending on the ‘sweetness peaks’ of the molecules, they will react with the other flavours’ time intensity profiles and modify the taste accordingly. For example, a strawberry fla-voured water may originally have a fresh, uncooked strawberry taste that peaks early in the mouth. If you combine this with the right stevia molecules, the fresh notes can become supressed, which means the taste

stevia innovation accelerates: from losing bitterness to modulating flavour

Saquib Ramday, Category Director at Tate & Lyle, discusses the evolution of stevia applications, from early formulations to new usages as a flavouring substance with modifying properties

profile will become more closely aligned to a cooked strawberry.

those applications are not only possible in sweet products but are also increasingly put to use in savoury recipes, where stevia can be used to balance out bitter tastes in tomato-based sauces, or to balance out acidity in a variety of dishes.

Tate & Lyle’s portfolio of sweetener solutions Whether stevia extracts are being used as a sweetener or a flavour modification tool, the biggest challenge for manufactur-ers is around achieving the best taste for their formulation, while still keeping costs down and minimising solubility issues. tate & lyle, a global leader in sweetener solu-tions, has leveraged advanced technolo-gies and now offers stevia products that have the potential for even higher levels of sugar replacement without compromising on taste or solubility.

In order to meet the increased demands for innovative low and no calorie sweeten-ing solutions, in 2017 tate & lyle entered a partnership with sweet green Fields (sgF), one of the largest privately held, fully inte-grated global stevia ingredient companies. through the partnership, customers have access to this exceptional line of stevia so-lutions, including the oPtIMIZeR stevia™ range, which provides great taste with low-er cost-in-use, as well as other established stevia offerings, such as the breakthrough proprietary stevia extract Intesse stevia™ range.

the range also includes the newly launched Zolesse™ natURal FlaVoUR, which is designed to be used as a flavour modifying ingredient. Zolesse™ is la-belled as a natural flavour and has been developed to deliver a clean taste profile in carbonated soft drinks and flavoured wa-ters, building on steviol glycosides’ taste modulation properties. With the breadth of its portfolio, tate & lyle is now delivering even more solutions for manufacturers to help them tackle their unique formulation challenges and create products that their end consumers are looking for.

References1. lightspeed/Mintel, Base: 2,000 internet users

aged 16+ in each country

2. Mintel, global new Products Database (gnPD)



5. Roper Reports Worldwide


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Consumer Experts, Insight Driven

HOW DO CONSUMERS FEEL ABOUT CBD PRODUCTS?

FMCG GURUS [email protected] 207 096 0559@FmcgGurus FMCGGURUS.COM

The following are based on our Q3 Global and Regional CBD Survey - 26,000 respondents.

Brands and manufacturers are creating products that contain cannabis oil. In its simplest form, these products contain concentrated legal forms of cannabis extracts that are said to

off er physical and mental health benefi ts.

43% of consumers who use CBD products currently use it to help relieve anxiety.

With 54% saying they have been eff ective.

39% 22%Of global consumers have heard of the term CBD, and 36% have not heard of CBD.

Of global consumers who have heard of CBD currently use these products.

How appealing do products sound that contain CBD oil that help address the following health claims?Sleeping Patterns

10% 18% 26% 25% 20%

Very Unappealing Somewhat Unappealing Not Sure Somewhat Appealing Very Appealing

Of consumers who said they would not be willing to try CBD is becuase

4 in 10 people do not feel they have enough inforamtion.

Of brands provided more information consumers would be more willing to try CBD products. 40%

CBD Big Nutraceuticals.indd 1 17/12/2019 14:45:40


science,sustainability & technology

choline, an essential, yet underated nutrient is important for proper cell structure, func-tion, and signaling, as well as cardiovascu-lar, liver and cognitive health. the body pro-duces a small amount of choline, but we need to get the rest from our diets. choline intake is actually below what is considered adequate in significant parts of the Us and eU populations, as well as Japan.

the science team at aker BioMarine re-cently performed a randomized, place-bo-controlled, monocentric, two-way cross-over pharmacokinetic study with 18 healthy subjects. 12 subjects received 2 study products: choline bitartrate cap-sules (providing 620 mg choline) and 8g of superba BoosttM (providing 572 mg choline). While 6 subjects received the placebo control product (fish oil). When compared mg to mg, choline uptake is at least as efficient from superba Boost krill oil as from choline bitartrate, a dietary sup-plement tailor-made to optimize absorp-tion of choline, but those taking superba Boost had a much lower plasma concen-tration of tMao. the study showed that krill oil is a safe, effective and well tolerated way to boost your necessary intake levels of choline without elevating tMao levels.

Opportunity & Responsibilityscience will continue to help shape the products most sought after in the omega-3 market in years to come, but sustainability is equally important to this discussion. the global demand for environmentally friendly products has helped steer the supplements market into a more positive direction.

one of the biggest and most significant recent developments for aker BioMarine was a large-scale antarctic survey con-firming the health of the krill biomass. several governments came together to prepare a systematic measurement of how much krill there is around the antarc-tic Peninsula and found more krill today than what was recorded in the last large-scale krill survey conducted in 2000. these findings proved that the krill stock is in a healthy condition and remains one of the best managed and underutilized marine resources in the world.

In addition to the krill biomass survey, a recent collaboration with greenpeace to create Marine Protected areas was de-veloped. after many years of dialogue with several of the leading environmental ngos, the various groups set out to ex-plore how everyone could work together to best support the process of establishing a network of Marine Protected areas.

are helping to shape the future of the krill oil market

every krill fishing company in the antarctic became part of this project, proving a huge advancement and partnership toward the commitment to sustainability and support of the southern ocean. Furthermore, this also helped demonstrate the unity of the industry.

Aker BioMarine Receives an ‘A’ rating from the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership the sustainable Fisheries Partnership (sFP), an independent non-profit organization that evaluates the sustainability of global fisheries, recently released its annual Re-duction Fisheries sustainability overview

according to the 2019 report that analyzes reduction fishery stocks worldwide, three percent of the total catch volume comes from stocks classified as “very good condi-tion.” as in the four previous editions of this report, this corresponds to a single fishery: antarctic southern ocean Krill. to that end, for the fifth year in a row, aker BioMa-rine received an ‘a’ rating from the sFP. the important work of the sFP leaves no doubt that we need a new kind of leadership at sea. We know that we need to harvest the oceans more, but we need to do so in a sustainable way.

Big Data is the Future of Sustainable Fisheries Managementtechnology and big data are driving forces in the future of sustainable fisheries man-agement, as well as major focus areas for aker BioMarine. By aligning technology and big data to its sustainability efforts, aker BioMarine is aiming to reduce its in-dustrial footprint while strengthening its positive handprint.

aker BioMarine is excited to announce a new project that will positively impact data collection in terms of the krill biomass. aker BioMarine is launching an unmanned solar-powered ocean data drone (sail-buoy) as part of its operations in antarctica to take a bigger step in a new data-driven era of sustainable fishery management.

the new two-meter long ocean data drone (sailbuoy) is equipped with echosounder and environmental sensors to collect, pro-cess and transmit density and distribution data from wherever it is deployed, in real time. easy to operate, launch and recov-er, the unique ocean drone uses wind for propulsion and is powered by solar panels, which charge the internal batteries. Built to be robust and to survive the tough antarc-tic conditions, it was also designed to be small and unobtrusive to avoid disturbing the local wildlife.

Minimizing the need for fishing vessels to spend time and resources looking for krill, the use of the ocean data drone sig-nificantly reduces the financial and envi-ronmental costs. all the data collection carried out by the drone has a carbon footprint of zero.

there is no question that the sailbuoy is changing the way the company works. By positioning it close to the vessel, it will help do the necessary searching. It can also cover remote areas for up to months at a time, telling the crew where and when to proceed. the data is invaluable, enabling aker BioMarine’s crew to help make opera-tions even more sustainable and focused, lowering impact to the environment.

In addition to the operational advantages for aker BioMarine, the data collected from the sailbuoy will provide benefits to the wider scientific community and the krill fishery as whole. the commission for the conservation of antarctic Marine living Re-sources (ccaMlR), the international treaty managing the krill fishery in the southern ocean, has made decisive steps towards a more dynamic and scientific data driven management regime.

there is no question that with the care-ful management of the fishery by pre-cautionary catch limits based on frequent estimates, the detailed data that aker Bio-Marine can now capture on density and distribution, will provide a more accurate picture of the size of the biomass.

In addition to the sailbuoy, live data and machine learning will allow fisheries to better optimize and manage harvesting patterns, production flow and mainte-nance to increase efficiency, including the reduction of fuel consumption. aker Bio-Marine is digitalizing its harvesting and manufacturing operations in the southern ocean and all the way to its plant in the Usa to further improve the company’s sus-tainability efforts.

Protecting the OceanWith a growing population, it has never been more important to make healthy food and nutrients available while also keeping our planet’s ecosystem healthy. as a unique and diverse system, the ocean plays a critical role in the world’s future. creating long-term worth and success in a global fishery requires a business approach that values both opportunity and responsi-bility, and aker BioMarine works effortlessly each and every day to exceed the indus-try’s standards.

the nutraceuticals market is for-ever changing, and conscious consumers across the globe have helped create the demand

for quality, sustainable products, backed by science. this mindset is also helping to shape the krill oil market and take it to new places like never before.

there is no question that science is one of the most important factors in the advance-ment, evolution, and continuous develop-ment within the krill oil category. to that end, aker BioMarine is currently venturing into new areas to continue uncovering the potential of krill oil.

Boosting Your Choline Levels with Krill OilDid you know that you can boost your choline levels with krill oil?

Simo Echchafai, Marketing Director Human Health and Nutrition, Aker BioMarine


omega-3’s are long-chain poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFa’s) that provide many health ben-efits in cardiovascular, brain,

eye, skin and joint disorders. the two main components of omega-3 are eicosapen-taenoic acid (ePa) and docosahexaenoic acid (Dha). only limited amounts are pro-duced in the body, so these compounds must be obtained from our diet. Dietary sources high in omega-3’s include fish, such as salmon, mackerel and tuna. Die-tary supplements are an alternative option which typically contain fish oil, krill oil, cod liver oil, or a vegetarian option of oil ob-tained from algae.

Omega-3 benefitsthere has been considerable interest in potential health benefits from omega-3’s for many decades, with studies providing evidence that consumption of omega-3’s has the potential to lower triglyceride lev-els for reducing the risk of cardiovascu-lar disease, anti-inflammatory functions1 in areas such as arthritis, and also in the treatment of depression.2 one commer-cial formulation has been approved by the FDa for treatment of severe hypertriglyc-eridemia.

Cardiovascular healthcardiovascular health has been the topic of many large clinical trials. Many popula-tion studies have demonstrated reduced cardiovascular disease with consump-tion of omega-3. It has been shown that omega-3 can provide a protective influ-ence, via altering cell membrane function, and impacting on inflammatory, oxidative and thrombotic pathways active in athero-sclerosis.3 While there have been mixed results as to the benefits of omega-3 for various cardiovascular outcomes, more recent trials have demonstrated potential benefit from higher doses, with potential to elevate tissue levels of ePa and Dha in populations with hypertriglyceridemia.4

Omega-3 DeliveryPUFas are available in several chemical forms, including natural triglycerides, free fatty acids, ethyl esters and re-esterified triglycerides. to minimize the volume of PUFas required per dose, ePa and Dha are available in concentrated form in either the free fatty acid (FFa) form, or as an ethyl ester (ee). In terms of oral bioavailability, plasma levels of ePa and Dha are usually reported as higher for triglycerides and FFa compared to the ee form5, however con-sumption of all forms has been shown to significantly increase plasma levels of ePa and Dha.6-7

oral bioavailability of omega-3’s is limited due to low water solubility, thus requiring high doses to achieve the required plasma concentration of ePa and Dha. studies have demonstrated optimal omega-3 ab-sorption with a high fat meal as a result of the digestion process stimulating the re-lease of bile salts and digestive enzymes.6 this digestion process promotes emul-sification of the fats leading to increased solubilisation, access to digesting enzymes and improved absorption.8-9 however, for those patients with hypertriglyceridemia, the national cholesterol education Pro-gram (nceP) recommends they consume meals with a very low-fat content (<15% fat content).10 thus, on a low fat diet, absorp-tion of the ee form is less complete, re-quiring higher doses to reliably achieve the recommended daily consumption.

application of intelligent formulation de-sign has the ability to address the poor bioavailability and improve the fasted state bioavailability of fish oils. Particle based techniques including emulsification, self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (seDDs), solid-state formulation via adsorption of fish oil onto a solid support9, or microen-capsulation in a silica-lipid hybrid (slh) par-ticle have demonstrated improved oral bi-oavailability of poorly soluble compounds.

emulsification of lipid systems represents an important strategy to improve bioavail-ability,11-12 and has demonstrated improved oral absorption of omega-3 lipids.13

through addition of natural emulsifying in-gredients, self-emulsifying delivery systems (seDs) spontaneously emulsify upon in-gestion and aid in absorption. seDDs have previously demonstrated improved uptake of omega-3 ee’s during fasting or with a low-fat meal due to the system’s ability to mimic the conditions of the fed-state (a phenomenon where the bioavailability of active compounds is increased when ad-ministered with a fatty meal),14-17 and have demonstrated a mitigated food effect for omega-3 ee’s.18

Optimising Omega-3 uptakeaquacelle® is a seDDs formulation devel-oped by Pharmako Biotechnologies con-taining lipid and emulsifiers. the aquacelle fish oil formulation emulsified rapidly when added to water, producing small oil drops, while the control oil without surfactants or emulsifiers do not emulsify.

this study was designed to investigate the benefits of aquacelle seDDs on the absorption of omega-3 ee after a single dose. When formulated with the omega-3 fish oil, the self-micro-emulsifying delivery system from Pharmako enhances bioavail-ability of omega-3 ethyl esters in healthy subjects under low-fat diet conditions. Par-ticipants were randomised into two groups, receiving either the seDDs aquacelle fish oil formulation or the unformulated fish oil ee. the novel delivery system demon-strated a significant 7 fold improvement in the oral absorption of omega-3 fatty acids without requiring a high-fat meal.19 the aquacelle® formulation was able to emulsify the omega-3 ee upon ingestion which provided an increased surface area for improved digestion and elevated ePa and Dha absorption, as shown in Fig. 1.

this seDDs formulation provides an effec-tive method to deliver ee forms of omega-3 fish oil compared to currently available for-mulations and provides an approach to achieve higher bioavailability required for achieving the elevated tissue ePa/Dha levels for cardiovascular benefit. and as a bonus the researchers also found that trial partici-pants using aquacelle omega-3 ee capsules reported no fishy aftertaste and burps.

a wealth of studies support supplemen-tation with omega-3 for cardiovascular health. thus, formulations that are highly bioavailable like aquacelle omega-3, pre-sents an attractive option for those consid-ering increasing their omega-3 levels.

getting the beneFits From your omega-3

BiographyDr Kristen Bremmell is a senior lecturer in the

school of Pharmacy and Medical sciences,

University of south australia. With training in

chemistry from the Universities of newcastle and

sydney, she now lectures in drug formulation

and co-ordinates in the school’s honours

program. Kristen undertakes research into drug

formulation and delivery and in biopharmaceutics.

this research has focussed on investigating

fundamental aspects of nano and micro particulate

systems for application in drug delivery and

improving outcomes for industria

Figure 1. When formulated with AquaCelle the Omega-3 oil emulsifies upon ingestion to form small oil drops (~40 µm diameter). The emulsified oil drives absorption leading to a 7-fold increase in plasma levels of EPA and DHA compared to the Omega-3 oil.

By: Kristen BremmellUniversity of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia

References1. calder, P. c., omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory

processes: from molecules to man. Biochemical

society transactions 2017, 45 (5), 1105-1115.

2. liao, y.; Xie, B.; Zhang, h.; he, Q.; guo, l.;

subramaniapillai, M.; Fan, B.; lu, c.; Mclntyer, R. s.,

efficacy of omega-3 PUFas in depression: a meta-

analysis. translational Psychiatry 2019, 9 (1), 190.

3. lavie, c. J.; Milani, R. V.; Mehra, M. R.; Ventura,

h. o., omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty acids and

cardiovascular Diseases. Journal of the american

college of cardiology 2009, 54 (7), 585.

4. Bhatt, D. l.; steg, P. g.; Miller, M.; Brinton, e. a.;

Jacobson, t. a.; Ketchum, s. B.; Doyle, R. t.; Juliano,

R. a.; Jiao, l.; granowitz, c.; tardif, J.-c.; Ballantyne,

c. M., cardiovascular Risk Reduction with Icosapent

ethyl for hypertriglyceridemia. new england Journal

of Medicine 2018, 380 (1), 11-22.

5. lawson, l. D.; hughes, B. g., human absorption

of fish oil fatty acids as triacylglycerols, free acids, or

ethyl esters. Biochemical and Biophysical Research

communications 1988, 152 (1), 328-335.

6. Davidson, M. h.; Johnson, J.; Rooney, M. W.; Kyle,

M. l.; Kling, D. F., a novel omega-3 free fatty acid

formulation has dramatically improved bioavailability

during a low-fat diet compared with omega-3-acid

ethyl esters: the eclIPse (epanova® compared to

lovaza® in a pharmacokinetic single-dose evaluation)

study. Journal of clinical lipidology 2012, 6 (6), 573-

584.

7. Dyerberg, J.; Madsen, P.; Møller, J. M.; aardestrup,

I.; schmidt, e. B., Bioavailability of marine n-3 fatty

acid formulations. Prostaglandins, leukotrienes and

essential Fatty acids 2010, 83 (3), 137-141.

8. chang, y.; Mcclements, D. J., Influence of

emulsifier type on the in vitro digestion of fish oil-in-

water emulsions in the presence of an anionic marine

polysaccharide (fucoidan): caseinate, whey protein,

lecithin, or tween 80. Food hydrocolloids 2016, 61,

92-101.

9. Joyce, P.; gustafsson, h.; Prestidge, c. a.,

enhancing the lipase-mediated bioaccessibility of

omega-3 fatty acids by microencapsulation of fish

oil droplets within porous silica particles. Journal of

Functional Foods 2018, 47, 491-502.

10. national cholesterol education Program (nceP)

expert Panel on Detection, e., and treatment of

high Blood cholesterol in adults (adult treatment

Panel III). third Report of the national cholesterol

education Program (nceP) expert Panel on Detection,

evaluation, and treatment of high Blood cholesterol

in adults (adult treatment Panel III) Final Report.

circulation 2002, 106, 3143-3421.

11. Pouton, c. W., Formulation of poorly water-soluble

drugs for oral administration: Physicochemical

and physiological issues and the lipid formulation

classification system. european Journal of

Pharmaceutical sciences 2006, 29 (3), 278-287.

12. Mcclements, D. J.; Decker, e. a.; Park, y.; Weiss,

J., Designing Food structure to control stability,

Digestion, Release and absorption of lipophilic Food

components. Food Biophysics 2008, 3 (2), 219-228.

13. garaiova, I.; guschina, I. a.; Plummer, s. F.; tang,

J.; Wang, D.; Plummer, n. t., a randomised cross-over

trial in healthy adults indicating improved absorption

of omega-3 fatty acids by pre-emulsification. nutrition

Journal 2007, 6 (1), 4.

14. Qin, y.; nyheim, h.; haram, e. M.; Moritz, J. M.;

hustvedt, s. o., a novel self-micro-emulsifying delivery

system (sMeDs) formulation significantly improves

the fasting absorption of ePa and Dha from a single

dose of an omega-3 ethyl ester concentrate. lipids in

health and Disease 2017, 16 (1), 204.

15. lopez-toledano, M. a.; thorsteinsson, t.; Daak,

a.; Maki, K. c.; Johns, c.; Rabinowicz, a. l.; sancilio,

F. D., a novel ω-3 acid ethyl ester Formulation

Incorporating advanced lipid technologiestM

(alt®) Improves Docosahexaenoic acid and

eicosapentaenoic acid Bioavailability compared with

lovaza®. clinical therapeutics 2017, 39 (3), 581-591.

16. West, a. l.; Kindberg, g. M.; hustvedt, s. o.; calder,

P. c., a novel self-Micro-emulsifying Delivery system

enhances enrichment of eicosapentaenoic acid and

Docosahexaenoic acid after single and Repeated

Dosing in healthy adults in a Randomized trial. the

Journal of nutrition 2018, 148 (11), 1704-1715.

17. Maki, K. c.; Palacios, o. M.; Buggia, M. a.;

trivedi, R.; Dicklin, M. R.; Maki, c. e., effects of a

self–micro-emulsifying Delivery system Formulation

Versus a standard ω-3 acid ethyl ester Product on

the Bioavailability of eicosapentaenoic acid and

Docosahexaenoic acid: a study in healthy Men and

Women in a Fasted state. clinical therapeutics 2018,

40 (12), 2065-2076.

18. lopez-toledano, M. a.; thorsteinsson, t.; Daak, a.

a.; Maki, K. c.; Johns, c.; Rabinowicz, a. l.; sancilio,

F. D., Minimal food effect for eicosapentaenoic

acid and docosahexaenoic acid bioavailability from

omega-3–acid ethyl esters with an advanced lipid

technologiestM (alt)–based formulation. Journal of

clinical lipidology 2017, 11, 394-405.

19. Bremmell, K. e.; Briskey, D.; Meola, t. R.; Mallard,

a.; Prestidge, c. a.; Rao, a., a self-emulsifying

omega-3 ethyl ester formulation (aquacelle)

significantly improves eicosapentaenoic and

docosahexaenoic acid bioavailability in healthy adults.

european Journal of nutrition 2019, 10.1007/s00394-

019-02118-x.


Nena Dockery, Scientific and Regulatory Manager, Stratum Nutrition

Fatty acid (Fa) supplements, particu-larly those containing omega-3 fatty acids, have become one of the top ingredient categories within the di-

etary supplement industry. Both omega-3 and omega-6 Fas are structural compo-nents of cell membranes, are sources of energy and are precursors to lipid media-tors that play vital roles in immune and inflammatory responses; and the typical Western diet doesn’t provide the best bal-ance of these nutrients on its own. But, the way these important fats work in the body involves complex metabolic pathways that should be at least minimally understood in order to know and understand the best way to supplement with them.

there are only two truly essential Fas, meaning that our bodies cannot make them. our diet needs to include the ome-ga-3 Fa, alpha-linolenic acid (ala) and the omega-6 Fa, linoleic acid (la). green leafy vegetables, nuts, (particularly walnuts) and seeds such as flaxseed are good sources of ala. la is found in abundance in plant oils, including sunflower, safflower, corn and soybean oils. adequate dietary intake

es and are beneficial in maintaining brain function, skeletal and reproductive health, and metabolism. they are also essential for stimulating skin and hair growth. on the other hand, aa is pro-inflammatory and plays a vital role in initiating the inflamma-tory process.

Under optimal conditions, consuming a diet that contains balanced amounts of foods containing both ala and la would result in enough of the end-products of their metabolism for our bodies to func-tion as they should and maintain health. But, unfortunately, it is not that simple. the metabolic pathways of ala and la share several enzymes needed for the various intermediate reactions and are also influ-enced by the relative levels of longer chain fatty acids produced by the reactions oc-curring in the other pathway. For instance, adequate levels of ePa must be present for the conversion of the omega-6 Fa, Dgla to anti-inflammatory prostaglandins. If there isn’t enough, the reaction will favor the production of the pro-inflammatory fatty acid, arachidonic acid.2

one of the main factors that influence the metabolic pathways of both essential fatty acids is the requirement of a rate-limiting

of ala and la can then provide the initial building blocks for the body to make the longer-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFas) that it needs to maintain optimal health and functioning. Ideally, the diet should contain a ratio of omega-6 to ome-ga-3 of from 1:1 to 4:1, but unfortunately, the current Western diet contains a much higher proportion of la, ranging from 15:1 to almost 30:1 by some estimates, due to our overconsumption of processed foods that are prepared with omega-6 oils. as a result, most of the current focus has been on our need for increasing omega-3 fatty acid intakes.

In the body, ala metabolizes first to steari-donic acid (sDa), a longer chain Fa that possesses many of the same attributes as eicosapentaenoic acid (ePa), mostly through its role as an anti-inflammato-ry.1 through a series of reactions, sDa ultimately metabolizes to ePa and do-cosahexaenoic acid (Dha), the two key omega-3s that have been researched for many health benefits. likewise, la me-tabolizes to gamma-linolenic acid (gla), dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (Dgla) and under many conditions on to arachidonic acid (aa). gla and Dgla are linked to the production of anti-inflammatory substanc-

enzyme called delta-6-desaturase (D6D) as well as the cofactors for the reaction, including magnesium, zinc and vitamin B6. these are necessary to facilitate the first reaction in both pathways. this reaction is slow and can be inhibited by multiple factors that affect many people, including medication, illness, aging and nutrient de-ficiencies. so, it is not uncommon for the metabolism of the essential fatty acids to stop at the very first step, which can have disastrous effects on human health. With-out D6D and the cofactors needed to initi-ate the reaction, ala cannot metabolize to sDa, and la cannot metabolize to gla, so the benefits of gla, sDa, ePa and Dha are lost. Ultimately, these crucial omega fatty acids become conditionally essential as the body can no longer make them and they must be obtained through diet or sup-plementation. this has opened the door to selective supplementation.

the most widely recognized fatty acid sup-plement type is fish oil. Fish oil contains ePa and Dha, the endpoints of omega-3 fatty acid metabolism. ePa is recognized mostly for its anti-inflammatory attributes and benefits in reducing the risk of chron-ic diseases linked to inflammation, such as heart disease. Dha is integral to brain development and function as well as eye health. ePa and Dha are only found natu-rally in marine sources, including oily fish, krill and algae. the dietary sources (oily fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines) are also less likely to be a regular part of the Western diet, contributing to the potential for deficiency.

Because of the overabundance of la in our diets, less attention has been given to the potential for omega-6 deficiencies due to deficiency of D6D. this is unfortunate because gla/Dgla do play important roles in the body that can also be com-promised. In addition, the overall balance in the omega-6 and omega-3 metabolic pathways due to the sharing of enzymes and cofactors that the body tries to main-tain could be disrupted; so supplementing with just the end-products of the omega-3 fatty acid pathway may not always be the best option.

For some individuals who have low serum levels of ePa and Dha, due to inefficient conversion from ala and/or no dietary intake through food sources, supplemen-tation with these two omega-3s might be beneficial, and high-quality fish, krill or algal oil supplements with a ratio of ePa to Dha of around 2:1 are generally recom-mended. also, pregnant women may want to consider Dha supplementation to help support neurological development.

For those who are not deficient in ePa or Dha, ePa/Dha supplementation alone may not be best and could be detrimen-tal in high doses.3 For persons who are deficient in the key enzyme (D6D) or one of the cofactors needed to begin the first reaction in the metabolic pathway of both ala and la, a different approach to sup-plementation may be preferable. In ad-dition, some recognize a need for fatty acid supplementation, but do not wish to consume fish or take marine sourced sup-

omega Fatty acid supplementation not limited to fish oil

plements. as a result, additional options in fatty acid supplementation have arisen to meet these needs.

Flaxseed, hemp and chia seed oils have gained in popularity because they are veg-etarian sources of the omega-3, ala. they are marketed to offset the high levels of la consumed by so many through diet. these can be beneficial to many, but only those who are not deficient in D6D or its cofac-tors. In addition, gla supplements have experienced an increase in popularity in products marketed for general inflamma-tion support, women’s needs related to hormonal fluctuations and for conditions that affect the skin.

But for many who desire a more balanced fatty acid option and general support to offset potential broader deficiencies, sup-plementing with a blend of fatty acids in-cluding ala, la, gla, sDa and perhaps also Dha and ePa might provide the best choice, but would most likely necessitate supplementing with several different prod-ucts. another choice would be a plant source that contains not only ala and la, but also the next important fatty acids past the crucial enzyme-dependent step in both the omega-3 and omega-6 pathways. ahi-flower seed oil, derived from Buglossoides arvensis, a plant native to the British Isles, is not only a good source of both ala and la; it is an excellent source of gla and is unique in its exceptionally high content of sDa.4 supplementation with this one ingre-dient helps ensure the necessary building blocks for the body to naturally complete the omega-3 and omega-6 pathways, and also reap the benefits derived from the in-termediate fatty acids, gla and sDa.5

It is becoming increasingly apparent that supplementation with omega fatty acids, just like many other important nutrients, is not a “one size fits all,” but instead can, and should be tailored to an individual’s own diet and lifestyle. Probably most, if not all of us need to consider some type of ome-ga fatty acid supplementation because of the extensive role they play in maintaining overall health, beginning in every cell in our bodies. and now, more than ever, it is possible to select the right supplement to fit our individual needs and preferences.

References1. lipids (2017) 52:781-787

2. eur J Pharmacol (2016) 785:77-86

3. transl Psychiatry (2019) 9(1):303

4. Mol nutr Food Res (2013) 00:1-12

5. nutrients (2017) 9(3). pii:e261

ahiflower seed oil comes from buglossoides arvensis, a plant native to the british Isles.

photo courtesy palladian media limited

oil from ahiflower seeds is a great

source of ala, la and gla and Sda.

photo courtesy palladian

media limited

26 | Nutraceuticals Now

Omega 3 is a fatty acid with a long-term appeal, both as a supplement and an ingredient. Long associ-

ated with fish and some meats, it has been increasingly used to fortify other products, and has a high appeal. With consumers increasingly demanding more from their products, and with a higher level of interest in nutritional contents and compositions than ever before, omega 3 is increasingly popular as an ingredient, both in traditional and non-traditional products. Understand-ing consumer opinions on this subject is important, and knowing what they look for in a product – and what they are looking to avoid – is vital.

FMcg gurus research from the omega and Fatty acids survey (2019 – 26,000 respondents) shows a clear awareness of omega 3 among global consumers, with 83% responding that they were ‘aware’ or ‘very aware’ of it as an ingredient, and only 4% suggesting that they were to-tally unaware. similarly, consumers also have a high opinion of the health bene-fits of omega 3, with 75% suggesting that it would have a positive influence; again, only 6% said it would have an actual nega-tive effect. For companies looking to in-clude it as an ingredient in products, this is a fantastic sign: often, consumer aware-ness is a difficult hurdle to clear, but here

the work has already been done, giving a comfortable head start.

consumers are also already motivated to search out products containing omega 3: 70% of respondents said that they looked for omega 3 content some, most, or all of the time. another 14% said that they would look rarely, and only 16% indicate that they are totally uninterested in it, indicating again that there is already a high level of aware-ness and appeal with this ingredient. Most – 62% – of these consumers look primarily for this claim in fish, with 61% also looking in meat, but numbers in other areas – ones that could be seen as less traditional – are much lower. only 36% of consumers look for omega 3 in dairy products, and choco-late is lower still at 22%. any new products in this range fortified with omega 3 would have to be clear and explicit about this ad-dition to ensure that consumers make the proper connection with the brand.

although consumers are definitely con-vinced of the benefits of omega 3 as a supplement and ingredient, there are still definite concerns about unintended side effects when used. 75% of respondents said that it was important or very important that food that contained omega 3 do not smell like fish, and 61% of those who looked for omega 3 claims said that they wanted to see tastier products that contained the in-gredient. It should be realized that, however

much consumers may be drawn to an in-gredient due to its other benefits, there will always be a strong impulse to prioritize taste and texture. Pricing is another concern, with another 61% saying that they would like to see more cost-effective products availa-ble. of those who say they do not seek out products containing omega 3, 39% say that it is because available products are not tasty enough, and 46% say that it is because the available options are too expensive. clearly there is a delicate line to walk here, with the ideal product being healthy, flavorful, and reasonably priced.

Understanding what consumers want and what they are looking to avoid is para-mount for a brand. Whether launching a new product, tweaking an existing one, or just looking to get the most out of an exist-ing range, this sort of insight is invaluable. omega 3 is an ingredient with a broad ap-peal, and the potential to increase this into new markets: with the right positioning, great things are possible.

Andrew Crofts, Senior Research Analyst at FMCG Gurus

This article is based on our Global and Regional Omega and Fatty Acids Survey 2019

For more info please contact FMCG Gurus at [email protected]

understand consumer preFerences towards omega 3

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Iron supplements are often given to in-fants in low-income countries to coun-teract anaemia. however, high doses of dietary iron can negatively impact the in-

fant gut microbiome. In addition, it has been suggested that iron supplements modify the response to oral antibiotics, particularly reducing their efficacy against enteropatho-gens. some of these problems can be ad-dressed by combining iron supplements with a prebiotic in the form of galacto-oligo-saccharides (gos). Research recently pub-lished in the journal nutrients now suggests that specific oligosaccharides found in hu-man milk can act as a ‘natural prebiotic’: the presence or absence of some of these hu-man milk oligosaccharides (hMos) seems to affect how the infant gut microbiota re-sponds to dietary iron. Identifying the profile of complex sugars in the mothers’ breast milk may help to determine which infants are likely to be more vulnerable to the ad-verse effects of iron.

Differing responses to iron supplementsthe team of researchers was led by dr. Daniela Paganini and prof. dr. Michael Zimmermann at eth Zurich, switzer-land. the study itself was carried out in Kenya, where virtually all babies are breastfed. Breast milk contains little iron, and once the infants start to be weaned between 6 and 24 months of age, many of them are given iron supplements. this is because the foods these infants start to eat contain insufficient iron to prevent anaemia. Previous research has shown that these infants differ in their response to iron, not only in terms of efficacy for anaemia, but also regarding side effects. some infants get diarrhoea while others do not; and when iron is given together

with prebiotics to reduce side effects, some infants benefit more than others. the results of the new study suggest that the composition of their mothers’ milk, in particular the hMo profile, may play a role in this.

The varied functions of human milk oligosaccharidesthe solid components of milk include di-gestible fats and sugars, but also a varied group of complex indigestible oligosaccha-rides that act as prebiotics. although these hMos have little nutritional value, once inside the infant gut hMos can modulate the immune system and the gut microbi-ome, thereby helping to prevent pathogen binding and infections. the most common hMos are the neutral fucosylated and non-fucosylated oligosaccharides. But not all breast milk contains specific fucosylated oligosaccharides. this is due to a homozy-gous mutation in the FUt2 gene, which encodes the α-1-2-fucosyltransferase en-zyme. Women with such a mutation are known as non-secretors as they cannot produce certain hMos. the difference in milk composition between secretors and non-secretors is thought to also influence the infant’s health. approximately 20% of women worldwide are thought to be non-secretors, but this proportion is known to vary from country to country.

Investigating the impact of maternal HMO profiles in KenyaDespite increasing knowledge on hMos, data on the breast milk composition of women in sub-saharan africa is limited. Until now, it was also unclear whether vari-ations in hMo composition might have an effect on the way in which infants respond

to iron supplements and/or prebiotics in the form of gos.

the researchers therefore set out to deter-mine the secretor/non-secretor status and hMo profiles of lactating mothers in rural Kenya. they looked at whether this had an effect on the infant’s gut microbiome and on the infant’s response to a daily dose of iron, given either alone or together with gos. Data was collected and analysed from 75 mother–infant pairs who were taking part in a 4-month intervention trial. the infants (aged 6.5–9.5 months) were spread over three intervention groups that received no iron or gos, iron only, or iron and gos. the supplements were supplied to the mothers in the form of a daily sachet containing a micronutrient powder, which could be added to the infants’ food.

Maternal secretor status affects the infants’ response to iron fortificationanalysis of human milk oligosaccharide composition in maternal breast milk to determine secretor status revealed that 28% of the mothers were non-secretors, indicating that the prevalence of secre-tors in this region might be higher than average. hMo profiles of maternal breast milk samples showed clear differences between the secretor and non-secretor mothers: as expected, milk from the non-secretors contained no α-1-2-linked fucosylated oligosaccharides. When the infants’ stool samples were analysed us-ing 16s rDna sequencing and quantita-tive polymerase chain reaction (qPcR) for selected pathogenic bacteria, maternal secretor status was found to have no im-pact on the composition of the infant gut microbiome.

however, the researchers then looked at the three intervention groups separately and saw three key differences between in-fants of secretor and non-secretor moth-ers. Firstly, in the ‘no iron or gos’ control group, the infants of non-secretor mothers were more likely to get diarrhoea. secondly, in the ‘iron only’ group, the infants of non-secretor mothers had a greater decrease over the 4-month period in the relative abundance of protective bacteria. thirdly, in the ‘iron and gos’ group, infants of non-secretor mothers benefited the most from the co-provision of gos: these infants maintained protective bacteria, and had a significant increase in body iron stores over the 4-month period, while no such increase was seen in the infants of secretor mothers.

Future studies needed to determine the effect of giving iron together with specific HMOsthe results suggest that the hMo profile may modulate the way in which the in-fant gut microbiome responds to supple-mentary iron. In addition, compared with infants of secretor mothers, infants of non-secretor mothers appear to be more

identiFying inFants vulnerable to the adverse eFFects oF iron supplements

vitaFoods europe postponed until 1-3 september 2020

vulnerable to the adverse effect of iron. But this extra vulnerability also means that they likely derive greater benefit from the co-provision of prebiotics in the form of gos. Identifying such vulnerable infants is a new step towards a more specific approach of safely preventing anaemia. a possible direction of future research, therefore, is to determine the effect of specific hMos (those that are missing from the milk of non-secretor mothers) on the infant gut microbiota during the provision of sup-plementary iron. More research is needed on whether these specific hMos may be more effective than gos when it comes to counteracting iron’s harmful effects on the composition of the gut microbiome.

Collaborating institutesthis research was conducted by researchers from switzerland, Kenya and the netherlands.

switzerland: - Department of health sciences and technology, eth Zurich. - Department of Physiology and Zurich center for Integrative human Physiology,

Update from March 10, 2020

In light of the ongoing coVID-19 health situation, we have taken the difficult deci-sion to postpone Vitafoods europe 2020 until 1-3 september 2020.

this conclusion is not one that has been reached easily. however, following consul-tation with our stakeholders, and taking the continually evolving health concerns and travel restrictions into consideration, we are agreed the postponement is the best course of action.

By acting now, we hope to remove the uncertainty affecting exhibitors and visitors and allow them to make more concrete business decisions.

the event in september will still take place at Palexpo, geneva, switzerland, and all existing registrations and commitments re-main in place.

University of Zurich.

Kenya: - Department of Medical epidemiology, college of health sciences, Jomo Kenyatta University of agriculture and technology, nairobi.

the netherlands: - nIZo, ede.

About NIZO nIZo is world leading in contract research and contract manufacturing with more than 70 years of experience. customers are food and health companies which nIZo support in solving their challenges throughout the entire production chain. nIZo delivers development and application of innovations resulting in gains in product quality, sustainability, cost effectiveness and speed to market. nIZo is a private and independent company, with headquarters in ede, the netherlands.

Contact information: [email protected]: www.nizo.com

We understand how important Vitafoods europe is to the industry and how much effort goes into preparing for it and so, in this unprecedented situation and difficult time, thank our community for its under-standing and support. We’re looking for-

ward to coming together later in the year to continue to drive our industry forwards.

Chris Lee, Managing Director, Health and Nutrition Network at Informa Markets


the human body is a complex sys-tem. For every change in its phys-iological state, there is a related change on a mental or emotional

level, conscious or unconscious, and vice versa. In other words, brain and body are interconnected. Ingredients that link the mental and the physical – called nootrop-ics – boost cognitive functions in such a way that performance also improves.

Roughly translated, nootropic comes from the greek for “to shape the mind” and, for the last 20 years, cognitive health products have been more or less focused on aging baby boomers. today’s nootropics, how-ever, are increasingly targeted at millenni-als, a group of people who are constantly looking to increase the number of pro-ductive hours in their day, whether it’s for work, school or sports. While the natural algal antioxidant astaxanthin may be used primarily to support physical performance, it is also a potential nootropic because it alleviates fatigue and contributes to better concentration, vision and brain health.

that astaxanthin significantly reduced the perceived symptoms of mental and physi-cal fatigue compared with the placebo. Results included improvements in clarity of thinking, concentration, motivation and mood. With regard to the mental calcula-tions, an increase in errors observed in the placebo group during the second half of the test was almost eliminated in the astax-anthin group.

against this backdrop, it stands to reason that e-athletes could also benefit from astaxanthin. computer strategy games are extremely complex because in addition to the motor skills required, they demand a high degree of tactical understanding. In-deed, scientists at the german sports Uni-versity have found that e-sports athletes are exposed to physical strains similar to those of “normal” athletes. the amount of cortisol produced by the body of a gamer is about the same as that of a race-car driv-er. this is combined with a high pulse rate – sometimes as high as 160 to 180 beats per minute, the level reached during a very

Body and mind are oneFor athletes, nootropics may help overcome the mental barriers that prevent them from realising their full potential. Focus is what gets an athlete through the difficult last few sets of a workout or the final minutes of a long game. additionally, sportspeople know that mental acuity helps them avoid inju-ries. supplementing the diet with a natural nootropic like astaxanthin can help to sup-port mental clarity and focus, and fight fa-tigue – as has been shown in a double-blind placebo-controlled study. In the first study of its kind, participants were given 12 mg of astaReal® natural astaxanthin or a placebo for 8 weeks.

the study was designed to induce the fa-tigue and stresses of daily life and athletic training. to challenge their mental capac-ity, the participants were subjected to a number of timed calculations that required intense concentration. the physical com-ponent was performed using a bicycle er-gometer. at the end of the study period, Visual analogue scale analysis showed

fast run. It can therefore be seen that e-sports are just as demanding as most other types of sports. thus, an e-sports athlete’s diet should be similar to that of other com-petitive athletes, and include additional nutrients such as astaxanthin, which mod-ulates blood pressure and works as an anti-inflammatory.

Too much blue lightthe growing popularity of e-sports also il-lustrates another of modern society’s ma-jor issues. Use of multiple digital devices means that we are exposing our eyes to more blue light than ever before. Research indicates that this overexposure may be dis-rupting our sleep cycles and consequently contributing to fatigue, hypertension and insulin resistance. too much light in the 380-500 nm range has been implicated in decreased visual acuity – known as com-puter vision syndrome – possibly linked to oxidative stress. In the eyes, light reacts with oxygen, generating free radicals (Ros) that are harmful to the local cells and the optic nerve. a pan-european survey carried out by yougov in 2016 found that eight out of ten european millennials experience digital device related eye fatigue, with the aver-age worker spending more than 45 hours in front of a computer screen every week.

as blue light reduces contrast, it contrib-utes to eye fatigue. this makes it more dif-ficult for the ciliary muscles to focus the eye. With time, the eye lens becomes in-creasingly rigid, making it even harder for the ciliary muscles to adjust our vision for near focus. however, astaxanthin accumu-lates in the front and the back of the eye, providing all-round protection: it neutral-ises Ros, reduces inflammation and im-proves capillary blood flow – not only in the eyes, but also in the brain.

Keeping the brain in tuneas a nootropic supplement, astaxanthin is known to cross the blood-brain barrier and confer protection to brain cells. the brain is particularly vulnerable to oxidative damage. thus, it is hardly surprising that Ros play a role in many neurological diseases. a healthy human body’s antioxidant defence system keeps the generation of Ros under control. however, these defences get weaker under high levels of physical or mental strain and as we age. therefore, supplementation with dietary antioxidants such as astaxanthin is important. owing to its unique molecular structure, natural astaxanthin is more effec-tive than other antioxidants in neutralising Ros: this is particularly important consider-ing the large number of mitochondria and the amount of energy used by the brain.

the energy production process in the “power plants” of the cells generates huge amounts of Ros and can cause a redox imbalance, which fosters mitochondrial dysfunction and ultimately leads to neu-rodegenerative conditions. Many diseases, such as alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, are associated with mitochondrial damage. natural astaxanthin works against lipid peroxidation in the mitochondria and is, in this respect, 550 times more effective than vitamin e. It also decreases oxidation of red blood cells, which is linked to the prevention of dementia. Randomized dou-ble-blind, placebo-controlled studies have shown that supplementation with natural astaxanthin (12 mg/daily) for three months improves memory, mental agility and mul-titasking in senior subjects complaining of age-related forgetfulness.

Not all natural astaxanthin is created equalas discussed above, natural astaxanthin is a promising nootropic. and the more we learn about the relationship between brain and body, the more exciting the prospects for this ingredient seem to be. In fact, Inno-va Market Insights found that brain health was the fastest growing health proposi-tion within the antioxidant category, with an average annual growth rate of 48.6% between 2012 and 2016. In addition, ac-cording to Innova Market Insights 28% of all new supplement launches tracked with astaxanthin in 2018 featured a brain/mood health claim. Increasing consumption of antioxidants in the food and supplements segments is also expected to fuel the astaxanthin market, with countries such as germany, the UK and Italy being the ma-jor contributors to this growth. as more people seek out antioxidant products to support their wellness, natural astaxanthin is becoming more and more appealing to nutraceutical manufacturers who are look-

staying sharp

ing to expand product lines. thus, it’s not surprising that between 2014 and 2018, there was a 18% increase in new product launches tracked with “astaxanthin” in eu-rope.

Quality is paramount when it comes to nat-ural astaxanthin, however. as it is sourced from algae, the ingredient’s quality is af-fected by the environment in which these microorganisms are cultivated. Unfortu-nately, as the market is growing, low-quality products are appearing. therefore, when choosing an astaxanthin supplier, compa-nies should pay attention to their produc-tion methods, the stability and purity of their products, the astaxanthin content in the bi-omass and their quality certifications.

astaReal pioneered the development of natural astaxanthin as a nutritional ingre-dient and, in the early 1990s, became the first company in the world to commercially produce natural astaxanthin from microal-gae. today, astaReal® is the most studied brand of natural astaxanthin worldwide, with a portfolio of over 60 human clinical trials conducted among more than 1,800 participants. the cultivation process the company has in place features the tight-est controls in the industry. Unlike other companies who also source astaxanthin from haematococcus pluvialis, astaReal eschewed outdoor production methods as they are susceptible to contamination. the pioneer cultivates and processes its algae indoors under controlled conditions in specially designed photobioreactors. this results in a safe product with at least 5% astaxanthin content in the biomass and without any impurities.

For more information: www.astareal.seFor a list of references, please contact AstaReal: [email protected]

natural astaxanthin keeps body and mind in shape

winter issue 2020 - nutraceuticals now · 2020. 3. 23. · 1. markets and markets, ‘dairy...

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