Herbal supplement sales pass $8 billion, ABC reports

TOP STORY
Herbal supplement sales pass $8 billion, ABC reports
Total consumer spending on herbal dietary supplements in the U.S. reached an estimated $8.1 billion in 2017, with the strongest sales growth in more than 15 years, according to the recently published HerbalGram Herb Market Report for 2017, appearing in ABC's quarterly journal. For the fifth consecutive year, horehound, an herb commonly found in natural cough drops and lozenges, ranked first in total mainstream U.S. retail sales. Turmeric experienced the strongest mainstream sales growth in this channel, with a 46.7 percent increase in sales from 2016. Turmeric supplements also performed well in the U.S. natural retail channel, where they had the highest overall sales in 2017. Read more→

UNPA NEWS
FSVP training in Sandy, Utah, Sept. 20-21
Next week! Watch the new video: "Five reasons to attend." If you import ingredients for food or dietary supplement use, click on the link above to see the new video and if you should attend this FSMA-based training session. This two-day training provides a certificate issued by FSPCA.
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 NEW! UNPA/Eurofins CBD and Dietary Supplement SymposiumJoin the UNPA and Eurofins staffs on Oct. 4 at Eurofins' Lafayette, Colo., facility for this one-day symposium discussing the regulatory and legislative status of hemp/CBD products and a deep dive into testing and analytical methods issues.

UNPA launches new website!
The association debuted a new website server and a new website. Member log in is not yet functioning. Once fully operational, the new site will offer a host of new features, including an interactive member directory, streamlined event registration, expanded committee and member resources and integration with UNPA’s communications and membership functions. This is in addition to members-only archives, content, presentations and education. We ask for your patience as we continue to upload content and complete site functionality.

M&A ACTIVITY
NCN transaction database records 443 transactions for first half of 2018
Transaction activity in the nutrition and health and wellness industry leveled off in the first half of 2018 after four years of dramatic growth, with the number of mergers and acquisitions down 10 percent on an annualized basis and financings up 3 percent compared to 2017. As the second half of the year began in August, natural beverage deals continued to dominate, but the month ended with a surge of activity in biotech, distribution and supplements.

 TRADE
AHPA seeks China tariff relief for supplements
The American Herbal Products Association has submitted comments to the Office of the United States Trade Representative to request that a proposed 25 percent duty on Chinese imports be revised to remove from this new tariff burden numerous ingredients used in dietary supplements and other herbal products manufactured and marketed in the United States.

 REGULATORY
Which dietary supplements are on FDA’s radar?
Close observers of the dietary supplement industry have a variety of metaphors for describing the sector’s regulatory state-of-play, but given the current administration’s inclination toward relaxed regulating, is FDA as ready, able, and willing as ever to take action against supplement ingredients that arouse its suspicion? This article offers the opinions of UNPA members Greenberg Traurig and NSF.

PRODUCT TESTING
Study finds unpredictable amounts of poorly understood stimulant in sports, weight loss supplements
A new study has found that supplements marketed for weight loss and sports applications that contain the ingredient higenamine had widely varying and unpredictable dosages of this stimulant.

HEMP/CANNABIS/CBD
Marijuana bill scheduled for congressional vote this week
The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing this week regarding the Medical Cannabis Research Act, which would expand the number of federal licenses available for scientific study of marijuana. Some provisions of the bill, however, have generated opposition for drug-policy reform groups.
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 CV Sciences self-affirms GRAS status of hemp extract
CV Sciences has self-affirmed that its hemp-derived "CBD Gold" extract is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS). CV Sciences said it’s the only hemp CBD nutraceutical company to invest in the scientific evidence necessary to achieve this sought-after designation. The company’s counsel Greenberg Traurig cautions that while this is positive news the status doesn’t change the fact that the FDA still considers CBD a non-permissible ingredient due to the investigation of a new drug. However, if the ingredient investigated by GW Pharma is sufficiently distinguished, it does pave the way for strong arguments about its use in foods and beverages.

QUALITY INITIATIVES
SIDI work group updates protocol to maintain supply chain integrity of dietary supplement industry
The dietary supplement industry’s self-regulatory coalition, the SIDI Work Group, has released an updated version of the Standardized Information on Dietary Ingredients (SIDI) protocol. In addition to features that enable enhanced customizability, the newly released protocol makes available templates for dietary ingredient datasheets and a site quality overview as companion tools. The joint initiative between CHPA, CRN and UNPA will streamline the ingredient qualification requirements and harmonize the "inside-speak" of the process.

REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
Being prepared for an audit at all times
To vouch for product quality and remain consistently competitive without worries of shutdowns or recalls, companies should be strategic and intentional to be “audit prepared” at all times.

OPERATIONS
Five critical steps to building scientific advisory boards that drive ROI
Before building winning scientific advisory boards, health and nutrition companies must consider the board’s goals, members and expectations.

NANOTECHNOLOGY
Knowledge gaps prevent full risk assessment of supplement nano pigments, study says
The European Chemicals Agency has identified a number of knowledge gaps in the hazard and risk assessment of nano-sized pigments used for coloring a range of products including supplements.

PARTNERSHIPS
Responding to rise of keto product launches, Phytochem to distribute micro-encapsulated MCT
California-based ingredient supplier Phytochem inked a deal with Chinese firm Shaanxi Healthful Bioengineering (HSF Biotech) to distribute the latter’s micro-encapsulated MCT powder in the United States.

COMMENTARY
Don’t let state legislation affecting food, dietary supplements fly under the radar
The industry must be vigilant and ready to respond to legislative state activities, and it’s a good idea to proactively forge relationships to educate state policymakers regarding issues impacting dietary supplements and food, says Rend Al-Mondhiry of UNPA member Amin Talati Upadhye LLP.

PROBIOTICS
No BBC, probiotics are not 'quite useless'
A new BBC article dismisses the benefits of probiotics because a study failed to find colonization. It is a serious mistake to confuse colonization with efficacy, and we need to get this message across to consumers.

SPORTS NUTRITION
Online reviews shaping how sports nutrition products are sold
Reviews as a selling tool are being identified as the new currency for shaping the sports nutrition market, according to market analyst Lumina Intelligence.

 Glanbia betting on a 'Keurig-like' device for sports nutrition
Glanbia Performance Nutrition, owner of Optimum Nutrition and BSM, signed a letter of intent last week with GüdPod, which makes a Keurig-like device to prepare liquid supplements.

SUPPLY CHAIN
Using technology to improve supply chain transparency
Contract manufacturers can use technology to improve communication, such as barcoding that can offer full transparency, according to UNPA member Arizona Nutritionals, which worked with Amazon to implement its authenticity platform.

ORGANIC
Organic Trade Association drives voluntary organic check-off effort
The Organic Trade Association and other supporters have set up committees to pursue funding an organic check-off program that USDA killed in May.

GMOs
Center for Food Safety calls for court decision on GE labeling delay
The U.S. Department of Agriculture missed its July 19 deadline to issue the genetically engineered food disclosure law, so the Center for Food Safety is asking a federal judge to force the agency to do so. The labeling law was passed in 2016, and the lawsuit regarding the missed deadline was filed Aug. 1.

SUSTAINABILITY
The future of supplements is clean, green and sustainable
The same shoppers that meticulously read food labels want clean label supplements, as well. The desire for clean-label supplements has also moved consumers away from capsules and tablets toward powders and liquids. In a profile of five supplements that exemplify clean label, one of the examples is UNPA member MegaFood (Pharmavite).

UNPA MEMBER NEWS
'Mineral Power' educational program developed for children
Through the support of Jigsaw Health, Shape Up Us has introduced a new "Mineral Power" curriculum with an emphasis on magnesium as part of the Hip Hop Healthy Program for Children. The program focuses on the "Whole Child" and features eight modules in the areas of nutrition, exercise, mindfulness and sustainability.

Sami-Sabinsa founder, Sami Labs honored by India's Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry
Sabinsa founder Muhammed Majeed and Sabinsa’s parent company Sami Labs were honored recently with several awards by the Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India (ASSOCHAM). The awards were presented at the ASSOCHAM National Symposium on Nutraceuticals, Functional Food and Dietary Supplements in New Delhi. Among the awards, Majeed received a Shield of Honor from India’s Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey, in recognition of his pioneering research and outstanding achievement in the nutraceutical industry. Sami Labs was honored with two Certificate of Excellence Awards: Best Nutraceutical Company and Best Herbal Research Company. 

MOU PARTNER NEWS
Goldenseal conservation status is subject to in depth HerbalGram article
The current issue of the American Botanical Council's HerbalGram features a comprehensive, 16-page article about the conservation status of goldenseal. In the article, titled “Protecting Goldenseal: How Status Assessments Inform Conservation,” the authors explain that, while increased commercial cultivation of goldenseal has helped alleviate pressure on wild populations, the species still is threatened by land conversion, overharvesting and other factors.

MARKET RESEARCH
Is growing consumer scrutiny and 'mainstream protein' putting sports nutrition under pressure?
More than 70 percent of U.K.-based users of sports nutrition would like to see an industry-wide certification that ensures the quality of ingredients, according to new Mintel data that also suggests a blurring of lines between traditional sports nutrition products and “on trend” high protein foods.

Weight and age managing products prove popular in aiding healthier lifestyles
Growing consumer numbers are driving the global sales of weight management products in response to soaring overweight and obesity rates as meal replacement powders or bars find an audience eager to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Seventy-one percent of U.S. probiotic products have a 'free-from' claim
U.S. probiotic products lead the world when it comes to "free-from" claims on labels, with gluten-free perhaps unsurprisingly leading the way, according to data from Lumina Intelligence.

Gen Z does not equal little millennials
While many industry analysts and pundits have surmised that Gen Zs will be an enhanced version of millennials, Hartman Group’s new Gen Z 2018 report  found that currently, they look quite different from millennials, who are looking for quality cues, transparency and sustainability credentials, simple ingredients, nutrient density, and new and exciting flavor experiences. Gen Z are still forming their shopping habits but  focus on value and frugality.

RESEARCH
Review supports astaxanthin’s role as a 'mitochondrial nutrient'
Astaxanthin’s strong antioxidant activity may help prevent mitochondrial dysfunction, which could explain its strong potential benefits for a range of health conditions, says a new mini-review from South Korea.

The long-lasting benefits of supplements and the fascinating study that nobody is talking about
A decade after the end of a randomized clinical trial, the benefits of dietary supplements not only persisted, but seemed to be getting bigger. So why are we not talking about this more?

 Mulberry leaf extract's blood sugar management potential backed by new study
Adding to the scientific literature backing mulberry leaf extract’s blood sugar management benefits is a mouse study that looked at its effect on glucose uptake in skeletal muscle cells.

Annatto tocotrienols support metabolic and bone health, according to two animal studies
Two similar but separate animal studies found that supplementation with tocotrienols from annatto beans (DeltaGold from American River Nutrition; Hadley, Mass.) in rodents with induced metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes not only supported blood sugar but also bone health.FDA WARNING LETTERS & GUIDANCES

Current FDA enforcement actions and guidances
Keep up to date on FDA’s current enforcement actions, including general warning letters, recall information and GMP compliance issues, with this link to FDA's website. 

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