Lucky’s Market reportedly closing the majority of its stores, including 20 Florida locations

TOP STORY
Lucky’s Market reportedly closing the majority of its stores, including 20 Florida locations The Boulder, Colo.-based natural retailer has plans to shut down 32 of its 39 stores. This news comes hot on the heels of Kroger's December announcement that it would be divesting its ownership share in the company. The natural and organic foods grocer was founded in 2003 by husband and wife Bo and Trish Sharon. Read more→

UNPA NEWS

FSVP training, February 11-12 in Utah 
Do you import ingredients or finished goods? Do you know your obligations under the Foreign Supplier Verification Programs regulation? Join former FDA Investigator and UNPA VP, Global Regulatory & Compliance Larisa Pavlick for this certificate-based training. Click on the title for more information, why you might need to attend and to register.

Expo West Members' Meeting set for March 4 in Anaheim 
Members’ Meeting: 8-9am
Open House/Meet & Greet: 9-10am
Plan to join your fellow UNPA members at the association’s annual members' meeting at Natural Products Expo West—the meeting is open to all UNPA members and invited guests, and there is no charge to attend. RSVP here.

Early-bird discount through Feb. 15 for annual Dietary Supplement Regulatory Summit, May 27, in Washington 
This fifth annual, one-day summit hosted by UNPA, AHPA, CHPA and CRN provides an intensive deep dive into pressing and topical federal regulatory issues of ultimate importance to the dietary supplement industry. Topics at this year's event include hemp/CBD, DSHEA 2.0, NDI/GRAS and much, much more. UNPA members receive discounted registration using the code AssociationMemberEarlyBird, and early-bird rates run through Feb. 15. Click here for more information.

LEGAL
Contract manufacturer recalls products under more than 1,200 brand names A New York-based contract manufacturer, doing business as ABH Nature’s Products Inc., ABH Pharma Inc., and Stocknutra.com, has recalled hundreds of lines of products manufactured over a period of almost seven years in a consent decree with a U.S. District Court in New York.

HEMP/CANNABINOIDS
CBD industry investing in safety studies amid FDA concerns Ongoing toxicological studies by the hemp industry could placate an agency that has raised unanswered questions about the safety of CBD and contribute to avoiding a crisis like the one in the vaping industry tied to severe respiratory illnesses.
 Mass market sales of hemp, CBD projected to spike in 2020 Nutrition Business Journal estimates that sales of hemp CBD-based products will reach $4 billion by 2023 and that the channel dynamics will shift rapidly in the market over the next few years.
 Warning letter analysis shows FDA has target on CBD, not hemp An analysis of recent warning letters underscores the notion that FDA has focused its enforcement efforts on CBD and is not targeting hemp extracts, per se.

CHINA/TRADE
US-China trade deal ushers in opportunity as GNC expands east A partial U.S.-China trade agreement will reduce tariffs on some imported Chinese goods used by U.S.-based supplement and food companies. The American Herbal Products Association notes that U.S. companies may wish to delay imports until Feb. 14, when the lower rates come into effect.

M&A ACTIVITY
Evonik's personal care arm expands nutricosmetic interest with U.S. acquisition Phytochemical firm Evonik Industries is to acquire Wilshire Technologies in a move to beef up its Care Solutions business line with a nutricosmetics component.

OBITUARY
In memoriam: Judith Strassler of Reviva Labs Reviva Labs CEO and owner Judith Strassler passed away peacefully on the evening of Jan. 19. In a statement, the company noted that Reviva Labs has lost more than just its business owner. “To the close-knit family at Reviva, Judith was more than a friend and colleague—she was like a second mother. Judith was a shining beacon of positive energy through every challenge and accomplishment.”

INVESTMENT
Food allergy supplement gets Shark Tank investment A new dietary supplement aimed at food allergy suppression has received an investment after a Shark Tank TV show appearance, which points to the increasing interest in this category of products.GLOBAL

REGULATORY
ASA bars nutrient drink ad and its hangover-addressing properties The U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority calls time on Bounce Back Drinks after the Scottish firm claims in an advertorial that its “After-Alcohol Revival Drink” can prevent, treat or cure hangovers.
 Soy phosphatidylserine approved for cognitive health claims in Australia, New Zealand In Australia and New Zealand, products with soy phosphatidylserine can now make the claim that the product supports the "maintenance and/or improvement of cognitive function and brain health."
 ANSES reports anaphylaxis tied to passionflower supplement French authorities say an anaphylaxis case linked to consumption of a passionflower-containing food supplement is “severe enough to bring this case’s attention to the general public.”

​PROBIOTICS
Consumers must question online probiotic health claims Researchers are calling for improvements to the quality of online probiotic information, after a study finds websites utilizing unreliable sources and health claims unsupported by strong scientific proof.

BOTANICALS
Duckweed grower hails potentially game-changing B12 discovery A U.S. company claims to have unearthed a natural plant-based source of vitamin B12 in its water lentil, or duckweed, crop.
 Researcher hails warrilyu as truly remarkable, seeks to bring seed to the forefront A team of researchers from the University of Queensland took to the Australian desert to learn about indigenous nutrition with a focus on warrilyu (Eucalyptus pachyphylla) and its use by Aboriginal peoples.
 Johns Hopkins scientists give psychedelics the serious treatment Psychedelic drugs—once promising research subjects that were decades ago relegated to illicit experimentation in dorm rooms—have been steadily making their way back into the lab for a revamped 21st-century-style look.

INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
How Google is reshaping the flow of healthcare information Recent changes to Google’s search algorithms and advertising policies have radically reshaped the flow of online information about holistic medical alternatives. The moves have had significant impact on many websites that promote natural alternatives, and they raise profound questions about freedom of information and the role of major online platforms in mediating online medical dialog.

PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
Nutrition leaders propose definition for personalized nutrition In an effort to promote and scale efforts in research, education, clinical practice and policy, leaders of the newly established American Nutrition Association have published a proposed definition of personalized nutrition. Authors say a definition could serve the broader nutrition-science community by fostering standards in research, data, products and clinical practice.

UNPA MEMBER COMPANY NEWS
Forever Living Products packages five million meals to fight world hunger Forever Living Products has reached its goal of providing five million meals to help combat world hunger. Over the course of two years, thousands of employees and Forever Business Owners came together to volunteer at meal-packing events and raise money to feed families and children all over the world.

doTERRA initiates new sustainable shipping solutions doTERRA is introducing new sustainable shipping solutions for North America in early 2020 as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability. Changes include replacing plastic bubble wrap and air pillows with paper options; using shipping boxes made from sustainable forestry that contain less corrugate and include more recycled materials; and printing with soy-based ink.

MOU PARTNER NEWS
Natural Algae Astaxanthin Association names Allen Levine as new president The Natural Algae Astaxanthin Association (NAXA) has chosen Ford Levine Sales Group to lead the organization. Allen Levine, a partner in the Ford Levine Sales Group, will serve as NAXA’s president. NAXA is comprised of manufacturers, growers, and marketers of natural algae astaxanthin.

MARKETING
How 360-degree visuals can help boost digital food and beverage sales The start of 2020 means that a new Nutrition Facts label is beginning to appear on store shelves across the country. Hi-resolution, spinning images for online shoppers that clearly display the label can help brands rise to the top.

RESEARCH
Flame retardants, pesticides overtake metals as contributors of IQ loss Adverse outcomes from childhood exposures to lead and mercury are on the decline in the United States, likely due to decades of restrictions on the use of heavy metals, a new study from New York  University finds. However, exposure to these and other toxic chemicals, especially flame retardants and pesticides, still resulted in more than a million cases of intellectual disability in the U.S. between 2001 and 2016.

FMT can reduce depression in injured patients The digestive track could help explain the link between spinal injuries and changes in mental health, such as increased anxiety and depression, according to a new FMT study from the University of Alberta.

Probiotic strain may protect against Parkinson’s disease, early data suggests A new study into a specific probiotic strain suggests its ability to slow and perhaps reverse build ups of protein associated with the development of Parkinson’s Disease.

Polyphenol-rich extract supports memory and attention A study recently published in Antioxidants found that supplementation with a polyphenol-rich extract from grape and blueberry supports cognitive performance. 

Vitamin treatment for sepsis fails in large trial Hope for an effective and inexpensive treatment for the deadly condition sepsis has dimmed following results of a major new study published in JAMA. Researchers had hoped that a simple treatment involving infusions of vitamin C, vitamin B1 and steroids would work against a disease that kills an estimated 270,000 people annually in the U.S. and 11 million globally.

Gut microbiome may personalize exercise response The gut microbiota may determine how effective exercise is on glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in patients with prediabetes, a German-Chinese study claims.

​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.

Search and sign up for a variety of FDA Guidances.