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UNPA MEMBER NEWS Nature’s Sunshine 45th anniversary draws key Utah politicos Salt Lake Tribune Utah political heavyweights, including Sen. Orrin Hatch, Gov. Gary Herbert, Attorney General Sean Reyes and Rep. Mia Love turned out to help iconic Utah business Nature’s Sunshine celebrate its 45th anniversary. An innovator in both dietary supplements and multilevel marketing, the company, founded by Kristine and Gene Hughes, along with sister-in-law Pauline Hughes, is a quintessential Utah success story. Sen. Hatch commended the Hughes for taking the company from nothing to great heights with great entrepreneurial spirit. Read more→ REGULATORY
Food industry requests delay in nutrition labeling overhaulConsumerist Three years after the federal government pledged to overhaul the Nutrition Facts labeling for the first time in 20 years, a group of food industry executives and trade groups are asking FDA to delay implementation of the changes for another three years. In a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, the groups say they remain committed to implementing the changes, but add it can be done with less complexity and cost. Read more→M&A ACTIVITY Potential auction sale of Nature's Bounty attracts interest; Atkins sold in $856 million dealReuters.com, Nutraceuticals World Bankers are working on debt packages of $1.5 billion to back the potential sale of Nature’s Bounty. First-round bids for an auction are due next week, and the sale is expected to attractive significant interest from buyout funds and strategic buyers. Conyers Park Acquisitions Corp. has entered an agreement with Atkins Nutritionals to combine under a new holding company, The Simply Good Foods Company. Atkins is currently owned by Roark Capital Group. Read coverage: LPC-Bankers prepare $1.5 billion to supplement Nature’s Bounty sale→ Atkins Nutritionals acquired in $856 million deal→UNPA NEWS Register today for the 2017 UNPA Members'RetreatUnited Natural Products Association With the adobe-clad LaFonda on the Plaza as the venue for the 2017 UNPA Members' Retreat, UNPA will welcome more than 100 members to historic Santa Fe, N.M., on May 22-24. The program offers unparalleled networking and a diverse educational program sure to stimulate all attendees. Room rates are guaranteed until April 22, so plan your trip today! Read more→ Register for these upcoming industry events Ingredient Marketplace, April 18-20, Orlando, Fla., produced by member company Informa Exhibitions. See "UNPA Member Discounts" at right for special offer. Wasatch Scientific Open House, April 19, Murray, Utah. Wasatch is a UNPA member. The Practitioner Channel Forum, April 26-28, San Diego, produced by UNPA member Holistic Primary Care. See "UNPA Member Discounts" at right for special offer. USP Dietary Supplement Stakeholder Forum, May 7, Rockville, Md. CHPA Dietary Supplement Seminar, May 10, N. Bethesda, Md. UNPA is a host of this event, produced by CHPA; Loren Israelsen is speaking. Recently posted at unpa.com: "An Industry Perspective on Botanical Quality & Compliance," presentation at ICSB 2017 by Larisa Pavlick(requires member log in) 2017 Expo West Members’ Meeting PPT (log in) “New Dietary Ingredients: Enforcement” presentation at 2017 Expo West by Larisa Pavlick FDA Inspections, Part II by Larisa Pavlick, UNPA VP, Global Regulatory & Compliance (log in) FDA Inspections 101 by Larisa Pavlick, UNPA VP, Global Regulatory & Compliance(log in) The PPT presentations from NDI III: Roadmap to a Viable NDI Policy, UNPA member price: $295 Plus, updated industry events calendar,Member Memos (log in) and UNPA educational archives (log in).REGULATORY Glyphosate to be added to Prop 65 list of cancer-causing chemicalsFoodnavigator-usa.com The herbicide glyphosate is to be added to a list of chemicals known to cause cancer under California’s Prop 65 legislation. The ruling means companies producing products that contain residues of the popular herbicide may have to feature warning labels in the future. The effective date of the listing is pending while Monsanto, which uses glyphosate in Roundup, tries to block the listing in a legal challenge. Read more→ADULTERATION Sabinsa takes court action against Biotikon for synthetic curcurmin adulterationSabinsa Corp. UNPA member Sabinsa Corp. has taken legal action against German company Biotikon Produkte der Komplementärmedzin for selling curcumin supplements described as derived from curcumin root that actually contained synthetic curcumin as confirmed by independent testing, according to Sabinsa. After requesting the company cease and desist, Sabinsa says it saw no alternative but to initiate actions in German civil court. Read more→MEDIA WATCH Media renews attacks on supplements, anticipating lax regulatory environmentThe Atlantic, Daily Beast Starting with its description of a fake ad featuring Anderson Cooper, Stephen Hawking and a product called Synagen IQ, this overview of the supplements industry from The Atlantic accuses the industry of outlandish claims to undermine credible science and seed confusion. The story suggests that the free-market approach to supplements fails due to subtleties and timescales of human health. Similarly, a Daily Beast article by frequent industry critic Paul Offit, M.D., that focuses on Trump’s HHS Secretary Tom Price, points out that Price doesn’t seem eager to take on supplements. Read coverage: Vitamins and the failure of free-market health→ Tom Prices’ other failure: Snake oil supplements→LEGAL DEA rule sends chill throughout hemp industryNaturalProductsINSIDER A marijuana extract rule adopted by the Drug Enforcement Administration“stands to chill the entire legal hemp industry through confusion, misinterpretation and misapplication of law," according to the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) in a brief filed last week. HIA and its co-plaintiffs blasted DEA’s final rule establishing a drug code for marijuana extracts, which would require registration of all hemp commercial activity with the DEA. Read more→RETAIL Activist investors take 8.3 percent stake in Whole Foods; UNFI sees stock drop in wake of announcementFoodnavigator-usa.com, Supermarket News Activist investors led by Jana Partners are taking an active stake in Whole Foods Markets stock, according to an SEC filing, which says the company must take radical action to address its recent chronic underperformance. The new investors argue WFMI must re-engineer poorly performing procurement and distribution strategies. UNFI, a major supplier to WFM, saw some collateral damage from the announcement as its stock plummeted following the 13D filing by Jana Partners. Read coverage: Activists buy Whole Foods stock to address chronic underperformance→ UNFI takes hit in Whole Food investment→ICSB COVERAGE Quality, testing components, adverse events data and proposed Health Canada regulations amongtopics at annual Oxford ConferenceNutraingredients-usa.com Industry needs to do a better job of communicating to consumers the parameters of supplement quality, noted UNPA VP of Global Regulatory and Compliance Larisa Pavlick at last week's International Conference on the Science of Botanicals (ICSB) during a session on industry perspectives of quality. Also, during a first-ever town hall forum, the market-facing discussion centered on the difficulty of setting quality standards and making that pay. Separately, a lack of proper specifications was noted as one of the most common issues cited in FDA warnings, according to Holly Johnson, lab director of Alkemist Labs, who said companies seem unaware that specifying a test is part of crafting a specification and should be part of a CFR. The cart blanche release of adverse events data could give a skewed view of the supplement industry, according to Rick Kingston, of the University of Minnesota and SafetyCall International, in this interview at ICSB. He notes that the data collected does not represent very usable data from which to draw safety information. Health Canada recently published its “what we heard” report noting differences of opinion about a new structure of classifying products. Krista Coventry, director of regulatory services, Eastern Canada for Source Nutraceuticals, explained some of the concerns, including industry worry that natural health product and non-prescription drugs would be lumped together under one set of legislation. Read coverage: Panel: Consumers don’t understand much about quality→ Testing component of specifications often overlooked, expert says→ Adverse events database not useful for drawing safety conclusions→ What’s happening with Health Canada’s proposed NHP changes?→SUPPLEMENT SAFETY DOD website details supplement safety for military personnelNutraceuticals World Health care providers, commanders and military service members can now find "evidence-based" answers about dietary supplements on a new Department of Defense program website called Operation Supplement Safety. The site was recently launched to help promote awareness and education among military personnel about supplement usage and safety. Read more→GLOBAL REGULATORY EU-backed program urges EFSA to simplify claims processNutraingredients.com Health claim applications to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) are too lengthy and too expensive, experts from an EU-backed program said during its recent online conference. The reduction of disease risk claims on food and drinks (Rediclaim) project discussed both current advantages and problems during the recent webinar. Read more→RETAIL Seattle’s PCC opens 12th store; Sprouts may eye new markets; small retailers thrive with personal serviceSeattle Times, Supermarket News, Entrepreneur Seattle-based PCC Natural Markets will make its first foray into the southern part of the city when it opens its 12th co-op store next year. The nation's largest natural foods co-op has partnerships with Amazon and Instacart and has been experimenting with in-store concepts, such as a taqueria, a café and hot and cold food bars. Sprouts says its current focus is on existing markets, noting detailed plans for 11 new stores in the second half of 2017, all of which are in existing operational areas. It website, however, lists a real estate director for region that covers the Mid-Atlantic. The belief that ecommerce is the reason for brick-and-mortar retail's struggles is overblown, according to some analysts, who say that some big-box retailers that pursue online strategies may actually be competing with themselves. Meanwhile, small retailers are making the most of their spaces by staying in close contact with customers. Read coverage: PCC will expand to the south with Burien location→ Sprouts may be eyeing new regions→ How retailers are thriving despite the supposed death of their industry→UNPA MEMBER NEWS NOW founder Elwood Richard remembered for enduring industry impactNOW Foods Elwood Richard, founder of natural products industry leader NOW Foods, has passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer. Elwood will be remembered for leading NOW through decades of growth, expanding product lines and manufacturing facilities, yet he never wavered from his original belief that good health should be available to everyone, not just the affluent. Read more→ Ethical Naturals expands science on Oregon cranberryNutraingredients-usa.com Ethical Naturals Inc. has announced the completion of two new studies to support the anti-adhesion activity efficacy of its Cranberex cranberry extract. The studies, conducted at Rutgers University, were in vitro and a human study with 10 participants. Data from the human study demonstrated enhanced anti-adhesion activity in all participants. Read more→ MegaFood attains certification for non-GMO certified probioticsMegaFood MegaFood is one of the first supplement brands to add the Non-GMO Project Verified seal to a probiotic product--MegaFood’s probiotic line, MegaFlora, which includes six different customized formulas. To make the certification possible, the company worked with the Non-GMO Project to help establish new industry-wide verification standards for the probiotic category, which included evolving standards to fit the unique aspects of live cultures. Read more→ PLT Health Solutions names Michelle Jenkins as west coast territory managerUnited Natural Products Alliance PLT Health Solutions announced the appointment of Michelle Jenkins as west coast territory manager for the company’s natural products industry sales team. Jenkins brings more than a decade of experience in science-based solutions and brand development for nutraceutical ingredients, including stints at AstaReal, Blanver Farmoquimica and B&D Nutritional Ingredients. Read more→INTERNATIONAL MARKETS Four key factors driving supplement growth in Southeast AsiaNutraingredients.com While supplement firms who view Southeast Asia as one homogenous market are doomed to failure, analysts at LEK Consulting do say there are four key consumer trends common to all markets. They include a growing middle class, changing demographics, increased awareness of health and wellness and better access to products. Read more→RESEARCH Polyphenols improve insulin sensitivity; exploding probiotics fight bacteria; probiotics, omega-3s a good team; milk thistle fights inflammation; vitamin C helps chemo treatmentsNutraingredients-usa.com, Nutraingredients.com, Nutritional Outlook, Time.com Improved insulin sensitivity was noted in overweight and obese, non-diabetic, insulin-resistant, human-study participants after a six-week dietary intervention with polyphenols, published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Scientists in Singapore have managed to alter some E. coli probiotics strains to sense and kill a harmful gut pathogen, which they say would be used to help prevent certain diseases. The co-microencapsulation of probiotic bacteria with omega-3-rich tuna oil improved its survival and intestinal adhering ability and also helped to retain a higher proportion of omega-3 fatty acids in the digestive system, according to Australian researchers in this first-of-its-kind study. Euromed has shared new study results suggesting its milk thistle extract may help suppress inflammation in immune cells, including in cells from HIV-positive subjects. In studies testing the safety and effectiveness of vitamin C in people with cancer,researchers found that high doses of the vitamin during chemotherapy and radiation may actually make cancer cells more vulnerable to the therapies, according to a study published in Cancer Cell. Read coverage: Strawberry, cranberry polyphenols may improve insulin sensitivity→ 'Exploding' genetically engineered probiotics strains could fight bacterial infections→ Probiotics and omega-3: Co-microencapsulation boost bacteria survival and fatty acid retention→ Milk thistle extract helps inhibit inflammation in immune cells→ How vitamin C may help cancer treatments work better→FDA WARNING LETTERS & GUIDANCES Current FDA enforcement actions and guidancesKeep 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. Read more→ Search and sign up for a variety of FDA Guidances. Comments are closed.
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