U.K. reclassifies certain glucosamine products as medicines

TOP STORY
U.K. reclassifies certain glucosamine products as medicines
​Following a review of the classification of glucosamine-containing products prompted by a 2016 court of appeal judgement, the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced its intention to reclassify products with a level of base glucosamine equal to or greater than 1178 mg/day as medicines. This is based both on the evidence of pharmacological effect and because it is clear, MHRA says, most people use glucosamine for a medicinal purpose. The ruling means products containing at least 1178 mg/day of glucosamine cannot continue to be sold without a marketing authorization. The ruling will effect many food supplements currently on the market. Read more→

UNPA NEWS
UNPA PCQI training, Dec. 5-7, in Lehi, UtahUNPA announces a new Preventive Controls for Human Food and Dietary Supplements: PCQI Training, scheduled for Dec. 5-7, in Lehi, Utah. This training is certified by FSPCA in cooperation with FDA and is an integral and necessary requirement of FSMA.
 UNPA member discount for AHPA Botanical Congress at SSWUNPA has collaborated with the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) to extend AHPA member pricing to UNPA members for the 7th Annual AHPA Botanical Congress, to be held on Saturday, Nov. 10, at the SupplySide West trade show in Las Vegas. UNPA members register using the code "BotConUNPA" during checkout at the AHPA website.

NEW UNPA education and events!
See "UNPA Events" in the right column for information and links to a number of new UNPA fall/winter events, including a growing list of OnDemand education and webinars. LEGISLATIVE
WalMart executive to replace Ostroff in foods post at FDAStephen Ostroff will retire as FDA deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine, a significant food safety and nutrition post at the agency. FDA announced this week that he will be replaced by Frank Yiannas, a well-known food-safety executive from Walmart, who will join the agency in a similar deputy commissioner role.LEGAL
Roundup ruling upheld, damages reducedJudge Suzanne Ramos Bolanos upheld the ruling that linked Bayer’s Roundup to Dewayne Johnson’s non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, but decreased the punitive damages from $289 million to $78.5 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. If Johnson agrees to the reduction by Dec. 7, no new trial will be necessary.M&A ACTIVITY
UNFI closes purchase of distributor SupervaluUnited Natural Foods Inc. has closed on its $2.9 billion acquisition of Supervalu Inc. The acquisition gives the nation’s largest organic food distributor more products, more customers and more distribution centers.
HEMP/CBD
What could the farm bill do for CBD in retail?Attorney Ashish Talati, from the Amin Talati Upadhye law firm, represents a number of companies in the hemp and CBD space. He notes that the farm bill will reduce risk because hemp under 0.3 percent THC will be legal under the Controlled Substance Act.
 CBD in sports: Evangelism trumps evidence (so far)Athletes are beginning to show interest in CBD for pain and inflammation, but so far much of the evidence is anecdotal with an evangelist spin. That doesn’t mean brands are willing to wait for the science. Proponents call CBD a safe alternative to NSAIDS and point to sleep and stress as additional benefits that go beyond the focus of sports nutrition but could have definitive effects on performance.
 New CBD-infused sparkling water helps professionals maintain balanceRecess, a just-launched CBD-containing beverage, is "an antidote to modern times," says founder Ben Witte. Made with a blend of 10 mg CBD hemp extract, and adaptogens such as ginseng, schisandra and L-theanine from green tea, this sparkling water beverage is a low-calorie, low-sugar drink designed to help professionals reset and rebalance during the day for greater productivity.PRODUCT STANDARDS
Reference standards for dietary supplements are critical to combat adulteration and fraudIn the dietary supplement industry, where accurate measurements are prerequisites to effective finished products, having access to a broad compendium of quality reference standards and materials is well-nigh indispensable. But with industry in a continual state of flux, the question arises as to whether reference materials are keeping pace with the changes—and whether the nutrition industry is keeping pace with how best to use them.GLOBAL REGULATORY
EC calms multi-nutrient claim talk by rejecting fertility and weight aid applicationsThe European Commission is refusing to authorize two health claims made on products that combine nutrients that profess to reduce disease risk and aid in weight management. The decision is in stark contract to last week's move forward on a first claim for combined effects of nutrients.
PARTNERSHIPS
Microbiome therapeutics: Enterome seals €600 million licensing, co-development deal with TakedaFrench microbiome biotechnology firm, Enterome, has signed a global licensing, co-development and co-promotion agreement with major pharmaceutical player Takeda. The deal covers Enterome’s lead investigational-drug candidate EB8018 in patients with Crohn’s Disease, with potential to expand to other gastrointestinal disorders.PROBIOTICS
Cultivate probiotics knowledge to boost consumer uptake: Lumina report advisesFirms looking to capitalize on probiotic interest should look to documentaries and the power of social media as channels to educate the consumer of the benefits live bacteria and yeasts give to the digestive system.
 Effective delivery formats for probiotic formulationsResearch continues validating a wide range of uses for probiotic strains; efficient delivery formats and skillful formulation can optimize product development.BOTANICALS
GNC taps Ayurvedic herbs for new botanical joint health solutionGNC says its new joint health products will break the market stagnation in this key area within the healthy aging sphere. Called Tamaflex, the products are based on herbal ingredients that work on different pathways than the category’s standard bearers—glucosamine and chondroitin.SPORTS NUTRITION
Probiotics provide a competitive edge in sports nutritionClinical data is building around the role of probiotics in sports nutrition—from recovery to muscle building to immune health.
 From Yuzu to Tart Cherry to Birthday Cake, which novel flavors have staying power in sports nutrition?As sports nutrition brands continue to pop up, launching yet another chocolate or vanilla-flavored protein might not help a new brand get noticed.UNPA MEMBER NEWS
OmniActive to launch verification program to drive positive industry changeIngredient supplier OmniActive Health Technologies will unveil its new PlantActive verification program at the upcoming SupplySide West. The program, the company says, represents a commitment to fostering positive change for communities, customers and consumers impacted by their products and practices.
 4Life holds first Latin American conventionMore than 5,000 attendees gathered at the Pepsi Center in Mexico City for Convención Internacional Latinoamericana 4Life20: Vive una vida differente—4Life’s first ever Latin American convention. The three-day event featured presentations by 4Life founders David and Bianca Lisonbee, President and CEO Danny Lee, Platinum International Diamonds, and other 4Life employees and distributor leaders.TECHNOLOGY
New RangeMe tool delivers insights into what retail buyers are looking for nextMarket sales data, if you can afford it, will tell you what’s trending, says online platform RangeMe, which connects buyers and suppliers. But how do you know what buyers are looking for next? And how can you get a clearer sense of how your brand stacks up against the competition?PACKAGING
Analyze your packaging like an investorInvestors know that a product’s packaging is crucial to its success in retail. Within the hyper-saturation of the natural food and supplement markets, your packaging should strive to be economical while also embodying that which makes your product unique.PERSONALIZED MEDICINE
Personalization pitfalls: The never-ending listNow is the most risky time to be in personalization as trailblazing companies face a myriad of uncontrollable issues, noted expert panelists at the recent Future Food Tech summit in London.
 Personalized nutrition approaches helping to drive evolution of supplement retailingPersonalized nutrition is being folded into the ongoing evolution of retailing in the dietary supplement space, market experts say.
 Research backs personalized nutrition process even if data on customized products is lackingWhile personalized nutrition proponents like to push the benefits of the approach, there is little research that backs the notion that products customized for individual consumers lead to better health outcomes than do more generic formulas. But that misses the point, says Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., a research professor at Tufts University.CANNABIS
FDA calls for public comment regarding international classification of cannabisThe FDA is seeking public comments specific to whether changes ought to be recommended regarding the international classification of cannabis as a controlled substance. Members of the public have until Oct. 31, 2018 to submit their comments to the FDA for consideration.
 Growth of medical cannabis market after approvals and clinical trialsA report from Coherent Market Insights has suggested that growth of medical cannabis will reach between $11.9 billion and $17.1 billion by 2020, and is currently between $5 billion and $6 billion.OMNICHANNEL MARKETING
Three experts discuss how to scale an omnichannel brandThere are many things that need to be considered when scaling an omnichannel brand. Here, three BrandCamp experts discuss best practices and common pitfalls in leveraging brands in the digital marketplace.MOU PARTNER NEWS
GOED committee outlines correct way to express EPA, DHA and total omega-3 contentThe GOED Technical Committee has developed an Industry Advisory document that summarizes information on the correct way to express the content of EPA, DHA and total omega-3 fatty acids in oils.MARKETING
The most common mistakes brands make when targeting Hispanic audiencesThe most common mistake brands make is to overgeneralize and think all Hispanics value the same things. The Hispanic demographic is made up of many diverse groups with differing preferences on everything from politics and values to religion and culture.MARKET RESEARCH
Data reveal trends and habits, reaffirm industry trust of American consumers and dietary supplement usersThe number of U.S. adults using dietary supplements has increased 10 percent over the past decade, according to new data from the 2018 CRN Consumer Survey on Dietary Supplements. The survey found that 75 percent of adults take dietary supplements, as opposed to 65 percent in 2009. According to the survey, turmeric‘s popularity is driving botanical supplement use increases, with almost 20 percent of U.S. supplement users over 55 citing use of turmeric and curcumin supplements.
 Top takeaways from the  2018 Sports Nutrition and Meight management ReportNBJ's Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Report showcases the star and slacker ingredients in the category, which shows slower overall growth at 6 percent, but still  holding strong. The mass market is  maintaining its position as the strongest channel in the segment.
 Synbiotic product sales growingProbiotics are continuing to sell well, but when they are paired with prebiotics, growth rates jump into the double digits, according to new data from SPINS.EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

UNPA member companies have posted the following employment opportunities. To include a job posting, email editor@unpa.com.

Clinical Brand Manager (ND, DC, Nutritionist), posted by OrthoMolecular ProductsRESEARCH
New research paper offers model for role of vitamins in agingIn a break from a drumbeat of negative studies on supplement efficacy, a recent paper presents a model for the role vitamins might play in the process of healthy aging. The paper, "Prolonging Healthy Aging: Longevity Vitamins and Proteins," was written by Bruce Ames, Ph.D., senior scientist at the Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute. In Ames’ theories, the body responds to micronutrient deficiencies by delivering enzymes that are crucial to short-term survival while robbing enzymes that promote healthy aging.
 Extracts of mangosteen rind and India bay leaf may enhance muscle strength, enduranceResults from two studies—one on mice and another on adult human males—suggest that supplementation of extracts from two plants may enhance muscle strength.
 Nutrition trumps exercise in strengthening bone, mice study findsThe question of whether exercise or nutrition has the greater impact on bone was the focus of a study, which finds nutrition exerts a greater influence on bone mass and strength than physical workouts.
 Leucine supplement fared better than leucine from a meal for muscle buildingResearchers in Japan and the United Kingdom found that plasma concentrations of leucine were higher after 10 young healthy men took leucine as a liquid supplement than when their intake came from a meal—even when both had the same amount of leucine.
 Probiotics study shows nasal microbiota may affect host response to viral respiratory infectionNasal microbiota may have an influence on immune response, inflammation, viral load and cold symptoms, according to a collaborative clinical study between DuPont Nutrition & Health, the University of Virginia and contract research firm 4Pharma Ltd. While the intervention of probiotics did not produce an effect, it is apparent that the microbiota content did influence how the subjects’ bodies reacted to and fought rhinovirus.
 Tocotrienol from palm may slow progression of diabetic kidney diseaseSupplementation with a full-spectrum palm-tocotrienol complex may slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease in those with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study published in Nutrients.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. 

Search and sign up for a variety of FDA Guidances.