Vertical integration defends against adulteration

ADULTERATION
Vertical integration defends against adulteration
Nutraingredients-usa.com
​In an era when the dietary supplement industry is wrestling with adulteration issues in an increasingly open way, vertical integration can be a key component of a botanical ingredient supplier’s proposition. Among the experts quoted are UNPA members Cal Bewicke of Ethical Naturals and Shaheen Majeed of Sabinsa. Read more→

UNPA NEWS
20% savings end tonight for UNPA's GMP Inspection Training: How to Avoid FDA's Top GMP violations,June 27-28, in Provo, Utah—See intro videonow!
Preview UNPA's June 27-28 GMP training session, taught by Larisa Pavlick, UNPA's VP, Global Regulatory & Compliance, in this short video presentation. Learn more about the program and why you should attend before your next FDA GMP inspection. This course will cover all aspects of the inspection, with a focus on the key elements of quality: identity, purity, strength and composition.
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Plus, updated industry events calendar,Member Memos (log in) and UNPA educational archives (log in).LEGAL
Plaintiffs appeal Bayer probiotic decision; FTC makes additional refunds in green coffee bean caseNaturalProductsINSIDER
Plaintiffs in a proposed class-action lawsuit filed against Bayer HealthCare LLC over a popular probiotic are appealing a summary judgment order in favor of the company. The decision is thought to be legally important and could help to rein in the onslaught of lawsuits that improperly target dietary supplements. FTC this week acknowledges that it is refunding consumers who bought green coffee bean extract supplements from retailers, including Walmart, reflecting the second mailing of refunds related to the lawsuit against Pure Health LLC, Genesis Today Inc., and their principal, Lindsey Duncan. Read coverage:
Plaintiffs file appeal in Bayer probiotics lawsuit→
FTC mailing additional refunds to consumers who purchased green coffee bean extract→LEGAL
N.Y. AG leads lawsuit against EPAover chlorpyrifos pesticideThink Progress
Seven state AGs, including New York’s Eric Schneiderman, and a dozen health and labor groups, separately challenged the U.S. EPA to ban the use of a controversial insecticide linked to human health issues. Earlier this spring, EPA rejected calls to ban the use of chlorpyrifos, an insecticide widely used to control pests on crops, such as Brussels sprouts and almonds. The AGs argue that the EPA “failed to make a key safety finding needed to continue to allow levels of chlorpyrifos." Read coverage:
Seven states challenge Trump’s EPA for ignoring science, failing to ban pesticide linked to brain damage→
Court Filing→M&A ACTIVITY
Japan’s Hokuto Corp. acquires Mushroom Wisdom; KD Pharma invests in Nutriceutical Holdings; ECRM buys online platform RangeMeMushroom Wisdom, Nutraingredients-usa.com, Whole Foods magazine
Mushroom Wisdom Inc. (MWI) announced that 100 percent of the company's shares have been acquired by Hokuto Corporation, Japan’s top mushroom cultivator. The transaction includes the acquisition of Sun Medica Co. Ltd., MWI’s affiliate in Japan. Omega-3 producer KD Pharma will become the largest shareholder in Nutriceutical Holdings, parent company of Physician Recommended Nutriceuticals and Veterinarian Recommended Solutions. The agreement gives KD Pharma the largest omega-3 producer in the world and the option to acquire all brands. Retail category development and planning company Efficient Collaborative Retail Marketing (ECRM) has announced its purchase of RangeMe, an online platform that connects retailers with suppliers and new products. Read coverage:
Mushroom Wisdom acquired by Japan’s mushroom giant→
KD Pharma Group invests in Nutriceutical Holdings→
ECRM acquires RangeMe→GLOBAL REGULATORY
EFSA to help small businesses; experts needed for EFSA NDA panel; Dutch warn about banned supplementsNutraingredients.com
Small- and medium-sized businesses preparing a novel food application can receiveadministrativehelp through a new support platform launched by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). After completing a self-assessment questionnaire, companies can submit a draft dossier to EFSA experts to resolve administrative issues. EFSA also has opened applications for its next Scientific panel on Nutrition, Novel Food and Allergens, which is tasked with setting dietary reference valuesand authorizing and rejecting health claims dossiers. Dutch authorities have issued a second warning about supplement products this year, following findings of a report from the Food Safety Authority. More than 60 percent of supplements investigated by Dutch authorities in 2015 and 2016 contained one or more banned substances, according to a new report. Read coverage:
EFSA launches platform to help SMEs with novel food applications→
Experts wanted: EFSA calls for new NDA panel members→
Dutch authorities warn on banned substances in supplements again→PROBIOTICS
IPA publishes guidance document defining probioticsNutraingredients.com
The definition of probiotic varies by region around the world, leaving an increasing number of products potentially mislabeled as a “probiotic.” In response, the International Probiotics Association has released a guidance document to help place clarity around the term and what organisms qualify as such. Read more→PRODUCT TESTING
ConsumerLab test evaluates vitamin K productsNutraceuticals World
A recent ConsumerLab.com test of vitamin K supplementsrevealed that three products contained less vitamin K or other key ingredients than claimed, took longer than normally expected to break apart in disintegration testing, and/or were contaminated with lead. Among the products tested were vitamin K-only supplements as well as combination products containing vitamin D, calcium and/or magnesium. The results are available inConsumerLab.com's newVitamin K Supplements Review. Read more→
REGULATORY
Specs, stability should come first in GRAS, NDI notification processBurdock Group
When starting the process of gathering safety data for a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) ingredient or New Dietary Ingredient (NDI), companies often think first about designing animal studies and getting bids from labs, but there is a tendency to overlook the importance of first establishing substance specifications and stability prior to any animal or genetic toxicity testing. Read more→NATURAL CLAIMS
‘Natural’ lawsuits down, but food manufacturers still vulnerableFoodnavigator-usa.com
The number of class-action filings against food and beverage companies dipped from 158 in 2015 to 145 in 2016, largely due to a drop off in ‘natural’ lawsuits. However, food manufacturers remain vulnerable to legal action on a host of other fronts, from slack fill to pesticide residues, according to law firm Perkins Coie. Read more→CANNABIS
Marijuana Business Factbook 2017offers financial stats and forecastsMarijuana Business Daily
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Bio electronics company provides technology to boost algae productionNutraingredients-usa.com
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Opinions differ on potential of nutrigenetics for weight supplements; test IDs needed eye-health supplementsNutritional Outlook, Nutraingredients-usa.com
What promise does nutrigenetics hold for weight-management dietary supplements? Experts generally say "yes," but their opinions differ on what conclusions we can draw now with the information we currently have in this field, and how and when the science will be translatable into meaningful, scientifically sound commercial applications. In other news, a new test has been approved for Medicare reimbursement that will determine which age-related, macular-degeneration patients will benefit from eye supplements. But some experts contest the implication that there is a risk associated with such supplementation. Read coverage:
Nutrigenetics, weight management and dietary supplements→
Test approved that can determine best eye-health supplements for individual patients→MARKET RESEARCH
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NutraScience eBook: 2020 trends and predictions for the nutraceutical industry→
Curcumin Market Overview→
Growing your millennial basket size: Why the supplement aisle is working against you→RESEARCH
Prebiotics for metabolic disorders; probiotics counter obesity; tea effects genes in women; antioxidants aid stress; bioactives--how much is too much?Nutraingredients.com, Nutraingredients-usa.com, Nutraceuticals World,
Nutritional Outlook, Science Daily
Supplementing the diet with inulin-type fructans may improve the function of the endothelium in blood vessels and reduce the risk of metabolic disorders-related to cardiovascular diseases, says a new study from the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Belgium, lauded as a scientific first. The probiotic Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum CECT 7765 may reverse the detrimental effects that obesity has on the function of blood vessels, suggests preliminary data from lab mice, as published in the International Journal of Medical Sciences. In a new study from Uppsala University, published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics, researchers showed that tea consumption in women may lead to epigenetic changes in genes that are known to interact with cancer and estrogen metabolism. Researchers at the University of Georgia recently found that lutein and zeaxanthin isomers may help to lower psychological stress levels and reduce serum cortisol. Scientists at the University of Illinois are analyzing whether recommended maximum intake levels of bioactives established by public health officials are appropriate in order to help educate people about what they should be consuming. They reported that the key to establishing appropriate levels is assessing bioactives' safety and potential toxicity. Read coverage:
A scientific first: Study highlights potential of cardiometabolic benefits of prebiotics→
Probiotics may counter obesity effects on vascular function: Study→
Tea consumption may lead to epigenetics changes in women→
Lutein, zeaxanthin isomers help reduce stress: New Study→
Too much of a good thing: Developing safe level guidelines for bioactives→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→