CLA GRAS Announced

Lipid Nutrition announces that the FDA has issued a no objection letter to the GRAS petition for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), confirming its GRAS status in various food and beverage applications. Lipid Nutrition B.V., Wormerveer, The Netherlands, submitted this voluntary notification to the FDA in coordination with Cognis GmbH, Monheim, Germany, another CLA manufacturer.

The 2007 petition asks for approval of CLA ingredients in certain specified foods within the general categories of soy milk, meal replacement beverages and bars, milk products and fruit juices, at levels not to exceed 1.5 grams per serving. Several studies have demonstrated that CLA can positively affect body mass and has a beneficial effect on lean muscle mass. A recently published clinical trial, in April 2007 of the British Journal of Nutrition, established that Clarinol™ CLA reduced fat mass in specific locations on the body, such as the abdomen and thighs. The CLA-supplemented group demonstrated fat-mass reduction after three months. This further supports the existing body of evidence that provides a strong basis for a weight-management claim.

“Clarinol CLA provides an exceptional opportunity for American food companies to differentiate themselves on a crowded grocery-store shelf or refrigerated dairy section of the store” says Katinka Abbenbroek, CEO, Lipid Nutrition. “It currently is one of the only weight management ingredients available for functional foods, which makes it very unique in the market place.”

Source: Lipid Nutrition press release: “Clarinol ™ CLA: Now GRAS-Approved”