Sabinsa, ChromaDex, Aker BioMarine, Deerland Ezymes and Leatherhead Food Research have all taken recent actions to help protect and advance the industry through legal action, the addition of patent rights and newly improved company websites.
In a campaign against the adulteration of curcumin, Sabinsa Corp filed a criminal complaint against Bayir Extracts Private Limited for knowingly supplying adulterated turmeric oleoresin with a forged certificate of analysis (CoA). The filed court papers from Sabinsa and its sister company Sami Labs requested a cease and investigation into the matter. The complaint was filed with the honorable VII additional chief magistrate, Bangalore, under the code of criminal procedure, registered with the court, and referred to the Peenya police department for further proceedings. Results of radiocarbon testing on commercially available samples of curcumin sold by Bayir for export to the United States determined that the material was 43 percent synthetic.
To help protect itself against future legal trouble, ChromaDex Corp. added to its list of exclusive patents rights related to pterostilbene licensed from the University of Mississippi. The newly licensed patent relates to potential anti-obesity effects of pterostilbene. The license covers U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 13/463,442 and corresponding Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), which was filed May 3, 2012 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), entitled "Anti-Obesity Effect of Pterostilbene," invented by Agnes Rimando and Maria del Puy Portillo and jointly owned by the USDA and the Universidad del Pais Vasco/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (University of Basque Country). USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and University of Basque Country's patent rights have been exclusively licensed to the University of Mississippi.
Aker BioMarine has also been granted two important process patents by the United States Patent Office after filing an application in March 2007. Combined, U.S. patents 9,028,877 (the '877 patent) and 9,034,388 (the '388 patent) cover not only the method for producing Superba® Krill Oil, but also the manufacture of other krill oils from denatured krill and/or krill meal using a polar solvent.
In an effort to advance the industry through education, Deerland Enzymes recently launched its redesigned company website that showcases a more modern look with improved functionality and increased content. One of the most notable features of the site is the YourBlend Formulator and Educator tool, which has been enhanced with educational tools allowing users to have an interactive experience by building their own customized supplement formulations. The redesigned website also features a resources section that includes news from the dietary supplement industry, educational articles, a glossary of terms, detailed descriptions of enzyme and probiotic functions for supplements, as well as access to various reference studies related to enzymes and probiotics.
Leatherhead Food Research also launched a new corporate website to ensure visitors receive accurate, meaningful and insightful information. The new site offers a fresh layout, better signposting for easier navigation, consolidated events and training, improved signposting for the blog section, easier access to whitepapers, and the ability to manage email preferences.