Research on omega-3s, new personnel moves and partnerships, as well as and some significant updates from organizations illustrate industry’s continued innovation in all research and business aspects.
First off, some of the industry’s latest research shows total omega-3 uptake into tissues and plasma is equivalent between krill oil and the microalgae-sourced Almega PL. (Food and Function. 2015; Online. DOI: 10.1039/C4FO00591K)
In the new study, rats were fed an omega-3 dosage of either Almega PL (7.3 g total omega-3, all of it EPA), or krill oil (7.24 g of total omega-3, 4.8 g EPA, 2.4 g DHA) for seven days. The polar lipid content of the Almega PL was 15 percent polar lipids (phospholipid/glycolipid combination), while the krill oil polar lipid content was 40 percent phospholipids. Fatty acid levels were checked in the blood plasma, brain tissue, liver, retroperitoneal adipose tissue and gonadal adipose tissue, which represent transport, functional and storage pools of omega-3 fatty acids.
While the uptake of total omega-3s in plasma, brain, liver and gonadal adipose tissues was similar between Almega PL and krill oil, in retroperitoneal adipose tissues, the levels were significantly higher in the Almega PL group. There was an average three-fold differential in EPA content of retroperitoneal adipose tissue between groups, which is much greater than the difference in EPA content in the two oils. Tissue availability of Almega PL containing 9 percent glycolipids and 6 percent phospholipids is similar to that of krill oil containing 40 percent phospholipids. Researchers hypothesized that glycolipids may be a more effective carrier for omega-3s and specifically EPA.
Another supplier of krill-derived ingredients, Aker BioMarine, recently made some key personnel appointments in the areas of innovation and sustainability. To help build the knowledge base on krill in a variety of health areas, the company hired Torbjørn Furuseth, MD, former management consultant with McKinsey & Co, who joined Aker BioMarine from his position as vice president of commercial development at Trygg Pharma.
Aker BioMarine also appointed Marte Haabeth Grindaker to the newly created position of sustainability manager. Grindaker comes from Marine Harvest Group, where she worked in public affairs. Grindaker has a broad volunteer background with key positions from several non-governmental organizations (NGOs), including the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF-Norway). She also worked as a consultant for Burson-Marsteller in public affairs for more than three years.
And Aker BioMarine isn’t the only company adding to its personnel. Frutarom Switzerland Ltd. Health Business Unit appointed Matthias H. Kreuter, Ph.D., as its new global chief scientific officer (CSO), effective January 1, 2015. Kreuter headed Frutarom’s Pharmaceutical Business Division from 1990 to 2003. During this time, Kreuter invented the Hyperpure Technology and developed the EFLA® Topline extracts. He returns to Frutarom after performing a wide range of leadership responsibilities, primarily in phyto-pharmaceuticals, phytochemical product development and R&D.
Pharmavite also made a major business advancement through the acquisition of FoodState Inc, a maker of whole food supplements. The Pharmavite acquisition of FoodState brings together two highly complementary companies, each recognized leaders and innovators in the vitamin, minerals and supplement (VMS) industry in their respective sales channels. Through the acquisition, FoodState will benefit from Pharmavite’s more than 40 years of experience and scale in manufacturing, research and product development, by sharing best practices.
Gaeneden Biotech has also been involved in new business operations, revealing that its GanedenBC30 probiotic ingredient will now be available in significant South American markets through a distribution agreement made with Grupo Saporiti, S.A. Saporiti will be the distributor of GanedenBC30 in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela.
Other changes have occurred within the National Institutes of Health, with the agency announcing a brand new name: the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The revision from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) was mandated as part of the omnibus budget measure signed by President Obama. The center’s research priorities include the study of complementary approaches — such as spinal manipulation, meditation, and massage — to manage pain and other symptoms that are not always well-addressed by conventional treatments. The center’s research also encourages self-care methods that support healthier lifestyles and uncovers potential usefulness and safety issues of natural products.
Other news in the area of research comes from Q Laboratories, which presented three AOAC official methods of analysis (OMA) collaborative study manuscripts for approval to the expert review panel (ERP) for microbiology for food and environmental surfaces. Erin Crowley, microbiology R&D laboratory supervisor, and Patrick Bird, microbiology R&D laboratory project leader presented the following:
3M™ Petrifilm™ Rapid Yeast and Mold Collaborative Study
Evaluation of the 3M™ Molecular Detection Assay (MDA) Listeria for the Detection of Listeria Species
Evaluation of the 3M™ Molecular Detection Assay (MDA) Listeria Monocytogenes for the Detection of Listeria monocytogenes
AOAC expert review panels (ERPs) adopt methods as official first action, and remain intact to monitor the methods during the two-year period between first and final action consideration. During this time, ERPs assess the performance of methods against the standards as adequate method reproducibility and other ERP, and stakeholder-based method criteria are demonstrated. ERPs must make a recommendation on method status to the official methods board no later than two years after first action status.