Companies such as AIDP and Ecuadorian Rainforest have formed new partnerships to expand their market reach, while Ezaki Glico and Pharmachem roll out research studies on beneficial natural ingredients.
AIDP Inc. entered into a partnership with Life Bridge International to market its prebiotic ingredient Prebix. The ingredient is a GRAS-notified and Non-GMO Verified corn-based prebiotic that has been shown in clinical studies to significantly increase the proliferation of bifidobacterium in both low and high doses. Prebix is highly stable (it does not require refrigeration), and can be used in food and beverage applications. The new ingredient will be launched officially in March 2015 at Natural Products Expo West (booth 183).
ÂÂEcuadorian Rainforest LLC also entered into a new partnership, which will help expand the company’s nutraceutical ingredients to Canada. The wholesale nutraceuticals decided to partner with Powell May International due to the company’s knowledge of the Canadian food market and its relationships with Canadian manufacturers. Ecuadorian Rainforest will use that experience to help address the needs of their Canadian clients.
As these companies form partnerships, others are completing studies to give their ingredients added credibility. New research shows Glico Cluster Dextrin® (Ezaki Glico Corporation’s highly branched cyclic dextrin [HBCD]) combats the onset of stress factors induced during exhaustive physical activity. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study, researchers examined fluid samples from seven males triathletes before and after two duathlon trials (regimes of running 5 km, followed by cycling 40 km, and running another 5 km). Participants were administered either a 5 percent HBCD-based drink or a 5 percent glucose-based drink in quantities of 200 ml following the running phase, 1000 ml during the cycling phase, and another 200 ml following the cycling phase. Results suggested that the HBCD-based drink may attenuate the stress hormone response and reduce the urinary cytokine levels following exhaustive exercise.
In another new study published in the Journal of International Medical Research, a consumer product called Target 1 (in a formula featuring Pharmachem’s Lactium [milk casein]) helped significantly decrease symptoms of professional fatigue syndrome, or burnout. The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial looked at the effects of the formula on participants with burnout syndrome, and followed study subjects’ symptoms of burnout using different evaluation instruments for the 12-week study period. In the placebo group, 14 participants still presented a high level of burnout at the end of the trial compared with 26 on the first day, whereas in the supplement group, only two participants had a high level of burnout at the end of the trial compared to 33 on the first day.