It’s been 25 years since Sabinsa Corporation opened its doors, and the company is still innovating every step of the way. The firm marked the event at Expo West with a cake and champagne for colleagues and friends.

Sabinsa was founded by Muhammed Majeed, Ph.D., whose background in science and industrial pharmacy may well be the greatest influencing factor in the company’s success. With Majeed at the company’s reigns, Sabinsa is known for innovating unique natural raw materials that have some of the most robust data backing in the industry. The firm has pioneered numerous branded botanicals, which include garcinia, piperine, coleus and curcumin, and holds about 80 patents for them worldwide.

“Looking back over the last 25 years there are so many people to whom we are grateful for their support,” said Dr. Majeed, in a press statement. “We look forward to thanking them in person throughout this year.”

Just in time for the company’s 25^th anniversary, Sabinsa highlighted its new Curcumin C3 Reduct ingredient at Expo West. This innovative curcumin ingredient is like no other on the market because it is white, instead of its characteristic yellow. According to marketing director Shaheen Majeed, “The vivid color of curcumin is a manufacturing nightmare for many companies; our Curcmin C3 Reduct is a white powder.”

The research team solved another typical curcumin problem: achieving proper bioavailability. The firm has offered a curcumin with a bioavailability enhancer (Curcumin C3 Complex), but Curcumin C3 Reduct addresses the issue differently by using 95% curcumin metabolites called tetrahydrocurcumin (THC). The body naturally converts curcumin to THC to be usable, so THC may have stronger activity than curcumin itself. The metabolite is said to have a better absorption profile and stability at physiological pH, which means the body can use it more efficiently. In the end, formulators can use the ingredient in smaller capsules and tablets

Says Shaheen Majeed, “This is the best thing to happen to curcumin since our original curcumin. It’s a game changer for the industry.”

With this innovation, Sabinsa’s mission of supplying unique, effective and data-backed natural ingredients to the market is alive and well and will surely continue for decades to come.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, May 2013 (online 4/2/13)