Las Vegas, NV—More than 1,200 exhibit booths (with 779 total companies) and a packed educational session drew 8,500 industry members to this year’s SupplySide West tradeshow and convention, held here from October 19 to 23. Show organizers stated that there were 8% more booths than there were last year, all representing the dietary supplement, food and beverage, and cosmeceutical raw materials industries.

As in past years, regulatory issues were the main topics for several educational sessions including permissible product claims, identity testing, safety issues, supplier qualification, California Proposition 65, new dietary ingredients and more. Other key sessions included observations from research firms on market trends, ingredients science and more, and the additional workshops covered palm fruit applications and superfruits science. This year’s program was especially ripe with company-sponsored VendorWorks educational sessions.  For instance, Robert Hutkins, Ph.D., chief scientific consultant with Nebraska Cultures, spoke about how various lactobacilli (like DDS-1) can survive digestion and “flourish in the intestinal environment.” In a separate session, Aker BioMarine presented data from new clinical trials (like one with kids affected by ADHD) showing its Superba krill oil to be safe, stable and efficacious.

Of note, DSM and Vitamin Angels sponsored the opening reception at Tao Nightclub to raise awareness about Vitamin Angels’ mission.

And this year’s SupplySide Scientific Excellence Awards went to to American River Nutrition for DeltaGOLD; Embria Health Sciences for EpiCor; and Natural Health Science/Horphag for Pycnogenol. According to show organizers, “Awards were based on science/research methods, scientific breakthrough, innovation and appeal for the manufacturing community.”

Next year’s event will be held from October 10 through 13 at the same venue.
 

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, December 2010 (printed only 10/27/10)