Nutrasource registers NutraStrong Certification trademark worldwide

thumbnail_Nutrastrong Logo - Purple.pngNutrasource Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Services announced today the registration of its NutraStrong trademark in Brazil, Japan, China, European Union, United Kingdom, South Korea, and India for a wide variety of goods and services, including testing, evaluating and certification of natural health products and pharmaceuticals, and conducting clinical trials in the field of natural health products and pharmaceuticals. Nutrasource also has pending applications for its NutraStrong trademark in Canada and the United States for such goods and services. “With the launch of the NutraStrong certification program, Nutrasource has committed to promoting transparency in the global marketplace of natural health products and dietary supplements,” said Kevin Yan, Vice President, Certifications and Analytics. “Through the NutraStrong program, brands will be able to showcase their manufacturing and product quality as well as corporate values through a third-party certification that consumers will be able to access and verify independently. Brands that earn the NutraStrong certification mark will be best in class and as the industry continues to grow across the globe, the NutraStrong program will be a valuable tool to utilize to earn the trust of both retailers and consumers alike.”
Yan added that Nutrasource is expanding its Certifications by Nutrasource platform across the wide range of ingredient categories currently on the market. “With the success of our current certification programs in the marine oil, non-GMO and probiotic categories, we are happy to bring this success to these other ingredient categories and continue to showcase high-quality brands and their products to consumers around the globe.”

Sami-Sabinsa inaugurates state-of-the-art production facility

Sami-Sabinsa Group has inaugurated a state-of-the-art greenfield manufacturing facility at Hassan in the State of Karnataka (India). Dr. Muhammed Majeed, Chairman and Founder, Sami-Sabinsa Group, inaugurated Unit-1 of the facility, Sami Nutraceuticals Pvt. Ltd., with senior executives in attendance. The 10+ acre unit is the eighth manufacturing facility of the company, built with an investment of U.S. $18 million. It has capacity to produce 88 tons of Active Nutraceutical Ingredients (ANI) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) per annum for the global market. Calebin-A, Resveratrol, SabiWhite, Pterostilbene, Cosmoperine, 1, 2- Hexanediol, 1,2-Octanediol, Diindolylmethane (DIM), lndole-3-Carbinol, Ferulic Acid, Urolithins and more are among the ANI and APIs to be produced. "This is a milestone for the Sami-Sabinsa group,” said Dr. Majeed. “With preventive healthcare gaining more prominence worldwide, Sami­ Sabinsa Group is gearing up with a new facility to support the wellness of mankind. Innovation and quality standards have always been the core pillars of our growth, which has mapped us globally. The Sami Nutraceuticals facility will be one of the cornerstones of our expansion strategy, enabling the company to bring more new innovations to market."

ABC SHP launches SHP Sustainability & Regenerative Practices Toolkit 2.0

The American Botanical Council’s (ABC) Sustainable Herbs Program (SHP) has launched the SHP Sustainability and Regenerative Practices Toolkit 2.0. This updated collection of resources is designed to generate awareness and engage leaders in the global botanical industry in implementing ecologically and socially responsible practices. The Toolkit, which is user-friendly and freely accessible, is greatly expanded and revised from the initial SHP toolkit released in 2021. The SHP Toolkit Version 2.0 retains resources from the original SHP Toolkit, and now also offers:

  • A short self-assessment to gauge where a company stands in its sustainability journey. This tool can also be used to help with annual sustainability reporting and certification audits.
  • Access to webinars diving into key topics such as regenerative farming, wild plant collection and stewardship, living income, and social equity. This includes inks to summaries, video highlights, and the complete recordings.
  • A new design with infographics.
  • Updated resources, especially summaries of certifications, new programs, and more.

“The botanical industry is uniquely suited to lead the way in doing business that serves health and wellness for all—for people, plants, and planet, not just finished product consumers,” said Ann Armbrecht, Ph.D., SHP director. “The challenges threatening the long-term supply of medicinal plants—the climate crisis, the precipitous loss of biodiversity, social and economic inequity, and ongoing supply disruptions from the pandemic are too big for any company to tackle on its own. The Sustainable Herbs Program helps you meet these challenges by providing tools, resources, and pre-competitive collaborative opportunities to take action in a meaningful and constructive way.”

SHP also has released a new video exploring how farmers are using regenerative farming practices to grow herbs and medicinal plants while building soil health and resilient farming communities in Costa Rica. The video shines a light on how supporting these communities is critical to the quality and long-term supply of many of the medicinal plants. The video features insights from regenerative herb farmers and regenerative agricultural experts, including Ryan Zinn of Dr. Bronner’s, Esteban Jimenez and Joshua Hughes of Blacksheep Regenerative Resource Management, Luis Iglesias and Ric Scalzo of CR Medicinal Farms, Geri and Rob Brown and Juan Pérez Sovalbarro of Cinco Ramas Farm, and more. “This information-rich video will hold the attention and provide insights into the regenerative agriculture movement for a wide range of people involved in the herb and medicinal plant community,” said Mark Blumenthal, Founder and Executive Director of the ABC. “I learned a lot from it. This is a compelling educational primer on the great value of regenerative agricultural methods of growing medicinal plants.” 


Odyssey Wellness Completes Series A Private Equity Funding

Odyssey Wellness, makers of Odyssey Elixir, announced that it has completed a $6.3M series A capital raise, which brings the total funding since inception to $8.3M. The company said the funding will enable the acceleration of its growth across all distribution channels. As the company reported, the market for Odyssey is being driven by forward-thinking Gen Z and millennial creatives, artists, techies, athletes, and health-conscious consumers. Debuted just last year, Odyssey, which targets the convergence of the $86 billion energy drink and $118 billion functional beverage markets, is now available at more than 5,000 brick and mortar location “We appreciate the infusion of capital and trust from our investors who bring incredible expertise and will be valuable strategic partners as we continue to build this brand,” said Scott Frohman, Founder and CEO of Odyssey. "We believe Odyssey is just beginning to seize the opportunity in front of us as a differentiator in the category that will propel our growth." Frohman added that Odyssey is a purpose-driven company on a mission to upgrade people from their habitual caffeine crash, jitters and burn out to a more sustainable energy. "By utilizing the power of functional mushrooms and bringing them mainstream, we aspire to expand a growing population of conscious individuals that are more focused, more productive, and passionate about doing good, feeling good, and sharing those vibes with others."

SSE education covers supply chain and more

BGG World (BGG) announced that CEO of BGG Americas Shaheen Majeed was chosen to appear on a panel at SupplySide East titled Solving the Supply Chain. The talk will take place on Wednesday, April 19 at 10:15am. The panel also features Loren Israelsen, President and Founder of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), and Ann Armbrecht, Director of the Sustainable Herbs Program (SHP). “I’m looking forward to addressing the supply chain challenges, how things are evolving, what countries like India and China are doing about it, and what we can expect as we move forward in this new world economy, post-COVID,” said Majeed. View the full SSE education lineup here, with details on sessions taking place April 18-19, including Synbiotics and the Evolving Market for Microbiome Ingredients, Formulating For Women: What’s Hot and What’s Not, and Level Up Your Networking Skills.


CHPA launches HealthInHand.org

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association’s (CHPA) Educational Foundation announced the launch of HealthInHand.org, its rebranded online destination and resource for information on self-care products. Formerly called KnowYourOTCs.org, the rebuilt and renamed website provides additional content beyond just over-the-counter (OTC) medicines. The site now covers both dietary supplements and consumer medical devices. The self-care landscape is ever-changing and continually presenting people  – which can sometimes feel overwhelming. Health In Hand offers improved tools and curated resources that CHPA says will help visitors take charge of their self-care decisions, easing the confusion people face over the increasing number of options in the self-care landscape. 
“This redesign is more than just a fresh coat of paint,” said Anita Brikman, Executive Director of CHPA’s Educational Foundation. “Health In Hand is the result of many months of hard work, thoughtful design, targeted testing, and innovative development. We’re decoding dosing, explaining ingredients, simplifying safety, and helping visitors choose the types of products they need to make the most of their health. Health In Hand is tested, trusted, and clear – a genuine reflection of our Foundation’s mission to continually help people understand how to safely choose and use self-care products.” Get an overview from CHPA.

Live Earth Products says fulvic acid supps fulfill healthspan trend

The growing healthspan wellness trend, which was spotlighted by Natural Grocers in the retailer's 2022 trends roundup, is generating demand for fulvic-acid based products, which have been used by celebrities like Kylie Jenner, according to Live Earth Products. For more than 30 years, the family-run business has specialized in American-sourced humic and fulvic acid, mined in the mountains of Emery, Utah. The company said the ingredient has been used by leading formulators and beauty brands, and in its own dietary supplement, LM-32 HC. “Fulvic acid is a natural chelator which helps retain nutrients. Products containing fulvic acid can help improve nutrient availability in both human and plant cells,” said Russell Taylor, Vice President of Live Earth Products. 

MegaFood is Plastic Neutral Certified

MegaFood, a certified B Corporation celebrating its 50th anniversary, is the first B-Corp vitamins, minerals, and supplements company to be Plastic Neutral Certified by rePurpose Global. MegaFood shared that this partnership enables the removal of more than 450,000 pounds of plastic waste otherwise bound for nature by the end of 2023. "At MegaFood, we are committed to creating a healthier planet starting with taking action on our own plastic footprint," saidStacia Betley, Director of Sustainability and Social Impact at MegaFood, in a press release. "The vitamins, minerals, and supplements category is a sea of single use plastic bottles. We have to do better as a company and a category. This is a first step for us to make an impact while we also work on addressing the bigger challenges like stopping the creation of fossil based plastics, single use culture, and limited end of life solutions."

MegaFood shared that is also has implemented a cross functional packaging committee to assess and develop more sustainable packaging solutions. Alos: Tthe brand's goal is to move towards more sustainable materials by 2025, prioritizing the use of post-consumer recycled materials, materials that can be recycled curbside, along with the 'How2Recycle' label to clearly communicate recycling instructions. To learn more about MegaFood's Plastic Neutral Certification read  "MegaFood is Now Plastic Neutral Certified".


Nordic Naturals Nordic Flora Probiotics debut in Sprouts nationwide

Nordic Naturals’ shared the news that its new high potency Nordic Flora probiotics are now available in the refrigerated section at more than 375 Sprouts Farmers Markets nationwide. Nordic Flora Probiotic Immune Health is a blend of 15 probiotic strains with 60 billion cultures; it promotes a healthy immune response, enhances intestinal barrier function, and promotes immune cell responsiveness, the company shared. Nordic Flora Probiotic Maximum Care is a blend of 11 probiotic strains with 90 billion cultures proving high CFU support for a healthy immune response and optimal digestive health. The company said it positively affects the immune system both directly and indirectly by alleviating intestinal bloating while promoting gastrointestinal comfort and regularity. Nordic Flora Probiotic Women’s Balance is a blend of 12 probiotic strains; it includes Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM, which has been studied to help maintain a healthy vaginal microbiome while supporting microbes naturally present in the gut. In addition, Sprouts has taken the Nordic Flora Prebiotic Powder into its refrigerated section. 

NaturAlley magazine launches new website

Quarterly lifestyle health and wellness publication NaturAlley magazine has launched its new website at www.naturalley.com. NaturAlley is "inspired by the idea that people can live their life to the fullest with a permanent sense of well-being by the conscience awakening and that there is a hidden subconscious space keeping them from becoming aware of their surroundings." The magazine, which is currently distributed nationally to approximately 15,000 subscriber,  features regional and national information on holistic, alternative, and traditional health. It provides "a unique human-spirit integration that includes a close-up and personal look from celebrities, authors, notables, and Super Agers in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle to help revitalize the motivated health-conscious community." 

Sheldon Baker, CEO of Baker Dillon Group, will contribute The Baker Buzz, a celebrity Q&A interview column in every issue of NaturAlley magazine, as well as special interviews  on the website with authors and other notables from various walks of life. For celebrity and author interview consideration, contact Baker at sheldon@nutraink.com.


Infinant certified "Clean Label Project," "First 1,000 Day Promise" 

Infinant Health, Inc, which focuses on improving infant health through the gut microbiome, has received the "Clean Label Project" and "First 1,000 Day Promise" certifications from the Clean Label Project on its flagship product, Evivo, an infant probiotic. Clean Label Project awards are given to products that emphasize purity and surpass FDA regulations. Its First 1,000 Day Promise standard uses elements of European food regulations to set thresholds products for pregnant women, infants, lactating mothers, and children, Infinant shared. "Infinant Health is committed to creating high-quality nutritional products," said Anthony Franco, Chief Operating Officer for Infinant Health, in a press release. "We maintain best-in-class standards for product testing, manufacturing, packaging and distribution. These certifications are a testament to our commitment to quality and leadership in infant health. At Infinant Health, we focus on a continuous improvement process to perfect our product— that starts by creating and following the highest standards in quality. The Clean Label certifications reflect this commitment." 
Jaclyn Bowen, Executive Director at Clean Label Project, added, "Much of the narrative we've been hearing lately about baby food safety is limited to cereals, fruits, and veggies. In addition to the food marketed towards children and toddlers, the focus should include pregnant women, newborns, infants, and lactating mothers. As a mother and public health practitioner, it's exciting to see brands like Infinant Health, voluntarily choosing to think of food safety differently and setting even stricter specifications than regulations require when it comes to ingredient quality and safety."
Infinant Health also noted that its efforts are in line with the FDA Closer to Zero initiative aimed to make food safer for babies and young children, and that the company supports the FDA's commitment to setting regulations to minimize chemical contaminants.

PeptiStrong from Nuritas shows success in 2 clinical studies

PeptiStrong (a plant-sourced next-generation ingredient from Nuritas that is extracted from fava beans and contains specific cell-signaling peptides) has successfully undergone two clinical studies. In the first study,  published in the Journal of Nutrition, the ingredient performed better than traditional animal proteins (specifically milk protein) when it comes to muscle protein synthesis. Following immobilization, PeptiStrong performed similarly to milk with regards to muscle mass loss and recovery, Nuritas reported, and it outperformed milk protein and significantly improved the rate of muscle protein synthesis during recovery. In the second clinical, published in Nutrients, PeptiStrong was shown to be a unique multi-faceted solution, whose action at the root cause of muscle health and muscle aging could benefit multiple industries and various profiles of consumers. Nuritas said the findings demonstrate how the company has managed to deliver against consumer needs, with a cell-signaling peptide array, effective through human digestion, at a low dose (2.4g/day). 
Dr Nora Khaldi, CEO and Founder, said: “Improving the quality and impact of edible and skincare products has been a key focus for us at Nuritas. These two double-blind placebo efficacy clinicals underline the incredible power of our PeptiStrong ingredient and are a testament to power of our AI platform technology. We look forward to powering the next-generation products which are sustainable, plant based with real health benefits supported by science.” 


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