The global Earth Hour movement encourages individuals, communities, and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights for one hour on March 29 to demonstrate their commitment to the planet. Aker BioMarine Antarctic of Oslo, Norway, participated by turning off the lights on three of its vessels in the Southern Ocean.

Carotech, with U.S. offices in Edison, NJ, disseminated an e-newsletter making the point that taking high doses of synthetic vitamin E is potentially dangerous, while full-spectrum natural vitamin E (d-mixed tocopherols and d-mixed tocotrienols) is likely protective. This article was sent in reaction to recent negative research printed in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute linking vitamin E and selenium to cancer.

In other news, Carotech’s Tocomin and Tocomin SupraBio (natural full-spectrum palm tocotrienol complex) are now non-GMO verified by the Non-GMO Project (USA).

Benicia, CA-based InterHealth Nutraceuticals, Inc. acquired Chick Cart Inc., a manufacturer of nutritional ingredients and holder of the primary patents related to the manufacture of undenatured type II collagen.

Ixoreal Biomed of Los Angeles, CA, received the Frost & Sullivan 2014 Product Innovation in Botanicals Award for its KSM-66 Ashwagandha.

A new study about Appethyl from Greenleaf Medical AB of Stockholm, Sweden, was presented at the Winter Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior on March 1. For three months, 36 overweight women took a daily blueberry shot with or without 5 g of Appethyl at breakfast. On the first and last day of the study, their blood glucose, insulin and GLP-1 levels were measured for six hours after breakfast. Their food cravings were noted, too. After one dose, the desire for sweets in the Appethyl group was suppressed, and cravings were lessened even more on the last day of the study. At the end of the trial, GLP-1 was released more in the Appethyl group.

Twinlab’s Immunity Booster supplement launched in March, with Wellmune WGP from Biothera of Eagan, MN, as a key ingredient.

DianaPlantSciences of Portland, OR, is looking for research and development partners interested in making proprietary ingredients using plant cell culture technology. Interested companies can call (503)505-6977.

Nutrition 21, LLC of Purchase, NY, entered into a multi-year supply and license agreement with Nature’s Products, Inc. for the use of Chromax and Chromax Advance.

JDS Therapeutics, LLC and Nutrition 21, LLC settled a dispute with Pfizer, Inc. over the use of chromium picolinate in Centrum supplements. Pfizer acknowledged the validity of Nutrition 21’s patents and will license the company’s ingredient.

Israel-based Algatechnologies doubled its production capacity of AstaPure natural astaxanthin.

Meanwhile, Valensa International of Orlando, FL and Contract Biotics of La Jolla, CA, announced Contract Biotics is establishing an extra six acres of algae production in San Diego, which are scheduled to be up and running this fall. The expansion will more than triple biomass production, which Valensa says will help meet demand for its line of condition-specific astaxanthin-based products.

Sabinsa Corporation of East Windsor, NJ, and Sami Labs received the Panacea-Natural Product Expo India Best New Product Excellence Award in the Raw Material Beauty and Cosmetics category for Saberry.

Kyowa Hakko U.S.A., Inc. of New York, NY, now has GRAS self-affirmation for L-Citrulline.

Novel Ingredient Services of West Caldwell, NJ, has received investment from GenNx360 Capital Partners of New York. Novel Ingredient Services plans to expand of its services and capabilities in the food and beverage and cosmetics markets. The firm recently was registered in the NSF International Dietary Supplement Ingredient Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) program. It is the first U.S. dietary ingredient supplier, and the second in the world, to receive this designation for supplier facilities.

Soft Gel Technologies, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA, announced that Next Pharmaceuticals will be the exclusive manufacturer of Sytrinol softgels.

Oryzatein, a plant-based brown rice protein from Axiom Food of Culver City, CA, was affirmed GRAS.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, May 2014