German-based company Nutrinova, a supplier of speciality ingredients for the food and beverage industries, announced this week that it is to acquire Protos-Biotech, the biotechnology unit of Celanese Ventures.
Nutrinova reports in a statement this week that Protos-Biotech's most significant product, the omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), will be marketed under the brand name DHActive. This move will, the company claims, help Nutrinova participate more strongly in the current trend for health-conscious nutrition.
"Based on the interplay between Protos-Biotech's technological competencies and Nutrinova's global presence, market experience and access to customers, we expect the product to be a quick success on the market for functional food products and nutritional supplements," said Arthur Steinmetz, Nutrinova's CEO, concerning the decision.
Protos-Biotech uses highly developed microorganisms called protists to produce DHActive. DHActive now has GRAS ("generally recognized as safe") status, enabling the product to be used in the US in dietary supplements, such as capsules, and in traditional foods such as baked goods, cereals, dairy products, fruit juices or snacks.