GCI Nutrients launches Liposerine for food, supplements
ingredient phosphatidylserine (PS) to the market, and has obtained
GRAS affirmation so it can be used in foods as well as supplements.
Made using the non-bacterial cabbage enzyme method, Liposerine is also certified kosher and the company says it does not infringe any patents held by other players in the market.
The GRAS (generally recognised as safe) affirmation is particularly relevant since the elderly, who may benefit most from taking PS, are more likely than most to experience difficulties in swallowing tablets or capsules.
GCI claims its Liposerine is the only GRAS PS product in the US, which means that, for now at least, it is the only option for functional food manufacturers wishing to incorporate the ingredient.
However Germany's Degussa Food Ingredients, acquired by Cargill, said last year that it was expanding its Leci PS brand for use in foods and had developed new prototypes such as a chocolate bar and oat-based pellets to demonstrate how the stability issue associated with the ingredient can be overcome.
It can also produce a water dispersible powder suitable for instant drinks or dairy products fortified with PS on request.
The FDA allows products containing PS to bear the health claim: "Phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly".
The mental health category encompasses products for anxiety and depression, cognitive development in children and babies, and products aimed at helping the older people to retain their mental abilities.
It is tipped by market researchers to be one of the hot areas of growth in the supplements sector.
Part of the reason for this is the aging baby boom generation. This year the first baby boomers enter their seventh decade. With higher standards of living, expectations and disposable incomes than generations before them, they are a significant driving force in the market for all things age-related - be they internal or external.
