Ajinomoto launches capsinoid supplement for weight loss
supplement into the US market after being given the green light as
a new dietary ingredient.
The company's weight loss Capsiate Natura has been available in Japan since 2006.
The Japanese manufacturer will now market the product in the US thanks an approval letter from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in May.
For the moment, the company will only distribute the product through health professionals so as to keep a tight rein on the level of credibility associated with it.
"In the weight loss supplement arena there are a lot of products making far-fetched claims and we don't want to lose control of the message of our product," Brendan Naulty, president of Ajinomoto Food Ingredients, told NutraIngredients-USA.
Ajinomoto will gradually unveil the heat-producing compound as a supplement in the New York tri-state area and simultaneously look to educate consumers about the healthy potential of capsinoids.
The product is also being placed in a somewhat high end market, with prices that are closer to those of pharmaceutical goods.
Capsiate Natura is sourced from the CH-19 Sweet chili pepper, selectively bred to contain high levels of capsiate, one of the capsinoid family of compounds.
"It takes a lot of pepper to get this product," said Naulty.
The company says it is positioning the product for consumers who are truly dedicated to losing weight, and as such willing to spend more for Capsiate Natura.
While Naulty said the pricing will be determined by individual health professionals, the daily dosage of three gelcaps should cost between $5 and $10 per day.
Capsinoids have been shown in animals and humans to safely increase metabolism and fat burning.
"Ajinomoto supported the rigorous research and development program that has led us to this dietary supplement introduction," said Shinichi Suzuki, president of Ajinomoto USA.
Under DSHEA (the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act) any dietary ingredient not marketed in the US before October 15 1994 must be notified as an NDI 75 days before entering the market - a process that involves submission of scientific data to the FDA.
According to Ajinomoto, researchers at Kyoto University found CH-19 peppers may offer the benefits associated with chili peppers and capsaicin without the pungency.
The company is pushing forth the notion that adding chili peppers to the diet will make people burn more fat than they otherwise would.
In the Kyoto study, healthy adults involved in a study administering oral doses of capsinoids did not experience higher blood pressure or heart rate.
They did however, experience fat burning similar to experiments involving capsaicin.
In June, Ajinomoto announced the launch of a website it dubs as its Capsinoid Information Center, and geared it as a resource for health professionals.
The company had already filed for NDI status for capsinoids once before, but received a rejection letter in 2006.
