In this special edition, NutraIngredients-USA pools its coverage from the 15th Anniversary show, with exclusive interviews with Dan Fabricant, Frank Jaksch, Adam Ismail, Jeff Hilton, and many more.
FDA’s Fabricant slices up controversial NDI draft guidance
First up is our exclusive interview with Dr Daniel Fabricant, director of the Division of Dietary Supplement Programs at the FDA, about the controversial draft guidance on new dietary ingredients (NDIs).
Dr Fabricant fielded questions on the assessment of time required for a notification, a definite grandfathered list, FDA’s resources to cope with an anticipated avalanche of submissions, probiotics, and much more…
To watch the full interview, please click here: Fabricant: Gap between NDI numbers and submissions is too big 'no matter how you slice it'
New kid on the block
We also caught up with Markus Beba, VP of sales and business development for the newly formed Horphag Research, to hear how the division will focus on extending the application of its blockbuster Pycnogenol ingredient into food and beverages, and its targeting of women’s health and sports nutrition.
The company also launched a new salt enhancer at the SupplySide West show in Las Vegas, and Beba explained how this fits with the company’s current pine bark extract offering.
To watch the full interview, please click here: Horphag Research: We're going after sports nutrition and women's health
View from across the pond
Next up was Martin Last, chairman of the UK Health Food Manufacturer’s Association (HFMA), who shared his views on why US companies need to get up to speed with European Union health claim changes or face big hits on existing trade or missed opportunities.
“We’ve come here to present to the American manufacturers on what’s happening in Europe,” explained Last, “particularly on health claims because we are reaching that point now where it will be law and there is not much time left between now and December, and we want to make sure that the American manufacturers are fully aware of what is happening with health claims and what they need to do about it.”
To watch the full interview, please click here: US businesses face rude shock as EU health claims laws loom
The ‘curious timing’ of NDI draft guidance
More on the topic of NDIs came from George Pontiakos, president and CEO of BI Nutraceuticals, who expressed his opinion that the timing of the release of the draft guidance is “curious” given pressing economic/resource issues and “far more serious issues that FDA should be looking at”.
“If we have issues within this industry then FDA has a mandate to protect the consumer, no question about it,” said Pontiakos. “But if you have a sustained database of 17 years with non-issues, in this time of budgetary crisis within the government and private industry, why do we want to encumber the industry with more costs and why does FDA want to use that budget to survey a non-existent issue.
To watch the full interview, please click here: NDI draft guidance release is ‘curious timing’: BI chief
Big plans for 2012
Adam Ismail, executive director of the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3 (GOED), joined us to explain how the world’s leading omega-3 trade group is working with international regulators to have that research reflected in authorised claims – especially in the EU and the US.
“We’ve got big plans for 2012,” said Ismail. “One of our goals is to petition the FDA to upgrade the US heart health claim from a qualified claim to a full approved claim.”
To watch the full interview, please click here: GOED explains its “big plans” for omega-3 health claims in 2012
The potential of algal omega-3
Staying on the theme of omega-3, we put Leslie van der Meulen, VP Business Development for AuroraAlgae, under the spotlight and asked whether algal-sourced omega-3 can deliver.
“I think it’s really the right time to introduce these new sources so that the spread remains as broad as possible, so that supplement market still gets its supply, and the pharmaceutical market as well.”
To watch the full interview, please click here: Scalable new sources of omega-3 key to success for algae oils
The shadow on the horizon
The topic of ‘dry labbing’ also came up for discussion – a practice whereby research or analysis is claimed to be done – with Frank Jaksch, CEO and co-counder of Chromadex.
Jaksch said that, while it is difficult to say how widespread this problem is, “I think it’s a problem that goes deeper than people think”.
To watch the full interview, please click here: Imminent ‘seed event’ set to expose dry labbing issues?
Millenial market potential
Jeff Hilton, president and co-founder of the Integrated Marketing Group (IMG), joined us to discuss the market potential of Millennials (Generation Y), and why understanding how they differ from Boomer is key.
Hilton explained that Millenials have a “whole different mindset about supplementation and natural” than Boomers, and manufacturers should think about that.
“I think Millennials are looking to anything that can facilitate their lifestyle, so energy is a big one, focus and concentration is another.”
To watch the full interview, please click here: Are Millennials the next big opportunity for the natural product industry?
Strategic nutrition
Last, but by no means least, we met Emile Henein, global business manager for Stepan Lipid Nutrition to discuss the company’s move into nutrition with the acquisition of Dutch supplier Lipid Nutrition from Loders Croklaan for an undisclosed sum in June.
Henein explained that the newcomer has some ideas about how to tackle obstacles created by EFSA that has rejected so much nutrition science, including the newly acquired Lipid Nutrition’s.
To watch the full interview, please click here: Stepan ends years of North American isolationism with strategic European nutrition shift