The move follows a similar successful petition from Hawaii-based Cyanotech, which received the thumbs up from the FDA to increase the daily serving for its BioAstin-branded astaxanthin from 7.8 mg to 12 mg last September.
The Dr Oz effect
Fuji - which received an FDA no objections letter over its GRAS determinations for AstaREAL in 2010 - will be showcasing a water soluble astaxanthin for foods and beverages and a 6mg astaxanthin softgel in bulk at ExpoWest in Anaheim next month.
National sales manager Joe Kuncewitch said: “The astaxanthin market is finally reaching maturity. Up until this past year it was a specialty ingredient carried only by select customers, but astaxanthin has now gone mainstream, finding itself in the mass market.
“The spark that ignited the astaxanthin explosion was Dr. Oz, introducing astaxanthin on his TV show last year. A year later we continue to see market expansion.”
What is astaxanthin?
A potent antioxidant, astaxanthin is claimed to have a wide range of benefits spanning joint, skin and eye health to healthy immune function, healthy tendons, UV protection for the skin, anti-aging, increased energy, recovery after exercise and a healthy cardiovascular system.
It has primarily been used in the feed industry to make farmed salmon a richer pink color. However, it has recently gained momentum in the dietary supplements market and is also being promoted as a functional food ingredient following several GRAS affirmations.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Fuji Chemical Industry Co, Fuji Health Science last year announced plans to double its astaxanthin production capacity in Sweden, but close down its US astaxanthin facility in Maui, Hawaii, claiming its Swedish operation was more scalable.