NIU’s Global Round-up: Australia’s ‘almost’ world class regulations, Cosucra’s expanded pea capatacity, and more
Australia
TGA Chief updates on regulatory reforms in Australia
Speaking during Complementary Medicines Australia’s (CMA) annual summit in Sydney, Professor John Skerritt, deputy secretary, health products regulation group for the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), updated attendees on the government’s regulatory reforms, which began three years ago.
These included a new listings pathway, which will allow applicable supplement products to make enhanced claims and include a ‘TGA assessed’ logo.
Previously, there was two-tier system whereby low risk products were self-assessed by the sponsor and listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic goods (ARTG) without pre-market assessment.
Meanwhile, higher risk medicines are registered on the ARTG following pre-market assessment of product quality, safety and efficacy.
This will continue, but the third way will allow products to be included in the ARTG following certification by the sponsor about the safety and quality of the product, and TGA assessment of the efficacy evidence supporting the proposed indications.
Prof Skerritt also explained that under the new regime, the TGA's complaints resolution panel has been abolished and a new advertising code has been put in place, alongside a revamped complaints handling process.
For more on this, please click HERE.
LATAM-Asia
Chilean astaxanthin firm targets South East Asia opportunity
Chile-based astaxanthin producer Atacama Bio Natural Products S.A. is adding South East Asia to its regional priorities, along with the US and Indian markets.
The company grows its Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The region’s solar radiation makes their manufacturing cost 30% less because it does not have to rely on pumping the microalgae, carbon dioxide injection or oxygen separators, and no requiting artificial lighting, explained the company’s vice president of global marketing, Jose Tomas Arenas.
The company has now set its sight on South East Asian countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore as well as India, Taiwan, and South Korea.
“We believe that having traceability of the origin of your ingredient, and how sustainable it is to produce, is growing in importance in the Asian market,” said Arenas.
For more on this story, please click HERE.
Europe
Cosucra invests in pea processing capacity
Belgian ingredients supplier COSUCRA is renovating and updating a former soybean plant in Aarhus, Denmark to produce pea-based ingrediets. When open, the company’s capacity across two facilities will make it one of the largest pea protein suppliers in Europe.
“The process to refine vegetable protein used similar equipment for soy and pea,” explained Eric Bosly, commercial director for Cosucra. “As the plant is not in use anymore, we [will] adapt the facility, refurbish existing equipment and install new [machinery] to implement our patented pea process. The main advantage is that we are able to be on the market already in 2020 and will be able to support the strong market demand we are observing.”
COSUCRA supplies pea-based ingredients to food sector customers under its Pisane brand. The company is targeting a 50% increase in revenue over the next 3-5 years. While declining to share an exact number in relation to the target, Bosly noted: “With two plants in operation, COSUCRA will be the largest manufacturer in Europe.”
For more on this, please click HERE.
