NIU’s Global Round-up: Kirin explores hops for brain health, Chr Hansen’s strong Q1 in LATAM, and more

Asia​

Kirin hops on cognitive health ingredient potential​

Japanese beverage giant Kirin is exploring potential new food and beverage products formulated with proprietary hop bitter acids, which are said to confer cognitive health benefits.

Working with Dentsu via a joint venture called INHOP Co, to tap on new scientific health evidence of Kirin’s mature hop bitter acids.

According to NutraIngredients-Asia​, research conducted by Kirin has found that matured hop bitter acids may have beneficial effects on cognitive function in humans, specifically improving memory recall.

In addition, data from a mouse study published in 2018 in Scientific Reports​ reported that matured hop bitter acids had some benefits on improving cognitive function.

LATAM ​

Chr. Hansen enjoys strong Q1 in LATAM​

“Chr. Hansen had a very strong first quarter in Latin America,”​ a spokesperson from Chr. Hansen told NutraIngredients-LATAM. “In fact, this was the region that delivered the most positive results in the Group in Q1.”​

The company reported 9% organic growth in Latin America.

However, the timing of plant health orders – which mostly occur in Q2 and Q4 in the region – meant that Chr Hansen’s health and nutrition business posted a decline in Latin America

Yet growth in plant health for the full year is expected to be “very strongly driven by continuing growth in Quartzo and Presence in Latin America,” ​Chr. Hansen explained.

For more on this, please click HERE​​.

Europe-US​

Evonik acquires US nutricosmetic company ​

Citing sustainability, Germany’s Evonik Industries announced the acquisition of Princeton, NJ-based Wilshire Technologies to add to its Care Solutions business line with a nutricosmetics component.

“With Wilshire’s unique products which replace animal origin ingredients and intermediates, we are moving another step forward with our development of a more diverse portfolio of sustainable active ingredients,”​ said Dr Tammo Boinowitz, head of the Care Solutions business line at Evonik.

Its acquisition will enable Evonik’s Care Solutions business to expand its product range into phytochemicals, such as plant derived cholesterol, as a replacement for animal originated ingredients in cosmetic active ingredients.

For more on this, please click HERE​​.