FDA has published a final rule giving dietary supplement
manufacturers the option to issue nutrition label information on a
'per day' basis, as a voluntary option in addition to the mandatory
'per serving' information.
American Herbal Products Association has presented comments to the
US Fish and Wildlife Service on revisions to its list of endangered
wild plant species to be protected from specimen trading -
particulary the natural antibiotic goldenseal.
The House of Representatives has passed the Dietary Supplement and
Non-Prescription Drug Consumer Protection Act on adverse events
reporting, and the bill is now on its way to President George W
Bush for signature.
A new FDA commissioner has been confirmed before the US Senate,
after serving as acting commissioner since the September 2005
resignation of the previous holder of the position.
The United States Senate has passed S 3546, the Dietary Supplement
and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Act, which would require
manufacturers to notify the Food and Drug Administration of all
serious adverse events for dietary supplements.
The US Food & Drug Administration's public hearing on
functional foods saw food industry groups present testimonies on
how this evolving category of goods should be regulated.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has served notice on
Coca-Cola and Nestlé, the companies behind functional beverage
Enviga, and said it will sue them if they continue to market the
drink using calorie-burning and weight...
Pharmachem has announced that the Food and Drug Administration has
been notified of structure function claims for weight control and
starch reduction for the company's Phase 2 Starch Neutralizer
ingredient.
Sabinsa Corporation has said it is taking legal action against DNP
International for allegedly infringing patents protecting the use
of its BioPerine and Forslean extracts.
When the idea of fortifying staple foods with vital nutrients is
raised, the battlecry goes up from industry groups and advocates of
consumer choice: "Why should we bear the costs?" "Educate, and
let people make their...
Regulation introduced by the British government to protect children
from junk food advertising is far more effective than the voluntary
US approach, an American consumer lobby group has said.
The Food and Drug Administration has introduced two consumer tools
designed to help people understand nutrition facts panels so that
they are able to better control their food choices.
The government's new WIC nutritional guidelines should allow for a
broader range of whole grain foods than currently proposed,
according to the AACC International Whole Grains Task Force.
A Californian nutrition council has published guidelines for
Hispanic consumers in an effort to encourage good nutrition amongst
the nation's most unhealthy population.
NSF International has certified a second manufacturing facility as
part of its Good Manufacturing Practices for sport registration - a
program designed to minimize the risk that sports nutrition
products contain banned substances.
The biggest problem facing contract testing in the dietary
supplement and herbal industries is that there have not been enough
standardized methods for different formulations and products,
according to a contract lab specialist.
An Ohio judge granted a $4.7mn settlement in a class-action lawsuit
against Berkeley Premium Nutraceuticals for falsely advertising the
sexual dysfunction effects of its dietary supplements.
In a new twist, the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) has
added its voice to the controversy over the Cocaine energy drink
being sold on some retail shelves in the US and has underscored
that the product is not a dietary supplement.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest has denounced super
fruit juices, stoking debate over credible science behind products
and the claims they make.
The FDA has signalled that it could adapt existing regulation to
take account of the growing number of conventional foods marketed
as 'functional foods category', starting with a public meeting in
December.
The dietary supplement industry needs to band together,
self-regulate and contribute to political action committees in
order to secure consumer respect and legislative support, agreed
speakers at Friday's State of the Industry...
The four leading US dietary supplement trade associations have
announced the launch of a new voluntary industry-wide protocol to
facilitate the exchange of information between ingredient suppliers
and finished product manufacturers.
Whether or not adverse events reporting will increase consumer
confidence will depend on how the industry follows requirements, an
official from SafetyCall International told Supply Side West
attendees in a talk Thursday.
The Indian Food Safety and Standards Bill 2005 has been signed into
law, promising a significant impact on the Indian dietary
supplement industry, and opening up a potential market of one
billion people for dietary supplement companies...
A US Department of Agriculture audit of the nation's Child
Nutrition Labeling Program has found that products provided under
the program have not been manufactured, labeled and inspected in
accordance with regulations.
Canola oil is gaining credence as an ingredient for food products
aimed at supporting heart health, as the FDA has approved a
qualified health claim on its potential to reduce the risk of
coronary heart disease, owing to its unsaturated...
Sometimes I just love eating fatty, greasy, unquestionably
hazardous foods. But I don't like trans fats, that come as a
by-product in some processed foods, and have been linked to high
cholesterol and heart problems.
A former FDA deputy commissioner for policy reiterated the need for
industry to show its support for an increased budget for the
federal agency, following a report last week denouncing its
capacity to properly regulate nanotechnology...
In an effort to let consumers know not all omega-3s bring equal
benefits, 12 ingredients makers - including Cargill, Ocean
Nutrition Canada and Martek Biosciences - have joined forces to
create the Global Organization for EPA and...
A former FDA deputy commissioner for policy has denounced the
agency's capacity to properly regulate nanotechnology products
including supplements, a criticism that could inflame debate
leading up to the agency's first major...
The credibility of traditional Chinese medicine has been called
into question by a contentious bill that has passed to a second
reading in the Ontario legislative assembly in Canada, with
professional associations polarized over the...
Sabinsa Corporation has agreed to discontinue making or selling
Genimax in the US as part of a settlement with Archer Daniels
Midland over patent infringement of the agribusiness giant's
proprietary soy isoflavone technology.
International Flavors & Fragrances has completed an internal
program designed for sodium reduction, which provides the firm with
a base of reference for its range of flavor systems for reduced
salt applications.
Nutraceutical Corporation is not giving up its fight for banned
herbal, ephedrine, and has filed a petition for rehearing in front
of the entire tenth circuit of the US Court of Appeals, following a
federal appeals court decision...
The FDA has released a guidance for food facilities to maintain
records of production and distribution that still falls short of
taking a stance on the issue of adverse events reporting.
A US Court of Appeals has upheld Kemin Industries' lutein patents
after Pigmentos Vegetales del Centro appealed a September 2004 jury
verdict - finally closing lengthy litigation between the two
parties and giving the Iowa-based...
The CRN has announced it is funding a federal advertising body to
monitor advertising for dietary supplements as part of the overall
aim of encouraging the industry to self-regulate.
Soy-powder maker SoyLink has a new US patent for its proprietary
technology - a manufacturing process the Iowa-based company says
will expand current uses for soy in functional foods and beverages.
Chrysantis has a new utility patent for development of zeaxanthin
esters - an announcement that bodes well for its
soon-to-be-launched extended line of the naturally sourced eye
health ingredients.
Unilever has petitioned the FDA to amend its health claim for the
use of phytosterols in foods and allow full daily intake in one
serving rather than two - suggesting the consumer brand giant
foresees more explicit and simplified...
Israeli phosphatidylserine-maker Lipogen now has FDA affirmed GRAS
status for its patented product line, suggesting increasing US
market interest in this mental health ingredient.
In a bid to more effectively protect wild herbs used by the natural
products industry, AHPA has found fault with the US Forest
Service's definition of what constitutes a "native plant"
and wants greater emphasis put...
Burcon NutraScience has been granted a US patent for a protein
extraction and purification technology it says improves protein
recovery as well as the nutritional profile of protein isolates.
Canada has issued an advisory about a possible link between black
cohosh and liver damage - bringing the herb, used in relieving
menopausal symptoms, further negative attention following similar
moves in the UK and Australia.
A federal appeals court has overturned a Utah ruling that
challenged the FDA ban on products containing weight loss and
sports performance herbal ephedra, making it more unlikely than
ever that the US market for the ingredient will...
The American Herbal Products Association is planning to compile a
database of dietary ingredients marketed in the United States
before October 1994, and is calling on companies to send records of
the products they sold.
The US government has proposed that its Women, Infants and Children
(WIC) nutritional program should be revised for the first time in
over 25 years in order to better reflect the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans.
The FDA has responded to criticisms made by the Union of Concerned
Scientists (UCS) that the regulation body is under pressure to
exclude or alter technical information on scientific reports that
could affect the safety of products.
