US food manufacturers this week spoke out against new European
rules on the labelling and traceability of GMOs, describing the
legislation as "a brick wall blocking international trade".
The House Committee on Energy and Commerce opens a two-day hearing
on ephedra today, likely to attract considerable scrutiny of
supplement industry regulation. Prior to the start, the media had
already reported on leaked testimonies...
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has unveiled a new ranking
system for health claims, which will make it easier for companies
to promote the health benefits of their products.
Creatine serum producer Muscle Marketing USA (MM) has hit back at
Degussa BioActives with a counterclaim arguing that Degussa's
creatine powder is 'totally ineffective'. The German company moved
swiftly to shrug off...
As MEPs vote on tough new GM legislation today, a UK environmental
group accuses the government of continuing to lobby against strict
laws on GM food and crops.
Metagenics is withdrawing a fatty acid supplement made by Pan
Pharmaceuticals, the Australian firm involved in a major recall
last month due to major safety concerns, from the Canadian market.
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has prepared a
report summarizing input from recent meetings with the industry on
the FDA proposals for cGMPs, which will be sent to the agency to
demonstrate industry views.
Industry association the Council for Responsible Nutrition this
week launched a media advertising campaign as part of its bid to
educate Congress on industry issues.
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning to consumers
not to purchase or consume certain stamina enhancing dietary
supplements containing Cialis, a prescription drug ingredient
thought to pose possible health risks.
The Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration
take action against two companies for making unsubstantiated
medical claims about the 'cure-all' dietary supplement Seasilver.
The American Medical Association House of Delegates yesterday
called for a ban on the sale of over-the-counter dietary
supplements containing anabolic steroid-like ingredients and its
precursors.
Canada saw the official publication of the Natural Health Products
Regulations this week, announced by Minister of Health, the
Honourable Anne McLellan. Next week, the new food fortification
policy will be under discussion.
American Longevity has filed a health claim petition with the Food
and Drug Administration requesting that it allows the use of
certain dietary supplement health claims for lycopene, tomatoes,
tomato-based products, and cancer.
Unither Pharma and United Therapeutics Corporation have agreed to
settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC) charges that they made
deceptive claims in advertising for their HeartBar product,
reported the FTC.
Companies marketing ingredients for dietary supplements in Europe
may need to act quickly to ensure their products are included in
new EU regulations coming into force in July 2005. CRN's John
Hathcock and James Roza of Now Foods...
The National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) has created a new
and improved Advocacy Action Center on its website to help
communication with federal legislators and regulators on critical
industry issues.
The dietary supplement industry has responded to last week's report
from an expert group in the UK which recommends new, "conservative"
upper safe levels for vitamins and minerals, and also advises a ban
on chromium...
The Food and Drug Administration says that Nature's Youth has
completed destruction of approximately 5700 boxes its 'Nature's
Youth hGH', after the product was found to carry misleading
labeling and health claims.
Natural ingredient manufacturer Kemin Foods last week voiced its
support for the US Food and Drug Administration's new initiative to
strengthen labeling, manufacturing and product quality requirements
for the dietary supplement...
The US sugar industry, in Rome this week, will continue its crusade
against a recent report from the World Health Organisation that
suggests a severe reduction in sugar could help stem the global
rise of obesity-linked diseases.
With the demise of breakfasts at home, spreads are coming under
increasing pressure as consumers demand increasingly convenient and
on-the-go foods, reveals the latest report from marketing analysts
Euromonitor.
A coalition of dietary supplement trade bodies has issued a
statement urging industry members not to promote natural treatments
as a prevention or cure for the SARS virus.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a statement
confirming that it has not issued a new advisory on methylmercury
consumption, despite recent media reports suggesting otherwise.
The FDA's Task Force on Consumer Health Information for Better
Nutrition has established a public docket to receive views and
comments on issues such as health claims, from interested
stakeholders.
Ultra Health Laboratories and Bionate International are warning
consumers not to purchase or consume a herbal product known as
Vinarol, because it contains an unlabeled prescription drug
ingredient, found in the drug Viagra.
Nature's Path Foods has called the recent DEA ruling on hemp foods,
which categorizes all cannabis-derived foods in the same way as
illegal drugs, a 'baffling' move.
Canada's department of health has introduced a nutrition labeling
'toolkit' to help dietitians and health professionals educate
consumers on the new nutrition labeling practice, to become
mandatory for large companies...
FDA speakers will discuss the proposed good manufacturing practices
with dietary supplement manufacturers at an industry forum prior to
SupplySide East.
The industry is facing increased pressure after last week's
coroner's report which found that an ephedra dietary supplement
contributed to the death of Baltimore Orioles' pitcher Steve
Bechler last month.
Vitamin maker Rexall Sundown is to pay up to $12 million to resolve
Federal Trade Commission charges regarding its marketing of the
dietary supplement 'Cellasene', a purported treatment for
cellulite.
A supplement company has questioned the FDA's recent proposals to
further regulate dietary supplements, suggesting that the agency
should concentrate on the pharmaceuticals industry rather than the
'relatively safe'...
Following a new review on the safety of ephedra, the FDA has
announced a series of actions which may tighten laws on the
marketing of herb in supplements. Industry bodies have confirmed
their support for the moves, which do not yet...
Health ingredients manufacturer Cognis Nutrition and Health has
announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has
approved GRAS status for the company's Xangold brand natural lutein
esters products in a variety of...
Mexican company Pigmentos Vegetales del Centro (Piveg) was recently
granted a temporary stay of injunction - the initial phase of a
patent infringement suit initiated by lutein supplier Kemin Foods
and the Catholic University of America...
The ephedra industry is attempting to reassure consumers of the
safety of the herb, taken to aid weight-loss, after reports in the
national press last week linked ephedra supplements to the death of
baseball player Steve Bechler.
The US Food and Drug Administration is to expand use of the
phytosterol heart-health claim to a broader range of foods and
beverages. The move was triggered by requests from Cargill Health
& Food Technologies, the company said...
Dutch speciality chemicals company DSM continues on its steady path
to growth with the announcement today that operating profit for
2002 reached €383 million, a 14 per cent rise on 2001, thanks in
part to 6 per cent autonomous volume...
The media should 'do the right thing' and stop running ads that
contain obviously deceptive weight loss product claims, Federal
Trade Commission chairman Timothy J. Muris told the Cable Televison
Advertising Bureau in New...
The European Parliament yesterday voted with an overwhelming
majority for a permanent ban on the use of the food additive E425,
otherwise known as konjac, in jelly confectionery.
The NNFA has welcomed the FDA's confirmation last week to exclude
health food stores from mandatory registration under the food
safety provisions contained in last year's bioterrorism law.
AAC Consulting Group, the regulatory consulting subsidiary of
contract research organisation Kendle International, has signed an
agreement with two toxicologists to further expand its services to
the food and dietary supplement industries.
The Federal Trade Commission has charged Slim Down Solution,
Maderia Management, and several related companies and individuals
with using false claims in the marketing of its so-called
weight-loss product, 'Slim Down Solution.'
The Committee on the Framework for Evaluating the Safety of Dietary
Supplements is requesting information and comment on prototype
monographs for melatonin, chromium picolinate, glucosamine, and saw
palmetto as dietary supplement...
The new commissioner for the US Food and Drug Administration, Dr
Mark McClellan, this week indicated his support for reviewing
current rules on health claims on food labels.
An organisation supporting ephedra manufacturers yesterday released
a report containing more than 55 clinical studies backing the
herb's safety and weight loss benefits - the report found no
significant adverse effects were caused...
A US District Court in Texas has ordered Mark Nutritionals, maker
of Body Solutions Evening Weight Loss Formula, to stop making
certain claims about its product. The order is in response to a
complaint by the Federal Trade Commission...
