Functional ingredients focus: Top 10 most-read supplier news of year 2022 revealed

Ready to roar: Malaysia’s tiger milk mushroom maker targets overseas growth amid domestic popularity​

Malaysia earlier this year saw a strong demand for tiger milk mushroom – an ingredient that has been used as a traditional herbal remedy for immune and respiratory health.

Local tiger milk mushroom supplier Nexus Wise pointed out that the ingredient, alongside vitamin C, cordyceps were trending in the country due to the pandemic.

So far, the company has worked with several local brands such as Bio-Rich in launching products containing tiger milk mushroom and colostrum, immunoglobulin G etc.

Singapore firm MD Pharmaceuticals and DSM develop ‘faster-acting’ vitamin D supplement to boost immunity​

MD Pharmaceuticals, a Singapore-based healthcare distributor and marketer, has developed a new vitamin D supplement with DSM, which is said to be a faster-acting form of vitamin D beneficial to the immune health.

Known as Rapid-D, the halal-certified and 100 per cent vegetarian capsule product contains ampli-D – a form of vitamin D3 known as calcifediol and is a trademarked ingredient by DSM.

The product is sold in a box of 30 capsules in selected general practitioner and specialist clinics, as well as the retail pharmacies of Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Singapore General Hospital.

Indonesia palm oil export ban: Functional ingredient suppliers expecting higher working capital, longer lead time​

Suppliers selling functional ingredients derived from palm oil, such as tocotrienols and carotene, are expecting pressures around working capital and lead time, with Indonesia’s palm oil export ban tightening supplies and pushing prices up.

Indonesia was in the headlines between April and May for its palm oil export ban.

The ban was introduced to safeguard domestic demand for cooking oil – a knock-on effect of several factors, including soybean, canola oil shortages from South America and France, and more recently, the disrupted supply of sunflower oil due to the Russia-Ukraine war.

Fonterra eyes booming wellbeing and medical nutrition markets in China, SEA with new portfolio​

The wellbeing and medical nutrition sectors are booming in China and South East Asia (SEA), according to Fonterra, which has introduced a new portfolio aimed at tackling these needs.

Known as Nutiani, the B2B brand focuses on the physical, inner, and mental wellbeing sectors, which Fonterra said were growing at six per cent per year and were worth US$66bn, citing statistics from Euromonitor.

Within Asia-Pacific, the company saw the biggest opportunities for Nutiani in China and South East Asia, said chief innovation and brand officer Komal Mistry-Mehta.

‘Double approach’: Skin care brands launching oral supplements for anti-hyperpigmentation as awareness grows​  

There has been a trend of skin care firms launching supplements that claim to reduce skin hyperpigmentation, giving consumers an additional option to traditional topical creams.

This is according to Horphag Research, the Geneva-based company behind skin health ingredient French maritime pine bark extract, trademarked as Pycnogenol.

“What we see from our customers is that they are looking for a double approach…For example, they could have a lotion, a cream for topical application and at the same time, they also sell capsules with Pycnogenol inside. They make sure that they approach skin care from a holistic standpoint,” ​Sébastien Bornet, VP, global sales and marketing at Horphag Research told us.

PEA shown to inhibit COVID-19 by dual mechanisms, trial results to be out in Q3 – Gencor​

Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has been shown to inhibit the COVID-19 virus in both in-silico and in-vitro settings, says functional ingredient firm Gencor.

The company, which is behind the PEA ingredient trademarked Levagen+, has concluded studies assessing the effectiveness of Levagen+ against the COVID-19 virus via in-silico and in-vitro studies.

According to the findings published on Viruses, ​PEA works against COVID-19 via two mechanisms.

Data delivery: DSM’s new micronutrient database aims at cost-saving, more efficient NPD​

DSM has developed a database that could identify the key micronutrient gaps in 11 markets across Asia-Pacific, and in turn, help health supplement brands and manufacturers design products to meet these needs.

Known as NutriView, the proprietary online database is aimed at helping finished product brands and manufacturers create products that target specific populations needs and/or allow them to make products with specific health claims.

Based on national nutrition surveys, population studies published on peer-reviewed scientific journals, and food balance sheet, the database provides information on nutrient intake level by women and men across six different age groups from the age of one to 50 and above.

Immunity with postbiotics: House Wellness Foods eyes ANZ market with flagship ingredient​​

House Wellness Foods said it hoped to expand in Australia and New Zealand after its flagship postbiotic has been recognised as a non-novel food by the local authorities.

The Japan-headquartered company announced that its postbiotic ingredient Lactobacillus plantarum ​HK L-137, trademarked Immuno-LP20, is classified as a non-novel food by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ).

With the regulatory recognition, House Wellness Foods is partnering contract manufacturer Probiotics Australia to reach out to various foods and beverages brands in the region.

Probi, DKSH collaboration: Probiotics for bone health and iron absorption land in Singapore​

Probiotic ingredient supplier Probi AB has partnered with DKSH Business Unit Healthcare in launching two new probiotic supplements for the Singapore market.

This is the first time the two companies are coming together to formulate and launch probiotics supplements in the city-state.

The products are launched under the Probi banner via a licensing of the name to DKSH.

Diversifying sources: Global seafood firm Thai Union on rationale for microalgae omega-3 strategy​

Global seafood giant Thai Union said it was placing a significant focus on microalgae omega-3, besides its usual marine sources, in order to diversify its ingredients business.

The company had invested CAD$10m (USD$7.7m) in Canada’s sustainable, plant-based nutritional and nutraceutical ingredients firm Mara Renewables Corporation (Mara) earlier this year.

Thai Union’s ingredient business MD, Leonardus Coolen, said the investment complemented its omega-3 production using tuna oil.