Ingredients to Watch

As the push continues for manufacturers to back up health claims with sound scientific research, more ingredients are entering the market supported by published clinical data. Product substantiation, in fact, is now more important than ever. While the earliest nutritional products were intended to promote general health, today’s healthy foods and supplements now target specific health conditions and claims of efficacy that require more testing and data.

How will the new products fare in the market? That depends on how the science behind them stacks up. Here’s a look at the latest crop of ingredients to keep an eye on in 2006.

SLIM AND TRIM: WEIGHT-CONTROL INGREDIENTS

Some of the most intriguing ingredients on the market may help boost metabolism and promote lean body mass. Several of these ingredients are backed by clinical studies. For instance, one of the newest appetite-suppressing ingredients, Lipid Nutrition’s (Channahon, IL) PinnoThin, which is derived from the seeds of the Korean pine nut tree (Pinus koraiensis), contains pinolenic acid, a fatty acid that helps promote feelings of satiety by stimulating the release of the appetite-controlling hormone cholecystokinin (CCK).

PinnoThin is derived from the seeds of the Korean pine nut tree. Photo courtesy of Lipid Nutrition.

In one placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study conducted in 2005 by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO; Delft, The Netherlands), researchers recruited a group of 18 women who received either 3 g of PinnoThin or a placebo. After measuring blood parameters linked to satiety, the researchers found that PinnoThin seemed to increase CCK levels significantly.

Sandra Einerhand, a nutritionist at Lipid Nutrition, says the amount of research conducted on PinnoThin is unusual. “Most other competing products either do not have published human data, or when they have published data, they usually do not demonstrate how it works,” Einerhand says.

A second weight-management ingredient that has been studied by researchers is Sabinsa Corp.’s (Piscataway, NJ) Coleus forskohlii extract, ForsLean. Several recent studies suggest that it can improve body composition.

For example, in one of the latest studies, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial published in the August 2005 issue of the Journal of Obesity Research, volunteers who received daily doses of 250 mg of ForsLean for 12 weeks gained an average of 8.77 lb of lean body mass and lost an average of 9.96 lb of body fat. Conversely, volunteers who received a daily placebo gained an average of just 3.90 lb of lean body mass and lost an average of only 1.12 lb of body fat.

“These findings are significant because they further validate the fact that ForsLean can promote whole-body increases in lean body mass, a key component in ensuring overall good health,” says Vladimir Badmaev, MD, vice president of scientific and medical affairs at Sabinsa. “Additionally, researchers noted that ForsLean’s unique mechanism of action allows for the possibility of long-term use without potentially harmful side effects.”

Another rising star among weight-control ingredients is Humanetics Corp.’s (Eden Prairie, MN) 7-Keto, which was the subject of a major consumer-awareness campaign last fall. The campaign underscored research that supports the ingredient’s safety and efficacy.

“The clinical trial pedigree behind 7-Keto is world class,” says Scott Steil, vice president of sales and marketing at Humanetics. “We have published clinical data, with multiple studies showing that the product actually works for weight loss.” Steil notes that in one trial, volunteers on a restricted-calorie diet who took 7-Keto while participating in a moderate exercise program lost four to five more pounds than the placebo group.

A third ingredient, bitter orange (Citrus aurantium), has also made headlines recently. Bitter orange’s role in increasing resting metabolic rate, inducing weight loss, and reducing body fat has made it a much-sought-after ingredient in weight-loss products. One popular branded bitter orange ingredient is Nutratech’s (Wayne, NJ) Advantra Z, which contains all five adrenergic amines that occur naturally in the bitter orange fruit.

According to Nutratech, Advantra Z’s dominant constituent is the “p” form of synephrine. Because some studies have linked the “m” form of synephrine to adverse events such as raised blood pressure, Nutratech commissioned independent laboratory testing last spring to verify that Advantra Z does not contain m-synephrine.

“We have had Advantra Z tested by the independent laboratory Chromadex, which confirmed that Advantra Z contains no m-synephrine,” says Bob Green, president of Nutratech. “Understanding which synephrine isomer is used in Advantra Z is important, since bitter orange, and the possibility that it raises blood pressure, have been the topics of a variety of studies and media reports during the past year.”

Moreover, recently published studies from McGill University’s (Montreal) Nutrition and Food Science Center and the University of California, San Francisco, suggest that Advantra Z increases resting metabolic rate but has no impact on blood pressure, according to the company.

HEALTHY HELP: ANTIOXIDANTS AND IMMUNE HEALTH INGREDIENTS

Tea isn’t the only “green” beverage that lays claim to the power of antioxidants. Stella Laboratories (Paramus, NJ) launched a new green coffee bean extract last November at SupplySide West in Las Vegas that boasts twice the antioxidant strength of green tea.

“Green coffee bean extract previously has been available here and there, but there wasn’t a sufficient supply,” says Deborah Vickery, director of marketing at Stella Laboratories, adding that the company has a sufficient supply out of Europe to fulfill customer needs without running into problems.

The green coffee bean extract is standardized to the marker compound chlorogenic acid, which is believed to be the main source of its antioxidant properties and may also alter patterns of glucose uptake. Another constituent of the extract, caffeic acid, helps to provide an energy boost.

Also new on the antioxidant scene is Xanthosteen 3510, a standardized mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) extract from Martin Bauer North America (Torrance, CA). The extract is harvested from the peel of mangosteen, an antioxidant-rich Southeast Asian fruit that is taken to support the immune system, supply energy, and improve stamina.

“There is a substantial body of scientific evidence surrounding the health benefits of mangosteen, yet it remains relatively unknown throughout the United States,” says Stefan Wypyszyk, vice president of marketing for Martin Bauer North America. “The opportunity for companies to bring mangosteen-based products to the market is enormous.”

The Southeast Asian fruit mangosteen is taken to support the immune system, supply energy, and improve stamina. Photo courtesy of Martin Bauer North America.

Another botanical extract that is known for its antioxidant properties is rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis). Vitiva (Markovci, Slovenia) recently announced that it has developed a line of rosemary extracts that can be used in foods. Vitiva’s Inolens rosemary extracts are oil soluble and—thanks to a proprietary extraction process—free of the herb’s strong scent.

“Inolens is the most advanced line of rosemary extracts available on the market today,” says Matevz Kmet, sales and marketing director at Vitiva. The line of odorless rosemary extracts can be used in applications such as mayonnaise, salad dressings, sauces, white chocolate, and dairy products.

SGS 100, a broccoli seed extract from CS Agra (Louisville, KY) that contains the compound glucoraphanin, is another antioxidant ingredient to watch in 2006. According to B&D Nutritional Ingredients (Vista, CA), which obtained exclusive marketing rights for SGS 100 in November, more than 300 studies have analyzed the effects of the compound and its metabolite, sulforaphane.

“This raw material embodies the perfect mix of natural whole-food origin, antioxidant science, production technology, and intellectual property,” says Michael Sodaro, vice president of sales at B&D Nutritional Ingredients. “We are pleased that they selected us for their sales and marketing.”

THE SWEET LIFE: CARBOHYDRATES AND SUGAR REPLACERS

While the low-carbohydrate diet craze may have cooled off considerably, many manufacturers and consumers still want to replace some carbohydrate content. TIC Gums (Belcamp, MD) recently added a new twist to the category when it introduced its TIC Pretested Ticaloid LC corn syrup replacer, a gum arabic that imitates the properties of corn syrup or honey.

“When made into a syrup using water and glycerin, it mimics the functional properties of high-fructose corn syrup or low-DE corn syrup as a bulking agent,” says Mar Nieto, director of technical services at TIC Gums. The replacer, which can be used as a bulking agent, water-activity depressant, and texture modifier, is compatible with all food systems that use sugar or corn syrup.

Also sweetening the pot is an old Asian favorite: the luo han fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii), which is grown in China. BioVittoria Ltd.’s (Hamilton, New Zealand) new PureLo extract is a zero-calorie luo han concentrate that is marketed in the United States by Barrington Nutritionals (Harrison, NY).

Luo han ingredients have been available in the United States since the 1860s, but primarily among the Asian population, according to Andrew Rubman, managing director for BioVittoria. The fruit traditionally is fire roasted, then boiled and made into a tea.

Because the resulting burnt-fiber flavor is unfamiliar to Western palates, BioVittoria designed an alternative processing method using hot-water extraction to produce material that is virtually identical to the traditional food.

BioVittoria has also attempted to resolve luo han supply issues by working with the Chinese government to establish a growers association, an effort that has apparently met with some success. “In 18–24 months, luo han will be as commonly understood as Kleenex,” Rubman says. “There are some very large entities looking at this.”

TAKING HEART: CARDIOVASCULAR INGREDIENTS

Indena USA (Seattle) is hoping to capitalize on the ever-present buzz surrounding olive oil to promote the cardiovascular benefits of OleaSelect, a Mediterranean olive fruit extract.

“We use a pulp from a unique olive grown in Italy that is very rich in phenols,” explains Greg Ris, vice president of sales at Indena. Specifically, the extract contains the polyphenols verbascoside and hydroxytyrosol. Verbascoside’s free radical–scavenging activity reduces exercise-induced oxidative stress, while hydroxytyrosol’s antioxidant effects may help lower the risk of coronary heart disease.

Another promising fruit-based ingredient, Frutologic from BioSerae Laboratories (Bram, France), is a combination of grape and apple extracts. According to BioSerae, Frutologic has two main characteristics: a vasodilating effect and an antioxidant effect. The vasodilating effect may stem from Frutologic’s ability to boost nitric oxide synthesis and enhance the activity of L-arginine.

Frutologic is available in a powder form that can be used in beverages and in a granulated form for use in tablets and capsules. Frutologic is also accredited by the World Anti-Doping Life Label (Montpelier, France), which makes it particularly useful for sports nutrition applications.

Several new ingredients from Cognis Nutrition and Health (Cincinnati) may also make it easier for manufacturers to create products that address the cardiovascular system. In November, the company expanded its VegaPure line of sterols and sterol esters, and introduced a new free sterol ground powder that can be used in tablets and functional foods.

“With more than 50% of American households managing their cholesterol, there’s a huge opportunity for makers of functional foods and dietary supplements—if you have the right product,” says Laura Troha, VegaPure marketing manager at Cognis. “Our expanded line of seven VegaPure sterols and sterol esters makes it simple to customize products with a natural, safe ingredient that is clinically proven to lower cholesterol.”

Cognis recently opened a $25 million facility in Illertissen, Germany, to increase its capacity to manufacture sterol esters. “This state-of-the-art facility means Cognis has an abundant supply of sterols and sterol esters, and can tailor production according to your precise formulation and manufacturing needs,” Troha says. “We can provide exactly what you want, when you need it.”

BONING UP: CALCIUM INGREDIENTS

Osteoporosis is a major concern for millions of Americans who don’t get enough calcium in their diets. Even when people do consume calcium, it is often ineffectively absorbed into the body. One ingredient that may help improve calcium absorption is Raftilose Synergy 1, a prebiotic fiber from Orafti (Malvern, PA).

Raftilose Synergy 1 may help improve calcium absorption. Photo courtesy of Orafti.

In a 2005 study, researchers from Baylor University (Waco, TX) and the Texas Children’s Hospital (Houston) gave 100 volunteers between the ages of 9 and 13 either 8 g of Raftilose Synergy 1 to be consumed with breakfast each day, or a placebo. Before the study, the researchers measured the calcium absorption rates of the volunteers and took x-ray body scans. The tests were also repeated after two months and at the end of the year-long study.

The researchers concluded that supplementation with Raftilose Synergy 1 not only helped increase calcium retention and accretion in bones by 15%, but also confirmed a calcium absorption increase of 20% that had been found in previous studies.

“This study is an exciting step forward, advancing the science and reconfirming the dramatic effect of Raftilose Synergy 1 on bone health,” says Kathy Niness, vice president of marketing and sales at Orafti. “It adds to the strong body of scientific evidence already proving that Raftilose Synergy 1 increases calcium absorption and confirms that it also increases bone density over the long term. This is the first study of its kind providing this effect for any prebiotic ingredient, and we are pleased it was conducted with Raftilose Synergy 1 at the prestigious USDA Center for Human Nutrition at Baylor University in Texas.”

In other bone and joint health news, calcium pills may be getting smaller, thanks to a special grade of directly compressible dicalcium phosphate in anhydrous form (DCPA) from Gallard-Schlesinger (Plainview, NY) called DI-CAFOS A. The product, introduced several years ago but now getting a stronger marketing push, exhibits a bulk density of 1300 g per L, significantly higher than the 700–800 g per L usually found in commercial grades of directly compressible DCPA.

The optimized flowability of DCPA DI-CAFOS A enables high production throughput for tablets and capsules, and it ensures precise dosaging to safeguard uniformity of product content. “The higher bulk density gives a formulator some flexibility,” says Keith Theile, territory manager for Gallard-Schlesinger. “You can actually make smaller tablets with the same amount of calcium, or add other things to the tablet without making it too large—no more horse pills.”