Frutarom Brings K2 to North America

Following the success of its vitamin K2 ingredient in Europe, Frutarom USA (North Bergen, NJ) has decided to supply its K2 ingredient, uniK2, for U.S. functional foods and supplements.

Vitamin K2 is intended for improving blood health and bone health. It’s benefits beyond vitamin K1 are of critical importance.

Dietary calcium must travel from the blood to the bones, but a protein called osteocalcin is needed to get it there. Osteocalcin happens to rely on vitamin K for activation; when our blood uses up vitamin K1 stores, there is not enough left to serve osteocalcin.

With a longer half-life than vitamin K1, vitamin K2 can assist in blood coagulation (something vitamin K1 is known for), but also help out osteocalcin.

Frutarom’s uniK2 brand vitamin k2 is derived from Japanese natto, derived from fermented soy. The ingredient is MK-7, as opposed to MK-4, a variant of vitamin K2 with shorter side-chains. (Some scientists attribute shorter side-chains to less bioavailability in the body.)

“UniK2 can be used across a wide range of products,” says the company, “from classic dietary supplements to functional foods, such as beverages, dairy products, nutrition bars and bakery products.”