Kemin’s BetaVia Pure immune and gut health ingredient gains positive EFSA opinion

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Kemin Industries (Des Moines, IA) announced that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued a positive opinion on the safety of Kemin’s BetaVia Pure as a supplement and food ingredient in the European Union. In addition, EFSA has granted BetaVia Pure five years of exclusivity in the European market, Kemin reports.

BetaVia Pure is an algae-based, 95% beta-1,3-glucan (paramylon) ingredient derived from Euglena gracilis that supports immune and gut health. According to Kemin’s press release, “BetaVia Pure is the highest-purity beta-glucan currently available on the market.” It adds: “The EFSA opinion confirms that BetaVia Pure is considered safe when used in food supplements for ages one and older; in foods for total diet replacement for weight control; and as a food ingredient added to a number of food products for the general population.”

Kemin’s original BetaVia ingredient had already received a positive opinion from EFSA. “Receiving the second EFSA positive opinion on BetaVia—now with BetaVia Pure—allows us to bring our full algae beta-1,3-glucan product line to the European market,” said Chris Sadewasser, global product manager for Kemin Human Nutrition and Health, in the press release. “This critical recognition is the result of EFSA’s meticulous evaluation of the data from Kemin’s dossier, which demonstrates the safety of our BetaVia ingredient in its more concentrated form, BetaVia Pure.”

The BetaVia postbiotic ingredients derived from Euglena gracilis algae have been shown to prime key immune cells, protect intestinal barrier integrity, and positively shape the microbiome, Kemin says. They also hold regulatory approval in the U.S., Brazil, Japan, China, and other countries.