India focus: Vegan, hemp, botanicals new product development in the spotlight
Liver and lung health: India’s new supplement firm tackles ‘lack’ of vegan options in overlooked categories
A new vegan supplement brand from India is seeking to tackle health categories that it believes have so far been overlooked, such as the lack of vegan offerings for liver and lung health.
PRO2FIT is also planning to launch new products for bone and joint health in Q2 this year, with co-founder Payal Shah telling NutraIngredients-Asia that existing products usually contain animal-based vitamin D and glucosamine.
The brand was established two years ago during the COVID-19 lockdown in India.
‘Unparalleled growth and innovation’: Indian hemp industry ready for lift-off as regulatory landscape improves
India’s hemp industry is predicting a wave of product innovation, from protein bars to flavoured powders and snacks, in the wake of recent regulatory advances that will see hemp seed, oil and flour products classed as food for the first time.
Although hemp-based food products have been present in the market in India for several years, all products were previously regulated under the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in the country as the local food authority Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) had not set any standards for hemp locally.
This situation took a positive turn late last year when FSSAI finally issued a gazette notification to include regulations governing hemp seeds and seed products under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Fifth Amendment Regulations, 2021, marking the first time hemp products have been recognised as food in the country.
LISTEN: India facing anaemia overdiagnosis? Prof Anura Kurpad on using the right testing method and food fortification policy
There are a number of scientific reports which claim that there is a high rate of anaemia among the Indian population, but the latest guest of our NutraChampion podcast argues that this may not be the case and there may even be an “overdiagnosis” of anaemia in the country.
Professor Anura Kurpad is a doctor, physiologist, and nutritionist by profession. He is currently the Professor of Physiology at the St John’s Medical College in Bengaluru, India.
As the co-chairman of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Expert Committee that has devised the nutrient requirements of Indians, Prof Kurpad and his team oversaw the latest revision of nutrient requirements in the Indian population.
Collaboration for cognition: Zeon Lifesciences to ramp up botanical solutions for neuro health
Uttar Pradesh-based Zeon Lifesciences is ramping up its offerings in the botanicals, phyto-pharmaceuticals, and medical nutrition space via research and commercialisation partnerships with several local institutes.
The bulk of these partnerships will focus on botanical formulations for neurological functions, such as memory enhancement or addressing conditions such as Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia.
The contract manufacturing firm signed an MoU with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (CSIR-IIIM Jammu), where one of the key plans is to commercialise botanical formulations developed by the institute.
Comparable to metformin? Herbal formula improves HbA1c, fasting blood sugar in pre- and diabetic patients – Sabinsa RCT
The supplementation of a formula containing seven herbal extracts has shown effects comparable to the blood sugar control drug metformin in prediabetic and newly diagnosed diabetic patients, according to a RCT by Sabinsa.
The herbal formula has significantly reduced glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting blood sugar, and postprandial blood sugar levels in both prediabetic and newly diagnosed diabetic patients suffering from type II diabetes.
This is according to a 120-day randomised, double-blind, two-arm study sponsored by Sabinsa Corporation.
