Herbs & Botanicals

If the bipartisan Hemp Farming Act of 2018 passes, industrial hemp, as well as hemp CBD, will be regulated like a regular agricultural crop and will no longer be listed on Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act.

Unigen says that in the unpublished study, AmLexin supported exercise recovery and attenuated delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) post-exercise.

Representatives from Gencor and Pharmako spoke with Nutritional Outlook at Natural Products Expo West about how HydroCurc can help manufacturers incorporate highly bioavailable curcumin with a minimal excipient load into capsules, beverages, or powders, and why the market for curcumin ingredients is only just beginning to heat up.

The Shoden ashwagandha extract is standardized to contain more than 35% glycowithanolides, which the company said are the most active components in ashwagandha.

Inno-Bev says that its non-caffeinated WakeUp formula, which comes in both liquid supplement and ready-to-drink beverage formats, is formulated to counteract the “post-lunch dip” in energy and alertness, but can provide an energy boost in the morning or evening, as well.

Exploring nootropic opportunities in sports nutrition.

Appethyl is made from all-natural spinach extract supplied by research and development firm Greenleaf Medical AB.

Research highlights turmeric’s benefits for blood sugar support.

Nutritional Outlook spoke with a representative from BI about how the company’s Protexx HP Green Steam botanical sterilization process can provide manufacturers a “safety net” for botanical ingredients, and why kill-step validation and adequate testing methods are now an industry imperative.

The company said that this reforestation project will ensure that more than 166,600 Indian Kino trees, whose extract is traditionally used to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, are planted over the next 10 years.

Pea ingredients supplier Puris says that while pea protein is still a fraction of the size of the soy market, the company’s new partnership with Cargill will help grow the pea protein supply.

As demand for ginger in the digestive-health category grows, companies like OmniActive and Naturex say that the ingredient could see the same kind of sales growth as fellow trending botanical turmeric.

The rising popularity of medicinal mushrooms is opening up new avenues of growth for savvy manufacturers, but these avenues can be fraught with pitfalls and risk for the unprepared.

The first-of-its-kind review analyzed more than 40 existing studies on the potential immune and metabolic effects of palmitoleic acid.

Icon Foods says the sweetener is designed to help achieve clean-label sugar reduction for edible cannabis products.

NutraProtein Power Blend is formulated with plant proteins, essential amino acids, and other nutrients, says the company.

Ingredients supplier Sabinsa has named analytic testing firm Eurofins as its global testing partner for both raw materials and ingredients. Eurofins will also adapt some of Sabinsa’s own proprietary testing methods.

Solarplast is an extract formulated from dark, leafy greens, and is designed to optimize the body’s repair processes.

The study found that supplementation with a commercially available adaptogenic mushroom blend including Cordyceps militaris may improve endurance performance in healthy young adults.

In the study, Pterocarpus marsupium extract lowered diabetic rats’ blood glucose and HbA1c levels while increasing their levels of insulin.

The company will debut the first ever 100% USDA certified organic, U.S.–grown Organic Hempseed at next month’s Natural Products Expo West trade show in Anaheim, CA.

NSF says that its new DNA Authenticated mark will enable suppliers “to verify the identity and purity of raw ingredients.”

According to Applied Food Sciences, its PurCaf ingredient is now the first Non-GMO Project Verified caffeine ingredient currently on the market.

Looking back on 2017 and spotting trends for 2018.

Results from the newly released pilot study demonstrated that supplementation with curcumin delivered via a proprietary lecithin-based system may be a safe means of maintaining musculoskeletal function during intense, high-impact physical activities, even over a short course of supplementation.

According to the company, Enhanced Mobility is a supplement designed to address not only joint support, but exercise recovery and improved mobility, as well.

Results from two studies suggest that elderberry, with its constituent antioxidant flavonoids, may help strengthen prebiotic and probiotic formulations. 

Plant protein sources-both novel and familiar-are set to win big with consumers this year. 

Curcumin-no longer merely a culinary spice or folk medicine, but an ingredient with a track record of research-backed health benefits-is set for another big year in 2018.  

Caffeine's myriad benefits for body and brain make the alkaloid a consumer favorite.