Nutraceuticals suppliers and experts from over 110 different countries have joined together in Geneva this week to attend Vitafoods Europe. Networking, collaboration and innovation will all be taking place, from product formulation to packaging – it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find solutions to your nutraceutical needs at the biggest trade fair in Europe.
However, organisers of the event have highlighted the need for more transparency in the nutrition and nutraceutical market supply chain, thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbating existing issues. So, how can you ensure confidence in the ingredients that you’re buying?
Supply and demand
Heather Granato, VP of content at Vitafoods, has emphasised how supply and demand has long faced problems – however, the issues in the supply chain of transparency are ones that urgently need to be resolved. The challenges with transparency have been exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as it increased the pressure on already strained supply chains across all markets. However, the essential nature of nutraceuticals became apparent, causing demand to spike and manufacturers urgently looking for new suppliers [1].
The consequences
During Covid-19, manufacturers were often faced with the choice of leaving orders unfulfilled and losing revenue, or seeking new suppliers to meet the increased demand. The consequences of quickly moving to a new supplier mean that the finished product may not contain the active ingredients that it claims to, or in the amounts that it should. In many cases, the result of this is a lack of efficacy of the final product and ultimately, reduced consumer trust. However, the VP of content at Vitafoods believes that this is an opportunity for positive innovation, as people look for solutions – with more transparency in the supply chain being one of them.
Leading the way
PureSea® seaweed ingredients have offered a unique and transparent traceability system since the business began, with the Managing Director, Dr Craig Rose, highlighting how he understood the importance of this from the very early days of production. Dr Rose says “The heritage and the quality of our PureSea® seaweed ingredients is what sets them apart from others and makes them the gold-standard. It’s important that our customers trust us and our brand, and that’s why we’ve always offered full transparent traceability and DNA authentication of our ingredients.”
Unique production
The range of PureSea® seaweed ingredients are sustainably wild harvested from the pristine waters of the Scottish Outer Hebrides, which are carefully monitored and managed. After harvesting, the seaweed undergoes a careful drying and milling process using proprietary technologies, resulting in the high quality and nutrient rich PureSea® seaweed ingredients. The superior quality of PureSea® is independently verified, as not all seaweed ingredients provide the same guaranteed nutritional and safety parameters. For instance, some international seaweed species are labelled to warn consumers of potential risks, with a 2021 study finding that cadmium levels were highest in Asian seaweed. Furthermore, in some Asian seaweeds, the values of Arsenic (total and inorganic contents) exceeded the limits for certain countries including France and the United States [2]. By contrast, PureSea® is known for its high nutritional value, significant natural iodine content, and purity.
DNA authenticated
To give customers full trust that the ingredient they’re buying is the gold-standard, PureSea® DNA authenticates every single batch to ensure full and transparent traceability. This includes providing customers with a simple online traceability system, in which they can enter their PureSea® batch number and trace it all the way back to the name of the person who harvested it.
PureSea® – the gold-standard seaweed ingredient
With calls for improved transparency within the nutrition and nutraceutical supply chain, it’s notable to see brands such as PureSea®,that already offer full traceability of their ingredients.
Not only are PureSea® seaweed ingredients uniquely DNA authenticated and fully traceable, they are also measured every batch for iodine levels and have evidenced safe and consistent results over many years of production. The natural iodine content of PureSea® allows for the use of six European Food Standards Agency (EFSA) Approved Health Claims surrounding:
- Thyroid health
- Energy yielding metabolism
- Cognitive function
- Growth of children
- Maintenance of skin
- Function of nervous system
What’s more, incorporating PureSea® ingredients into food products can provide additional advantages including salt reduction through flavour enhancement, and health perception, with the addition of seaweed within a product shown to increase the purchase intention of customers [3]. PureSea® is available in a range of formats, allowing ease of use in a wide variety of applications.
Find us at Vitafoods Europe 2022 at the Lehvoss Nutrition stand (stand F84).
Click here to view the full range, or contact us.
[2] Filippini, M., Baldisserotto, A., Menotta, S., Fedrizzi, G., Rubini, S., Gigliotti, D., Valpiani, G., Buzzi, R., Manfredini, S. and Virtuani, S. (2021) Heavy metals and potential risks in edible seaweed on the market in Italy. Chemosphere.
[3] Wageningen University & Research (2018) Innovative consumers more willing to buy foodstuffs containing seaweed.