Liquid gold? IFF Health launches curcumin & boswellia combination product

Building on the reported success of its NovaSOL Curcuminingredient, IFF Health (formerly known as Frutarom Health) has launched a newformulation of solubilized curcumin and Boswellia serrata extract. The newingredient delivers clinically-tested high bioavailability at low, easy-to-digest doses. IFF aims to tap into the lucrative food, beverage and supplementmarkets once more with the new combination product, as consumers increasinglydemand natural and bioavailable products. "Considering the success of curcuminas a health ingredient, the market is ready for the next generation. Ourimproved formulas allow our customers to make a differentiated selection inthe market and upgrade their own product preferences," Wouter Haazen, ProductManager of IFF Health, tells NutritionInsight.Driving interest in curcumin isa rapidly growing consumer awareness of its multiple health benefits. Jointhealth claims are the fastest growing in food and beverage launches trackedwith curcumin as an ingredient, with a CAGR of 82 percent. Sports recovery andimmune health claims are also growing quickly, with +51 percent and +48percent CAGRs (2013-2017) respectively, according to Innova Market Researchdata.Click to EnlargeCurcumin is difficult to study because of its lowbioavailability.Haazen adds that curcumin and boswellia extracts may havebeneficial properties also related to brain and gastro-intestinal health.Thecompany's previous offering, NovaSOL Curcumin, is a liquid formula ofsolubilized turmeric that is said to be 185 times more bioavailable thanstandard curcumin extract. It reportedly became one of the "most demanded"curcumin ingredients in Europe. Developed by the German company, Aquanova AG,NovaSOL Curcumin has been marketed predominantly in Europe by IFF Health(formerly known as Frutarom) since 2013.The bioavailability of the product wasa key driver of its success, and the company ensured that the new solutioncould offer the same benefits."Curcumin and boswellia are known for theirlimited bioavailability. As there is a limitation on the serving size and dosethat can be used in a commercial products, materials with increasedbioavailability can provide more assurances on bioactivity of the compounds ata low dose," explains Haazen.The formulation is both water- and lipid-soluble,and highly stable enabling it to be readily adapted into food and beverageapplications. In addition, the concentrated golden liquid can be delivered issmall and easily digested dosages, says the company.Speaking toNutritionInsight in an exclusive interview, the company's President of NaturalSolutions, Yoni Glickman - at the time of recording - highlighted how thedemand for natural, sustainable and integrated solutions, as well as growingcalls for expressing bioavailability are all key drivers for today's healthand nutrition products.Natural ingredients were also one of the key drivers ofthe mammoth US$7.1 billion acquisitionof Frutarom by IFF in May 2018.A winningcombination"The combination with Boswellia serrata as a synergetic ingredientsignificantly advances the beneficial properties of this formula," heexplains. He notes that the diverse mechanisms of action of curcumin andboswellia have been found to naturally complement one another in targetingbiological effects linked to inflammation.Due to the patented micellationprocess, the NovaSOL delivery system provides significant opportunities tooptimize curcumin and boswellia's synergetic properties to maximumeffect.Click to EnlargeDriving interest in curcumin is a rapidly growingconsumer awareness of its multiple health benefits.Naturally limitedbioavailabilityCurcumin and Boswellia serrata are both difficult to study anddevelop due to their unstable and poor bioavailability properties, the companynotes. Nevertheless, research led by Jurgen Meins, published in Nutrition,provided eyebrow-raising results. Their in-vivo study demonstrated that liquidmicellar curcumin, combined with boswellia increased bioavailability of bothcompounds. The combination was also associated with increased biological activity as compared to the usage of the individual compounds or to activity of a native mix of the herbs.Results showed that after exposure to NovaSOLcurcumin combined with Boswellia serrata, there were substantial reductions in serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, C-reactive proteins and lipid per oxidation biomarkers.The enhanced bioavailability of NovaSOL Curcumin has already been established in a human clinical trial; there was an increase in bioavailability of up to 185-fold when compared to standard extracts -- the most significant increase recorded to date. It has become one of the mostdemanded curcumin ingredients in Europe and currently appears in more than 50products.NovaSOL Curcumin/Boswellia will be unveiled at Vitafoods Asia inSingapore 25-26 September 2019.Curcumin's health benefitsBesides acting as anherbal supplement, curcumin is also used as a cosmetic ingredient, foodflavoring and food coloring. Both curcumin and extracts of Boswellia serratahave been developed and clinically studied for osteoarthritis and jointfunction, with research indicating a slight improvement in painreduction.Overall, the supplements industry has witnessed a rise in demand forherbal offerings and they have emerged as a staple on the supplements aisle.More recently, within the health-driven food and beverage space, they arebeing touted as combatting physical, chemical and biological stressors, inaddition to elevating cognitive functions, mood and energy levels.