Hot Right Now: Chinese regulations and Kiwi innovations dominate our top trending stories on social media

Personalised diet and supplementation needed to lower Alzheimer's risk: Pharmacology expert

A highly personalised supplementation and diet programme​ is vital to lowering risk and managing symptoms in Alzheimer's disease, according to an expert in neurodegenerative diseases.

Dr Dale Bredesen, a professor of Pharmacology at the University of California, told NutraIngredients-Asia​ there were certain vitamins, supplements and foods that could prevent or slow cognitive decline.

He referred to the ReCODE Protocol, which he had developed to evaluate 150 factors known to contribute to Alzheimer's. This protocol identifies an individual's disease subtype or combination of subtypes so an effective treatment protocol can be devised.

Kiwi nootropic firm aiming to become 'world's most iconic brain health brand'

Kiwi food technology company Ārepa has plans to become "the world's most iconic brain health brand"​​, with its patented nootropic formula and science-backed claims driving this goal.

According to founder Angus Brown, the formula was developed with the help of world-renowned neuroscientists and food technologists.

It contains four main ingredients: polyphenol- and flavonoid-rich Enzogenol (a pure New Zealand pine tree bark extract produced by Kiwi firm ENZO Nutraceuticals), antioxidant-rich New Zealand blackcurrant extract, and 100% pure L-theanine and green tea extract — both sourced from Japan.

New Zealand's finest honoured at annual industry association event as new board members sworn in

Quantec, Go Healthy, Anagenix and OneOne Health Group were the big winners at the industry awards event​ held by Natural Health Products New Zealand at its annual summit.

The Supreme Award and Cawthron Institute Innovation award went to Hamilton-based Quantec for the second year running.

The firm specialises in high-value bioactives from natural products, particularly in relation to technologies developed from patented discoveries of novel milk protein applications in human and animal health.

Probiotics regulations under review in China as regulator SAMR 'plays catch-up'

China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is calling for public feedback regarding regulations for health food products containing probiotics​.

The SAMR recently issued a draft entitled Provisions for Declaration and Review of Probiotic Health Food, asking for comments to be submitted before April 20 this year.

At the moment, the declaration and review of probiotic health food is based on an earlier draft named Provision for Declaration and Review of Probiotic Health Food (Trial), which was implemented on July 1 2005.

Strict and serious: '100-day operation' to clean up China's health food market

The Chinese authorities have started a '100-day operation'​ in a bid to weed out unscrupulous industry practices prevalent in the country's health food market.

The operation, which started on January 8, focuses on stemming fake advertisements, the manufacturing and selling of counterfeits, and other illegal and deceptive actions that disrupt market order. 

Spearheaded by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), the cross-department operation also involves 12 other government units, including the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Ministry of Public Security.