ActiVin, FloraGLO GRAS Approved 30989

ActiVin, FloraGLO GRAS Approved

MODESTO, Calif.--In the wake of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)crackdown on botanical ingredients in food products, two companies have receivedgenerally recognized as safe (GRAS) approval for their nutritional ingredients.

Dry Creek Nutrition (www.activin.com),based here, announced June 7 that its ActiVin grape seed extract was declaredGRAS by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA). According tothe company, the recognition should position the company for growth in thefunctional foods category. "Achieving GRAS approval validates ActiVin as asafe ingredient for use in functional foods and beverages and will help foodmanufacturers better differentiate their product offerings in a fiercelycompetitive category," said Dry Creek's president, Peter Kovacs.

On June 11, Kemin Foods said it had self-affirmed FloraGLO lutein (www.floraglolutein.com)as GRAS using a panel of scientific experts under the regulatory frameworkestablished by FDA. According to Des Moines, Iowa-based Kemin, consumerrecognition of the health benefits of lutein has increased dramatically inrecent years; it is primarily used for eye health. "Awareness of lutein isup to 70 percent among health-conscious consumers, creating significant demandfor functional food products to include lutein," said Alex Fink, KeminFoods' brand manager. "Now that we have GRAS approval, [we] are poised tomove forward in the functional food market."