This week’s big news across the global nutrition and supplements industries includes the publication of new probiotic guidelines in Australia, Glanbia’s predictions for 2025’s megatrends, efforts to restrict dietary supplement access in New Hampshire and remembering Dr. Annette Dickinson.
Australia: Industry hails probiotic testing guidelines
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia’s regulatory authority, recently published its “Demonstrating the Quality of Listed Probiotic Medicines” guidelines to help probiotics manufacturers and sponsors meet technical, scientific and regulatory requirements.
While not mandatory, the guidelines can help manufacturers understand the criteria that the regulator looks for during a compliance review.
According to industry body Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA), the guidelines have provided greater clarity. The CMA said it also partnered with the International Probiotics Association (IPA) to shape the guidelines.
“With the new guidelines, it is very clear on what the industry needs to do, and that is a good thing for the complementary medicines industry in Australia,” Craig Silbery, founder and CEO of Specialty Probiotics Australia, told NutraIngredients-Asia.
USA: A new week, a new effort to restrict access to dietary supplements at the state level
Lawmakers in New Hampshire have filed a bill to prohibit the sale of weight loss and muscle building products to minors, marking the third such bill introduced in a state legislature since the start of the year.
NH HB678 is sponsored by five Democrats and one Republican. Unlike bills in other states, the bill defines dietary supplements for weight loss or muscle building as products that may include specific ingredient classes, such as thermogens, lipotropics, hormones and appetite suppressants. The bill does not list specific ingredients in each of these classes.
Commenting on the new bill, Kyle Turk, vice president of government affairs for the Natural Products Association, told NutraIngredients-USA: “Legislators in New Hampshire are taking a step backward in personal health. Consumers across the state rely on these products to maintain their well-being and take proactive control of their health. Consumers deserve the right to make informed choices, not to have those choices taken away.
“HB 678 threatens access to safe, effective and affordable dietary supplements that empower individuals to live healthier lives.”
Europe: Glanbia’s 2025 megatrend predictions
The consumer demand for holistic wellness solutions is being met with simplified nutrition, reinvented hydration innovations and diverse protein products, according to Glanbia’s 2025 megatrends forecast.
The emphasis on accessible innovation and strategic collaboration will emerge as a cornerstone for brands in the space, redefining how health-centric products meet diverse and dynamic needs, explained Nick Morgan, managing director of Nutrition Integrated, during a recent webinar hosted by Glanbia.
To read all the megatrends and Morgan’s perspective on each, please click HERE.
USA: Industry honors passing of CRN’s longest-serving staff member
Veterans of the U.S. dietary supplements industry paid tribute to Dr. Annette Dickinson, former president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, who passed away recently.
Dr. Dickinson, who earned her PhD in nutritional science from the University of Maryland, was CRN’s original staff member in 1973, and held several positions over her distinguished tenure, culminating in her role as CRN President from 2002 to 2005.
“Her steady hand and insistence on science-backed policy led the organization through many tough decisions and proved to define CRN’s course as ‘the science behind the supplements’,” said Steve Mister, president and CEO of CRN, in a statement.
Loren Israelsen, founder and president of the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA), told us he knew Dr. Dickinson well. “She was the consummate professional. Highly educated but humble, cordial and collaborative, she was trusted by all as an honest broker who considered all sides.”
“Annette was a true professional,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council. “She was very knowledgeable about the science of nutrition and biochemistry, and the fine points of regulation. She was always cordial, respectful, cooperative and collaborative. From my perspective, she gets high marks and much appreciation for her recognizing the beneficial value and constructive role that herbal dietary supplements can and do play in natural health.”
To read all the tributes, please click HERE.
