Following a thorough regulatory and safety inspection process by EFSA, Glavonoid has been granted Novel Food status by the European Commission. It can thus be used in food supplements and beverages based on milk, yoghurt, fruit or vegetables.
Glavonoid offers dual support in fighting visceral fat, thanks to its ability to activate the body’s fat metabolism and suppress fat synthesis. Its new regulatory status paves the way for manufacturers to create new products targeting markets such as weight management and body shaping. It can also be included in products aimed at the sports and fitness market, as well as healthy ageing.
Derived from liquorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) via an advanced patented process, Glavonoid is absolutely free from glycyrrhizinic acid and contains 30 per cent liquorice glabra polyphenols. The extract is standardized on 3 per cent Glabridin, which is its major active component. As a completely novel and patented ingredient, Glavonoid is proprietary to Kaneka Corporation.
Glavonoid has proven to be effective in supporting visceral fat reduction. In DNA microarray analysis, it exhibited a two-way efficiency mechanism: On the one hand, it increases the body’s own fat burning ability by up-regulating genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, and on the other, it decreases fat synthesis by down-regulating genes that are involved in fatty acid synthesis.
Kaneka’s liquorice root extract (Glavonoid) can be used in supplements as a single ingredient or as part of a multi-component system. Additionally, it is suitable for use in beverages based on milk, yoghurt, fruit or vegetables. Its Novel Food status means that manufacturers now have a new health ingredient for building slimming and weight management products, especially those which target visceral fat reduction. Possible claims for such products would mostly be aimed at slimming, a healthy BMI, boosting fat metabolism and supporting weight management.
Kaneka Pharma Europe states: “After the complex EFSA regulatory process, we are pleased that Glavonoid has received Novel Food status today. Weight management is a major topic these days and with visceral fat a main risk factor for the development of a metabolic syndrome, we see an extremely promising market here.”
Glavonoid had already been sold in Japan and the US for several years, having achieved NDI status in 2005 and FDA GRAS status in 2008. The new Novel Food status refers to the general adult population and a 120 mg Glavonoid™ daily consumption in milk, yoghurt, fruit- or vegetable-based beverages or food supplements.
