Robertet has reported that Extramel, its anti-stress ingredient, has received health claim recognition from the Consumer Affairs Agency of Japan.
The French fragrance and flavour manufacturer said Zeria Healthway, its pharmaceutical partner in the country, has received the approval for the final product Yasuragi Life – Peaceful life.
Manufacturers who choose to use Extramel to formulate Food with Function Claims (FFC) with Zeria will be able to claim the product "reduces the perceived stress of everyday life, and physical and mental fatigue" on their final product in Japan.
Japanese regulation
The FFC class was introduced in Japan in April 2015 to simplify the registration process for industry players and to facilitate consumer choice with more clearly labelled products.
In the case of FFC, products can label the function of food and their specific health effects. The registration, approved by the Japanese authority, requires data on the safety of the product, its effectiveness, as well as the precise identification and quantification of the active ingredient driving this effectiveness.
Despite a simplified procedure, the failure rate of FFC remains relatively high.
A growing trend
Building on its culture of traditional medicine, the Japanese nutrition market is driven by naturality. The health benefits of these natural ingredients are widely recognised and appreciated by the Japanese population.
Japan is the third largest nutrition market in the world, and Japanese FFC products is a growing market, too: it reached US$1.84 billion in 2018.
To that end, the development of food supplements based on natural ingredients is the key to success in this market.
"The use of ingredients such as Extramel in the formulation of food supplements can be a strategic and decisive choice to position a product on the Japanese market," Robertet said in a statement.
Several other registrations are being processed for Robertet's melon concentrate rich in Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)
Robertet said the registration of the ingredient took over four years. Throughout the whole period, the company supported its client to obtain the claim.
In addition to this claim obtained in Japan, Extramel also benefits from registration in the Canadian Natural Health Products Database (NPN: 80088835).
Several other registrations are being processed for Robertet's melon concentrate rich in Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), including in Brazil and Korea.
What is Extramel?
A unique melon juice concentrate, Extramel is obtained from a proprietary Cantaloupe variety, grown exclusively in the south of France.
Extramel is manufactured using an environmentally friendly process and it is available in organic and conventional versions. According to Robertet, the company remains the world's largest producer of natural SOD.
Naturally rich in SOD, Extramel contributes to overcoming feelings of stress: people taking Extramel experience less irritability and weariness, for a greater quality of life, the company said.
Extramel has been formulated to contribute to maintaining cognitive and physical performance by significantly increasing mental focus and decreasing fatigue, sleep troubles and physical pain.
