PLT Health Solutions and Oakshire Naturals, have launched Earthlight Whole Food Vitamin D. The patented mushroom powder ingredient delivers 40,000 International Units (IU) of Vitamin D per gram from a non-GMO, clean-label, natural source.
Earthlight's high concentration of Vitamin D will allow food, beverage and supplement producers to offer 'Good', 'Excellent' and 'High Potency' source label claims with only a few milligrams of the ingredient. This low level of addition means that Earthlight will not affect the organoleptic properties of the products in which it is included and contributes to the cost-effectiveness of this Vitamin D solution.
A minimally processed ingredient, Earthlight is considered a 'whole food' form of nutrition – responding to consumer desire for 'cleaner' labels on their food, beverages and supplements. This ingredient solution is being introduced to the market at a time when concern about adequate levels of Vitamin D is at an all-time high in the nutrition and medical communities – a concern that is also gaining awareness among consumers.
According to Devin Stagg, Director of Corporate Strategy for PLT Health Solutions, Earthlight Whole Food Vitamin D allows food, beverage and supplement producers to address a convergence of consumer wants. "First it was 'natural'. Then it was 'clean label', and often consumers want 'vegetarian' or 'vegan' on their labels. Today's answer to all of these consumer preferences is 'whole food' nutrition,” he said.
“A recent IFIC survey showed that 60% of consumers strongly like the idea of getting their nutrition from foods with naturally occurring health benefits. With Earthlight Whole Food Vitamin D, consumer products companies can offer their customers this important nutrient with a positive label experience in a nutrient dense formulation."
A minimally-processed, wholesome ingredient
Earthlight is manufactured by Oakshire Naturals, a division of Pennsylvania-based Oakshire Mushrooms – one of the largest growers of mushrooms in the US. Premium white button and Portobello mushrooms are exposed to light to naturally enhance Vitamin D content in a proprietary process. Each gram of Earthlight contains 40,000 IU of Vitamin D, which means the FDA Daily Value (DV) can be attained with just 10mg of the ingredient. A 'Good' source claim requires 1mg (10% DV), while an 'Excellent' or 'High Potency' source claim can be achieved with just 2mg (20% DV).
The ingredient is Kosher and Halal certified. It is considered GRAS since it is a food, and is non-GMO. Tests have shown a minimum 2-year shelf life stability with a reproducible nutrient content.
Growing interest in Vitamin D
According to Dr Barbara Davis, Director, Medical & Scientific Affairs at PLT Health Solutions, adequate Vitamin D intake is a topic of great interest in the nutrition and medical communities. "For a nutrient we've heard about since we were children, the amount of research and interest in the health benefits of Vitamin D is quite high today. What's more, data from the NHANES study, 2005 to 2008, indicate that 94% of US adults are not consuming adequate amounts of Vitamin D, causing it to be classified as a 'shortfall' nutrient by the USDA,” she said.
“To assist consumers in choosing foods that will increase their vitamin D intake, the proposed Nutrition Facts panel requires Vitamin D labelling for the first time. Consumers are starting to pick up on the Vitamin D discussion – possibly as a result of being told about it by their doctors. A large study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center that reviewed outpatient doctor visits showed that doctor diagnoses of Vitamin D deficiency tripled in the US between 2008 and 2010. That type of advice will increase the appeal of Vitamin D supplementation in foods, beverages and nutraceutical formulations," she added.
Stagg talked about the timeliness of Earthlight as an ingredient solution for consumer products companies. "Consumers are really starting to become aware of the need for more Vitamin D. At the same time, with consumers opting for cleaner labels and more natural, wholesome ingredients, companies are concerned about working with animal-based sources of Vitamin D or highly processed extracts that might not be considered wholesome.
“With Earthlight, consumer products companies can continue – or start – to include this important nutrient in their formulations, while offering the most attractive label experience possible. We like to say that Earthlight is where the world is coming next for Vitamin D," he said.
