AB-Biotics grants license to multinational corporation Frutarom to sell ingredient AB-Fortis
AB-Fortis helps prevent iron deficiencies and has been shown not to provoke side effects typical of this type of supplement like stained teeth and metallic taste.
By Biocat
AB-Biotics has signed a contract with multinational corporation Frutarom Health (Switzerland) to market their functional ingredient AB-Fortis around the world. This ingredient is added to food to prevent iron deficiencies. Frutarom is one of the top ten companies in the world in food ingredients and flavorings, and in the coming five years (renewable) they will be the exclusive distributor to introduce AB-Fortis into this market segment.
As Miquel Àngel Bonachera and Sergi Audivert, co-founders and CEOs of AB-Biotics, commented, the functional food market is a priority for this Catalan biotechnology firm.
AB-Fortis is an encapsulated iron system that provides the recommended daily allowance of iron in just one dose, without the unpleasant metallic taste and side effects normally experienced when taking iron supplements like stained teeth, gastrointestinal problems and nausea. It must also be noted that it can resist high temperatures and be included in any formulation regardless of its pH level.
AB-Fortis is a patented encapsulated iron system that provides the recommended daily amount of iron in a single dose, while avoiding the metallic taste and classic side effects of standard iron supplements, such as dental darkening, gastrointestinal upset or nausea. In addition, AB-Fortis resists high temperatures and can be included in formulations across any pH level.
"We see a great potential for AB-Fortis in food fortification and supplementation in products such as dairy, beverages, infant nutrition or cereals, especially in Latin America and Asia Pacific but also in other regions such as Europe and the US where iron deficiency is well known among children and pregnant women", explains Valerie Barrois, director of the Frutarom Functional Foods Segment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder and is found around the world. It affects hundreds of millions of women and children in developing countries and is one of the few nutritional deficiencies still found in industrialized countries. Some 30% of the world population suffers from anemia, mainly due to insufficient iron levels.
This contract is in addition to the one AB-Biotics closed in late 2012 with Spanish company Suanfarma, which holds the rights to market AB-Fortis around the world in other products like supplements and dietetic foods for special medical use.