Frutarom becomes a bigger botanicals player with THMPD range
The fortification of its ‘EFLApharm‘ range is a response to the on-hold situation with about 1500 botanical applications under the EU nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) and the rise in importance of the EU Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD).
“The only real channel now is the THMPD,” Israeli-based Hadar Sutovsky, global manager of Pharma & OTC segment at Frutarom Health told us this morning.
“We have simplified the process for companies registering products with the THMPD. There has been a grey are in the pharma-food area – this is a response to that and we have funnelled our efforts to fot the regulatory environment.”
The EFLApharm range includes about 20 botanical extracts made to pharma GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards and including Echinacea purpurea L. (purple coneflower), Hedera helix L. (common ivy), and Thymus vulgaris L. (thyme).
It also includes herbal flavours for use in pharma products.
Sutovsky said peace-of-mind around quality was something reputable suppliers needed to go out of their way to ensure so that, “the consumer can feel safe when they reach for the shelf.”
Frutarom was willing to collaborate with other players to drive quality forward and confront issues such as adulteration in botanicals, she said.
The on-hold situation with NHCR botanicals was not ideal, but supported the overall thrust of EU laws that promoted greater transparency and safety.
“We need to make it easy to see who is good and who isn’t. The laws are helping that.”
Frutarom sells its extracts to multiple herbal product manufacturers across the EU.
