With the aging population, the demand for joint health functional foods (after this, referred to as joint health supplements) has increased, sparking competition in developing related ingredients. According to the Korea Health Functional Food Association, as of 2021, out of a total of 671 individually recognized functional food ingredients, 68 were related to joint and bone health, making it the second-largest category after fat-reduction elements.
Amidst this, Kolmar B&H announced that the research results on the ingredient 'TamaFlex (KBH-20F-A-23),' a complex compound of major bioactive extracts including tamarind, which is jointly developed with the U.S. ingredient company NXT, have been published in the SCI-level international academic journal, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
TamaFlex is an ingredient processed from the extracts of tamarind seeds, one of the tropical fruits, and Curcuma roots. It is well-known overseas as a material that benefits joint and cartilage health.
To provide more objective evidence of the efficacy of TamaFlex, Colma B&H conducted joint research with NXT. This research demonstrated that TamaFlex helps with joint and cartilage health by improving weight-bearing capacity and knee joint space width and preventing structural changes in cartilage.
Based on the recent research findings, Colma B&H plans to obtain individual recognition for TamaFlex as a functional raw material (able to provide support for joint and cartilage health) from the Korean Food and Drug Administration. If successful, this would be the first domestic registration in South Korea.
A representative from Colma B&H stated, "With the utilization of globally recognized raw materials, we anticipate the production of various functional foods that can contribute to joint and cartilage health."
Meanwhile, in April, Colma B&H received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their self-developed individual-recognized raw material, "Unripe Persimmon Fruit Extract Powder (may help inhibit postprandial blood glucose increase)," as a new functional food ingredient.
