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Lipogen is now bringing its phosphatidylserine (PS) ingredient to functional dairy products as a means of leveraging the wide market potential the popular food category offers.

The Israeli manufacturer has designed a new system for the fortification of dairy milks and yogurt drinks, as well as a PS milk powder and a formulation that can be easily applied to dairy premixes. The company is looking to make inroads in both the US and EU markets, and the current venture into the North American dairy category represents one significant step towards this. "It's a large category and it is a very good vehicle to bring this ingredient to the mass market," Lipogen CEO David Rutenberg told NutraIngredients-USA.

PS is naturally found in human breast milk and is essential for brain development and normal nerve functioning. The phospholipid occurs in fish, green leafy vegetables, soybeans and rice, and regulates metabolic processes such as neuronal signaling.

Studies have associated the nutrient to improvements in memory and mood, and specifically linked it to delaying symptoms of early-onset Alzheimer's. "Baby boomers are natural candidates for this ingredient, but other age groups can benefit as well," said Rutenberg.

Though Lipogen obtained GRAS status for the use of PS in food, the process for use in infant formula is much stricter said Rutenbery and as such the company has no immediate intentions to access that market. The FDA approved a qualified health claim for PS dietary supplements in 2003 - that "phosphatidylserine may reduce the risk of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly." PS for dietary supplements was once derived from cow's brain, but since 1992 Lipogen has produced the ingredient from soy lecithin.
Rutenberg claims Lipogen's PS can now be used in any food products that contain milk powder - thereby fortifying a wide range of foods. "Overall, this is part of Lipogen's strategy to get into functional foods," said Rutenberg. Lipogen developed its PS line of milk applications to use standard dairy production equipment and procedures. In addition, the company says PS does not affect taste, texture or mouthfeel when used in dairy.

The company, whose products are all vegetarian and kosher-certified, is also looking into other functional applications for PS such as cereals. http://www.dairyreporter.com

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