Originally published February 23 2006
Japanese market for astaxanthin growing rapidly
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Japan's food industry is hot after the carotenoid astaxanthin, a trend that Israel's Algatechnologies hopes to capitalize on in the next fiscal year.
Marketing manager Efrat Kat says that some significant contracts have been signed in Japan where it is used in supplements, drinks and cosmetics.
Hofland added: "The signs from Japan are very positive.
And as Japan is often one to three years ahead of Europe, where we're starting to see the first good signs too, we're expecting a 30, 40 or 50 per cent growth rate."
Astaxanthin, the nutrient that gives salmon its pink colour, has been found to be a potent antioxidant, with tests suggesting that it may have a free radical fighting capacity worth 500 times that of vitamin E.
While other natural compounds from the same carotenoid family are already marketed as antioxidant supplements in much greater quantities -- lycopene and beta-carotene -- those seeking to build a similar market for astaxanthin say it could have an advantage over other carotenoids because of its molecular make-up.
Research on animals and some human clinical trials have suggested that the carotenoid may help protect against cataracts and UVA damage to the skin, as well as a number of other serious conditions such as stroke.
As a result, a small handful of companies are producing the ingredient, mainly from algae in a complex process, to offer supplement and food makers.
Using 170km of transparent tubing to enclose the Haematococcus pluvialis algae cultures, it exploits a natural energy source - the year-round sunlight in Israel - for its process.
Intense light puts the algae -- initially a greenish colour when healthy -- under stress so that they produce the bright red pigment astaxanthin in defence.
While it is already looking for better, more productive strains of algae, Algatechnologies is also seeking to grow awareness of the market and plans to do more marketing of its product this year, particularly at trade shows.
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