7 Min Read
Companies breaking new ground

GS_Amano.jpgAmano Enzyme USA
Headquartered in Nagoya, Japan, Amano Enzyme has been working in the enzyme business since 1899. In 1948, Amano Pharmaceutical started producing a digestive enzyme, malt diastase, and ever since then the company has specialised in the production of non-GMO, microbial-source enzymes for the food, supplements, pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. Amano Enzyme USA, a subsidiary supplying the North and South American markets, was established in 1981, and is now located in Elgin, Illinois.

"Amano Enzyme truly is a world leader in speciality enzymes," explains Sam Lazar, technical sales representative. "We have offices in Japan, the US, Europe and China."

With its focus split 50-50 between the food and dietary-supplements markets, Amano Enzyme USA continues to focus on ways to improve existing food-processing enzymes while also introducing new and novel-food enzymes to the market. To ensure the highest standards and quality, the company strictly adheres to pharmaceutical GMPs.

Its dozens of products are sold both as bulk enzyme powders and in liquid formats. Among its flagship products are the following: Aromase (to improve the aroma of wine and juice), Flavorase (to enhance the flavour and health benefits of juice and wine), and Protein Glutaminase (to enhance protein functionality).

In dietary supplements, the company has Lipase DS (to improve gastric-emptying rates and provide relief from bloating and indigestion), Transglucosidase (for lowering blood-glucose levels), and Levansucrase (for production of oligosaccharides, used as prebiotics). Looking ahead, the company sees a trend in the supplements business toward systemic enzymes, which will promote not only healthy digestion but also healthy circulation, joint health, inflammatory response and overall well-being. In the food sector, "functional ingredients are the future — especially those with added health benefits, such as antioxidants for improved cardiovascular health," Lazar says. "It is possible to enzymatically liberate antioxidant compounds in certain foods and beverages."

Amano Enzymes USA
+1 847 649 0101
www.amano-enzyme.ne.jp

GS_Deerland.jpgDeerland Enzymes
Founded in 1990 as an enzyme-consulting company, Deerland Enzymes has evolved into an international trading and enzyme-manufacturing organisation that distributes enzymes for hundreds of applications. All of its food enzymes and enzyme blends are non-GMO and most are kosher-certified.

"While we traditionally have a stronger focus and presence in the dietary-supplements market, it is fair to say we also invest significant effort in other more industrial markets as well," explains Jim Titus, director of international sales and marketing. "With our recent move to a new state-of-the-art facility, we are set up to handle any enzyme-type requirement from the dietary-supplements industry and most from the food side."

The Georgia-based company has launched several new products in recent years, including a micro-encapsulated powdered enzyme blend, which was used in a name-brand enzyme supplements line in March. "This product?allows for sprinkling enzymes on foods without interfering with the taste of food," explains Lisa Clark, director of West Coast sales and business development. "The technology is available to other customers for a variety of applications and formulas."

More opportunities lie ahead. With growing consumer acceptance of enzymes, and their benefits to both human and pet health, there remains a great deal of untapped potential in the enzymes market, the company says.

"We feel we are at an exciting point in the overall acceptance of enzymes, which is allowing us to use our in-house labs to perform research and development on enzymes and their effects on humans, pets and other animals, and their comparative overall health," says Philip Ronsivalli, sales manager. "Consumer interest level is increasing as desire for a better understanding of the various enzymes grows."

"While?it is difficult to predict what will comprise the 'enzymes of tomorrow,' they likely?will include those concerned with the special needs of an ageing population," says Tod Burgess, vice president of sales. "Our research efforts have resulted in several products that begin to address those specific needs."

Deerland Enzymes
+1 800 697 8179
www.deerland-enzymes.com

GS_EDS.jpgEnzyme Development Corp
Founded in 1953, Enzyme Development Corp (EDC) began as an enzyme manufacturer for the brewing industry. Over the years, the company expanded into a variety of markets, including detergent proteases, textile/denim processing, pulp and paper enzymes, food processing, and enzymes for the agricultural and supplements markets.

Selling predominantly in the Americas and Pacific Rim countries, EDC's largest food-related sales are in the areas of protein modification and enzymes for flavour production and processing.

"In addition to our own enzymes, we have relationships with enzyme producers around the world, as well as distribution arrangements," explains C Peter Moodie, director of sales and marketing. "This gives us the unique ability to access many enzymes for our customers on a confidential basis."

Moodie sees the growing inclusion of enzymes as functional ingredients — rather than merely as processing aids — as one of the fastest growth areas for EDC.

"The agriculture industry has long been familiar with the benefits of enzymes to help the animal convert food to body weight or to reduce pollution," he says. "In the same way, the food industry is beginning to use enzymes to ease digestion problems, particularly for target populations such as the elderly. The greatest growth has been in single-enzyme systems, such as lactase or alpha Galactosidase.?The market is now expanding to include the enzymes in finished products rather than limiting them to capsules."

An example is whey-based drink mixes, which can include lactase to help with potential digestive problems. Foods such as legumes may be pre-treated with enzymes or have active enzymes included to help with digestive problems, Moodie explains.

Such principles can also be applied to pet products for ageing pets, he says. "There is also a large developing market for enzymes for animal feeds that allow higher feed levels of ingredients other than corn or soy. This is especially true in countries that are importing large amounts of corn or soy for animal feeds."?

EDC's production plant in Scranton, Pennsylvania, does enzyme extraction and manufactures liquid enzymes and powder preparations. Corporate headquarters are in New York.

Enzyme Development Corp
+1 212 736 1580
www.enzymedevelopment.com
[email protected]

GS-NEClogo.jpgNational Enzyme Co
National Enzyme Co (NEC) is a specialist in nutritional-enzyme technologies, specialising in the formulation and development of enzyme-based dietary supplements.

Company founder Edward Howell, MD, first became interested in enzymes in the 1920s while working at Lindlahr Sanitarium in Chicago. He theorized that if he could replace the enzymes lost during food preparation, he could improve nutrient assimilation and the overall health of his patients. He determined that an enzyme-based product was needed to replace the food-digestive enzymes that were lost in the cooking process.

"Enzymes are substances that make life possible, the key to unlocking good health and vitality," Howell once said. "Without enzymes, our bodies would not be able to harvest the nutrients from the foods we eat. They are the manual workers that build the body from proteins, carbohydrates and fats."

Howell established a private practice for the treatment of advanced illnesses utilising nutrition and physical therapy, and through extensive clinical and laboratory research, developed a way to cultivate and extract certain plant enzymes. He then added to the patients' diets the enzyme-based supplements he created that had the unique ability to provide activity during all phases of the digestive process.?

In 1932, Howell created the National Enzyme Co to produce a general digestive enzyme-based formula, called Genuine N-Zime #1. NEC was incorporated in May 1945, in Illinois. The current owner, Anthony Collier, purchased NEC in 1979, and relocated the company to Forsyth, Missouri.

One of the hottest areas right now in enzyme formulation comes as a result of the isolation of new enzymatic activities from natural, non-GMO sources. "The growing knowledge about widespread digestive deficiencies has opened up an entire area for increased enzyme use," explains Nena Dockery, technical resources manager. "In addition, increasingly more is being researched in the area of systemic functioning of orally administered enzymes. The recently discovered fact that low-grade inflammation may be indirectly related to a large number of chronic-disease conditions has uncovered a large area of future enzyme development."

National Enzyme Co
+1 800 825 8545
www.nationalenzyme.com
[email protected]

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