The all-natural brain health supplement BioPQQ® will soon be added to the European Union’s Approved List of Novel Foods, enabling the product to be used in food applications. The development follows an assessment by an expert panel attesting to the supplement’s safety. Dozens of in vitro and in vivo clinical studies and trials suggest that BioPQQ may have significant anti-oxidative and neurogenerative benefits for brain health.
The inclusion of BioPQQ on the EU’s Approved List of Novel Foods represents a significant opportunity for European food manufacturers to fortify products with a safe and effective brain health supplement. Consumer interest in brain health has risen dramatically in recent years. While older consumers are considered the dominant buyers of brain health supplements, surveys indicate that younger consumers are increasingly interested in supporting brain health to promote greater mental focus and acuity.
The inclusion of BioPQQ on the EU list is expected to be formalized this summer and follows a review of the product in accordance with Article 29(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) #178/2002. As part of the review process, the European Commission asked the European Food Safety Authority to assess BioPQQ’s safety as a novel food ingredient. The EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) concluded that BioPQQ is safe under the intended conditions of use.
Manufactured by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical, BioPQQ is sold globally through distributors and vitamin retailers. Studies demonstrate that BioPQQ may stimulate Nerve Growth Factor and help protect neurons from harmful oxidative stress. BioPQQ has been shown to inhibit neurotoxicity and promote “mitochondrial biogenesis” to energize cells, particularly in the brain. Its anti-oxidative effect has been demonstrated to be significantly higher than both Vitamin C and Vitamin E.
“Consumers regardless of age want to enhance brain health,” said Shoji Matsukawa, general manager, organic chemicals sales & marketing for Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America. “BioPQQ’s forthcoming appearance on the EU’s Approved List of Novel Foods opens up new possibilities for developing European food products that might improve cognitive functioning. Examples could include nutrition bars, snack foods, beverage mixes, and other products.”
In the United States, BioPQQ has received GRAS (“generally regarded as safe”) designation, enabling it to be used as a food ingredient. BioPQQ is also the only supplement of its kind to have successfully negotiated the New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) notification process with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, attesting to the stringent quality control and safety standards in its production. Mitsubishi’s proprietary fermentation process for harvesting BioPQQ naturally is well-controlled and well-documented. No other compound of its kind on the market has been as rigorously tested and studied.