Marinova's fucoidan uses grow with halal/kosher certs

Australian marine fucoidan extractor Marinova has extended the applications of its products for dietary supplements by securing halal and kosher certification.

Based in Hobart, Tasmania, the company specialized in the medical applications of marine plants before broadening its scope recently into supplying nutraceutical ingredients.

Fucoidans are sulphated polysaccharides found in brown macroalgae and echinoderms that have been found to have a range of nutritional and condition-support functions.

Halal and kosher food markets are growing as this faith-based certification of products and production methods grow within the mainstream global market.

These niche markets follow the tenets of Islam and Judaism relating to food preparation and consumption.

However, it has been said that a significant proportion of consumers of kosher products, for example, purchase these goods for perceived added value and are not in fact Jewish or Muslim.

Marinova said its certification is internationally recognized, allowing companies to include its fucoidan ingredients in kosher and halal products destined for worldwide distribution.

The supplier's halal accreditation has been granted by the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils and by Kosher Australia.

These stamps of approval apply to the company's full range of fucoidan extracts, which includes extracts of undaria pinnatifida , laminaria japonica , macrocystis pyrifera , fucus vesiculosus and ascophyllum nodosum .

Marinova has a research program to further clinical evidence pointing to fucoidan's nutraceutical applications.

The company offers customized nutritional supplement formulas enhanced with fucoidan's essential amino acids, vitamin D and B12, omega-3-fatty acids and beta-carotene.

The extracts have been linked to supporting conditions relating to inflammatory bowel diseases, cardiovascular health as well as having anti-viral and anti-inflammatory functions.