Noblesville, IN., August 20, 2012 – Verdure Sciences received Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status for Longvida® Optimized Curcumin.  The safety determination, conducted by an independent, internationally recognized expert panel of scientists, is based on more than a dozen clinical, preclinical and safety studies on Longvida®, along with scores of supporting studies on curcumin by a number of government and university research groups.

As a result of the assessment, Longvida® has been determined as a safe additive for a variety of foods and beverages when used as a flavoring agent (flavor enhancer) [21 CFR§170.3(o)(11)] and as an antioxidant in various food categories, including but not limited to use in the following product types:

·         Geriatric and healthy-aging nutrition beverages (dairy- and non-dairy based, including ready-to-drink and powdered  beverages;

·         Beverages supporting cognitive, gastrointestinal, liver and joint health (dairy- and non-dairy based, including ready-to-drink and powdered beverages);

·         Sports nutrition beverages (dairy and non-dairy based, including ready-to-drink and powdered beverages);

·         Processed fruits and vegetable products, including fruit and vegetable juices and juice products, concentrates, dilutions, “ades”, and drink substitutes;

·         Nutritional food bars and baked goods, including energy bars, breakfast bars, granola bars and cereal bars;

·         Milk products, including milk drinks, weight control milk beverages, and other milk origin products.

As a result of the GRAS determination, safe usage levels of 0.2% to 1.25% of Longvida® were recommended across a range of food and beverage categories.

“We are pleased to receive this independent safety assessment of Longvida®,” said Blake Ebersole, Technical Director at Verdure Sciences. “The substantial evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of Longvida®, particularly at low-dose levels makes it an ideal ingredient for food and beverage products.”

In published 90-day subchronic toxicity study included in the GRAS assessment, Longvida® showed no toxicity at 720 mg/kg body weight/day, the highest dose tested (1).  This dose is 100 times the dosage range recommended for human use, after adjusting for body weight.  Longvida® adheres to the most stringent global standards for impurities, and contains no piperine, crude lecithin, volatile oils, gluten, sugar, salt, artificial preservatives or additives.

The GRAS determination also covers Longvida® SD, a form of Longvida® which is one of the first forms of curcumin that is easily water-dispersible in solution for food and beverage applications.

About Longvida® Optimized Curcumin:

Based on patent pending discoveries from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), Longvida® Optimized Curcumin is the result of numerous clinical and scientific studies, many published in renowned academic journals (2).  Recently, a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted at The Ohio State University determined that a single low-dose Longvida® improved a number of biomarkers in just 30 days, including amyloid-beta, a key biomarker responsible for brain aging (3). www.longvida.com

About Verdure Sciences:
Verdure Sciences is a manufacturer of innovative bionutritional botanical ingredients, achieved through the integration of agricultural networks, manufacturing control, and university-based, cutting-edge research. Verdure’s focus is on the development of 'natural-spectrum' extracts, reflecting the natural phytochemical profile of each plant, and applying rigorously scientific validation and clinical research. www.vs-corp.com

References:
1. Dadhaniya P. et al.  Safety assessment of a novel curcumin preparation: Acute and subchronic toxicity studies, Food Chem Tox 2011 Aug;49(8):1834-42.

2. Longvida Scientific References, http://www.longvida.com/Curcumin-References-and-Links.html  accessed August 13, 2012

3. Disilvestro R.  Diverse effects of a low-dose supplement of lipidated curcumin (Longvida®) in healthy middle aged people.  FASEB, April 23 2012.