Echinacea boosts immune health - study

Echishield™ is an-all natural Echinacea ingredient obtained from the dried pressed juice of the of Echinacea purpurea. Formerly “Echinacea EFLA^®894”, this natural ingredient benefits the immune system based on many studies, according to Frutarom Health. The company will share new scientific findings on Echinacea at Vitafoods from 15-17 May 2018 (Booth #C20).

Echinacea purpurea 

Conducted in Ewha Womans University, Seoul, South Korea, and published in the Journal of Medical Food (December 2017), the study investigated the protective effect of Echishield against stress-induced changes in immunological function in vivo. Results suggest that Echishield restored stress-induced changes to levels similar to those in the normal group, as measured by splenocyte proliferation and NK cell activity, both of which recovered following treatment. Echishield modulated blood T-cell distribution, normalised upregulated serum levels and mRNA expressions of cytokines (such as IL-6, IL-10, and IL-17), which are responsible for inflammation and autoimmune diseases.

“Frutarom provides this water-soluble formula as an ingredient for supplements, although it is safe and suitable for beverages where allowed,” Maider Gutierrez, Director of Marketing for Frutarom Health.

Echinacea use continues to grow

Innova Market Insights reports 8% average annual growth in new product launches with Echinacea, CAGR 2013-2017. Top categories as percentage (%) of new food & beverage launches tracked with Echinacea as an ingredient (Global,2017) are supplements 56%, hot drinks 29%, and soft drinks 8%. Hot drinks are the fastest growing category for Echinacea, posting an average annual growth rate of 23% from 2013 to 2017.

 Echishield is a pure ingredient, without preservatives or colourants, gluten-free, non-allergenic, and non-GMO. Echishield is obtained from fresh, aboveground plant parts, harvested at flowering time, when the plant expresses all its potential. Frutarom controls the supply chain of Echishield through contract cultivation to ensure full transparency and safety of the product. It is supported with more than 25 years of experience in the cultivation and selection of a specific area in Germany for the optimal growth of the plants.