Slendesta® now has non-novel food status in Canada

Kemin Health, L.C. is pleased to announce that Slendesta Potato Extract may now be marketed as a non-Novel Food ingredient in Canada.  A letter of non-objection has been received from Health Canada, confirming that Slendesta is not considered a Novel Food and may be lawfully sold as a food ingredient for use in conventional foods and beverages at specific inclusion levels, without those finished products having to go through the pre-market notification process.

“We are very excited and pleased with this new designation for Slendesta in Canada,” stated Linda Fullmer, Senior Vice President of Marketing. “This allows us to promote Slendesta to food manufacturers who are looking to launch products that address the growing shopper demand for foods and drinks with safe functional ingredients. In addition, our customers in Canada will be able to get to market faster since they don’t need to go through a pre-market notification process.”

The Food Directorate of Health Canada, which regulates conventional foods in Canada, conducted a comprehensive review of safety data and other related information on Slendesta, submitted by Kemin, including its composition, manufacturing process and scientific evidence supporting the non-Novel Food status of Slendesta. The positive conclusion was reached by Health Canada upon assessment of the information against the elements of the Novel Food definition in the statute.

In addition to non-Novel Food status in Canada, Slendesta is also not considered a Novel Food in Europe, and is GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) for a variety of foods and beverage products in the US.  Slendesta has also been sold in Canada as an ingredient for use in Natural Health Products, such as vitamins, minerals and herbal remedies, and is the subject of Ingredient Master Files submitted by Kemin to the Natural Health Products Directorate of Health Canada for this purpose.

The active component in Slendesta, Proteinase Inhibitor II (PI2), is derived from US grown white potatoes and enhances the body’s natural release of cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is a well-studied signaling peptide in humans that, once released, travels through the bloodstream and helps to induce feelings of fullness and satisfaction. These feelings of fullness and satisfaction help people to control their hunger and may help make dieting easier.

A number of clinical trials have been performed with Slendesta. Combined with diet and exercise, Slendesta supplementation has helped people control their hunger and lose weight without the unpleasant side effects of some weight management ingredients.