Bioactive whey protein shows promise in enhancing flu vaccine response
A recent clinical study has highlighted the potential for a bioactive whey protein to support immune responses to influenza vaccinations.
Hamilton dairy biotech company Quantec has won the top award at the annual Natural Health Products NZ awards for the second year running.
The company, based at Waikato Innovation Park, won the Supreme Award and the Cawthron Institute Innovation Award at the awards night recently in Hamilton.
The awards recognise the success of NZ companies developing, manufacturing and exporting natural products, functional foods, complementary medicines, cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals.
Quantec chief executive Raewyn McPhillips says the company “has experienced steady growth over the past nine years, with pronounced growth over the past 12 months in particular”. The award reflects hard work and the vision of the founders and board.
“We grow and succeed because we are determined to push boundaries and continually improve our science and consumer interactions. This means we don’t always take a well-worn path, and we’ve become used to continually finding solutions and adapting as we go. Earning the respect of our industry peers in this way assures us we are on the right trajectory,” says McPhillips.
Quantec innovation director Rod Claycomb said the innovation award recognised a challenging product development for the gut health and immune health sector in China.
“We worked with our key customer in China to identify a nutraceutical product concept never done before: the combination of an omega-3 oil with an aqueous milk protein powder.
“We drew on the expertise of seven other NZ companies also working in the natural products industry. Six months after our launch in China last year we’ve started our second manufacturing run.”
Set up in 2009, Quantec extracts high-value bioactives from natural ingredients to make ingredient formulations for use in human and animal products.
Cyclone Vaianu is continuing its track south towards the Bay of Plenty, bringing with it destructive winds, heavy rain, and large swells, says Metservice.
While Cyclone Vaianu remains off the East Coast of New Zealand, the Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group says impacts have been felt overnight.
A Local State of Emergency has been declared for the Waikato for a period of seven days as the region prepares for Cyclone Vaianu to hit the area.
Farmers will get an opportunity to hear about the latest developments in sheep genetics at the Sheep Breeder Forum this May.
Specialist horticulture and viticulture weather forecasters Metris says the incoming Cyclone Vaianu is likely to impact growers across the country.
A group of old Otago uni mates with a love of South Island back-country have gone the lengths of Waiau Toa Clarence from source to sea. Tim Fulton, who joined the group in the final fun to the river mouth, tells their story.
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