Hawaii-based Cyanotech has posted a dramatic rise in sales in the first quarter of 2012 driven by growing demand for natural astaxanthin: a potent red antioxidant that hit the headlines earlier this year following favorable coverage on Dr Oz and Oprah. Cyanotech is based in Kona, Hawaii.
The microalgae specialist, which also makes spirulina – a blue/green nutrient packed with protein, carotenoids, B-Vitamins, GLA and essential amino acids – posted a 21.8 percent rise in net income to $486,000 on revenues up 54.3 percent to $5.95m in the three months to June 30.
The sharp rise was primarily due to a surge in sales of astaxanthin (accounting for 63 percent of sales) which were up 97 percent in the quarter.
Cyanotech Corporation, a NASDAQ-traded leader in microalgae-based, high-value nutrition and health products, headquartered in Kona, Hawaii, has announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2011, ended March 31, 2011.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal 2011, revenues were $5,218,000 compared to $3,814,000 for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010. Gross profit was $1,798,000, with gross profit margin of 34%, compared to gross profit of $1,387,000 and gross profit margin of 36% for 4Q ’10. Net income was $795,000 or $.14 per diluted share, compared to net loss of $226,000 or $(0.04) per diluted share last fiscal year.
Fiscal Year 2011
For the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, revenues were $16,827,000 compared to revenues of $15,742,000 for the year ended March 31, 2010. Gross profit was $6,341,000, with gross profit margin of 38%, compared to gross profit of $6,633,000 and gross profit margin of 42% in fiscal 2010. Net income was $1,730,000 or $.32 per diluted share, compared to $1,391,000, or $0.26 per diluted share fiscal year 2010.
For fiscal 2011, Spirulina sales accounted for 50% of total revenues and natural Astaxanthin sales for 50%. International sales were 42% of total sales.
Israeli astaxanthin supplier Algatech has said it intends to expand production capacity by 30 percent by the end of 2011, and by a further 50 percent in a year’s time, on the back of increased demand in the US and Europe.
Astaxanthin sourced from marine algae is a natural red pigment and carotenoid, which has been linked to cardiovascular and skin health benefits. Algatech supplies astaxanthin under its AstaPure brand for used in food, nutraceutical and skin care products – and the company says demand is rocketing.
Daily supplements containing astaxanthin, the pink pigment that gives salmon its color, may boost the body’s antioxidants defenses in obese people, says a new study from South Korea.
Researchers from Seoul National University report that daily doses of 5 or 20 milligrams of astaxanthin for three weeks were associated with increases in levels of the body’s own antioxidant defenses, as well as decreases in levels of oxidative species.
“Although these data show that astaxanthin is protective against obesity‐induced oxidative stress, a longer term study with a larger sample size should be conducted to establish whether astaxanthin supplementation can consistently and permanently reduce oxidative stress levels,” wrote the researchers in Phytotherapy Research.
Fuji Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. has announced it will double the production capacity for astaxanthin at its wholly owned subsidiary, BioReal AB in Gustavsberg, Sweden.
While specific numbers would not be divulged, Dr Ake Lignell, general manager of BioReal, told NutraIngredients that the expansion represented a ‘doubling’ in production of its AstaREAL branded ingredient.
The company announced the consolidation of all its astaxanthin production at its Swedish base in January, noting that the Swedish facility offered “better product uniformity, operational efficiency and ease of expansion”.
Indeed, the surviving technology available in Sweden is modular, making any potential expansion “rapid”, said the company. Fuji/BioReal sources its AstaREAL-branded astaxanthin from the algae form, Haematococcus pluvialis.
The expansion comes in response to a global increase in demand for astaxanthin, with Asia leading the way.
MDPI announces publication of the following issue:
Mar. Drugs, Volume 9, Issue 3 (March 2011), Pages 294-477 http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/
Table of Contents:
Article: Isolation of a New Natural Product and Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activities of Extracts from Fungi of Indonesian Marine Habitats Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 294-306; doi:10.3390/md9030294
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/294
Article: Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Activity from Algae of the Genus Caulerpa Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 307-318; doi:10.3390/md9030307
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/307
Review: Marine Carotenoids: Biological Functions and Commercial Applications Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 319-333; doi:10.3390/md9030319
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/319
Article: Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activity of Pseudopterosins and seco-Pseudopterosins Isolated from the Octocoral Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae of San AndrC)s and Providencia Islands (Southwest Caribbean Sea) Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 334-344; doi:10.3390/md9030334
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/334
Article: Dynamics of Dissolved and Particulate Polyunsaturated Aldehydes in Mesocosms Inoculated with Different Densities of the Diatom Skeletonema marinoi Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 345-358; doi:10.3390/md9030345
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/345
Article: Lobophorin C and D, New Kijanimicin Derivatives from a Marine Sponge-Associated Actinomycetal Strain AZS17 Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 359-368; doi:10.3390/md9030359
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/359
Article: Chemical Screening Method for the Rapid Identification of Microbial Sources of Marine Invertebrate-Associated Metabolites Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 369-381; doi:10.3390/md9030369
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/369
Article: An Acetylenic Alkaloid from the Calcareous Sponge Leucetta sp.
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 382-386; doi:10.3390/md9030382
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/382
Review: Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids: Relevant Secondary Metabolites. Chemical and Ecological Aspects Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 387-446; doi:10.3390/md9030387
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/387
Review: Astaxanthin: A Potential Therapeutic Agent in Cardiovascular Disease Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 447-465; doi:10.3390/md9030447
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/447
Article: Preparation of Calibration Standards of N1-H Paralytic Shellfish Toxin Analogues by Large-Scale Culture of Cyanobacterium Anabaena circinalis (TA04) Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(3), 466-477; doi:10.3390/md9030466
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/3/466
FIS.com: Researchers at the Gaiker-IK4 Basque technological Center and other research institutes in Mexico and Portugal are working on the development of a food container with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties made from shellfish waste.
Scientists aim for this new packaging – made with elements taken from the exoskeleton of shrimp – to prolong the life of food, preserving their original properties. This international project is led by scientists at the Technological Institute of Sonora, Mexico.
Also involved is the Research Centre for Food and Development and the company Bioderpac, both of which are from Mexico, in addition to the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and the Dr. Ricardo Jorge National Health Institute, Portugal.
The innovative packaging is a material containing molecules of chitosan and astaxanthin, which have antimicrobial and antioxidant capacity, respectively.
These agents are obtained from the head and the exoskeleton of shrimp, by extraction and purification after lactic fermentation. Later, these compounds are incorporated into plastic matrices to prepare polyethylene and polyamide active packaging.
Dai-Hung Ngo, Isuru Wijesekara, Thanh-Sang Vo, Quang Van Ta and Se-Kwon Kim
Recently, a great deal of interest has been developed by the consumers towards natural bioactive compounds as functional ingredients in the food products due to their various health beneficial effects. Hence, it can be suggested that antioxidative functional ingredients from marine foods and their by-products are alternative sources for synthetic ingredients that can contribute to a consumer’s well-being, as a part of nutraceuticals and functional foods. This contribution presents an overview of the marine food-derived antioxidants such as bioactive peptides, chitooligosaccharide derivatives, sulfated polysaccharides, phlorotannins and carotenoids with the potential utilization in the food industry.
Twelve weeks of spirulina supplementation were associated with increased counts of white blood cells, foot soldiers of the immune system, with older women reported to respond more rapidly, according to findings published in Cellular & Molecular Immunology.
“The study does add to the growing body of scientific research demonstrating that Spirulina improves immune system response, especially in older individuals whose immune function naturally declines,” said Gerry Cysewski, PhD, chief science officer and executive vice president at Cyanotech, and co-researcher in this study.
Spirulina, a blue-green vegetable alga, is a rich source of protein, amino acids, phytonutrients, iron, antioxidants and B-vitamins. Cyanotech’s spirulina is grown in Hawaii, and has GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, meaning it can be used as a functional ingredient in foods and beverages.
Algatechnologies, Israel, specializing in microalgae cultivation and a leading manufacturer of natural astaxanthin has announced that its AstaPure brand has obtained GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status from the FDA for use in food and beverages applications.
“Our AstaPure brand has been successfully applied for several years as an active ingredient in dietary supplements, foods and beverages in Japan,” says Efrat Kat, Director, Marketing & Sales at Algatechnologies. ”Achieving GRAS status and meeting the highest regulatory requirements in the U.S. is a major accomplishment, designed to support our customers in their food and beverage innovations utilizing the recognized health benefits of astaxanthin.”
Algatechnologies is a leading manufacturer of natural astaxanthin and the only supplier using entirely closed cultivation systems, totally exposed to the natural sun-light. Moreover, 100% of Algatechnologies’ products are manufactured using super-critical CO2 technology, obtaining 10% astaxanthin in oleoresin form, with no solvent extractions.
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