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Meet Balchem, Ritual’s Choline Supplier
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Tell us a little bit about your company and how it’s different from other players in the nutraceutical space.
Albion Minerals®, a subsidiary of Balchem, is the world’s leading provider of Choline and chelated and organic minerals for human nutrition. Its brands VitaCholine® and Albion Minerals have established a reputation over the past 70 years for bringing innovative technologies to improve health in the food, beverage, dietary supplement and prescriptive markets.
Over the years, the company has had over 100 patents issued, and its products studied in over 70 human clinical trials. Balchem invests in science and technology to deliver safer, more bioavailable, and better tolerated nutritional compounds with the highest industry standards. Balchem continues to invest in pre-clinical and clinical studies and is proud to advance science and contribute to a better and more comprehensive understanding of the value of nutrients.
The FDA recently assigned Choline a daily value for the first time. Can you talk a little bit about what this means?
First of all, this has been a long time in the making. Back in 1998, the Institute of Medicine recognized Choline as an essential ingredient. In 2015, the USDA identified Choline as one of the ‘shortfall nutrients’ that most people do not get enough of from food.
In 2016, the FDA established the RDI at 550mg. This number is based on a study that showed a dose of 550mg was ideal.*
What's the purpose of Choline during pregnancy?
In 2017, the American Medical Association (AMA) recommended Choline consumption during pregnancy. Like the FDA, the AMA confirmed that over 90% of Americans don't consume the recommended daily requirements.*
Your Choline is a trademarked ingredient. What makes it different?
The VitaCholine brand includes one of the most commonly used Choline salts in the food and supplement industries. Choline in the form of salt doesn't need to be broken down to be absorbed--unlike other forms including phoshatidylCholine and cytidine diphosphate.*
Choline bitartrate (CBT) is one of the products in our VitaCholine brand. Choline bitartrate (CBT) is used in most tablets and capsules and is approved as a dietary ingredient. It's classified as USP verified and non-GMO verified.*
Is there anything about the actual manufacturing process of this ingredient that makes it more beneficial than ordinary Choline?
Standard Choline can have an unpleasant smell. VitaCholine is produced using a ‘low odor technology’ that helps counteract this quality.
Can you tell us a little bit about how your Choline is sourced?
While the Choline itself is a synthetic compound, the tartaric acid in the Choline bitartrate (CBT) inside VitaCholine is derived from grape extract. This is one of the reasons why our CBT is GRAS (generally recognized as safe) by the FDA and USP and USP verified.
Why is it important that this ingredient is non-GMO verified?
There is a growing demand for non-GMO food and supplement products. VitaCholine, being about 60% derived from natural sources, meets all the non-GMO criterion. VitaCholine can also be used to fortify organic foods.*
Albion Minerals® is a registered trademark of Albion Laboratories, Inc
Meet Our Expert
Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, VP of Scientific Affairs at Ritual
Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and is a Registered Dietitian. She received her training from Penn State University and University of Connecticut where she researched dietary patterns, chemosensory perception and community nutrition. Her dietetic work is focused on promoting healthy eating habits by translating the science of nutrition into practical information for the public.
LinkedInDr. Mastaneh Sharafi, PhD, RD, VP of Scientific Affairs at Ritual
Dr. Mastaneh Sharafi has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences and is a Registered Dietitian. She received her training from Penn State University and University of Connecticut where she researched dietary patterns, chemosensory perception and community nutrition. Her dietetic work is focused on promoting healthy eating habits by translating the science of nutrition into practical information for the public.
LinkedInMeet the Author
This article was written by our content specialist.
Victoria Hoff, Writer
Victoria Hoff is an accomplished writer, journalist, and former wellness editor who has covered a wide variety of health, nutrition, and wellness topics during her tenure. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, and after writing for Vogue, Elle, Byrdie, The/Thirty, and more, channeled her editorial skills into a marketing career.
LinkedInVictoria Hoff, Writer
Victoria Hoff is an accomplished writer, journalist, and former wellness editor who has covered a wide variety of health, nutrition, and wellness topics during her tenure. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, and after writing for Vogue, Elle, Byrdie, The/Thirty, and more, channeled her editorial skills into a marketing career.
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