According to a recent consumer survey by Kyowa Hakko USA Inc., New York, only 16 percent of consumers would give their immune systems an A grade, leaving 84 percent of consumers looking for ways to support their less-than-perfect body defenses. The ingredient manufacturer also shared a new long-term, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trial that showed, for the first time, that an oral supplement of Setria glutathione can strengthen the body’s immune system. The results of the study, led by John P. Richie of Penn State University and published in the European Journal of Nutrition, showed that supplementation of glutathione doubled natural killer cell activity. In other news, the company announced it has received a patent for the combination of the amino acids L-Citrulline and L-Arginine. The patent protects the use of L-Citrulline and L-Arginine in formulations used to rapidly and effectively increase blood L-Arginine levels.

Philadelphia-based David Michael & Co. announced its President and Chief Executive Officer Skip Rosskam won the Circle of Excellence Award in the International Business category from SmartCEO Magazine.

GLG Life Tech Corp. (GLG), Vancouver, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Generally Recognized as Safe letter of no objection for GLG’s Luo Han Guo (Monk Fruit) extract products. This letter confirms that the FDA has no questions regarding GLG’s GRAS notice submitted earlier this year, which covers three distinct Luo Han Guo extracts — MV30, MV50 and MV60 — each of which contains a minimum level of mogroside V at 30, 50 and 60 percent, respectively.

Richard Dandrea was named principal flavorist at Robertet, Piscataway, N.J. Dandrea will be responsible for executing commercial creative projects, providing leadership in long-term technical platforms and mentoring members of the creative team.

Takasago Americas opened its new Encapsulation Technology Center (ETC) USA at the company’s Rockleigh, N.J., facilities. The center is a dual-purpose fragrance and flavor facility in support of Takasago International Corp. (USA) research and development.

MGP, Atchison, Kan., a leading supplier of specialty wheat proteins and starches, appointed Michael Buttshaw to the position of vice president of ingredients sales and marketing.

Cleveland-based Ganeden Biotech reported that preliminary studies have suggested multiple benefits from consuming GanedenBC30 (Bacillus coagulans GBI-30, 6086) in combination with protein. Preliminary results of a recent pilot study conducted by the University of Tampa suggest that consuming GanedenBC30 along with 20 grams of protein might help decrease recovery time, decrease soreness, reduce swelling, increase power and decrease blood kinase, the company says.

Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM), Decatur, Ill., recently celebrated five years of commitment to Ghana’s cocoa industry and local communities. Since opening its cocoa processing facility in Kumasi in 2009, ADM has created more than 250 jobs at its 75,000-square-meter purpose-built site, which houses a bean warehouse, processing plant and finished goods warehouse. ADM also has nurtured a local supplier network of more than 200 suppliers.

White Marsh, Md.-based Tic Gums opened a new manufacturing facility in Guangzhou, China, allowing the company to meet the growing global demand for texture and stability solutions within the food and beverage industry. The new facility significantly expands the company’s production capabilities to fulfill orders for the Asia Pacific market, it says.

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), New York, opened a creative facility in Jakarta, Indonesia, and a sales office and applications laboratories in Santiago, Chile. The new flavors creative center in Jakarta  is located on an existing IFF site that has been rebuilt to double its footprint. The state-of-the-art facility will primarily support customers in Indonesia. The new site in Santiago comprises sales offices and applications laboratories dedicated exclusively to meet the growing demand for flavors in Chile.

Bell Flavors and Fragrances, Northbrook, Ill., named Derek Rankin as savory flavor chemist and appointed Maryann Esposito as fragrance evaluation director. The company also appointed Marlene Espinosa as production manager at the fragrance manufacturing plant in Middletown, N.Y.; Melissa Scharoff as fragrance laboratory manager; and Eric Alexander as quality assurance manager.

InterHealth Nutraceuticals, Benicia, Calif., appointed Patrick McCullough to the position of senior vice president of sales. In this role, McCullough will be responsible for all strategic sales activities for InterHealth in the United States.

FMC Corp., Philadelphia, announced global price increases on its alginate, carrageenan, Avicel microcrystalline cellulose, pectin and other hydrocolloid products of up to 10 percent or as contractually determined in food, personal care and other market segments, including certain pharmaceutical segments. The increase varies by product family and might exceed 10 percent on some specialty products, the company says.

Basel, Switzerland-based Lonza announced the publication of the results of two early pilot studies performed using soy lecithin-derived phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidic acid (PA), which appeared in the November issue of Advances in Therapy. The results of both studies provide evidence suggesting a combination of PS and PA, such as in Lonza’s proprietary MemreePlu ingredient, can support memory and cognitive function, the company says.