Showcasing a new product to improve the impact of interventions for vitamin A deficiency in low and lower-middle income countries (LMICs).
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct. 24, 2023 - Particles for Humanity was selected to present a poster at the Micronutrient Forum from October 16th-20th in The Hague, Netherlands. The poster showcased the company's vitamin A product, PFH-VAP. It has a >4x stability advantage in bouillon over a leading commercial product, enabling more vitamin A to get to the consumer at a lower cost to the food processor.
Particles for Humanity is developing a stable form of vitamin A palmitate (VAP) called PFH-VAP to improve vitamin A stability in large-scale food fortification. Adding vitamins and minerals to widely consumed foods, like wheat flour, sugar, and bouillon, is a proven strategy for increasing consumption of essential nutrients at scale. However, in hot and humid conditions like those found in parts of Africa, vitamin A can be very unstable. As a result, by the time fortified foods reach consumers, much of the life-saving nutrient is gone. Though refrigeration could help, it is often either too expensive or unavailable in many parts of Africa, where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent. PFH-VAP is being developed to help solve this problem.
PFH-VAP is a dry vitamin A powder. It is different from other commercial forms because the vitamin A is coated with a material, used for decades in pharmaceutical products, that protects the vitamin A from the heat and humidity that causes instability. Testing of PFH-VAP began in bouillon cubes due to their broad consumption across income levels in West Africa. Plans are currently in place to add it to additional staple foods like wheat, sugar, maize, or rice. Development first began at lab scale (Powder Studio™) and transition to pilot has since been successful at LIS by Lesaffre, a leading global contract manufacturer of food and nutraceutical ingredients based in France.
When tested in bouillon, PFH-VAP was more than 4 times as stable as a leading commercial product after 12 months of storage in hot and humid conditions, mirroring those found in many parts of Africa. Under the same conditions, commercial formulations of VAP are unstable and expensive overages must be added to offset the storage losses. PFH-VAP has potential to improve the cost-effectiveness of food fortification programs by getting more vitamin A to the people who need it most, without the need for expensive overages.
The Micronutrient Forum is a premier global nutrition conference that takes place every four years bringing together global players to advance integrated research, new policy priorities, and investments for micronutrient interventions. An audio recording detailing the posters contents can be found on Particles for Humanity's website.
Particles for Humanity transforms early-stage medical technology into products for people living in low and lower-middle income countries. It is developing a portfolio of products with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Mulago Foundation, and King Philanthropies. Its rigorous product development process is based on end-user input and is focused on financially sustainable product opportunities. For more information, visit the company's website www.particlesfh.com.
Please contact info@particlesfh.com for inquiries.
SOURCE Particles for Humanity
