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Exclusive Deep Ocean Krill™ Ingredient Unveiled in Europe for the First Time

Geneva, Switzerland 18 May 2010 - Valensa International (Eustis, FL USA) met with attendees of Vitafoods 2010 this week, presenting a broad range of condition specific products based on quality science and premium ingredients delivered with state-of-the-art formulating approaches. The company showcased its Zanthin® Natural Astaxanthin, which is emerging as one of the hottest new eye health ingredients in Europe and around the world. Valensa's stand featured USPlus® Saw Palmetto extract, which is the industry 'gold standard' for men's prostate health formulations based on the traceability of its raw materials and highly effective extraction techniques. Valensa also introduced its newest product - Deep Ocean Krill- to the European market. Deep Ocean Krill is a stabilized, astaxanthin-enhanced krill oil product based on Aker Biomarine's Superba® Krill Oil.

According to Dr. Rudi E. Moerck, President & CEO of Valensa International, the consumer of nutraceuticals is becoming better educated and more demanding of what they want in a crowded market space. "With so many nutraceutical products coming onto the market today, consumers have become a good deal more selective about what they are looking for. They want products that are effective based on the best science and the highest quality ingredients. Issues like product safety and shelf-life stability are 'must haves' today. And increasingly, factors such as pill size and personal comfort are becoming important. Consumer products that stand out in the marketplace will respond to all of these trends," he said. "At Valensa, our approach to developing nutraceutical formulations starts with choosing the best ingredient to target a specific condition. We then focus on manufacturing the highest quality ingredient we can - including careful monitoring of our raw materials and the most efficient, highest yielding, safest extraction techniques. Finally we look at how we deliver these ingredients, reviewing issues like bioavailability, shelf-life stability and the comfort of the consumer. When you look at ingredients such as Zanthin, Deep Ocean Krill, USPlus Saw Palmetto or others we are discussing at Vitafoods, they all have this approach in common," he said.

Astaxanthin Poised to Explode in Eye Health

Recent research strongly supports the potent antioxidant astaxanthin as the eye healthcare supplement of choice due to its ability to cross the blood-brain/blood-retina barrier and preferentially reside in the cones of the foveal region of the macula. Research also points to astaxanthin's exceptional reduction on light-induced oxidative stress processes that damage cells and many cellular mechanisms. Astaxanthin was found to be many times more effective than either beta-carotene or lutein against UV light induced cellular damage. Results from the CARMIS clinical trial (Carotenoids and Antioxidant in Age Related Maculopathy Italian Study), which employed astaxanthin as a critical component ingredient, strongly suggests that astaxanthin is an excellent addition to eye healthcare supplements that may already contain lutein. Lutein is known to accumulate in the outer region of the macula, where light impingement is relatively low in comparison to the central macular region (also known as the fovea) where the highest light impingement always occurs and where maximum anti-oxidant protection is required. Valensa holds the University of Illinois patent (US 5,527,533 and its foreign equivalents) for the use of the astaxanthin in eye healthcare dietary supplement applications and has begun a broad outlicensing program in conjunction with its Zanthin Natural Astaxanthin ingredient.

Deep Ocean Krill Introduced in Europe

Announced last month, Valensa was talking with visitors to Vitafoods 2010 about its new Deep Ocean Krill krill oil supplement. Deep Ocean Krill employs Aker BioMarine's Superba® Krill Oil as a base and is further stabilized and then fortified with Valensa's Zanthin® Natural Astaxanthin to increase astaxanthin levels to create premium krill oil. Deep Ocean Krill also features Valensa's proprietary botanical O2B™ Peroxidation Blocker technology to provide the most shelf-stable krill-based ingredient on the market today. The new ingredient is targeted toward marketers of dietary supplements worldwide who want to offer consumers high-quality Omega-3 plus antioxidant functionality in much smaller supplement presentation form without the drawbacks associated with fish oil supplements.

The "Gold Standard" for Men's Prostate Health

Valensa's USPlus Saw Palmetto Extract is the fastest growing premium saw palmetto extract on the market today. As part of its quality control process, Valensa saw palmetto berries are harvested and extracted at the optimal time for maximum potency, with the company maintaining total chain of custody of the product from harvesting and extraction through packaging. Valensa's DeepExtract™ supercritical CO2 technology produces a rich dark total extraction product of native palmetto berries. This naturally-based process does not use chemical solvents. The dark color of our USPlus® extract indicates a premium product with the highest efficacy available. Independent assays have shown that USPlus® contains three times the beta carotene, ten times the amount of lutein and 30 times the zeaxanthin of typical saw palmetto extracts. Valensa's USPlus® saw palmetto extract exceeds the minimum requirements for USP standards in total fatty acids, fatty acid profile, total fatty alcohols and phytosterol levels (U.S. Pharmacopeia Saw Palmetto Extract. USP 26 - NF 21 First Supplement. 2003.p.3024-25). The company's assays assure the proper concentration of lauric acid to the concentration of respective fatty acids - the key determinant of saw palmetto extract quality. The company offers both certified kosher and certified organic grades of saw palmetto available.

According to Moerck, as the premiere meeting place for the natural products industry in the Europe, Vitafoods 2010 offers Valensa an unparalleled opportunity to work on the next generation of products that will win with consumers. "We're excited about how the industry is responding to our approaches to premium ingredients delivered with state-of-the-art formulating approaches. We look forward to meeting with marketers of nutraceutical products and to helping to excite the imagination of consumers," he added.

About Valensa International, LLC

Headquartered in Eustis, Florida USA (near Orlando), Valensa International is a leading science-based developer and provider of high quality nature-sourced products for nutritional supplements and functional foods. Valensa's certified organic production facilities are located in a protected pine/saw palmetto grove.

Valensa Omega-3 brands include Tresalbio™ Supercritical Chia Seed Extract ChiaGold™ Stabilized Chia Seed Oil, ChiaMax™ Low-Fat Whole Grain, Z-Omega™3-6-9, Cranberol® Cranberry Seed Extract and AstaCran® Astaxanthin-Cranberry Seed Extract, along with its new Deep Ocean Krill™ and Omega Joe™ ALA products. Condition specific products include Go Easy™ Policosanol Dispersion, Flex Pro ES™ joint health formulation and Eye Pro™ MD eye health formulation. Branded ingredients include Zanthin® Natural Astaxanthin, SpiruZan™ Spirulina & Astaxanthin Complex, USPlus® Prostate Formula and Palmetto Rosso™ Saw Palmetto Extracts, Parry Organic Spirulina and Pur-Blue™ Premium Coated Spirulina. Functional food brands include ChiaMax™ Omega-3 Low-Fat Whole Grain products.

Valensa is committed to production and processing that supports the environment and fair labor practices for those that work the land and participate in the production process.

Valensa is committed to production and processing that supports the environment and fair labor practices for those that work the land and participate in the production process.