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Palm Fruit Bioactives: Science, Applications & Technical Advantages Workshop

Did you know that palm fruit is a rich source of natural bioactives? It has abundance of tocotrienols, carotenoids and polyphenols. These bioactives are increasingly utilized in dietary supplements, food/beverage and cosmetic/personal care products. Come and learn about the applications and benefits of these palm fruit bioactives. 

• A. Market Potential of Palm Fruit Bioactives
• a. Tocotrienols, Carotenoids and Polyphenols
      Speaker from Nutrition Business Journal
  
  
  The main bioactives from the oil palm industry include tocotrienols, carotenoids and polyphenols. These palm bioactives are increasingly being used either on their own or in combination with other common bioactives by the supplement, food, beverage and cosmetic industries.
  
  This presentation aims to examine the market potential of these palm bioactives viz a viz other competing ingredients in an effort to assist potential end users assess viability of use and long-term profitability when these are incorporated into new or existing products and formulations.

• B. Palm Tocotrienols
• a. Unfolding Neuroprotective Effects of Natural Palm Tocotrienol
      Speaker: Chandan K. Sen, Ph.D., FACSM, FACN
  
  
  The tocotrienol (T3) form of vitamin E is poorly studied and has, for decades, been over-shadowed by the tocopherols. With clinical trials testing α-tocopherol providing disappointing results, current interest in vitamin E is being refocused on the non-α-tocopherol forms of vitamin E.
  
  Dr. Chandan Sen will elaborate on the research commenced more than ten years back which discovered that at very small quantity (nanomolar concentration, 10^-9), alpha-tocotrienol , but not alpha-tocopherol, blocked glutamate induced neuronal death. In vivo studies showed that α-T3 supplementation decreased stroke-induced damage to the brain & α-T3 seems to protect neurons both by antioxidant-independent and –dependent mechanisms
  
  This lecture will also address recent developments in the field including:
  • Identification of a third α-T3 sensitive molecular checkpoint
     in neurodegeneration;
  • Demonstrating that α-T3 taken orally reaches vital organs in humans; and
     results from a recent randomized placebo-controlled, blinded pre-clinical
     stroke trial.

• b. Cardioprotective Palm Tocotrienol – Value-Added Ingredient in Supplements,
      Foods and Beverages
      Speaker: Kalyana Sundram, Ph.D., FASc, FNSM 
  
  
  Tocotrienols, part of the vitamin E family, have in recent years gained attention through a number of health maintenance and disease prevention opportunities that are not apparent through vitamin E tocopherols. Recent studies on potential cardioprotective functions of palm tocotrienols provided opportunities in food formulations, supplements and possibly health beverages.
  
  The presentation aims to provide insights into market opportunities in the cardio health sector, which is expected to command significant market growth in the near term. Potential cardioprotective effects of palm tocotrienols will be revealed including
  • Potential plasma cholesterol modulation
  • Protection against LDL oxidation reduction of fatty plaques & lesions

• c. Natural Palm Tocotrienol – Novel Ingredient for Double-Pronged Beauty Effects
      in Nutraceuticals and Cosmetic Products
      Speaker: Sharon Ling, Ph.D.
  
  
  In this presentation, the benefits of palm tocotrienol complex for health and beauty effects will be introduced. Recent studies that reveal effects of palm tocotrienol complex in hair growth, anti-aging, anti-wrinkle, wound healing, moisturizing effects will be discussed. Ingredients suitable for nutricosmetics (oral) and cosmetic (topical) product formulation will be introduced. New applications, product concepts and market potential will also be revealed.
  • Research updates on health and beauty effects of palm tocotrienol complex
  • Application and formulation flexibility – Tocomin^® SupraBio^™ for
     nutricosmetics/dietary supplements and Tocomin
  • 50% C for cosmetics products
  • New product concepts & market potential

• d. Bioenhanced Palm Tocotrienol – Solving Formulator Blues in Oral Applications
      Speaker: Yuen Kah Hay, Ph.D., M.Sc., B. Pharma
  
  
  Compared to tocopherols, the bioavailability of tocotrienols via the oral route is erratic and incomplete. Scientists from the University of Science Malaysia (USM) have developed a special delivery system which will enhance absorption of tocotrienols through oral administration. Clinical studies on healthy human volunteers confirmed the efficacy of this patented bioenhanced delivery system (Tocomin^® SupraBio^™), which increased the rate and extent of tocotrienols absorption by up to 300%. Using this bioenhanced palm tocotrienol system, significant beneficial effects of palm tocotrienol on arterial compliance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have now been observed in several human studies.

• C. Palm Carotenoids
• a. Application of Palm Carotenoids as Natural Colorant in Foods and Beverages
      Speaker: U. R. Unnithan
  
  
  • Crude palm oil the richest source of natural carotenes
  • Patented refining and extraction technologies enable palm carotenoid
     rich oils (red palm oil), fats and carotene concentrates to be produced
  • Food applications for use of red palm oil and palm carotenes
  • Water soluble applications for palm carotenes has extended applications
     as natural colorants in beverages
• b. Safety and Food Applications
      Speaker: Susan Sungsoo Cho, Ph.D.

• D. Palm Phenolics
• a. Potent Beneficial Bioactives for the Supplement and Cosmetic Industries
      Speakers: Malaysian Palm Oil Board and MIT presenter
  
  
  • Phenolic acids and flavonoids occur naturally in plants
  • Due to technology advancements, a novel array of phenolics has been
     isolated from the oil palm fruits
  • Palm phenolics are water soluble and demonstrate relatively high
     antioxidant capacity
  • The water solubility property of palm phenolics offer wide formulations
     variability potential in the food, supplement and cosmetic industries
  • These findings and marketing trends for palm phenolics will be discussed

Speaker Biographies

Yuen Kah Hay, Ph.D., M.Sc., B. Pharma

Yuen Kah Hay, Ph.D., M.Sc., B. Pharma, obtained his pharmacy bachelor’s degree from Universiti Sains Malaysia and doctorate from the University of London. He is currently a professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, where he has been lecturing for the last 30 years. His research interest is in drug absorption and design of novel drug delivery systems. He has helped the industry in product development, including special drug delivery systems and also conducts bioequivalence studies on generic products.

Sharon Ling, Ph.D.

Sharon Ling, Ph.D., graduated top of the class with an honors (1st class) degree in pharmacy from The National University of Malaysia. She received the Royal Student Award and University Gold Medal for being the best overall graduate of the university in 2000. She later obtained a doctorate in pharmaceutical technology from The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Science Malaysia. Subsequently she joined Hovid Ltd. as the product research manager responsible for the research and development of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. She has been an investigator in more than 30 human clinical studies, many of which related to palm-based phytonutrients. She has been a popular speaker at numerous international conferences, universities, hospitals and community organizations on topics including biopharmaceutics, bioenhanced and controlled release drug delivery systems, palm nutraceuticals and phytonutrients. She is currently the vice president, Scientific Affairs, Sales & Marketing for Carotech Ltd. based in the United Kingdom.

Chandan K. Sen, Ph.D., FACSM, FACN

Chandan K. Sen, Ph.D., FACSM, FACN, is a tenured professor of surgery and the executive director of the Ohio State University Comprehensive Wound Center. He is also the associate dean for research at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Dr. Sen directs the Medical Center's Technology Commercialization and Industry Partnership program. He also serves on the national NIH panel on public-private partnership. Dr. Sen has been appointed Champion of Change (CoC) for OSU to serve on the NIH national CoC program. Dr. Sen directs two programs in the Ohio State University's Clinical & Translational Science Award program, the CCTS. He directs novel technologies/methodologies and pilot studies programs. He has been appointed by Dean Souba to develop strategic partnerships between the College of Medicine and the Fisher School of Business. For the last 10 years he has been the editor-in-chief of the #1 rated journal in oxygen and redox biology, Antioxidants & Redox Signaling. He is also an associate editor of the prestigious American Physiological Society Journal Physiology Genomics. He is the editor-in-chief of the Wound Healing Society's yearbook Advances in Wound Care. Dr. Sen has published more than 250 publications and is cited over 700 times a year. At present, Dr. Sen is a permanent member of the surgery, anesthesia and trauma study section of NIH. His laboratory was the first to demonstrate that at nanomolar levels tocotrienol is a potent neuroprotective agent and that it protects against stroke. Of all tocotrienol related research published in the last ten years, Dr. Sen’s work in this field has the honor of being most cited.

Kalyana Sundram, Ph.D., FASc, FNSM

Kalyana Sundram, Ph.D., FASc, FNSM, is currently deputy CEO and director, Science & Environment, Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC). He has 30 years of research experience with various aspects of oils and fats process technologies, nutrition and technical marketing. He is a fellow of the Malaysian Academy of Sciences and Fellow of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia and member of several international professional associations. Dr. Sundram is also an acknowledged expert on the health and nutrition of fats, fatty acids and their minor constituents. He has served on WHO, FAO and IUNS expert consultations, published extensively on palm oil and holds 12 patents. He has coordinated more than 165 research projects on palm oil and its components, contracted to international research centers by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board, and is an active reviewer for a number of international journals with focus on edible oils and fats. Dr. Sundram’s expertise has been built-up through a sound publication record (87 peer reviewed publications) and collaborative research programs with American, Australian and European research centers. He has published extensively on palm oil and holds 12 patents related to palm oil. These patents have won prestigious local and international awards including the Stanford University San Jose Tech Museum Intel Environment Award and the Geneva Inventions and Innovations Gold Award. He has seen successful product commercialization in the United States that resulted in the NASDAQ listing of Smart Balance Inc., USA based on his patented invention. Currently he leads a team at MPOC that uses science to communicate the positives of palm oil. He has taken the lead in bringing together a diverse range of international events and also manages the Malaysian Palm Oil Wildlife Conservation Fund.

U.R. Unnithan

U.R. Unnithan is the executive director of Carotino Sdn Bhd in Malaysia, a member of the J.C.Chang Group of companies, and is responsible for all palm oil downstream businesses of the group. Prior to joining Carotino, he worked with the Unilever Group in India at a senior management level. He has a Master’s degree in chemical engineering from ICT, Mumbai, and earned a gold medal from the National University of Singapore’s APEX MBA program. Unnithan holds three international patents in the field of oils and fats. He has done pioneering work in the commercialization of red palm oil, palm phyto-nutrients, palm biodiesel and other value-added palm oil downstream products. He has published and presented papers in leading journals and at various scientific and marketing conferences around the world. He is the current deputy president of The Malaysian Biodiesel Association, and is also an advanced Toastmaster.