Since 1994, Blue California has earned a reputation as a respected and well-recognized manufacturer of botanical extracts and specialty ingredients. Over the past ten years, Blue California has worked to increase the quality of its raw ingredients through extensive research in to the best ways of producing botanical extracts.

BOTANICAL EXTRACTS
Blue California produces a range of botanical extracts and specialty ingredients:
Biolut™ marigold extract 90% lutein esters
Standardized botanical extracts and herbal powders
Japanese-grade botanical extracts
Essential and vegetable oils
Fruit and vegetable powders
Specialty ingredients

Lutein 5% Water-Soluble in Cold Water is Introduced by Blue California

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA - Blue California, an ingredient manufacturer in Southern California, has developed an innovative form of lutein with excellent solubility in cold water. Blue California is offering Biolut™ Lutein WS 5%, with a two year shelf life, to the dietary supplement industry, as well as the food, cosmetics and beverage industries.

Lutein is an important pigment found in the human macula, a small area of the retina responsible for central vision. Several scientific studies have shown that an increase in macula pigmentation decreases the risk for eye diseases such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which causes vision loss for millions around the world. Aging, smoking, fair skin and obesity are all risk factors in the onset of AMD. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is necessary for proper nutrition and to maintain a healthy lutein density in the macula. Unfortunately, many Americans fail to eat sufficient lutein-rich foods, in which case nutritional supplements in the form of capsules, tablets or beverages containing lutein may be an option to prevent irreparable vision loss from AMD.

Blue California's proprietary and patent-pending micro-encapsulation technology can be used to make an oil-soluble ingredient into a free-flowing powder, with great stability and solubility in cold water. This proprietary Micro-encapsulation technology from Blue California is also suitable for taste and odor masking, time-release formulas, and for maximizing bioavailability. Blue California's new form of lutein, soluble in cold water, is an important development for the dietary supplements industry, with enormous potential for chewable tablets, beverages, effervescent tablets, uncoated tablets, and functional foods in addition to its cosmetic industry uses.

Cecilia McCollum, Executive Vice President for Blue California, commented, "For the past three years, we have been dedicated to the development of new extraction and process technologies that can help our customers find solutions for their unique R&D projects. For example, turning oil-soluble carotenoids into fine mesh, free flowing powders that are soluble in cold water and with guaranteed stability, is truly an accomplishment. We are finding amazing new applications for this advanced technology, not only in the dietary supplement industry, but also in the food, cosmetics and beverage industries." Biolut™ Lutein WS 5% is available in powder form with two-year stability.

Blue California Submits Stevia Reb-A GRAS Notification to FDA

Blue California, a manufacturer of highly purified botanical extracts, has announced the submission of its GRAS petition to the FDA for Good&Sweet™ Rebaudioside-A 97%, a natural zero-calorie sweetener derived from the stevia leaf. Pure Reb-A (Rebaudioside-A) is sweeter and better-tasting than other stevia extracts and offers a natural and better choice for use in a variety of food products.

Blue California started commercial production of this natural sweetener derived from stevia in December 2007 and began the GRAS self-affirmation process in February 2008. After months of extensive review of scientific data and studies related to the stevia plant and Rebaudiosisde in particular, the expert panel convened by GRAS Associates concluded that Good&Sweet Reb-A 97% meets the safety criteria for use as a general-purpose sweetener in a variety of food products for consumer use including food, beverages, confectionaries and table-top products.

GRAS self-affirmation is a legal, FDA-allowed process that enables companies to conduct their own GRAS self-determinations by convening an independent panel of scientists to determine if an ingredient meets the FDA’s criteria for safety. Though Blue California has already completed GRAS status for Good&Sweet, the company decided to take its safety assessment one level further by submitting its GRAS portfolio to the FDA. On 17 December 2008, the FDA issued no objection letters of GRAS status for two other stevia sweetener submissions, thereby paving the way for greater use of the product.

Cecilia McCollum, Blue California’s executive vice president, commented, “Submission of our GRAS dossier to the FDA was the obvious and logical step for Blue California. From the very beginning, we've had absolute confidence in the safety and the unmatched purity of our Reb-A.”

Blue California’s Reb-A is offered at 97% and 99% purity and it is independently validated by Eurofins Scientific, of California.

Robert S. McQuate PhD, CEO of GRAS Associates, adds, “Our expert panel was impressed by the documented high purity of Blue California’s Rebaudioside A, and this had a substantial bearing on the GRAS conclusion that was reached. We have submitted the dossier to the FDA with the expectation that Good&Sweet’s high quality compositional profile should result in a favorable response from the FDA.”

Rebaudioside A is a non-caloric natural sweetener derived from the stevia leaf, is heat-stable and 400 times sweeter than sugar. Rebaudioside A and other stevia products are approved for general food use in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Russia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and a few other countries. It has been approved for use in dietary supplements in the US since 1995.

Good&Sweet is manufactured by Blue California under strict GMP and ISO-9001:2000 quality certifications by NSF. Blue California is a manufacturer of Kosher-certified high purity botanical extracts and other unique ingredients for use in foods, beverages, cosmetics and dietary supplements.