 supplements How are Food State Vitamins and Minerals different from isolated chemical formulations?
Food State vitamins and minerals are “re-natured”, which means that a concentrated form of a vitamin or mineral is “fed” back into a food medium in which that vitamin or mineral would normally be found. The complex then undergoes a “growth” process which results in that vitamin or mineral being integrated to become one with the food matrix in the same way as it would be found naturally.
Describe this growth process - what actually happens?
The production of vitamins and minerals is slightly different, as in order to benefit, the body requires either a growth or an activation process to allow the nutrient to emulate natural food. The minerals are grown in a special type of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This is an amazing single-cell plant naturally rich in a full range of minerals and all essential amino acids, B Vitamins, complex carbohydrates and enzymes.
The yeast naturally has active receptor sites where those naturally occurring nutrients will be found. A receptor site is an active part of a selected matrix that has affinity towards a specific molecule/ ingredient.
Receptor matrices appropriate to specific nutriments are used, because some nutrients - such as Vitamin C and beta carotene - are not naturally associated with yeast; therefore corresponding active sites in the yeast do not exist. However, citrus pulp is naturally high in Vitamin C, so this is used as the active food medium for re-growing Vitamin C.
Carrots are high in beta carotene, and hence carrot pulp is used in the activation process of beta carotene. Other vitamins not normally found in yeast are activated and grown in food mediums common to them, such as alfalfa, soya protein, corn oil etc.
The growth process and the activation process have characteristic differences, which are looked at separately below.
A Brief Introduction to the Mineral Growth Process
The growth process takes place in two sets of large stainless steel tanks. In the first stage the nutrient to be grown (as opposed to a traditional ferment process) is added to a tank containing a nutrient-rich broth which consists of a proprietary ratio of complex carbohydrates (such as molasses) and vegetable proteins (such as those extracted from yeast) which may vary according to the nutrient being grown.
The specific nutrient being transformed into Food State is then added. The nutrient broth and the added isolated nutrient actively integrate. Once the intermediate activation has been verified by infrared spectra-photometric and other validation analysis, the nutrient is ready for the second stage.
In the second stage the nutritive broth containing the reacted nutrient is introduced into the growth tank. This tank contains the yeast solution. The yeast is a living plant which metabolises the nutrient-rich broth.
The once isolated nutrient and its food media undergo a process of growth and bio-transformation to produce a wholesome, vitalised concentrated food. For example, if one feeds selenium salts to a growing culture of Saccharomyces cerevisiae under appropriate conditions, selenium will find its receptor sites. These sites (in the case of selenium) are primarily methionine and cysteine.
During metabolism the sulphur group is replaced with selenium and the finished product contains protein of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with Selenomethionine and Selenocysteine groups imbedded therein. This process varies from 12- 24 hours, depending on which nutrient is being metabolised.
The growth process is monitored by an instrument called an Infra-red Spectrophotometer. This machine shows the molecular structure of the mixture, and determines that a single food matrix has resulted from the process. Once this process is complete, vegetarian digestive enzymes are introduced to stabilise the material and conclude the growth process.
This process breaks apart the cell wall. The final step is drying of the finished product. This is accomplished with an instant drying process (flash drying) to protect the nutrients. This is the same process as is used to dry enzymes and retain their activity.
The resultant powder is subjected to rigorous physical, chemical and microbiological quality control tests before being passed for sale.
Most people who have yeast allergies are sensitive to the proteins in the yeast wall membrane. The enzyme digestion process breaks down this membrane and there is no active yeast left in the food state nutrients once it has finished. In fact the whole yeast cell structure no longer exists, yet it retains all the vital nutritional components in an easily digestible form.
The Nutrient Activation Process (for the vitamins not found naturally in yeast) For the first step a nutrient- rich broth of specific complexes and carbohydrates and vegetable proteins are placed in stainless steel tanks to create the perfect environment for ‘nutrient activation’ to occur. In the second stage either a broth of vegetables or fruit concentrates (depending on the food state vitamin being produced) is added to the tank.
There is a unique recipe for each nutrient, carefully matched with a food concentrate naturally rich in the individual nutrient being activated. For example beta carotene is matched with concentrated carrot extract providing a spectrum of Carotenoids. Vitamin C is matched with a concentrated citrus fruit extract , rich in active bioflavonoids. Each one of these natural sources has the receptor sites for one particular vitamin. This is due to the fact that these sources already contain the same nutrient naturally in their structure. Nature never completely fills the receptor sites and always there are a number of receptor sites left behind without an active attachment (This is the main reason why the same fruit, vegetable or plant grown in different places will contain varied a amounts of nutrients, due to the condition of the soil, water and climate in that region).
The temperature and conditions are controlled, and the mixture is continuously stirred. Specific enzymes are added to the mixture and these enzymes make the receptor sites available to the nutrient, and the conditions naturally promote enzyme activity in the citrus pulp and the nutrient rich broth. the nutrient is attached to a carrier peptide which carries the vitamin to the activated receptor sites for release.
Thus a new food matrix is formed. The reaction time takes from 8-16 ours. Infrared spectrophotometers are used to guarantee that molecular integration has taken place, and the new food strata products have been formed.
At this stage the liquid product is sprayed dried. The finished product is then subjected to rigorous quality control procedures and microbiological examinations.
Other Factors that Effect Quality and Bioavailability of the Tablets.
MANUFACTURING & BIOAVAILABILITY
The way the tablet is manufactured significantly affects its bioavailability and absorption potential in the body. Many so-called innocuous excipients used in the tableting process can themselves affect the availability of the active substances for absorption. Hence the importance of reducing these excipients to a minimum. Food State products use only minimum excipients.
PRESSURE & BIOAVAILABILITY
The bioavailability of the active ingredients is affected by the pressure applied to the tablet in its creation. Too great a pressure generates heat and may deleteriously effect the presence of the active substances. It also disturbs the disintegration time of the tablet, consequently producing a poor or negligible absorption. Food State tablets are produced with absolute minimum pressure needed to hold the tablet together
HEAT & BIOAVAILABILITY
It is essential that the punch heads which shape the tablets are allowed to cool at frequent intervals. the practice of very high output runs causes the punch heads to overheat and allows to high temperatures to build up in the tablet . This damages the active ingredients in the tablet. Food State tablets are made in small production runs, so preventing the punch heads form overheating.
The © 2006, Eric LlewellynThe publishers cannot accept any responsibility for any damage or harm caused by any treatment, advice, or information contained in this publication. In the case of illness, you should consult a qualified practitioner before undertaking any treatment. |