Valensa International Hosts Expert Panel to Examine Saw Palmetto Extract

ORLANDO, Fla. (November 6, 2018) – Hailed as “Florida’s Treasure,” unprecedented hurricanes have tested the supply chain providing the valued Saw Palmetto Extract (SPE) that supports healthy prostate among men, typically over 50 years old. Questions of pricing, purity and adulteration will be discussed among a panel of experts on Thursday, November 8 at 3pm, hosted by Valensa International during the annual SupplySide Central conference at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. Register here.

The timely discussion, titled “Florida GEMS: A Case Study of Saw Palmetto Supply Chain Management, Guaranteeing Purity, Efficacy and Sustainability” features experts from across the industry including Mark Blumenthal, Founder & Executive Director, American Botanical Council; Ken Redcross, MD, CEO, Redcross Concierge; Steve Rosenman, Vice President, Marketing / Business Development, IVC Corporation; and Umasudhan, C.P., CEO, Valensa International. The panel moderator will be long-time nutritional journalist and Director of Content at Informa, Fran Schoenwetter.

Despite the record-breaking wet weather experienced in Florida in the last 12 months, Umasudhan reports Valensa International continues to deliver the premium USPlus Saw Palmetto Extract for its customers.

“GEMS becomes an ideal example of how planning ahead and working to meet the needs of everyone involved in the process can help protect the supply,” said Umasudhan, who led the development of the Florida GEMS campaign targeting land owners, farmers, buyers, manufactures, even Florida state officials. “Everyday we’re engaged in educating each other about the process, and about the major difference between the unsubstantiated green berry and the priceless ripened berry.”

Saw palmetto extract (SPE), consumed for centuries, is used widely for prostate and lower urinary tract support. Legitimate SPE comes only from ripened berries that grow on private and public Florida land, harvested annually each fall. Validating SPE authenticity is key to substantiating efficacy and supporting sustainable cultivation. Join Valensa, USP, the American Botanical Council and the Florida Department of Agriculture in an active discussion about steps being taken to address concerns around adulteration; highlighting the link between supply chain, purity, efficacy and sustainability as a model of corporate and industry responsibility.

Hailed as a “Florida Treasure,” Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) palms are native to Florida and produce berries, from which oil can be extracted when the berries ripen. In the right dosage and concentrated amounts, research shows Saw Palmetto Extract has an anti-inflammatory effect on the prostate which can help control frequent or accidental urination, as well as being particularly effective treating other prostate-related health concerns for aging men. The power of Saw Palmetto lies in the oil extract from ripened berries, which provide a specific ratio of fatty acids that cannot be imitated.

Saw Palmetto Extract continues to be among the segment projected to grow at the highest Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in terms of value, according to the latest report by industry analyst ReportLinker.

Valensa International provides USPlus® Saw Palmetto Extract, an industry leading ingredient noted for quality, and which recently joined the USP Dietary Ingredient Verification Program. To produce USPlus® Saw Palmetto Extract, Valensa collects ripened red berries to dry. Then Valensa uses a proprietary CO₂ extraction method to produce a pure, solvent-free extract.