Thai Union Ingredients

This new calcium ingredients is produced at Songkla Canning Ltd. in southern Thailand

14 January 2021, BANGKOK – Today, in line with Thai Union Group PCL's focus on ensuring that every part of every fish is properly used to reduce wastage and properly protect our precious ocean resources, the Group's innovative Thai Union Ingredients subsidiary has launched a new product, UniQ^TMBONE bone powder, produced by converting tuna bone into a fine, off-white powder with a neutral taste and smell.

UniQ^TMBONE, which can be easily used for various types of food, capsules, tablets and as an additive for pet food and pet nutrition, is being produced at Thai Union Group PLC’s recently-opened bone powder production facility at the Songkla Canning factory in southern Thailand.

TUI product lines already include marine oil, alongside other innovative, nutritional products. With its very fine particle size, UniQ^TMBONE can be incorporated in products without changing sensory attributes, delivering a range of nutrients for bone health. It is selected from fresh, food-grade raw material and produced without adding any additives, using a gentle manufacturing process to retain all-natural nutrients.

"Thai Union has built its business on not only providing the highest quality products to consumers around the world, but on constantly innovating and ensuring that we are providing cutting-edge developments in food and dietary products,” said Thiraphong Chansiri, Thai Union’s CEO and President. “Our key Healthy Living, Healthy Oceans commitment means we are even better able to meet the growing demands of consumers in terms of leading healthy lifestyles, which start with the best nutrition.”

Leonardus Coolen, the Managing Director of Thai Union Ingredients, is pleased to be able to launch this first product from a new facility in Songkla Province. “UniQ^TMBONE—which uses only the freshest raw materials—follows in the footsteps of our oil business as we continue to develop products which take advantage of every part of the fish,” he said. “This is the first of many to come as we have a number of other new products in the pipeline and are looking forward to bringing them to market.”

Tuna bone is a good alternative source of calcium. The average calcium intake in many countries is also well below recommended levels and cannot always be achieved through diet alone [1]. As an ingredient, UniQ^TMBONE can play a role in ensuring that consumers receive their recommended daily dose of calcium as it contains calcium and phosphorus in a ratio of 2:1 in its natural hydroxyapatite form—the same structure that is also present in human bones and teeth, as well as, typically, 17% naturally-occurring collagen. Marine fish bone has also been shown to be a form of calcium which is readily-absorbed by the human body [2].

UniQ^TMBONE is both Halal and Kosher compliant, and will be available for sale worldwide from January 2021.

[1] Bischoff-Ferrari, H.A., Rees, J.R., Grau, M.V., Barry, E., Gui, J., & Baron, J.A. (2008). Effect of calcium supplementation on fracture risk: a double blind randomized controlled trial. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 87 (6), 1945-951.

[2] Malde, M. K., Bügel, S., Kristensen, M., Malde, K., Graff, I. E., & Pedersen, J. I. (2010). Calcium from salmon and cod bone is well absorbed in young healthy men: a double-blinded randomised crossover design. Nutrition & metabolism, 7(1), 61.