A holiday in America resulted in a new business opportunity for retired Brighton carpenter Bob Hunter.

Forced to give up his job because of rheumatoid arthritis, Bob is a firm believer in the benefits of health food.

While in Los Angeles, he wandered around the aisles of the many health food supermarkets and was amazed at the quantity and variety of health food and supplements available.

One product that caught his eye was New Life Colostrum, a product obtained from cows.

It is present in their milk for a short while after they have given birth and provides calves with protection against infections.

He bought it, tried it and was impressed with the results.

Bob said: "Having been a long-term consumer of dietary supplements and a sufferer of a number of chronic ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis, I was willing to try almost anything to combat the debilitating symptoms.

"I want to lead as useful a life as possible and I was happy to give Colostrum a go.

"I've tried quite a few things before and there have been some that had no effect and others that helped me a little.But Colostrum was better than all the others put together.

"It really made a difference to my life."

Much to Bob's surprise, he could not find Colostrum in any shop in the UK.

He was left with no alternative but to import the product himself.

His search for a source took him from Florida to New Zealand.

He said: "New Zealand's cattle farmers have the highest standards of hygiene and animal care in the world.

"The animals are not given growth hormone or antibiotics and so the colostrum obtained from them is absolutely pure. It's the best in the world."

As a carpenter who can no longer work, the business of becoming an importer of animal products was completely new ground for Bob.

It also proved far from straightforward. UK import regulations are very strict.

Bob was told by the authorities at Heathrow that although they knew the product was safe, every shipment must be accompanied by relevant original certificates, stamped both in NZ and the U.S.

He said: "Colostrum is sometimes referred to as first milk or life's first food.

"It has the effect of empowering the immune system and thus protecting the vulnerable newborn against infection.

"Bovine Colostrum is secreted by cows to newborn calves.

"Pasture-fed cows produce approximately twice as much as is necessary for each calf.

"The remainder is harvested, processed and packaged for human consumption.

"Some of the components of Bovine Colostrum are 20 times stronger than their human equivalents."

Bob has given it to friends and family with much the same general reaction. They have tried it and come back for more.

The product is used widely in New Zealand, where it originates, Australia and the U.S.

Bob, who is launching New Zeal Colostrum in the UK this week, can be contacted on 01273 770104.