NBTY, Inc., Bohemia, NY, has signed a letter of intent to purchase the De Tuinen chain of health food stores for $16.6 million. The De Tuinen chain operates 44 com­pany owned stores and 21 franchised stores located throughout The Netherlands. De Tuinen, with total revenue of $30.2 million, has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the Ahold group of companies since 1991. The transaction, which is subject to certain Dutch ap­provals, is expected to be complete in the first quarter of 2003.