The US health and wellness sector surged 15 percent in 2007 and
broached the $100bn mark for the first time, according to the
Natural Marketing Institute (NMI).
Israeli firm Algatechnologies has won European Union Novel Foods approval for its patented version of the antioxidant astaxanthin, and plans to take the ingredient into new European markets.
Ingredients group Blue California says it expects to obtain
self-affirmed generally regarded as safe (GRAS) approval for its
stevia-derived sweetener compound by next month.
A beta-glucan health cholesterol-lowering health claim has been
approved in France, making it only the second disease reduction
claim permitted in a country notorious for conservative food laws.
After a busy period of expansion for Fonterra, the New
Zealand-based dairy cooperative says it remains far from finished
with its global consolidation plans as it looks to key markets such
as Asia to target growth.
Bogus health claims that are "commonplace" on dietary
supplements are now also being adopted by the food industry,
according to consumer group CSPI, which has urged an FDA
clamp-down.
Frozen sauce pellets are feeding a demand for convenience foods
that consumers can just throw into a frying pan from the freezer,
according to Kevin Delahunt of Sargento Foods Inc.
National Starch has identified a range of different crispy and crunchy textures for crackers and snacks to help food manufacturers meet consumer demand for gourmet, indulgent and healthy products.
Nanoemulsions containing bioactive compounds such as curcumin or
antioxidants like lycopene may reduce the growth and spread of
cancer cells by over 70 per cent, according to researchers.
A US product survey has found that four out of ten red yeast rice
supplements were contaminated with a fungal substance called
citrinin that has been linked with kidney problems in animal and
human populations.
The controlled release of food ingredients, like bioactive
compounds and flavours, is far behind the pharmaceutical world, but
the balance is slowly being redressed.
Africa farmers could be set to tap into a billion dollar industry
with baobab, as the baobab fruit pulp obtained novel foods approval
yesterday, FoodNavigator.com can report.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and the International Dairy
Foods Association (IDFA) are fighting against the State of Ohio for
its new regulations regarding growth hormone labeling.
The quality of the hoodia gordonii supply chain has once
again been brought into question after a Kansas-based contract
manufacturer sued one of its suppliers for selling fake
material.
The adage goes that if an ingredient is to gain favour with food
and supplement makers as well as the public it should first get its
scientific house in order.
Nutrinova has announced progress in its mission to identify
compounds that could yield new natural sweeteners for the food and
beverage industry, in collaboration with BRAIN.
NutraCea has announced plans to construct the largest rice bran oil
refinery in the world, a move that comes just months after the firm
entered the edible oil market.
A Chinese probiotics specialist is hoping to tap China's burgeoning
middle class by inking a deal that will see its specialist
probiotic strains used in a range of dietary supplements.
The use of rising eye health phytonutrient, zeaxanthin, in food
supplements in doses of up to 20mg has been rejected by the
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Following publication of a review that said the omega-3 from plant
sources, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), has been overlooked and
misunderstood, industry sources have reacted.
If heart healthy jambalaya sounds too good to be true, think again. Careful selection of ingredients can make any food heart healthy, without affecting the flavor, says Dr Richard Collins, MD, the Cooking Cardiologist.
With marine omega-3 EPA and DHA often stealing the spotlight, ALA
from plants has been somewhat ignored, but a new review reinforces
ALA's unique and valuable benefits.
DSM's Scottish vitamin manufacturing facility has won accreditation
from a new UK-based carbon foot printing scheme that recognises
green business practises.
Dried fruit supplier Decas Cranberry Products has added the uchuva
fruit to its ingredient portfolio, which the firm says will provide
food manufacturers with a new way to add fiber to their products.
Ingredient firm Bergstrom Nutrition has said that its MSM joint
health ingredient has received GRAS status, opening up the market
for its use in food and beverage products.
Obese people receiving supplements of omega-3 fatty acids while
following a weight loss programme experienced a feeling of fullness
for longer, says a new study.
Naturex has unveiled new websites for the branded health
ingredients in its Nat'Life division, to give end consumers in
Italy, Spain and Germany information on the brands in their own
languages.
Adding fruit flavours and cyclodextrin to milk may boost consumer
acceptance of polyphenol-enriched dairy, without the need for added
sugar, report New Zealand scientists.
Tate & Lyle has developed a new soluble corn fiber in its
Promitor line, expanding the toolkit at manufacturers' disposal for
easy formulation of products with added fiber.
Twenty-four million Americans - or 8 percent of the total US
population - currently suffer from diabetes, according to the
latest government statistics released yesterday.
Unilever's new global Centre of Excellence Ice Foods is aimed at
increasing ice cream innovation by developing healthier products
that are more exciting and provide varied sensory experiences.
The soaring price of vegetables is having a knock-on effect on the price of fish oils used by the nutrition industry, says Croda Heath Care, which today announced a double-digit increase in the price of its Incromega range.
New Jersey-based Natreon is talking up the science behind its
Indian gooseberry ingredient, as the company aims to leverage solid
science for awareness.
The lack of a legal definition for the term 'probiotic' makes it crucial for US food and beverage manufacturers to meet certain criteria that would ensure the efficacy of their products, industry members heard yesterday.
Bunge has announced the signature of a definitive agreement to
acquire Corn Products International for around $4.8bn, a major deal
that plunges it into the high-potential sweeteners market.
Food industry voices are joining those of politicians in the GM debate, hailing the controversial technology as the answer to the food supply crisis. But the hearts and minds of consumers must still be won.
A polyphenol-rich extract from grape seed may prevent the build up
of plaques in the brain that may cause Alzheimer's disease,
according to a study from Mount Sinai/UCLA.
The boom in probiotics science and products is offering potential benefits for a range of health conditions, but the industry must produce products that adhere to the definitions to avoid damaging itself.
The European Commission has culled its gargantuan nutrition
and health claims list from more than 40,000 to 1500 as the
health claims process moves closer to fruition in January, 2010.
Sports supplement testing lab HFL has said that it would conduct
banned substance testing free of charge if companies agree to have
results publicized through trade bodies.
A UK-based breakfast cereal association says it is teaming up with
its dairy counterparts to this month kick off a new promotion
scheme playing up the nutritional benefits of consuming the
products.
Chr Hansen is introducing a new natural hibiscus extract to give a
bright red colour to beverages that also comes with a standardised
anthocyanin content.
Replacing a dairy ingredient with one from citrus may not sound
plausible, but rocketing dairy prices are prompting formulators to
look elsewhere for ingredients. In the fourth part of an in-depth
special series, FoodNavigator examines...