News that a variety of GM corn produced signs of liver and kidney
toxicity in rats should be a wake-up call for better testing and
more transparency from biotechs, if GMOs are to be accepted by
increasingly sceptical consumers.
The popular herbal gingko biloba did not improve the mental
performance of healthy subjects, says a new study, but the high
level of cognitive function of the subjects to start with may
undermine the conclusions.
Californian raw materials supplier BDS Natural Products has added a
new H2O Express steam-based system to its Natural Products
Sterilization Services, which it says will shorten lead times for
its customers.
A study at the University of Glasgow that evaluated fruit juices
commercially available in the UK according to their antioxidant
content could act as a spur to the category, as consumers seek
dietary ways to remain in rude health.
Linnea's HMRLignan, the plant lignan isolated and purified from the
Norway spruce (picea abies), reduced markers of
inflammation linked to heart disease, says new research from Italy.
Beauty foods are hotting up as an area of interest for
multinationals, if rumours about a Coca Cola-L'Oréal collaboration
for a tea-based skin care drink prove founded.
Bioscience company Zymes says it has successfully solubilized
omega-3 fatty acids by reducing them to a nano-scale, making the
essential fatty acids more bioavailable and opening up more uses in
product formulations.
A superoxide dismutase (SOD) supplement, GliSODin, in combination
with diet and lifestyle changes can significantly reduce the risk
of cardiovascular disease, French researchers have reported.
Calcium from dairy sources, but not supplements, decreased excess
levels of fat in the blood after eating, says research from Denmark
that is yet another twist to the calcium-dairy weight loss debate.
Minneapolis-based Cargill has announced that its Regenasure
ingredient, the only non-animal glucosamine available on the
market, has been determined generally recognized as safe (GRAS).
Functional foods are growing into a substantial niche within the
food industry, according to market researcher Packaged Facts, and
is likely to be eating into sales of traditional dietary
supplements.
Ethnic flavors are expected to expand this year, together with an
increased consumer demand for bigger, bolder tastes, according to a
new flavors and ingredients report.
Chr Hansen and Valio are strengthening their relationship over the
popular probiotic LGG, giving Chr Hansen manufacturing and selling
rights to the strain for its use in food supplement products.
A combination of garlic supplements and vitamin C reduced blood
pressure back to normal levels in people with mildly elevated
levels, says a pilot study.
As part of its Trulabel program for randomly testing supplements,
the Natural Products Association (NPA) has announced it found eight
popular sports supplements had no steroid or stimulant
contamination.
Mergers and acquisitions in the food industry in 2006 took a turn
up compared to the year before, with almost one third of all
activity occurring in the food processing sector, according to a
new guide by the The Food Institute.
Dutch chemical group DSM has announced a global partnership with
the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) that aims to improve
and increase nutritious food for people in poor countries and
during humanitarian crises.
Energy drinks last year stormed the US beverage market,
outperforming all other categories, while one sports drink inched
its way into the nation's top five trade marks by displacing a
popular soda brand, according to a new report.
A diet rich in flavonoids, compounds in fruit, vegetables, coffee,
tea and chocolate, could slash the risk associated to
cardiovascular disease, says a joint Norwegian-US study.
A new study examining the potential of Pycnogenol to reduce
endometriosis has yielded positive results, building the data to
support the antioxidant pine extract's use in addressing the
condition.
Milk producers in the UK have given a cautious welcome to milk
price rises announced by Tesco this week, in the latest development
on dairy farmer incomes.
Monsanto and The Solae Company have announced a collaboration over
the development of omega-3 from genetically-modified soy beans,
which could speed up the availability of the healthy ingredient
from new non-marine sources.
Artemis has signed an agreement with Linnea for the promote and
sale of its berry extracts and PhytoSolutions formulations, in
order to extend distribution in North America and the rest of the
world.
International agencies should reassess as a matter of high priority
dietary recommendations for vitamin D, experts have said, because
current advice is outdated and puts the public at risk of
deficiency.
Glanbia's nutritionals activities were a positive force in 2006,
driving gains in operating profits for its ingredients division and
staving off the impact of another challenging year for dairy.
Increased intake of soy isoflavones significantly reduced the risk
of prostate cancer amongst Japanese men by as much as 50 per cent,
says a new study.
Fortitech has announced significant new capital investments in
several of its key markets, as it reaches out to growing markets
with its custom nutrient premix services.
Consumer demand and the constant evolution of nutraceutical
ingredients are driving soft gel manufacturers to find new
technologies and sources for their products.
From double coating with soy peptides, to protection with whey
proteins, encapsulation of sensitive gut-friendly bacteria is
breaking new ground for probiotic food applications.
Berkem is introducing a new grape extract called Powergrape with
specific ratios of different polyphenol families, which has yielded
positive results in a prospective study on antioxidant status in
sportsmen.
Tomatoes, genetically engineered to contain high levels of folate,
could provide the recommended daily amount in one standard serving,
says new research.
Flavonoids from fruits and vegetables are not potent antioxidants
when eaten but may still have significant benefits by other
mechanisms, says a new review of the science.
AOAC International has put out a call in search of a study director
for its upcoming collaborative studies on standardized methods for
joint health-supporting compound, MSM.
Hawaiian microalgae specialist Cyanotech has received the green
light to sell its astaxanthin in the EU under novel foods
regulations, opening up a new market that it says has great
potential for the antioxidant ingredient.
Astavita is bringing its antioxidant AstaReal astaxanthin directly
to television viewers and consumers at large through a one-year
sponsorship deal with TV series Christina Cooks.
Consumer industries are only just seeing the tip of the iceberg
when it comes to the purchasing power of older consumers, says
Euromonitor International, which advises them to make age-aware
adaptations to products in the coming years.
Frutarom is bringing its wild green oat ingredient Neuravena to the
United States, where it plans to build-up the brand's awareness
using the marketing recipe used for LinumLife.
NutraCea has taken the next step in extending use of its
proprietary stablised rice bran technology in Europe with a
distribution arrangement with Giulio Gross for the distribution of
its products in Italy.
An extract from pomegranate leaves may offer promise for weight
control after an animal study showed the extract suppressed
appetite and reduced food intake for high-fat diets.
The Nordic region is a hotbed of development for dairy alternatives
using healthy ingredients like oats and soya, says Organic Monitor,
and marketers are responding to consumer health awareness by
repositioning products as functional...
California-based Best Formulations is the latest company to step up
to the plate and announce the development of a non-animal sourced
softgel, Vgel - signaling consumer demand is undeniably gearing
towards vegetarian versions of traditional...