As a raft of new food legislation, notably the labelling of food
allergens and genetically modified organisms, enters into force in
Europe, food manufacturers cannot afford to be less than au
fait with the new rules. Under the umbrella...
The quality of supplements containing SAMe, used to treat a range
of conditions including joint pain and depression, has improved
considerably over the last few years but there are still some
products on the market which mislead consumers,...
Nestle USA is the latest formula maker to launch a product with the
two fatty acids, docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid,
associated with good brain and visual development in babies.
The link between diet, specifically antioxidants, and brain health
gained further ground last week with new studies suggesting that
antioxidant-rich blueberries can both help fight aging and reduce
some of the functional damage caused...
Taking fish oil supplements appears to significantly reduce the
severity in elite athletes of a condition which reduces lung
function after exercise and narrows the airways, report researchers
from universities in the US and Cardiff,...
A major initiative to encourage more African-American men to
participate in the prostate cancer prevention study, Select, took
place yesterday in the Houston area. The study is below its
national target of enrollment for this racial...
A daily pint of dark beer such as Guinness may work as well as an
aspirin in helping to prevent heart attacks, said researchers at
the American Heart Association meeting in the US this week.
New evidence showing that supplements of the ginkgo biloba herb can
improve memory was presented this week at the annual meeting of the
Society for Neuroscience. The small trial revealed the herbal
improved verbal recall in patients...
Taking supplements of DHA omega-3 fatty acids can significantly
protect heart health both in patients at risk of developing
cardiovascular disease and in healthy subjects, according to new
studies presented at the American Heart Association's...
Phoenix-based Zila has revealed that its new vitamin E product, to
be launched early next year under its Ester range, may have
advantages in absorption and in the support of cardiovascular
health.
Volactive, the functional foods arm of milk replacer company Volvac
International, will use the FiE exhibition to promote its latest
heat stable whey protein isolate.
Chaos is soon likely to set in with only one month to go until
tough laws on bioterrorism enter into force in the US at least 90
per cent of foreign and domestic facilities have yet to register
with the FDA.
Daily supplements of antioxidant vitamins and zinc could help more
than 300,000 people at risk for advanced age-related macular
degeneration avoid vision loss over the next five years, according
to results of a new US government study.
Facing up to the current challenging economic climate Danish
ingredients company Chr Hansen last month lifted previous profit
forecasts for the year on the back of decent ingredients growth and
higher exchange rates. Next week at...
The European Commission will plunge €11.7 million into a five-year
project to investigate the treatment of obesity, one of the main
causes of diabetes, it announced today, coinciding with World
Diabetes Day.
Texas-based Carrington Laboratories has unveiled a new look for
product labels and recycled containers to increase brand
recognition for the firm's Manapol brand retail merchandise.
Britain could see obesity levels soar up to 40 per cent or higher
within a single generation unless urgent action is taken,
think-tank the International Obesity TaskForce, warned this week.
Higher raw material costs continue to eat into margins for National
Starch, the starch ingredients arm of ICI, as third quarter figures
bore out last month. It comes as no surprise this week that the
company announced a 'redesign'...
The main active agent in green tea, EGCG, prevents the first step
in HIV infection and could one day be used as a new anti-HIV drug,
suggests a new study this week. Japanese researchers report that
the extract, already believed to...
Mounting scientific evidence for the therapeutic use of probiotics
suggests that these products should be incorporated into
conventional medical practices, concluded a recent meeting of
experts in probiotics.
California's Source Naturals has added a stamdardized yerba mate
extract to its line, targeting the growing weight loss market and
increasing consumer interest in the traditional tea.
European research into the potential carcinogen acrylamide has
received a massive injection of cash to boost the biggest
international project to date on toxic substances formed when food
is heated.
The new owner of supplement maker Rexall Sundown is already reaping
the benefits, with sales at NBTY up by 24 per cent. Other units
also posted strong growth, particularly its European retail
operations.
Canandaigua subsidiary Polyphenolics has expanded the GRAS
affirmation for its MegaNatural Gold grape seed extract and
MegaNatural Gold pomace extract to include food items,
significantly expanding its use in functional foods.
Dietary intake of the antioxidant vitamin C may be associated with
reduced risk for stroke, especially in people who smoke, report
Dutch scientists in a new study. Vitamin E also appears to reduce
stroke risk in smokers, but not in...
Mounting scientific evidence for the therapeutic use of probiotics
suggests that these products should be incorporated into
conventional medical practices, concluded a recent meeting of
experts in probiotics.
Increasing consumer awareness linking high consumption of trans
fatty acids to a rise in the risk of coronary heart disease is
driving the market for alternative ingredients.
Californian firm Earthrise Nutritionals can begin marketing the
dried microalgae spirulina for use in foods, after gaining GRAS
status for the ingredient.
Japan's Yukiguni Maitake Company has received a US patent for the
drying process of the maitake mushroom, which produces an extract
said to scavenge the 'active oxygen' leading to cell degeneration
Eating an antioxidant-rich diet may help protect cognitive skills
from deterioration during old age, according to new animal research
presented at a meeting of neuroscientists in the US this weekend.
Research to be presented today suggests that omega-3 fatty acids,
from either plant or marine sources, can have significant benefits
in reducing risk of heart disease in type 2 diabetes patients
The impact of higher commodity prices on ingredients manufacturers
continues to impact margins. In October figures show that soybean
prices peaked at their highest levels in six years.
Swedish probiotics firm BioGaia has taken over the marketing of its
Reuteri bacteria to the international dairy industry, formerly
managed by Denmark's Chr. Hansen, allowing it to boost revenue from
new dairy customers. It has...
If nothing else, the opening decade of the 21st century will go
down in the annals of time as the period the world went to war over
GMOs. When it comes to genetically modified organisms, passions run
deep and the path to reconciling...
Ingredient marketing firm SourceOne Global Partners is to
distribute chondroitin sulfate, supplied by China's biggest
supplier Yantai Kangde Biochemical Products, exclusively to the US
market.
US researchers are investigating whether calcium intake, previously
linked to lower weight in girls, could help prevent women from
gaining too much weight when pregnant. They hope to better
understand the link between the mineral...
Different brands of the same herbal products available to US
consumers may vary substantially in recommended dose and listed
ingredients, researchers report in a new study, which appears to
suggest that doctors can do little to assess...
A group of senators yesterday introduced a resolution urging the
FDA to immediately remove all ephedra-containing supplements from
the market. Industry continues to encourage a decision taken on the
science and not the politics.
Sales for speciality ingredients set first quarter results soaring
for US company MGP Ingredients, offsetting a downturn in figures
for commodity ingredients and in the face of higher energy and raw
material costs.
Sales have continued to slide at German chemicals firm Degussa
during 2003 and lower volumes continue to drag down food
ingredients business. A one-off charge to restructure the fine
chemcials unit impacts profits.
SCOLR's controlled release drug delivery technology has been
incorporated into six more nutritional supplements, including
12-hour vitamin C, 12-hour glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM and 8-hour
caffeine. The products could reach the...
Prompted by demand from the Philippines, Danish ingredients company
Danisco has
designed and launched two new citrus fruit flavours onto the Asian
market.
Researchers at Cornell University have shown that the hot beverage
cocoa contains more antioxidants per cup than a similar serving of
red wine or tea and may be a healthier choice.
Five companies have joined the dietary supplement trade association
Council for Responsible Nutrition this month, boosting its
visibility and lobbying power further.
Californian supplement manufacturer Source Naturals is promoting an
improved version of its phosphatidyl serine (PS) soft gels, with
the claim that the product contains the most shelf-stable PS
available.
Canada's Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) is backing a
project to research the use of herbal medicines by northern
Quebec's Cree nation to treat diabetes.
Leading Irish food ingredients company Kerry brushed off currency
fluctuations and testing market conditions to post a stable set of
figures for the first six months of the year. The following paper
from Irish stockbroker Goodbody...
