Contrary to earlier reports, saw palmetto, the extract from the
berries of a dwarf palm tree, has no effect on non-cancerous
prostate swellings, claims that have been called "puzzling" by a
leading herbal expert.
The first consumer product containing a probiotic strain derived
from human milk by Puleva Biotech has launched in Spain, and the
company hopes it may find a home in other foods for infants and
adults.
Proliant Health and Biologicals has reported positive results in a
company trial aimed at reducing symptoms of irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) and improving quality of life of sufferers using its
ImmunLin supplement.
Insoluble fiber, from wholegrains, is currently enjoying more
attention from consumers and the food industry than soluble fiber,
but interest in the soluble variety is rising fast, according to
Frost and Sullivan.
Orafti is seeking to raise industry awareness of its prebiotic
fibers by bringing them together under the Beneo brand, which has,
until now, been used solely for consumer marketing.
Inulin, a soluble fibre extracted from chicory roots, is
accumulating value in the functional food market, as ongoing
research finds the ingredient has several different health
benefits.
Institut Rosell is gearing up for the launch of its new
Probio'Stick on-the-go probiotic product. Its latest trial
indicates that it may be helpful in dealing with some of the
symptoms of chronic stress.
Merck Médication Familiale, the French subsidiary of Merck Consumer
Healthcare, has introduced its first standalone probiotic
supplement on the French market, following the strong demand for
its multivitamin-probiotic combination.
Broccoli's ability to fight Helicobacteri pylori, the
bacterium responsible for most stomach cancers, has been
demonstrated in a human study for the first time, claim Japanese
researchers.
Swedish probiotic biotech company BioGaia is making headway in its
short-term mission to attain profitability, reporting a 39 percent
increase in sales to SEK 16.4 million for 3Q 2005.
The French dairy group will launch its successful Activia probiotic
yoghurts in the US at the start of next year as American consumers
catch on to the benefits of 'friendly bacteria'.
A coating technology, first used to keep cookies crisp, may be the
key to opening up new applications for probiotic bacteria like
cereals or ice-cream.
Danisco has announced the next phase in its global cultures
expansion programme, investing €3 million in ramping up production
capacity of freeze-dried cultures at its plant in Sassenge.
Too many producers are falsely labelling their products as
probiotic and could present a stumbling block to the sector's
expansion, says the marketing head of leading innovator Valio at
Drinktec 2005.
Nutraceutical developer Provexis has entered into a collaboration
agreement with an unnamed 'leading' clinical nutrition company to
create a food containing its plantain extract for people with
inflammatory bowel diseases.
Herbal medicines like ginger and chamomile may help alleviate
gastrointestinal complaints in children, but more research into
their effects is needed, according to a new review article. Some,
such as star anise, could prove dangerous.
Leading cereal maker Kellogg on Monday launched a new initiative in
the US to promote its fibre-rich cereal products. It aims to raise
awareness of the importance of dietary fibre in order to encourage
Americans to increase their...
Infants in developing countries are particularly vulnerable to
illnesses such as pneumonia and diarrhea, but researchers have
found that taking a zinc supplement each week could significantly
lower their risk of dying from these diseases.
If anyone doubted that the US probiotics market's star is rising,
kefir-maker Lifeway Foods' latest results, positive in spite of
milk price vagarities, should be enough to convince them.
Orafti is positioning its Raftilose Synergy1 oligofructose-enriched
inulin to take advantage of growing interest in the digestive
health market in the US, reports Jess Halliday.
UK vitamin distributor Quest is launching what it believes is the
first probiotic that has been scientifically shown to target IBS
symptoms, a condition that affects a third of the UK population at
one time during their lifetime,...
A probiotic formulation developed by French/Canadian company
Institut Rosell reduced symptoms associated with IBS in tests on a
rat model, writes Dominique Patton.
Researchers in New Zealand's Massey University have reported that
whey protein concentrate reduced the severity of rotavirus-induced
diarrhea in a mice model. If replicated in humans, this result
could help save the lives of...
The prebiotic activity of different fibres will be measured and
compared in a new study designed to help food makers decide which
ingredient to select for their gut health products, reports
Dominique Patton.
Cranberry juice, already well-known as a remedy for urinary tract
infections, may help protect against common infections caused by
gastrointestinal viruses, reports Dominique Patton.
Supplement retailer GNC has reformulated its Natural Brand
acidophilus products, taking advantage of Nutraceutix's technology
and processes to give the live organisms a better chance of
surviving the long and perilous journey...
A health claim for the prebiotic effect of inulin will be published
by the French food safety authority tomorrow, giving food
manufacturers in this market the go-ahead to promote the health
benefits of inulin-containing foods, reports...
The message about the gut health benefit probiotics can deliver is
finally getting through to US consumers, according to a new report
on the state of the functional foods sub-category.
Nurture's OatVantage ingredient can lower the risk of coronary
heart disease more than any other commercial oat product, according
to a company-funded study carried out at the University of
Minnesota.
High consumption of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) increases the risk
of salmonella infection in rats, according to new research,
although it is impossible to tell whether the prebiotic ingredient
could have the same impact on humans,...
A supplement of fish oil, soluble fibre and vitamins and
antioxidants reduces reliance on traditional therapies for people
with ulcerative colitis, according to a new study.
A drink containing a probiotic strain isolated from infants
relieved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome to the same extent as
pharmaceutical treatments for the condition, report Irish
researchers.
Complex sugars found naturally in a New Zealand variety of honey
appear to have prebiotic effects, offering food makers a natural
gut health ingredient.
A new report suggests that Americans are waking up to the health
benefits of cultured dairy products - and in particular probiotic
shots - as part of the wider trend towards functional foods,
reports Jess Halliday.
Market analyst Frost & Sullivan has awarded its 2004 Product
Innovation award to Larex for the development of soluble prebiotic
Arabinogalactan (AG) FiberAid.
More than three-quarters of two to five-year-olds are not getting
enough fiber, suggests an analysis by US researchers, who call on
parents to give their children more whole-grain products and
high-fiber cereals.
Changes in gut microflora caused by widespread use of antibiotics
and today's high-fat, low-fibre diet could be responsible for a
major increase in allergies in recent years, say researchers.
A French supplier of konjac gum, most commonly known for its use as
a texturant in food products, is hoping to move into the health
ingredients sector, after preliminary research found that konjac
derivatives may have benefits for...
Probiotic chocolate bars and cereals could emerge on the market
next year as strong demand for the gut health ingredient pushes
food makers to invest in the complex processes required to
formulate with live bacteria.
Vitamin K supplementation should be investigated as a way of
slowing bone loss among people with the inflammatory bowel
condition Crohn's disease, say Irish researchers.
Belgian ingredients group Orafti has walked away with three awards
at this year's Ingredients Russia 2004 exhibition, more than any
other company, but major international groups did not have it all
their own way, with a number...
The US probiotic industry needs to step up a gear and finance
further research in order to win over consumer confidence by
providing scientific proof of its health benefits, according to
research published by the International Food...
Raspberries and another berry commercially grown in Finland, the
cloudberry, contain a compound that inhibits the growth of harmful
intestinal bacteria, report researchers at VTT Biotechnology and
the University of Helsinki.
A diet rich in polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats, such as
those typically found in the Mediterranean diet, may not only
protect heart health but could also reduce the risk of gallstones,
according to a new study.
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