Dairy foods, chocolate - room for healthy innovation

French dairy firm Danone is re-entering the soy foods market with a range of fruit-flavoured soya yoghurts.

Danone first entered the non-dairy soya "yoghurt" market back in the late 1990s with Sevea, a soya- and oat-based yoghurt alternative, free from cholesterol and gluten, for the French market. But the product was soon withdrawn following concerns with GM foods and its links with soya.

With growing interest in non-dairy foods however, it has decided to have another go at this emerging category, launching Danone Bio Soja with Essensis active bifidus in regular, peach and red fruit varieties.

Meanwhile in Italy, Techno Foods has introduced under the Zen Linea Salute brand a creamy, strawberry flavoured yogurt said to be naturally rich in CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) and omega-3 fatty acids. It is made entirely with Jersey cow's milk from the Zootecnica Adelaide Company, according to Techno Foods.

In the US, cheese makers have been unable to resist Angel Technology's recipe for making cholesterol-reducing cheese. Already used in a similar product sold by UK retailer Tesco, the technology involves removing all milkfats before the curdling process. The cholesterol-free final product is high in polyunsaturated (good) fats and phytosterols.

The confectionery sector is also making 'functional foods' to add value to stagnant sales, with energy-giving ingredients continuing to make appearances in chocolate products. Past launches have included Cadbury'sBoost with guarana, and Milka Energy with dextrose from Kraft JacobsSuchard. Now Alfred Ritter in Germany has developed an energy givingline within its Ritter Sport chocolate tablet range. The new line iscalled Active Crunch and comprises three varieties: Guarana Crunch withstimulating guarana; Müsli Crunch with four grains; and Nuss Crunch withnuts and cereals.