An industry sponsored, peer reviewed study has found consuming
chocolate containing plant sterols and cocoa flavanols can lower
cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Cargill has developed a new functional system for the creation of
frozen desserts and lollies with a chewy-creamy texture, a concept
that could engender much innovation amongst manufacturers.
Israeli supplier Enzymotec has entered into an agreement with
Danish raw materials and ingredients supplier, Alsiano Pharma, to
distribute its lipid-based ingredients throughout Scandinavia.
The antioxidant resveratrol, found in grape skins and red wine, can
cripple the function of pancreatic cancer cells while sensitising
them to chemotherapy, says new research.
The evaluating criteria for the Choices healthy food symbol are to
be reviewed and potentially adjusted, following the establishment
of a new international scientific committee.
Fruit and vegetable consumption and dietary fat intake were found
to play an important role in children's academic performance,
highlighting yet again the need for balanced diets at an early age.
Danisco is reorganising its ingredients business in a bid to target
market trends like health and wellness more closely, and deal with
issues that have been affecting parts of its portfolio.
Prebiotic fibre specialist Beneo-Orafti says demand for its chicory
root-derived ingredients has been unaffected by price hikes it
implemented at the end of last year.
Consumers adhering to healthy diets similar to the 2005 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) are less likely to suffer from
metabolic syndrome, say researchers.
Changes in industry conditions and challenges, coupled with
emerging trends, can open up opportunities for manufacturers to
breathe new life into old ingredients.
Finnish pharma player Actavis has launched three ranges of VMS and
herbal products in Bulgaria with more planned as the company
attempts to meet revenue growth targets of 20 per cent by 2010.
An animal-based study investigating the link between anthocyanin
consumption and cardiovascular disease has turned in encouraging
results for the plant-derived flavonoids.
Friesland Foods has formed a new research and development division
for encapsulated products that can serve processor demand for new
methods of delivering typically unstable functional ingredients.
Cognis Nutrition and Health is combining three of its ingredients
in a novel way to target the European skin care market with,
initially, functional beverages.
Bakers in New Zealand will now by law have to fortify
bread products with iodine, as regulators in the country attempt to
boost consumption of the essential nutrient.
Dutch ingredients supplier DSM has jacked up the price of
vitamin A by 10 per cent in response to "sharp" energy,
raw materials and transportation cost increases.
A new study suggests a dairy beverage fermented with propionic acid
may boost feelings of satiety, but work will be needed on optimal
dose and palatability of market-viable food concepts.
Arthritis sufferers who adhere to a gluten-free vegan diet could be
better protected against heart attacks and stroke, according to a
randomized study published yesterday.
A new study indicates that the flavonol Pycnogenol can help improve
memory in the elderly - findings the researchers say support
putative benefits of antioxidants for cognitive function.
Beverage manufacturers will continue to focus on using innovative
"natural" ingredients in their products amidst growing
concerns over the safety of their current formulations, according
to the British Soft Drinks Association...
Poland has established a government-backed group briefed with
developing criteria relating to the classification of a range of
nutrients under either food or medicine law.
A new animal study has added to a body of research suggesting that
soy could prove helpful in the fight against prostate cancer
spreading to other parts of the body.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has removed a section
devoted to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) from its
website in a move that has caused consternation throughout the
British CAM community.
Personalised food tailored for people's genotypes are still 10 to 15 years away from the shelves, experts told the Nutrigenomics 2008 conference in Paris.
Although Arla Foods halted production of the sweetener tagatose in
2006, the low-calorie, low-GI sugar replacer has not died a death.
Rather Nutrilab sees a strong future and is working up to full
scale production.
Finnish feed, food and ingredients giant Raisio Group has reported
a return to the black and increased turnover in a year of change
that saw it gain greater control over its activities - particularly
in its ingredients division.
Benecol, which pioneered cholesterol-lowering foods in Europe in
1995, has moved ahead of Unilever's Flora Pro.activ in the UK
market after years in its wake.
Proteins isolated from the humble potato may be biologically active
and capable of reducing blood pressure, as well as having
antioxidant activity, Finnish researchers report.
The European Food Safety Authority has given the thumbs up to the
use of mixed tocopherols and tocotrienol tocopherol as vitamin E
sources in food supplements.
Environmental group Friends of the Earth (FOE) has called for a
moratorium on the use of nanotechnology in the food chain, claiming
insufficient research has been carried out into its effect on human
health and the environment.
A high intake of magnesium may play a role in preventing cerebral
infarction, a form of stroke, according to a large-scale population
study from Finland.
Premium Italian dairy Fiave has become the first European
non-private label brand to incorporate Canadian start-up Forbes
Medi-Tech's cholesterol-lowering sterol ingredient Reducol.
Industry groups have criticised a European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) working group over the "medicinal approach" being favoured
for regulating botanical supplements.
A novel mixture of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides may
selectively boost levels of friendly bacteria in the gut, showing
that manufacture prebiotics can be tailored for higher selectivity,
UK researchers report.
Naturex talks about the importance of sourcing quality-assured ingredients, and the measures a company should have in place to ensure it meets the highest standards.
A compound found in broccoli, previously linked to anti-cancer
benefits, may also counter the decline in the body's immune system
associated with age, says a new study from UCLA.
Food supplements should be exempt from European nutrient profiling
regulations because their fat, salt and sugar levels are scant
enough not to warrant concern, according to an industry group.
Supplements of lutein and a range of antioxidants did not benefit
the health of normal eyes, possibly highlighting the importance of
doses, suggests new research from England.
Supplementing the diet of elderly people with the full set of
essential amino acids can boost their lean body mass, strength and
physical function, according to a new study.