Israeli biofunctional ingredients maker Enzymotec is continuing its
Eastern European expansion with a move into Russia with its
phosphatidylserine (PS)-containing brain health products.
The omega-3 market is one of the biggest trends in the supplement
market today, but it seems it is crossing from general wellness
towards products aimed at specific consumers and indications.
Ingredients suppliers and food and drink manufacturers are joining
forces to fund a new project by Leatherhead Food International
aimed at systematically comparing available prebiotics.
Denomega Nutritional Oils and GAT Food Essentials have joined
forces to take on the European functional food and beverage market,
leveraging the former's fresh oils and the latter's
microencapsulation technology.
Intake of omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish and fish oil
supplements has no effect on mortality, heart disease or cancer,
concludes a new review, but guidelines should continue for
consumption.
Moves by DSM to reduce pollution emissions at its plants is a sign
of the times for food companies, as tougher environmental laws come
into force in the EU and US.
Israel-based Algatechnologies has launched an advanced form of
astaxanthin beadlets to meet increased demand for vegetarian
astaxanthin for tablets and hard shell capsules.
Green tea catechins may improve reference and working-memory
related learning ability, say research from Japan, adding to claims
that green tea can help ward off Alzheimer's.
A long-standing spat about nutritional food labelling between the
food industry, the European parliament and the Environment
Committee trundles on even though two major compromises have been
laid on the table.
Increased intake of beta-carotene, found naturally in carrots,
broccoli and tomatoes, might reduce the loss of lung function due
to aging, says new research from France.
The Australia and New Zealand food regulator has approved the use
of medium chain triglycerides for the production of vitamins in
infant formula, an allergen-free alternative to commonly used
vegetable oils.
Eating a diet with omega-3-rich oily fish could stop the spread of
prostate cancer, but omega-6 fatty acids appear to promote the
spread, says new research.
The UK free-from food market, including dairy-, gluten- and
wheat-free products, is set to double on the back of growing
consumer concern over health and well-being.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main extract from green tea,
improves oxygen flow to tissues deprived of adequate supply, claims
new research from South Korea.
Malaysian vitamin E supplier Carotech is investing US$40 million in
a new plant, in response to demand for its non-GMO tocotrienol
complex as consumers start to become aware of the different forms
of vitamin E.
A healthy diet containing plenty of antioxidants and fish can
reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), says a
new study from Harvard Medical School.
Food companies are largely unaware of regulatory hurdles to placing
a new product on the market, according to the Food Safety Authority
of Ireland (FSAI), which has this week published a leaflet on
appropriate labelling for functional...
Masquelier's grapevine seed extract could reduce free radical
damage of blood vessel cells by 85 per cent and protect against
heart disease, says new research.
Ireland is positioning to compete on food innovation on a global
basis, as Teagasc today announces that it is explaning its food
research programme in anticipation of future challenges - with a
specific emphasis on functional foods.
Danisco's HOWARU Bifido probiotic is to be included in all Marks
and Spencer's yoghurt and dairy products - an announcement
coinciding with the Danish company's latest results that show
cultures are a major growth driver.
Keratec is introducing a new duo of skin health ingredients - one
topical, one oral - which could help traditional supplement
companies move into skin care, and cosmetics companies cross over
into supplements.
The success of soy drinks shows that the UK functional drinks
market is highly lucrative something that the dairy industry must
take full advantage of, says Organic Monitor.
Scientific evidence says that consumption of soy from the diet or
as supplements should not cause alarm despite negative reports
about risks, a view that has been supported by a major US industry
group.
A new Swiss company is claiming to have found a way to derive
omega-3 containing both EPA and DHA from algae, which could place
suppliers whose product is derived from fish oil under price
pressure.
DSM has announced that it is raising prices of its vitamins and
carotenoids on a worldwide basis, as a result of increasing energy,
raw material and transportation costs.
Cognis has cleared the way for its Tonalin CLA to be sold in
supplements in health food stores in Norway and Sweden, thanks to
an exclusive sub-license agreement with Bringwell International.
BASF and Daiichi, two of the companies involved in the 1990s
vitamin cartel, have had their fines significantly reduced by a
European court, which ruled that the Commission made errors when
calculating the fines.
The number of deaths from stroke in North America has dropped by
five per cent since the introduction of folic acid fortification,
while figures in the non-fortifying UK have not changed.
Tocotrienols, a form of vitamin E, could stop the spread of cancer
cells, adding to previous studies and drawing attention to this
least studied form of the vitamin.
Global fish oil production declined in 2005, according to figures
from the US fisheries department, while demand from the
nutraceuticals industry is on the up.
Norwegian omega-3 supplier Epax has introduced new maximum limits
for environmental pollutant levels in its oils, which it expects
will boost consumer confidence in products.
Nutrient levels in fruits, vegetables and some food crops have
dramatically declined in the past 50 years, something that could
further push consumers to opting for more nutritious organic goods.
Fruit and vegetables waste products offer a cheap and practical
source of potent antioxidants that could be used as functional
ingredients, says a Spanish-German study.
Gadot is introducing a new highly soluble source of calcium
suitable for use in syrups and concentrates, which could help
beverage formulators design products to meet burgeoning interest in
functional drinks.
Canada's Bioriginal is launching a new flax-based product which
incorporates cranberry, which it expects to be popular with
companies wishing to offer two-fold health benefits.
Food poverty is a problem of famine-like proportions in Ireland,
Labour spokesperson on agriculture and food Dr Mary Upton has
warned, and there is a pressing need for a programme to help groups
most at risk from poor health through...
An intake of antioxidants from different fruit could be more
efficient at protecting against the effects of oxidative stress
than single fruits, says new research using pigs.