Further evidence to support the inclusion of carotenoids in food
formulations comes from the US with a new study showing that high
blood levels of carotenoids, a family of disease-beating
antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables,...
Britannia Health Products, the company set up to market the evening
primrose oil brand Efamol, is introducing a range of breakfast
cereals containing Hi-maize prebiotic resistant starch.
Researchers are to investigate whether a genistein-rich food,
derived from soybeans and shiitake mushrooms, could help slow or
even halt the progression of early prostate cancer.
If the biotech industry had first launched foodstuffs bursting with
health benefits for the consumer it is likely that shoppers might
have more readily accepted genetically modified foods, so claims
the former head of the US Food...
Energy and sports drinks continued their rapid rise up the soft
drinks rankings last year, driven by new product launches and an
increasing trend towards convenience and on-the-go consumption. But
while most of the growth has come...
US researchers believe they may have discovered a new cause of
insulin resistance, the condition that leads to the increasingly
prevalent type 2 diabetes. They say that high amounts of
antioxidants may promote the disease, contradicting...
Fatty acids producer Martek Biosciences continued its recent
profit-making run during the second quarter, which should help its
plans to expand further into new markets and new applications,
writes Philippa Nuttall.
Japanese scientists have found that red pepper, also known as
cayenne pepper, suppresses fat and energy intake when added to the
diet but they say that this is not a result of the spice's
sensation on the mouth.
New requirements from European regulatory authorities could play a
significant role in the success of the next wave of foods
containing cholesterol-lowering plant sterols, writes Dominique
Patton.
Three British food industry bodies have joined forces to promote a
new diet which they hope will prove just as popular as the low-carb
Atkins fad currently sweeping the nation - and which will, they
hope, get consumers eating carbohydrate-rich...
Herbal companies looking for new products may not need to go far to
find new medicinal plants, according to a review, which finds that
weeds have produced more drugs and natural remedies than tropical
plants found in the rainforest.
Exercise is more influential than calcium intake in determining
bone strength in young women, say US researchers, who found that
daily calcium intake had no significant impact on bone gain during
adolescence.
Infant nutrition company Royal Numico says it has reached 'in
principle' an agreement for the sale of its milk powder production
subsidiary Nutricia Lyempf, based in Kampen, the Netherlands.
An investigation into prepacked fruit and vegetables stocked in UK
supermarkets found that many had vitamin C levels far below normal
for unprepared produce.
Expecting mothers with a diet lacking in plant proteins, iron,
magnesium, and niacin may be up to five times more likely to have a
baby with spina bifida, suggests a new study from the Netherlands.
Fish protein appears to have a similar action to soy on fat
breakdown in rats, report Norwegian researchers, who suggest it
could help protect heart health.
The annual US Biotechnology Industry Association event started this
weekend in San Francisco with the usual showcase of new
biopharmaceuticals and other technologies. But aside from supplying
the drugs of the future, the biotechnology...
Australian scientists say that adding soy to low-fat dairy foods
may offer consumers some of soy's health benefits without the
strong taste that many find unappealing.
An energy drink developed by chemicals firm DSM is set to gain
further exposure prior to a commercial launch with use by the Dutch
national football team during Euro 2004.
Mothers taking probiotic supplements appear to have higher levels
of an anti-inflammatory molecule in their breast milk, which could
offer their babies better protection against allergy and other
diseases, according to new findings.
High-dose vitamin C supplementation over an eight-month period
appeared to make osteoarthritis worse in guinea pigs, report the
authors of a new study.
Obesity is a growing threat for many poorer women in most countries
with upper-middle income national economies and even some with
lower-middle income economies, an international study concludes.
Diet changes alone will not combat the increasing rate of obesity
among children, according to a UK researcher, who instead puts the
blame on lack of exercise.
Publication of a new study supporting the long-term safety of
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is likely to fuel new product
introductions in Europe and could also help support a health claim
for its effects on body fat.
Tough new EU labelling and traceability rules for GM products
should make it easier for food ingredients which are guaranteed
GM-free to grow sales - at least according to the only US
manufacturer of non-GM dextrose.
A number of baby food products, including dried variants, have been
found in a recent survey to contain bacteria that have been linked
to outbreaks of meningitis.
Dutch chemicals firm DSM has opened a €12 million food research and
product development centre, which is expected to speed up the time
it takes for a new product to reach the market and boost creativity
in food ingredient design.
Insulin, the hormone that allows cells to absorb glucose from the
blood stream, is a direct player in the ageing process, according
to new research from a US-based team, which backs the evidence
showing that reducing calories results...
An upcoming conference on the enzyme superoxide dismutase looks set
to provoke a face-off between leading researchers on the role of
antioxidants in disease.
The seventh Vitafoods tradeshow upheld its reputation as Europe's
major trading arena in health ingredients but also brought into
focus the future impact of a wave of European regulation on the
functional foods and supplements...
The UK's number one supermarket is introducing new food labels that
rank a product according to its position on the glycemic index, a
system that measures the effects of food on blood sugar levels.
The French food authority AFSSA has approved a health claim for
cranberry juice and powder and its effect on urinary tract health,
in the world's first health claim for the fruit, writes Philippa
Nuttall.
Multivitamins containing folic acid appear to be more effective at
preventing neural tube defects than high dose folic acid
supplements, suggests a new review, attempting to resolve the
debate over how women should consume the essential...
Small daily doses of flavonoid-rich dark chocolate eaten over a
two-week period significantly improved blood vessel function,
report US researchers this week, without increasing blood
cholesterol levels.
Regular intake of soyfoods is associated with a reduced risk of
endometrial cancer, finds a large study of Chinese women published
in tomorrow's British Medical Journal (vol 328, p1285).
New supplement labels that advise consumers of the possible risks
of high strength vitamins will show European regulators that such
products do not need to be reformulated and can remain on the
market, say UK supplement makers.
Probiotic bacteria appear to tackle the HIV virus and may even stop
it from being transferred from a mother to her children, said
researchers at the American Society for Microbiology general
meeting this week.
UK politicians have called for immediate industry action to counter
the rising numbers of obese in the country, offering food marketers
three years to show significant improvements in product labelling
and formulation, writes Chris...
Taking chondroitin sulphate supplements over short periods
significantly relieved pain and improved mobility in patients with
knee osteoarthritis, according to researchers.
The maker of Benecol, Finnish firm Raisio, has received regulatory
approval for the sale of its chemicals arm, which will rid the
company of its debt and allow it to focus solely on health foods
and ingredients.
Scientists have discovered a possible mechanism for the anti-cancer
activity of resveratrol, the compound found in red wine and thought
to be responsible for the drink's widely reported health benefits,
writes Wai Lang Chu.
Plant extract suppliers are developing new technologies to
sterilise herbs to help customers avoid increasing scrutiny of
solvent use and meet higher demands for product quality.