Dosage forms & delivery formats

Any objections? Sweden notifies EU on vitamin D fortification plans

22-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Sweden is preparing to send its proposals for mandatory vitamin D food fortification to the EU, with the regulation due to come into force in autumn 2016.

special edition: gender-specific nutrition

Supply eye: What gender-based nutrition means to the worlds’ biggest herbal player

22-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

We asked Naturex what gender-based nutrition means to the French botanicals giant.

Special edition: Gender-specific nutrition

Folic acid fortification: The current global state of play

22-Apr-2016 By Lynda Searby

To date 75 countries globally have implemented mandatory fortification programmes for folic acid with the aim of preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) in babies. Yet despite growing calls from NGOs, health experts and researchers, the 28 EU member countries...

special edition: gender-specific nutrition

How to take the sleaze out of libido supplements

22-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The market for male libido supplements dwarfs that for women – but positioning products as healthy ageing supplements may help shake the sleaze from this niche segment, says one bawdy botanical supplier.

Special edition: Gender-specific nutrition

Protein bars are from Mars, fat burners are from Venus: Gender-specific sports nutrition

21-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

As sports nutrition makes gains in the mainstream, the emergence of the fitness-minded female is driving manufacturers to reconsider the typically male-dominated image of the sector.

Energy & fibre intakes far below recommended levels

Paper offers insights into +85s diets – but huge data gaps remain

20-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The rapidly-growing age segment of over-85s has been neglected in both nutrition research and dietary recommendations, say UK researchers behind a large-scale trail-blazing study.  

Canadian gov backs 40 centime probiotics to reach 1m Africans; invests €1.25m

20-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

A 40-centime probiotic powder sachet project that is permitting people to make 100 litres of nutrient-rich probiotic yoghurt or milk is boosting infant and child nutrition across sub-Saharan Africa, and has received fresh financial backing to bring it...

On your marks: EFSA takes second look at DuPont’s betaine novel application

20-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is looking again at a novel food application for sports nutrition ingredient betaine, six years after it initially said there was not enough data to confirm its safety.

'The British are slightly less unhealthy than the Americans'

British crowdsourced project maps 2000+ microbiomes (and counting)

19-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

A British crowdsourced and funded microbiome project is building data that will accompany a US version as global efforts to build microbiome knowledge mount.

UK health service crowdsources policy ideas: ‘We believe the crowd has the answer’

19-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) has opened its first large-scale crowdsourcing platform in an attempt to democratise policy making for its ‘new vision’ for 12 health professionals.

No new legislation needed on ‘growing up milks’, says long-awaited Commission report

18-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

There is no need for new legislation specific to so-called ’growing up’ milks, the European Commission has said in a report rebuked by industry and NGOs alike.

Barentz backs water lentils for protein

18-Apr-2016

Dutch ingredients player Barentz International has partnered with Floridian biotech start-up Parabel USA to globally distribute ‘water lentil’-derived protein.

EU committee vote backs 4 caffeine claims

15-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A member state committee has voted to back the European Commission’s decision to authorise four health claims on caffeine and ban a final fifth. 

BHF backs vitamin K heart health research

15-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has invested £290,000 (€365,000) in a vitamin K trial investigating its potential to reduce heart problems in people with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Magnesium right on time as role in body rhythms is recognised

15-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

The amount of magnesium in the diet plays a central role in helping to adapt to the rhythms of night and day, researchers have discovered.

Berry drink shows skin benefits

15-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

A polyphenol-rich red and black currant berry drink has shown significant anti-wrinkle and skin smoothing benefits in a 12-week French study.

‘Argue for your deviation!’ EFSA tells industry

14-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) told industry in Brussels this week to “argue their case” if they deviate from its guidance on novel food applications.  

EQUInom gains funding for process that may bring 'healthier' breakfast cereals

14-Apr-2016 By Vince Bamford

Start-up EQUInom has secured financing for a seed breeding program that it says might help food businesses cheaply and efficiently develop products such as more nutritious breakfast cereal.

EU nanomaterial definition expected this autumn, says Commission

14-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

An updated definition of engineered nanomaterial is expected by September or October this year, a European Commission official has said.

New lubrication excipient removes last hurdle in way of 100% organic supplements, developers say

13-Apr-2016 By Hank Schultz

A partnership between Ribus and Biogrund has surmounted one the chief hurdles on the way to a 100% organic supplement. The pair says its new ingredient, Nu-Rice Extra Lube, can eliminate the need for noncompliant lubrication excipients.

“It is effectively the Maria Sharapova problem"

Caffeine abuse common among English Premier League footballers

13-Apr-2016 By Shane STARLING

Follow-up investigations to recent widespread doping allegations attached to a UK-based doctor have found caffeine gel and pill abuse common among professional footballers in England.

EFSA needs more botanical experts, plant pundits urge

13-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) 12-member novel food working group needs more botanical specialists, a stakeholder meeting has heard.  

CJ CheilJedang begins assault on global amino market with Haide buy

13-Apr-2016 By RJ Whitehead

In a bold move, CJ CheilJedang, Korea’s biggest food company, has acquired China’s Ningbo Zhenhai Haide Bichem in a US$30.9m deal that will pave the way for Seoul-based CJ to expand in the growing global functional amino acids market. 

Dispatches from EFSA stakeholder meeting in Brussels

Novel regulation - same old delays? Stakeholders express novel food process concerns

12-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The updated novel food regulation has been billed by the European Commission as a new streamline system that will put innovation back on the EU menu – yet attendees of a stakeholders meeting this week expressed concern these hopes would be dashed by duplication...

Arla Food Ingredients launches Maximum Yield to increase profits and cut waste

12-Apr-2016 By Jim Cornall

Arla Foods Ingredients has launched Maximum Yield, a new drive to raise awareness of the ways whey protein ingredients can enable dairy companies to maximize output, increase profits and cut waste.

3D Food Printing Conference 2016

Wageningen University & FrieslandCampina researching 3D printing of milk protein structures

12-Apr-2016 By Jenny Eagle

3D food printing gives academics an opportunity to explore the functionality of ingredients and how we can delay the process to get a solid structure and build challenging shapes, according to Dr Maarten Schutyser, professor, Food Process Engineering,...

“Truly exciting”: Probiotic may increase muscle mass, energy & performance

12-Apr-2016 By Stephen Daniells

Supplements of Lactobacillus plantarum TWK10 may increase muscle mass, boost energy, counter fatigue, and improve physical performance, says a new study with lab mice.

PET bottle or glass? Study compares nutritional changes in fortified, bottled beverages

11-Apr-2016 By Adi Menayang

French researchers observe the changes of ascorbic acid, B-carotene, and A-tocopherols in fortified beverages bottled in both PET bottles and glass. After 97 days, they found significant changes for all three in both bottles, but one fared better than...

10 studies from Experimental Biology that caught our eye Part 1: Vitamins K2 & D, berries and green tea

11-Apr-2016 By Adi Menayang

The annual multidisciplinary scientific meeting Experimental Biology wrapped up last week in San Diego. We scoured through the abstracts published in the FASEB journal and selected the studies that are worth a share to the dietary supplements world.

Broccoli could counter obesity related liver disease: Mouse data

11-Apr-2016 By Nathan GRAY

Adding broccoli to an unhealthy diet could help stave of obesity-related liver disease and cancer, say researchers backed by the US National Cancer Institute.

Synthetic beta-carotene safe for use in medical infant formula: EFSA

08-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Synthetic beta-carotene is safe for use in food for special medical purposes (FSMP) for children aged one to three years, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded.

Low vitamin D levels associated with higher cancer risk, study warns

08-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Lower levels of vitamin D have been linked with a higher risk of cancer, researchers have found.

GOED recommends 500 mg of Omega-3 daily

07-Apr-2016 By Adi Menayang

Russia recommends 1,300 mg of Omega-3 EPA and DHA per day, while most countries recommend around 250 mg. After years of deliberation, GOED finally released its own recommendation: 500 mg a day.

Chr Hansen posts strong Q2 results – but nutrition growth ‘modest’

Downturn in yoghurt probiotic use propped up by supplements: Chr Hansen CFO

07-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Chief financial officer (CFO) for ingredients giant Chr Hansen says there has been a downturn in use of probiotics in yoghurts over the last five years due to the EU’s ban on the term – but food supplements are weathering the storm. 

BHF call for more vitamin D research to back heart health benefits

07-Apr-2016 By Shane STARLING

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) says recently published data linking vitamin D food supplements and heart health is encouraging but called for more research before giving its full support. 

Tesco's NutriCentre failure speaks volumes about the food-medicine divide

06-Apr-2016 By Shane STARLING

'Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.' Nice idea, one uttered by Greek doctor Hippocrates centuries ago, but best not mention it at the next Tesco future investments pow-wow. It seems the mainstreaming of nutrition is an idea whose...

80% of surveyed products don't pass WHO nutrient profile

Survey blasts industry & EU for allowing unhealthy foods to make health claims

06-Apr-2016 By Niamh Michail

What’s the difference between a chocolate bar and an apple? Not much if you go by the misuse of health claims on food in Germany and the Netherlands says campaign group FoodWatch, after evaluating over 600 products making prominent claims to be healthy,...

EFSA approves novel silicon for food supplements

06-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Novel food ingredient organic silicon is safe for use in food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has said.  

Norwegians enter chitosan space

06-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Norwegian supplier Marealis is working with fisheries R&D enterprise Nofima and set to enter the EU health claim-backed, cholesterol-controlling space with a shrimp shell extract.

UN declares Decade of Action on Nutrition

04-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The United Nations (UN) General Assembly has declared a ‘Decade of Action on Nutrition’, placing nutrition firmly at the heart of its sustainable development agenda.

Risk-benefit assessment: Weighing up the pros and cons of foods

04-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

To have meaningful health recommendations for foods authorities should balance both the risks and benefits of consumption, say a group of Danish researchers backing the concept of risk-benefit assessment. 

‘misrepresentations of products can occur’

Aquaculture Stewardship Council sees potential in DNA seaweed testing

01-Apr-2016 By Shane Starling

DNA testing and verification of seaweed can be useful in an increasingly busy sector where quality varies and manufacturer demands are rising amid stricter regulations, an aquaculture group has said.

Sweet & sour: Cherry-infused cookies boost nutritional value, study shows

01-Apr-2016 By Will Chu

Cherry extract improves the nutritional value of products like cookies and may be useful for food fortification, a study demonstrates.

EFSA budget plateaus despite growing workload

01-Apr-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has announced plateauing budgets for the next three years and staffing reductions of 10% running up to 2018 – despite its increasing responsibilities.

"The good thing about this is that DNA doesn’t lie.”

DNA seaweed authentication test launched in UK

31-Mar-2016 By Shane STARLING

UK bulk seaweed ingredient supplier Seaweed & Co has teamed with Geneius Laboratories to develop a DNA-based seaweed certification test after working together for five months.

Iron absorption probiotic hits Swedish shelves

31-Mar-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Swedish manufacturer Bringwell has launched a probiotic for boosted iron absorption using Probi’s FerroSorb, while a health claim on the ingredient remains under consideration.  

Hunger under siege: How UNICEF is tackling malnutrition in Syria

31-Mar-2016 By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Political neutrality, besieged communities and an escalating amount of mouths to feed. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has a lot to contend with if it is to reach the two million children and mothers it intends to with nutrition products this...

special edition - healthy snacking

Crowdfunding bid to drive development of 'entirely new' functional snacks

31-Mar-2016 By Vince Bamford

Carritech Research has launched a crowdfunding campaign to expand commercial development and licensing of its Coldbake process, which enables snacks and biscuits to be produced at lower temperatures than traditional methods.

Omega-3 doesn't help male muscle builders: Study

30-Mar-2016 By Will Chu

Fish oil supplementation makes no difference to muscle growth in healthy, young men who weight train with whey protein, a study has concluded.

Botanicals giant kills krill JV

30-Mar-2016 By Shane STARLING

French herbals giant Naturex has quit a joint venture with krill major Aker Biomarine stating the move is part of its strategy to “concentrate on our core businesses”.