Botanicals

'Knowledge of the specific plant-based dietary supplements is low and many choose to believe in a benefit of using the products rather than feeling a benefit,' says Danish researcher. ©iStock/Vepar5

Believe it or not: Why 64% of Danes take supplements

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Despite being among the highest consumers of food supplements in Europe, the Danish have “very little knowledge” of supplements and nutrition recommendations, and botanical users are particularly clueless, a survey has revealed.

Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee chair 'strongly rejects' further cuts to funding for environmental and health agencies. ©iStock.com/Piotr Adamowicz

ENVI chair seeks freeze on EFSA budget squeeze

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

Members of European Parliament (MEPs) have voted to fight proposals to cut 2017 budgets for EU agencies including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

esearchers from the Yakult Central Institute in Japan found mice fed on fermented soymilk showed less skin reddening and skin thickening compared to those fed on regular soymilk. ©iStock

Fermented soymilk isoflavones could cut UV damage

By Eliot Beer

Consuming fermented soymilk products may help protect against ultraviolet radiation damage by increasing the number of isoflavone compounds in the body, according to a study on mice.

American River Nutrition makes its tocotrienol-rich extract DeltaGold from the seeds of the tropical Annatto shrub. ©iStock/DominicSender

novel food application

US firm looks to bring tocotrienol-rich seed extract to EU

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A US firm is seeking EU novel food approval for a vitamin E-rich extract from annatto seeds, something it says will not be jeopardised by a recent unflattering safety opinion on colouring from the plant. 

In 2015 global volumes of energy drinks reached 8.8 billion litres – up 10% from the previous year despite political turmoil around the sector. ©iStock/Elisanth_

Germany overtakes US as top energy drink innovator

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

For the first time Germany has overtaken the US as the top energy drink innovator with the highest rates of new product development (NPD) in 2015, according to Mintel. 

EU continues to reject a high number of health claim submissions. ©iStock /artJazz

EU rejects more than 90% of all health claims: Study

By Eliot Beer

The EU has authorised only a small fraction of the health claims submitted to it, with a number of categories seeing no authorised claims at all, according to a new analysis of the bloc’s uber-strict health claim process.

©iStock/Bet_Noire

Sabinsa sues former employee for data theft

By Shane Starling

Multinational botanicals giant Sabinsa is suing a former employee and the MD of the firm with whom he allegedly shared stolen customer lists, technical and other data.

Between 2007 and 2013, the UK got €3.4bn more back from the EU in science funding than it was putting in. So what does this mean for UK science post Brexit? ©iStock/shironosov

Filling a €3.4bn deficit: UK research post Brexit

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The European Commission has said it is business as usual for UK researcher’s access to EU funding until official Brexit moves are made. Yet concerns persist as reports emerge of Brits already being dropped from EU projects and as long-term plans to plug...

'...we suggest that arrhythmia could be a complication of ED consumption...' ©iStock

Energy drinks linked to cardiac events

By Eliot Beer

A new study of a patient with cardiac arrhythmia and bloody vomit after drinking Monster energy drinks provides new evidence the high-caffeine beverages may cause cardiac problems.

The novel food application was forwarded onto EFSA after member states expressed concern about the ingredient's long-term impact on blood coagulation. ©iStock/somersault18:24

‘Anti-blood clot’ fermented soybean extract safe, says EFSA

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

A fermented soybean extract that claims to help prevent blood clots is safe for use in food supplements, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded following a novel food application from a Japanese company that sparked member state concerns.

'...with the same exercise you're preserving glycogen and producing much less lactic acid...' ©iStock

'this hasn't been seen before'

Ketone esters boost endurance in elite athletes: Study

By Shane STARLING

A ketone ester drink developed by an Oxford University start-up for the US Army has shown benefits to elite endurance athletes by unlocking “greater human metabolic potential.”

Can these people be trusted with nutritional advice? ©iStock

Can health pros be trusted with nutritional information?

By Bert Schwitters

If you can't trust 'health professionals' to sift nutrition data, who can you trust? argues EU food law critic Bert Schwitters after a recent ECJ ruling that potentially shifts the meaning of commercial and non-commercial nutritional communication.

Dr Ana Rute Neves presents her work on how resveratrol modulates the cell membrane.

10TH WORLD CONGRESS ON POLYPHENOL APPLICATIONS

What’s new for an old molecule like resveratrol?

By Will Chu from Porto

Despite the plethora of studies that focus on resveratrol’s beneficial health effects, there is still not one singular mechanism of action that can be agreed upon that sufficiently explains its positive preventative effects.

German researchers tested the long-held theory that garlic consumption by a breast-feeding mother has an effect on her milk. ©iStock/szeyuen

Garlic consumption affects breast milk, says study

By Eliot Beer

Eating garlic can lead to a garlic smell and the presence of garlic-derived compounds in breast milk, but transmission is more complex than previously thought, according to a new study.

EU court rules that professionals cannot be expected to permanently have all up-to-date scientific knowledge necessary to evaluate each claim in advertising. ©iStock

legal uncertainty and B2B marketing rethink on the horizon?

B2B ads are not safe from health claim regulation: EU court confirms

By Annie Harrison-Dunn

The Court of Justice of the EU has confirmed that commercial communications addressed solely to health professionals must respect the nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR) like any other marketing addressed to consumers.

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars