The popular herbal remedy kava, commonly used to treat stress and
anxiety, has been banned in the UK by the Medicines Control Agency
(MCA) following concerns that it can lead to liver poisoning. The
UK previously issued a voluntary...
The European Commission today cleared the joint venture between
Swiss food group Nestle and New Zealand's dairy cooperative
Fonterra to produce and distribute dairy products in North and
South America.
A public health initiative to enrich cereal grain foods in Canada
with folic acid has halved the prevalence of neural-tube defects
among both unborn and newborn children, report authors of a
research letter in this week's issue...
A collaborative global effort has resulted in the completion of an
advanced draft, or blueprint, of the rice genome. Officials at the
US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Science
Foundation (NSF) and the Department of...
American company RiceX, which makes rice bran-based functional food
ingredients, is to launch its product range in Europe, following a
distribution agreement with Belgium's Kreglinger.
Growing demand for beverage additives in the US is being driven by
the trend for nutritional and functional drinks, finds a new report
by market research firm The Freedonia Group.
With the booming trend in health products, and dairy manufacturers
under pressure to innovate, there is an impressive number of
healthy dairy products being launched each month. We take a look at
some of the latest entries, from market...
Scientists at the University of Southampton in the UK have received
funding to study whether genes can influence the benefits gained by
some people from dietary antioxidants. The team is hoping to find
out why some people benefit...
Alcohol consumption does not appear to be associated with the risk
of lung cancer, at least among light to moderate drinkers,
according to a study in the latest issue of the Journal of the
National Cancer Institute.
Finnish dairy company Valio this week said sales of its
lactose-free milk drink, launched in Sweden last month, have far
exceeded expectations. If the pace holds up, annual sales could
reach five times the initial goal.
A chemical found in chocolate could lead to a new breed of cough
treatments, according to research presented at the British Thoracic
Society's Winter Meeting in London earlier this month.
Cholesterol-lowering phytosterols can even be added to so-called
unhealthy foods and still have a positive effect on heart health,
according to a study published in last month's British Journal
of Nutrition. People with raised...
Echinacea, currently one of the most popular herbal remedies in
Europe, taken to treat the common cold, had no effect when tested
on a small group of students with colds, report researchers in the
US.
The burden of heart failure will continue to increase substantially
over the next 20 years, concludes a study in Heart. The
increase will be most noticeable among men - the numbers with heart
failure in Scotland will grow by 31 per...
European researchers assessing the impact of functional foods have
highlighted six areas where functional foods could have an impact
on health, including the role of probiotics and prebiotics on the
gut, antioxidants for disease prevention,...
Early next century there will be more Europeans over 60 years old
than under 20. A major European funded project currently underway
will examine the factors that determine food choice and acceptance
for older people in a bid to improve...
The antioxidants in dark grape juice, noted for their health
benefits in fighting heart disease, may have a downside, according
to new research. In cell studies, scientists with the US Department
of Agriculture and Cornell University...
The World Health Organisation has defined osteoporosis as the
second leading health care problem after cardiovascular disease. A
new European funded project - called 'Osteodiet' - is set to
investigate dietary strategies...
UK-based company Wassen International has launched a new one-a-day
supplement designed to boost the immune system. 'NutriScience'
contains established antioxidants, vitamins A, C and E along with
selenium and co-enzyme Q10,...
White wine can be just as healthy as red, according to researchers
from the University of Montpellier in France who have made a
Chardonnay with a high polyphenol content.
Irish dairy ingredients firm Glanbia announced last week that it
has established a new business unit for its nutrition activities.
Glanbia Nutritionals, with head offices in the US, is set to make
alliances and create venture agreements...
People trying to boost their intake of the essential mineral
selenium should eat more seafood. Selenium absorption from fish is
just as good as that from plant-based foods, according to new
European research.
Replacing dietary fat with a higher intake of carbohydrates,
including sugar, can have a positive effect on weight control in
overweight individuals, according to a study sponsored by the
European Commission and EU sugar industries...
Spanish maker of choline salts Algry Quimica has launched a special
grade of DC Choline Bitartrate for use in nutraceutical
applications for Direct Compression manufacturing and for use in
tablets or other applications where fine...
A project to shed light on the way microbes can benefit health has
gained funding from the Academy of Finland and the Swedish
Foundation for Strategic Research under a new research programme.
Ready-to-eat cereals fortified with a moderate amount of calcium
can help kids meet their calcium needs withoutdecreasing iron
absorption, report scientists at the Children's Nutrition Research
Center in Houston, Texas following...
Quaker has introduced its low-fat snack brand Snack-a-Jacks to
Spain after a highly successful launch in the UK. The rice- and
corn-based products are touted as a healthy alternative to other
snacks which can be eaten at any time...
Dutch food retail group Ahold today announced it is to sell its
Netherlands-based health store chain De Tuinen to Holland &
Barrett Europe for €16.5 million. The company said the divestment
was part of its move to focus on core...
Scientists attending a conference on complementary medicine last
week said a ban on the controversial herbal medicine kava may be an
an over-reaction to an uncommon side effect.
Italian company Indena launched a new echinacea extract at
SupplySide West in the US last week. The product, said to be an
unparalleled immunostimulant, is obtained through a patent-pending
extraction procedure. Studies show it is...
Leading nutritional experts yesterday called for new initiatives to
tackle iron deficiency among young children after a conference
heard that one in four infants over six months old is
iron-deficient in some parts of the UK. Iron...
New research by Italian company Indena suggests that its
experimental molecule IDN 5390 which belongs to the class of
taxanes could make chemotherapy more tolerable and more effective.
Noting the large numbers of Europeans seeking health-related
information on the Internet, the European Commission has adopted a
communication setting out a number of criteria for health-related
websites. The quality criteria include...
Speciality chemicals group Cognis reported sales for the first nine
months of the year on a level with last year's figure, rising by a
mere 1 per cent to €2,408 million. A better-than-average
performance came from the nutrition...
Scientists in the US have found strong evidence linking a lack of
vitamin D and calcium with tooth loss in the elderly. They say that
those who do not get the recommended daily amount of the nutrients
are almost 20 per cent more likely...
Organisers of Natural Products Expo Asia, held for the first time
this year, have added a 'Global Supply Marketplace' pavilion to the
tradeshow for next year. The supply pavilion will focus on raw
materials, ingredients...
Researchers at Oregon Health Science University and the National
College of Naturopathic Medicine in the US are launching a clinical
trial to determine whether a dietary supplement, derived from
Bacopa monniera or Brahmi, a plant...
The US was by far the largest retail market for dietetic foods in
2001, with Japan in second place. But the market for dietetic
products, especially sports nutrition and slimming foods, which
accounted for 60 - 90 per cent of retail...
With falling livestock numbers across Europe, feed antioxidant
manufacturers are suffering from lower volumes and lower prices -
causing them to look at the natural antioxidant market in an effort
to increase revenues. The category...
Dark orange is better than paler, more neutral tones - at least,
when referring to carrot colour, according to researchers studying
the levels of beta-carotene in fruit and vegetables. The more
orange pigment, an important source...
Eating too much refined bread and cereal may be at the root of the
teenage acne suffered by almost all adolescents in the developed
world, according to a report in this month's New Scientist
which reveals new US research.
Despite accounting for nearly half of the world's sales of sports
and energy drinks, Asia remains one of the most underdeveloped
global markets, finds a new report on worldwide sales of sports and
energy drinks by beverage analysts...
Just switching the cheese in one's diet to a vegetable oil-based
cheese may significantly reduce cholesterol levels in people
affected by moderately raised cholesterol, report Finnish
researchers.
UK pharmaceutical botanical company Phytopharm today reported
turnover for the year ended 31 August 2002 of £2.7 million (€4.2m),
up considerably from last year - helped by development income from
the licensing agreement with Pfizer...
Plant-based diets may have a protective role against diseases such
as cardiovascular disease and some cancers due to the antioxidant
content of many plants, report scientists, confirming previous
theories about the health potential...
A project supported by the European Commission is studying
fat-soluble vitamins A and E and carotenoids in order to assess
their role in the human ageing process.
A diet combining a number of cholesterol-lowering plant components
can cut bad cholesterol as much as first generation statin drugs,
finds new research, suggesting that there may be a drug-free method
of combating high cholesterol...