Functional foods could soon play a role in the prevention of
Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia in Europe,
thanks to a €21m research investment from the Spanish government.
Takara Bio is planning to research the use of lesser yam in
functional foods, following research that indicates a variety
cultivated in Japan has more than 200 times the content of the
plant steroid diosgenin than other domestic varieties.
Cognis has announced its first move in the competitive omega-3
market with the acquisition of Norwegian fish oil concentrate
supplier Napro Pharma, and is developing new solutions to aid its
use in foods.
Israeli ingredients firm Frutarom is to supply Salvia seed oil, a
potent source of the omega-3 fatty acid alpha linoleic acid,
following a marketing and distribution agreement with compatriot
Magnetica Interactive.
In seeking inspiration for a new ingredient for mental health,
Frutarom looked to the middle ages, when green oat was
traditionally used in this area - and used modern science to
support its efficacy.
Children may soon benefit from less moody parents if a newly
launched trial with omega-3 fatty acids is successful, adding to
the list of studies linking fish oils to behaviour and cognitive
function.
Ocean Nutrition Canada has secured an Excellent Source Nutrient
Content Claim for combined EPA/DHA ingredients, giving food
manufacturers an additional tool with which to market their
products.
Resveratrol, a compound found in grapes, red wine and peanuts, can
improve blood flow in the brain by 30 per cent, thereby reducing
the risk of stroke, according to the results of a rat study.
The New Zealand blackcurrant industry is strengthening its presence
in the Japanese nutraceutical and functional food market, as the NZ
Berryfruit Group (NZBG) becomes one of the first five companies to
sign up to the new Tokyo 'beachhead'.
BASF is introducing two new grades of coenzyme Q10 in the US next
week, which it says makes it the first company to offer customers a
choice between formulations for use in multivitamin tablets and for
softgels.
Firmenich is unveiling the first innovation to come out of its
newly formed nutrition and health unit - Duralife Omega 3, which
uses microencapsulation technology to overcome stability issues of
working with the healthful ingredient.
Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids and vitamin E in the diet could slash
the risk of motor neurone disease (MND) by 60 per cent, say new
research from the Netherlands.
SharpPS gold, a PS-DHA conjugate from Israeli company Enzymotec, is
being used in a US supplement for the first time with the
reformulation of Cognitex from Life Extension.
Arcadia Biosciences has announced the development of 65 percent
gamma linolenic acid (GLA) safflower seed oil - a development that
will make available a new, economical source of the omega-6 fatty
acid and shake up safflower production...
The European inventors of a process for deriving higher yields of
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) from microalgae have licensed the patent
to Advanced BioNutrition - a deal that could ultimately impact the
human nutrition market for DHA.
Boots has become the second UK company to withdraw fish oil
supplements from the market due to excessive dioxin levels in less
than a month, but companies and the authorities reassure consumers
that the products pose no threat to...
Leatherhead Food International is offering a new analysis service
to help food manufacturers develop products with added omega-3 and
to aid quality control.
Both green and black tea could protect against age-related diseases
like Alzheimer's, says a new study, adding yet more support to the
benefits of tea extract on brain health.
Israeli biofunctional ingredients maker Enzymotec is continuing its
Eastern European expansion with a move into Russia with its
phosphatidylserine (PS)-containing brain health products.
A calcium-binding protein derived from jellyfish is edging closer
towards entering the supplements market, following the laboratory
studies showing potent anti-aging activity on brain cells.
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.
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.
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.
Martek Biosciences is seeking to open up uses of its algae derived
DHA, with a new microencapsulated powder for use in foods and
drinks that require dry mixing.
Ocean Nutrition Canada (ONC) is launching a new version of Meg-3
with an higher ratio of DHA:EPA that will help companies develop
products for young mothers concerned about infant nutrition.
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.
In a new study red cabbage was seen to reduce the build-up of
certain plaques in the brain that could cause Alzheimer's disease,
the most common form of dementia that costs the UK an estimated £15
billion (€ 22 billion) every...
A new pilot study gets underway today to assess the effect of fish
oil supplements in children at a residential school who have
experienced severe emotional, behavioural and social difficulties.
The benefits of omega-3, protein, and essential vitamins and
minerals from oily fish outweigh the risks of pollutants, say
American experts, as British scientists find pollutant levels are
falling.
Drinking Concord grape juice appears to reverse the course of
neuronal and behavioural aging in rats, an effect that is proposed
to be due to the complex mix of polyphenols.
A daily supplement of melatonin could improve tinnitus and sleep, a
result that offers hope to the estimated 15m Americans who consider
their tinnitus to be a serious problem.
Supplement-makers on both sides of the Atlantic, and in other parts
of the world, too, are tapping into consumer anxiety to become, or
remain the brightest button in the box, with the number of new
products aimed at cognitive function...
The UK health services have released guidelines to try to tackle
malnutrition, a problem that affect 60 per cent of over 65s in
hospitals, and offer an opportunity to supplement and fortified
food makers.
Blackcurrants have already earned a reputation amongst the
healthiest fruits thanks to a high antioxidant content. But in New
Zealand, where five per cent for the world's crop is grown,
researchers have been investigating ways...
A new trial using Kaneka Q10 (CoQ10) has indicated that it is safe
at doses as high as 900mg per day - an important finding, according
to the company, given the worldwide tendency towards higher doses.
A review of 25 studies has led researchers to claim the human
hormone melatonin does not help people with sleep problems like jet
lag, conclusions that have questioned by an industry association.
Omega-3 may be a hot topic on everyone's lips, but the industry
still needs to overcome negative perceptions about traditional
sources such as oily fish, according to research analysis by Frost
and Sullivan.
Researchers from Bristol have been awarded almost £9 million (€13
million)to continue research into child nutrition, a study that has
already delivered glowing results for omega-3.
Choline salt specialist Algry Quimica has indicated that demand for
its choline derivatives is continuing to rise thanks to growing
awareness of their uses in nutraceuticals.
Research indicates that blackcurrants could prevent the onset of
Alzheimer's disease, suggesting their extracts could be included in
a range of processed functional foods.
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has hit the radar screens of functional food,
supplement and cosmetic formulators in recent years thanks to
positive study results. Now nanotech innovator AquaNova is offering
a new form that extends the applications...
Witholytin® is a sustainably produced ashwagandha extract, standardised to a unique profile of withanolides. A new recent study (2023) revealed significant...