European Union agriculture ministers have given the go-ahead for
the creation of a Union-wide food safety agency, but the exact
location of the body has yet to be decided.
Dutch ingredients group Numico said that it would be forced to
write off US$350 million in goodwill and brands for its US
operation because of a downturn in the herb and vitamin market.
A new report published in the British Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology shows that short-term supplementation with vitamin E
can help relieve painful periods.
Consumers are always keen to find scientific evidence which tells
them that their favourite foods are good for them. Now, research by
Penn State university in the US seems to do just that.
The European Commission is to propose a specific registration
procedure for herbal medicinal products with a long-standing
traditional use in a bid to improve quality checks and market
surveillance.
Insufficient levels of vitamin C before and during pregnancy can
lead to a higher risk of a ruptured membrane and premature
delivery, according to research presented at last week's Society
for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual...
Two leading supermarket groups in the UK, Tesco and Safeway, have
refused to back a campaign calling for a rise in the amount of land
given over to organic farming.
Ginkgo biloba is a popular natural supplement used by many elderly
people with epilepsy to help them improve their memory. But recent
research shows that it could also put them at risk of seizures.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition in the US has responded
angrily to a recent survey by in the journal JAMA which claimed
that the increased use of herbal supplements could lead to adverse
reactions with other drugs.
Nutritionists, government officials and educators from across the
US have joined forces to draw up a new action plan to combat one of
the country's leading health problems - calcium deficiency.
Mouse experiments suggest that folic acid deficiency could increase
the brain's susceptibility to Parkinson's disease, according to
scientists at the US National Institute on Aging.
The US-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)
has criticised what it claims is the over-emphasis on milk's
ability to build strong bones, prompting an angry response from
activist group, the Center for Consumer...
Drugs which are unable to pass the blood-brain barrier, which stops
them getting into the brain where they could be potentially
beneficial to health, could hitch a ride on the back of vitamin C,
according to new research from Italy.
A recent survey by the National Consumers League (NCL) in the US
shows that 75% of Americans believe that products labelled
'natural' should contain at least 90% or more natural ingredients
and that 86% of those questioned...
One in six American adults uses herbal products or other natural
supplements in addition to prescription drugs, raising concerns
about possible adverse interactions.
The aroma of grapefruit mixed with black pepper and some plants
produces a surprisingly strong slimming effect, according to claims
the Shisheido Cosmetics company.
Mannatech Inc. of Texas has been awarded a patent by the Australian
Patent Office for the glyconutrient blend listed as 'Compositions
of Plant Carbohydrates as Dietary Supplements.'
PacificHealth Laboratories has unveiled an ambitious marketing and
promotional programme to support its Accelerade sports drink and
Endurox R4 recovery drink brands in the US.
The French organic dairy products market is set to grow rapidly in
the coming years as dairies raise production levels, according to a
new report from Organic Monitor.
The US Federal Trade Commission has begun legal proceedings against
Enforma Natural Products after the company failed to comply with
its May 2000 ruling that it substantiate claims made in relation to
weight loss products.
Understanding why some plants like spinach store much of their
calcium in a crystalline form could help scientists develop more
nutritious varieties of vegetables, reports the Functional Food
Newswire.
Health Canada has requested a recall of certain products containing
ephedra or ephedrine following research which showed that they
posed a serious health risk.
Up to three-quarters of a million eggs eaten every day contain
residues of a toxic drug that is widely used by intensive poultry
farmers, according to a new report published this week by the Soil
Association.
A clinical study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of taking
Lignisul MSM for the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis of the
knee and hip is to be undertaken by the Carolwood Corporation.
Biotech giant Monsanto has insisted that an unapproved genetically
engineered soybean variety had never been sold to US farmers
despite a survey of growers that indicated some 1,775 acres of the
beans were planted last year.
New research shows that sugar's bad reputation as a contributary
factor in a number of serious diseases is unfair and contradicts
all the current science.
Danish food ingredients group Danisco has strengthened its
biotechnology capacity within enzymes and cultures using a new
state-of-the-art robotic facility.
Heavy doses of Vitamin A either in the diet or in supplement form
may weaken older women's bones, unless they also happen to be
undergoing estrogen therapy, researchers said recently.
High school athletes are increasingly turning to drugs and other
chemical aids to build leaner, stronger bodies, researchers say,
citing studies that found greater use of substances from legal but
risky supplements to illegal steroid...
Nutraceutix, an early stage biopharmaceutical company, has engaged
investor relations and strategic planning company Bibicoff &
Associates to increase investment community awareness of the
company.
Ultra Smoothie, blend of Tropicana fruit juice and Veggie Milk
produced by Galaxy Nutritional Foods, is testing very well in
several Subway franchise stores in the Fort Lauderdale, Florida
area.
Researchers from the US Department of Agriculture have found that
herbs are an abundant source of antioxidants and could provide
potential anticancer benefits when supplementing a balanced diet.
The Ross Products Division of Abbott Laboratories has announced
plans to launch an infant formula supplemented with two fatty acids
that function as nutritional building blocks in brain and eye
development.
Naturally Vitamins has launched a new generation of natural
treatments for erectile disorder (ED) which are designed to offer
men a wider range of options than are currently available.
The North American Millers' Association (NAMA) has issued a public
service announcement about the benefits of bread and pasta for
women of childbearing age.
A group of Canadian organic farmers launched a lawsuit against
biotech giants Monsanto Co. and Aventis SA on Thursday seeking
compensation for damages caused by genetically modified canola they
say is blowing into their fields.
France's Agency for the Safety of Health Products (AFSSAPS) has
suspended the sale of products and preparations containing kava, a
medicinal plant from the islands in the Southern Pacific known for
its sedative and hypnotic properties.
People, particularly young children, the elderly and those with
weak immune systems, should avoid eating raw sprouts because the
crunchy, protein-packed foods could cause salmonella and other
possibly fatal infections, U.S. federal...
Organic food promoter the Soil Association has refuted claims made
in a recent survey by Mintel that consumers are becoming
increasingly cynical about the safety of organic food
General Nutrition Companies (GNC) has added two new products its
Scan-Diet range of weight loss products - Scan-Diet Bars and
Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Shakes.
Vitamin A supplements given to children can significantly improve
growth rates which might normally be stunted by disease, according
to recent research carried out in Africa.