Following a decision in its first quarter to withdraw from supply
of non-branded phytosterol, Forbes Medi-Tech has revealed a
projected revenue cut of up to two-thirds for 2006, but has
nonetheless posted modest year-to-date profits.
Drinking more orange or grapefruit juice may reduce bone loss and
decrease the risk of osteoporosis in later life, suggests an animal
study from Texas.
The evidence that green tea could benefit heart health are
"supportive" but not "conclusive", said the FDA, leaving the door
open to backing such health claims in the future.
Ocean Spray ITG is introducing a new variant of dried cranberries
at Vitafoods this week that uses pineapple juice as a sweetener in
place of sucrose syrup, allowing food products to have 'cleaner'
labels.
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.
Flavours and plant extracts firm Frutarom is investing in clinical
trials in South Korea to tap into the strong growth of functional
food and beverages in this market.
Provexis has suffered a set-back in the distribution of its Sirco
heart health juice, with UK retailer Sainsbury's ditching it as
part of a chilled juice reorganisation.
Liquid dietary supplements that use the same preservative system as
some soft drinks could contain elevated levels of the carcinogen
benzene, according to Flora Research Laboratories, which has been
contracted to carry out tests.
Chinese health ingredients supplier Fenchem has been awarded
organic certification in the EU, US and Japan for its plant oils
and green tea extracts, and expects this will boost sales by as
much as 20 per cent.
Raisio is gearing up to launch its Benecol brand of plant-stanol
containing foods in Russia - a challenging market where obesity and
cardiovascular disease levels are high but awareness of the dangers
of high cholesterol is low.
Snacking on bars containing plant sterols and glucomannan could
improve cholesterol levels of both diabetic and non-diabetics, but
had no effect on glucose control, reports a Canadian study.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has posted rules informing
importers, exporters and re-exporters of their obligations for the
Hoodia species, as the US market for slimming products continues to
grow.
Denmark-based Nordic Phytopharma have launched an immune boosting
microalgae-derived supplement, Immulina, aimed to compete and/or
complement existing products in the immune health market.
Increased flavonoid intake might offer protection against breast
and ovarian cancer, said scientists at this week's 97th Annual
Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.
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.
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.
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main extract from green tea,
improves oxygen flow to tissues deprived of adequate supply, claims
new research from South Korea.
An intake of antioxidants from different fruit could be more
efficient at protecting against the effects of oxidative stress
than single fruits, says new research using pigs.
Forbes Medi-Tech has completed the sale of its 50 percent share in
Phyto-Source, its sterol manufacturing joint venture with Chusei
(USA) to Chusei Oil Co for US$25 million, and plans to use the
proceeds to develop more nutraceutical...
Including a rice bran fraction in dietary supplements or functional
foods could lower blood pressure, says Japanese researchers who
have developed a new method of rice bran extraction.
Regular eating of flavonol-rich chocolate can cut the risk of death
from cardiovascular disease (CVD) by half, reports a long-term
study of elderly men.
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.
Canadian based C.K. Foods Inc. has entered into an exclusive
agreement with Olive Products Australia, the world's largest
specialized olive leaf grower, to distribute its Fresh Olive Leaf
Complex.
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...
NutraCea has entered into a raw rice supply agreement with the
Louisiana Rice Mill LLC (LRM) that could see the company's
Stabilized Rice Bran capacity tripled.
A low glycemic index (GI) diet with a supplement of soy proteins
and phytosterols for 12 weeks cut the risk of death from heart
problems by 17 per cent compared to the American Heart Association
diet (AHAD), claims a new study.
Dairy dominates the cholesterol-lowering foods category in Europe,
but in the US dietary supplements are almost as popular, indicates
data from Mintel.
A leading European horticultural research institute has launched a
partnership with a New Zealand science organisation in order to
develop new fruit cultivars.
Compounds found in broccoli and soy may help protect against
certain cancers that affect over two million new people every year,
according to a cell culture study.
Ocean Spray is encouraged that the findings of a small study into
the health properties of dried cranberries will lead to their use
in a broader range of healthy food products.
Drinking caffeine drinks appears to stifle the body's ability to
boost blood flow to the heart during exercise, suggests new
research out of Switzerland.
Supplement products made by Denmark's Ferrosan have been withdrawn
from sale in the EU after being found to contain undeclared
irradiated white tea extract.
Since it started offering its Cholevel IP (identity preserved)
soy-derived phytosterols last year, Chinese health ingredients
supplier Fenchem has seen exports to Europe and the United States
soar to such an extent that it now claims...
Tea waste is almost as rich in potent antioxidants, such as
catechins, as the new and expensive green tea leaves used by the
supplements industry, according to Iranian research to be published
later this month in peer-reviewed journal...
Health ingredients firm Cognis has introduced two African plant
extracts that it claims can offer real antioxidant benefits to iced
tea and other drinks looking for a healthy positioning.
The world's leading cocoa processor Barry Callebaut said yesterday
that it had new evidence to support the anti-cancer and anti-ageing
benefits of its healthy chocolate Acticoa.
A French investigation into daily consumption of polyphenols, the
antioxidant compounds found in all plant-based foods, will help
advance scientific knowledge on how they influence our health and
could one day lead to polyphenol RDAs.
American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) members have identified
three hot areas of concern or debate for the herbal industry,
prompting the association to form special committees on Hoodia
gordonii, Ayurvedic herbal products,...
Olive compounds appear to tackle the inflammation involved in
osteoporosis, says a new Belgian firm that wants to market this
novel intellectual property to supplement makers.
A Utah-based company's reintroduction of ephedra-containing dietary
supplements when the legal position is still unclear could prove
damaging for the industry at large.
Due to its cardiometabolic benefits, a number of bergamot extracts have been manufactured over the years using different extraction technologies aimed...
