Cosmeceuticals, or supplements that target skin health and beauty,
are seeing fast growth in Europe since emerging as a new concept
but much of the growth so far has come from a handful of brands,
reports Dominique Patton.
A University of Toronto study involving beagles indicates that
cognitive stimulation may boost the effects of an antioxidant-rich
diet in combatting the loss of learning ability with advanced
aging.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) has called on the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to investigate the business
practices of ConsumerLab.com, alleging that it "intimidates
manufacturers to pay for its services".
Laboratory results showing that oleic acid dramatically cuts the
expression of a gene involved in the development of breast cancer
have been acclaimed as a major breakthrough in understanding the
benefits of the Mediterranean diet.
Canadian Neptune Technologies & Bioressources has signed a deal
with Pharmanex that will dramatically widen the distribution of
marine biomass extract Neptune Krill Oil (NKO) over the coming
year.
Mothers that consumed high levels of dietary vitamin C during late
pregnancy were more than twice as likely to report wheezing in
their children two years on, shows a new study.
French milk proteins supplier Armor Proteines has developed a
calcium caseinate for dietetic foods that is free of additives,
allowing manufacturers to avoid labelling issues.
Novoye Sodruzhestvo, a Moscow-based holding company, intends to
build Russia's largest soybean processing plant, according to the
news provider Interfax.
Up-and-coming Advanced Bionutrition (ABN) has captured the
attention of venture capitalists in the biotechnology field,
raising $7.5 million in a second round of private equity funding.
Changes in gut microflora caused by widespread use of antibiotics
and today's high-fat, low-fibre diet could be responsible for a
major increase in allergies in recent years, say researchers.
German firm Palatinit has applied for regulatory approval to launch
its slow energy release carbohydrate, isomaltulose, on the European
market, writes Lindsey Partos.
The European Commission is spending €12.7 million on research into
the relationship between diet, lack of exercise and the development
of diabetes to improve understanding of the rapid rise in this
disease in recent years.
People genetically prone to high concentrations of homocysteine
have a higher risk of stroke than other individuals, according to a
new study that supports the theory of a causal relationship between
the amino acid and stroke.
Food companies are expecting a tough year in 2005 with competition
and price pressures in the food chain rising to the surface as the
key issues, reports Lindsey Partos.
Little-known plant compounds that can help tackle increasing
prevalence of chronic disease are set to drive future product
development at DSM Nutritional Products, currently better known for
its vitamins range than natural extracts,...
Rice bran oil, being used by some US restaurants to eliminate trans
fats, appears to be responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect
of the ingredient rather than its fibre content, say researchers.
2005 is barely underway but Canadian Forbes Medi-Tech is already
looking forward to a bumper year. The biopharmaceutical company
yesterday announced revenue guidance of C$21 to C$22 million for
the fiscal year ending 31 December 2005...
Kraft Foods, the world's biggest food company, has announced its US
operation is to provide consumers with more nutritional information
about its products - a precedent already set by its UK division,
Tom Armitage reports.
The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans were unveiled
yesterday. Jess Halliday reports on the role supplements
have to play and the guidelines' wider implications.
Citrate salts manufacturer Gadot Biochemical is looking to boost
its strong growth with a new range of mineral combinations as well
as plans to add new ingredients through acquisitions.
Tracking the harmful foodborne pathogen Listeria in the food chain,
UK firm Oxoid has designed a new broth that could accelerate
detection time for the food industry.
Taking supplements of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) appeared to
restore normal blood vessel function in children with inherited
high cholesterol, report researchers.
The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies (IOM) has
called on Congress to amend the Dietary Supplement Health and
Education Act (DSHEA) and hold complementary and alternative
therapies to the same standard as conventional...
Weider Nutrition International is still looking lithe, with strong
results for the fiscal 2005 second quarter thanks to good sales of
its flagship brand and a new addition to its joint care portfolio.
Consuming fruit and vegetables has no effect on reducing breast
cancer risk, according to a large study that looks set to override
previous evidence showing potential protective effects.
Connecticut-based beverage company SoBe - South Beach Beverage
Company - has paid a $219,000 penalty for falsely claiming that its
drinks protect against colds and other illnesses and increase
energy levels.
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has asked the FDA
to take into account relevant information on the traditional use of
herbs when substantiating claims for products that contain them.
There is insufficient evidence on the association between bone
health and vitamin A intake to justify a change in dietary advice
to consumers, concludes a draft report by experts in the UK.
Scottish drug delivery and encapsulation specialist Encap has
invested approximately £1.2 million (€1.7m)in new premises in order
to boost its manufacturing capacity by 50 per cent.
US-based Soft Gel Technologies has developed a completely
solubilized form of coenzyme Q10, shown to be more bioavailable
than traditional CoQ10 softgels in a small trial, reports
Dominique Patton.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) is convening
a conference this week to assess the dangers of combining dietary
supplements with prescription blood-thinning medications - and
which may lead to scientific research...
A report from market researcher Mintel suggests that soy may be
falling out of favor with consumers, and that food manufacturers
are having to be more imaginative in their bid to encourage them to
include it in their diets.
Tharos Laboratories has developed a natural sleep supplement which
claims to aid restful sleep through all its phases and promote
alertness during the daytime.
The US International Trade Commission imposed duties on shrimp
imports from six Asian and South American countries last week, in
the final stage of a trade dispute that has been blamed for high
glucosamine prices.
Lack of sleep is increasingly being linked to the epidemic of
obesity in many developed nations, with new research showing that
obese people sleep less than their normal weight peers.
German group Cognis, the supplier of plant sterols and CLA, is
considering the issue of a €500 million bond to fund a dividend
payment to its private equity owners, it said last week.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) has issued a
new set of new guidelines to the US food industry and media,
proposing that basic nutritional thresholds should determine
whether products are suitable for marketing...
Coca-Cola's chief marketing officer resigned last week, but the
company would not reveal whether poor sales of the low-carb,
low-cal drink C2 prompted this decision.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is associated with an increased
risk of stroke, finds a new review of trials that aims to clear up
some of the confusion over HRT's side effects.
The vitamin-like substance acetyl-L-carnitine appears to help ease
the pain caused by diabetic neuropathy, a common complication of
diabetes that results in painful damage to nerves.
Health-related quality of life, or functioning, begins to decline
as soon as a child is above average weight, say researchers, but
the effects may not be obvious to parents.
