The US health and wellness sector surged 15 percent in 2007 and
broached the $100bn mark for the first time, according to the
Natural Marketing Institute (NMI).
Bogus health claims that are "commonplace" on dietary
supplements are now also being adopted by the food industry,
according to consumer group CSPI, which has urged an FDA
clamp-down.
Israeli firm Algatechnologies has won European Union Novel Foods approval for its patented version of the antioxidant astaxanthin, and plans to take the ingredient into new European markets.
National Starch has identified a range of different crispy and crunchy textures for crackers and snacks to help food manufacturers meet consumer demand for gourmet, indulgent and healthy products.
Ingredients group Blue California says it expects to obtain
self-affirmed generally regarded as safe (GRAS) approval for its
stevia-derived sweetener compound by next month.
A beta-glucan health cholesterol-lowering health claim has been
approved in France, making it only the second disease reduction
claim permitted in a country notorious for conservative food laws.
After a busy period of expansion for Fonterra, the New
Zealand-based dairy cooperative says it remains far from finished
with its global consolidation plans as it looks to key markets such
as Asia to target growth.
Nanoemulsions containing bioactive compounds such as curcumin or
antioxidants like lycopene may reduce the growth and spread of
cancer cells by over 70 per cent, according to researchers.
Frozen sauce pellets are feeding a demand for convenience foods
that consumers can just throw into a frying pan from the freezer,
according to Kevin Delahunt of Sargento Foods Inc.
The controlled release of food ingredients, like bioactive
compounds and flavours, is far behind the pharmaceutical world, but
the balance is slowly being redressed.
A US product survey has found that four out of ten red yeast rice
supplements were contaminated with a fungal substance called
citrinin that has been linked with kidney problems in animal and
human populations.
Africa farmers could be set to tap into a billion dollar industry
with baobab, as the baobab fruit pulp obtained novel foods approval
yesterday, FoodNavigator.com can report.
The Organic Trade Association (OTA) and the International Dairy
Foods Association (IDFA) are fighting against the State of Ohio for
its new regulations regarding growth hormone labeling.
