French dairy firm Lactalis has bought out domestic rival Celia in
its latest move to expand, giving the group a foothold in the
emerging North African dairy market.
Donkey milk has been hailed as the secret of long life by a family in Ecuador, but is there any science behind claims for milk that is supposedly the closest thing to human milk?
British farmers and bakery firms can breathe a sigh of relief as
the risk of crop contamination from mycotoxins is low this year,
according to an industry organisation.
European ingredients group Cognis has developed a baking agent
which claims to lower costs and improve performance in the baking
of all yeast-based products such as croissants and buns.
Aging populations and a growing demand for homecare are driving
opportunities for the European enteral nutrition market, ranging
from functional foods to microencapsulation.
Scientists have called on Britain's food safety authorities to
recognise the superior health qualities of organic milk, after a
new study showed it contained higher levels of omega-3 than
conventional milk.
British researchers are starting a small trial to investigate if
the antioxidant benefits of apples are passed on to cider drinkers,
and could possibly lead to "functional" ciders.
The world's foremost chewing gum producer, the Wm Wrigley Jr
Company, is set to make inroads into the growing functional
confectionery market with a new gum to combat bad breath.
Quest has developed what it calls its '3-D approach' to snack
flavour development in order to offer customers greater flexibility
and identify key trends earlier.
AB Enzymes is launching a new enzyme for white pepper production,
which it claims will not only improve product authenticity and
quality, but will also be better for the environment.
Sales of yoghurt in the UK are set to increase by 40 per cent over
the next five years, and smash the £2bn barrier by 2011, with
surging functional yoghurt drinks driving sales.
A leading dairy firm in the Middle East is attempting to trade on
the health benefits of camel's milk by using it to make a lower
fat, reduced sugar ice cream.
Tomatoes genetically modified to have high flavonoid content could
reduce the levels of a protein in a mouse that is associated with
inflammation, diabetes and heart disease in humans, says a study by
BASF, TNO and two universities...
Scientists are using DNA extraction to build a quality 'ID card'
for Andalusian goat's cheese, potentially offering a new way of
proving the safety and quality of speciality products.
Bakeries in Australia and New Zealand may be required to use only
iodised salt in the future, if a proposal from the countries' food
regulator is approved.
Incorporating aspartame-sweetened food products into the diet does
result in weight loss, says a new meta-analysis that fills a gap in
the science behind the sweetener.
The Healthy Start scheme, which offers vouchers for fresh fruit and
vegetables, milk, and infant formula to low income families and
teenage mothers, has been a success in its pilot area of England,
the Department of Health announced...
A review of studies using the herb kava to combat anxiety has
reported some positive results and only mild adverse events, giving
a much-needed boost to the herb's record despite the need for
longer safety and efficacy trials.
A liking or preference for sweetened beverages may be affected by
hunger state, suggests a study from the UK that may have important
implications in the fight against obesity.
Allergy experts in Germany met last week to develop a comprehensive
strategy for combating the condition through spreading information
and conducting further research.
Cargill's focus at this year's Health Ingredients Europe exhibition
will be on functional ingredient solutions and the identification
of emerging market trends.
The sugar alcohol maltitol is the most promising polyol sweetener
to replace sucrose in chocolate, says new research from Turkey, a
result that could lead to new types of sugar-free chocolate to the
booming "diet" candy...
A UK food industry body has claimed to be 'baffled' by the Faculty
of Public Health (FPH)'s call for more food industry action in
cutting salt from processed foods.
Burcon Nutrisciences has been granted a European patent for its
flax oil seed-derived novel protein isolate and production, and
signalled that it will continue developing technologies from
sources besides its canola, which now forms...
DSM Food Specialties claims that its Maxarome Select product - a
natural high 5' nucleotide yeast extract - can effectively replace
monosodium glutamate (MSG) in crisps without any loss of flavour or
taste.
Antioxidant and fibre-rich waste from wine making could offer a
cheap and healthy alternative to synthetic antioxidants to prolong
the shelf life of meat products, suggests a study from Spain.
Scientists at Cornell University have created an environmentally
friendly, non-toxic, removable, edible paint that could be used in
candy and dietary supplements.
A US paediatrician has said that childhood obesity is due to the
high-calorie, low-fibre Western diets that cause hormonal
imbalances that encourage children to overeat.
Britain is failing to recruit enough world-class scientists because
the country's education system is not up to the job, the UK's
Confederation of British Industry has warned.
US researchers have investigated how quickly mammals evaluate
odours, pushing back the boundaries of understanding smell, and
having implications for the food industry.
The flesh of grapes is just as heart healthy as the skin, says a
laboratory study by Italian and US researchers, a result that may
challenge the idea that red wine offers better cardiovascular
protection than white.
A diet rich in certain flavonoids, from eating plenty of fruit and
vegetables, could reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by over 40
per cent, says a large observational study from Italy.
US-based scientists say they have identified two proteins
responsible for the perception of sourness, a taste that up until
now has been poorly understood.
Eating a meal rich in saturated fats inhibits the activity of
so-called 'good' cholesterol to protect against inflammation, but a
meal rich in polyunsaturated fats boosts its action, says a study
from Australia.
Research into the ways in which crops derive micronutrients from
the soil could make it possibly to engineer higher-yield,
nutrient-rich crops in poor quality soils and increase biomass in
soils currently under cultivations, claim...