Nutraceuticals International articles from December 2008

Nutraceuticals International archives from December 2008

Lack of CV effectiveness for vit E and C in men.
December 1, 2008... New study data suggest that vitamin E, vitamin C and other antioxidants do not reduce cardiovascular disease in some men, as had been previously thought. In a trial known as the Physicians' Health Study II, published in a recent issue of...

Black cohosh linked to lung metastases in mice.
December 1, 2008... Black cohosh, a herb taken by women to ease menopausal hot flashes, has been linked to cancer, in a North American trial recently published in the journal Cancer Research. In this study, the effects of black cohosh on mammary tumorigenesis...

Folic acid "safe but lacks CV health benefits".
December 1, 2008... Folic acid is safe but lacks any cardiovascular benefits, according to data presented at this year's annual meeting of the American Heart Association, held in New Orleans. The SEARCH trial, a 12,064-person, randomized evaluation, found...

Flaxseed oil risk for pregnant women.
December 1, 2008... A study has found that the risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy. The research was conducted by Anick Berard of the Universite de Montreale, Canada's Faculty of Pharmacy and the...

Chocolate is good for you, so "bring it on," says European Parliament.
December 1, 2008... One of the world's greatest sweets may soon weigh down supermarket shelves following news that dark chocolate may help keep hearts purring with perfection. Researchers in Italy have found that eating half a bar each week can reduce the risk of...

UK FSA updates on food colors.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The UK Food Standards Agency's chief executive, Tim Smith, has written to stakeholders giving an update on Britain's position on six artificial food colors and their effect on children's behavior (NIs passim). Government Ministers have now...

UK country of origin labeling revised.
December 1, 2008... The UK's Food Standards Agency has published revised guidance for industry and enforcement authorities on country of origin labeling, as part of its continuing commitment to improve food labels for consumers. The improved guidance will benefit...

Fears of new herbals controls in Finland.
December 1, 2008... Health food companies in Finland are becoming increasingly concerned about the Finnish National Agency of Medicine's interpretation of medicines law, which may mean that many herbal products which have been freely traded in Finland for over 40...

EUFIC unveils results of labeling survey.(European Food Information Council)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The European Food Information Council (EUFIC) has recently published a survey involving 2,019 customers at three UK supermarkets, each of which uses a different front-of-pack labeling system to give consumers nutritional information. The survey...

US CRN says supplement-OTC drug products play imporant health care role.
December 1, 2008... In response to warning letters sent by the US Food and Drug Administration to a manufacturer of combination dietary supplement-over-the-counter drug products, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the main trade association representing the...

US consumer confidence in dietary supps remains steady, CRN annual survey shows.
December 1, 2008... Consumer confidence in dietary supplements has remained high this year, with 81% of American adults indicating that they are confident in the safety, quality and effectiveness of dietary supplements compared to 80% last year, according to a new...

Codex agrees to consider all evidence for scientific basis of health claims.
December 1, 2008... Health claims will be scientifically evaluated through systematic and objective compilation of all the available scientific evidence rather than focusing on only human intervention studies, the Codex Nutrition Committee has agreed. Decided...

Japan revises rules for FSDU foods.(food for special dietary use)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has announced the draft of new revised rule for the FSDU (Food for Special Dietary Use),responding to the proposal by an advisory committee of the MHLW. The new revized rule consists of...

Acute shortage of vitamin C seen in India.
December 1, 2008... Pharmacies and medical stores in India have reported an acute supply shortage of vitamin C tablets, brands such as Celin, Suckcee, Chewcee and Limcee for the past one week. Customers, however, claimed that they could not get enough tablets for...

AMA supports ban on trans fats.
December 1, 2008... In an effort to help Americans maintain good health and lower the risk of the nation's number one killer, heart disease, the American Medical Association has adopted a policy that supports legislation to ban the use of artificial trans fats in...

Can vitamns/minerals prevent hearing loss?
December 1, 2008... About 10 million people in the USA alone - from troops returning from war to students with music blasting through headphones - are suffering from impairing noise-induced hearing loss. The rising trend is something that researchers and...

Large-scale study shows Gingko biloba does not prevent dementia or Alzheimer's.
December 1, 2008... A placebo-controlled trial involving over 3,000 elderly people found that the commonly-used supplement Gingko biloba did not prevent dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Published in the November 19 issue of the Journal of the American Medical...

Enzymotec's Sharp.PS improves well being.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Israel-headquartered Enzymotec has terminated a clinical trial evaluating the effect of Sharp.PS on well being parameters in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients. Results showed that administration of Sharp.PS for four weeks ameliorated well...

Palatinose "makes athletes faster".
December 1, 2008... BENEO-Palatinit, a Germany-based manufacturer of functional carbohydrates derived from pure sugar beet, announced at Health Ingredients Europe 2008 the result of a new study testing the effects of Palatinose (isomaltulose), a low glycemic...

Green tea may delay type 1 diabetes onset.
December 1, 2008... A powerful antioxidant in green tea may prevent or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Researchers were testing EGCG, green tea's predominant antioxidant, in a laboratory mouse with type 1 diabetes...

Fiber, antispasmodics, peppermint oil for IBS.
December 1, 2008... Fiber, antispasmodics and peppermint oil are all effective therapies for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and should become first-line treatments, according to a study on bmj.com. National guidelines on the management of IBS should be updated in...

Denomega's strategic alliance with Tempo.
December 1, 2008... Denomega Nutritional Oils, a leading provider of taste-and-odor-free omega-3 solutions and Tempo Canada have announced a strategic partnership designed to mutually benefit both companies by better serving the bakery, spreads, and...

Phytopharm falls 43% as Unilever drops Hoodia.(Clinical report)
December 1, 2008... Shares in the UK's Phytopharm plunged 42.9% to 5.0 pence on November 14, after Anglo-Dutch food and beverage giant Unilever dropped plans to use its weight-loss plant extract, Hoodia gordonii. Data from a recent clinical study using a...

Nutrition 21 moves into the black, despite difficult economic conditions.
December 1, 2008... Nutrition 21, US developer and marketer of nutritional supplements under the Iceland Health Chromax and Diabetes Essentials brands that help consumers manage blood sugar levels, improve cardiovascular health, enhance memory and reduce chronic...

EU recognizes Cargill Zeros as zero-cal.
December 1, 2008... Cargill's Zerose erythritol is now officially recognized by the European Union as a zero calorie sweetener, reports the US food group's Belgian subsidiary. As European Directive 2008/100/EC now establishes, the energy conversion valueof...

Senomyx sucralose enhancer GRAS status.
December 1, 2008... Senomyx Inc, a US company focused on using proprietary technologies to discover and develop novel flavor ingredients for the food, beverage and ingredient supply industries, says that it has been notified by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers...

Fi India - successful ingredient event.(Conference news)
December 1, 2008... CMP Information and UBM India have announced that Food ingredients India 2008, which took place on October 3-4, was attended by 106% more visitors than that in 2007. Over 3,200 visitors from 32 countries attended the two-day occasion, making Fi...

Health Canada warns on two vit C products.(New Roots Herbal Vitamin C8 and Vitazan Professional Vitamin C Advanced Ascorbate)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Health Canada is warning Canadians, especially expectant mothers, not to use two vitamin C products sold under the brand names New Roots Herbal Vitamin C8 and Vitazan Professional Vitamin C Advanced Ascorbate. These products were improperly...

FSANZ withdraws Kirin Milk from sale.
December 1, 2008... A withdrawal from sale of Kirin Milk Tea made in China has commenced in Australia by importers and wholesalers, says Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. The action follows the contaminated milk situation in China (NI vol 13, no10) and...

Herbalife begins operating in Ecuador.
December 1, 2008... USA-headquartered Herbalife, a global nutrition and direct-selling company, says that it has begun operations in Ecuador, making this the 70th country where it is doing business. This country becomes the company's eighth market to open in its...

EURRECA set up to align EU micronutrient recommendations.(EURopean micronutrient RECommendations)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The approaches by which reference micronutrient intakes are derived, as well as the reference intakes themselves, vary considerably across countries. Harmonization may improve nutrition policy and eventually public health, reports the...

MEPs will debate plans to give children fruit at school.(Members of the European Parliament)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... A recent report found that children in Europe are not getting enough fruit and vegetables, so the European Commission is proposing to set aside money to ensure they get weekly fruit. However, Members of the European Parliament on the...

French decrees free 114 medicinal plants from pharmacy monopoly sales.
December 1, 2008... Two French government decrees announced in August this year have finally sorted out what the authorities termed the "legal imbroglio" resulting from outdated, imprecise, restrictive and poorly enforced regulation in the sale of medicinal...

Forthcoming meetings/events.(Conference news)(Brief article)(Calendar)
December 1, 2008... The UK Health Food Manufacturers Association is holding Europe: Key Regulatory Developments on December 9 at Church House, Dean's Yard London. For details, visit www.hfma.co.uk. Demystifying the evolving health claims regulatory framework...

People on the move.
December 1, 2008... - US targeted nutritional products firm Millennium Biotechnologies has recruited Benjamin Custodio as executive vice president of international sales and a member of its board of directors. He joins the company form LCI Group. - Nu Skin...

Schwabe's natural cold remedy to hit USA.
December 1, 2008... America is about to be hit with runny noses, sore throats and coughs, but recently a new, naturally safe solution has been introduced in the USA that is clinically proven to shorten the duration and reduce the severity of the common cold,...

Nordic Naturals offers beauty from inside.
December 1, 2008... Nordic Naturals has announced its new Spa Collection, a revolutionary dual skin care system consisting of two formulas: Omega Radiance and Omega Therapi. Based on Norwegian tradition, both products are dietary supplements for naturally...

Codex move backed by SA's Health Minister.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... South Africa's Health Minister, Barbara Hogan, welcomed the proposal by Codex for new work to develop a standard for processed cereal-based foods for malnourished infants and young children, at the opening of the 30th Session of the CODEX...

Study shows Soviet-era dietary supplement boosts immune activity.
December 1, 2008... A recent study on an American-made, Soviet-developed immune formula shows the product has a significant effect on immune function. Among other findings, the study demonstrated that daily administration of Del-Immune V within five days raised a...

Neptune unveils results of omega-3 study.(Clinical report)
December 1, 2008... Canada's Neptune Technologies & Bioresources has reported positive results from a trial evaluating Neptune Krill Oil's bioavailability and steady state assessment compared to other omega-3 formulations by measuring the levels of the omega-3...

Selenium supplements could slow AIDS.
December 1, 2008... Increasing the production of naturally-occurring proteins that contain selenium in human blood cells slows down multiplication of the AIDS virus, according to findings outlined in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Researchers first...

Grape extract prevents and cures AD in mice.
December 1, 2008... US researchers have found further evidence suggesting that substances existing in foods such as red wine may prevent or reduce the effects of Alzheimer's disease. Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles, together with...

ARAI praises benefits of Flax Hulls for AIDS.
December 1, 2008... The AIDS Research Assistance Institute, a US non-profit organization, has found positive benefits in African people with AIDS/HIV taking the food supplement concentrated Flax Hull Lignans. The ARAI says that it has witnessed a 92% success...

2011 is herbal deadline in European Union: how many will survive?
December 1, 2008... The European Union deadline for registration of herbal medicine products in April 2011 is fast approaching, with a mere estimated 100 registrations having been approved to date. By 2011, any herbal products sold in any of the 27 EU Member...

LFI/NanoKTN launch nanotech focus group.
December 1, 2008... UK-based Leatherhead Food International and the Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN) have teamed up to launch a focus group to promote and develop a dialogue between the government and the food industry to concentrate on the role...

Danone launches 1-billion-euro bond issue.
December 1, 2008... French healthy food major Groupe Danone announces that it has successfully launched a euro bond issue of 1.0 billion euros ($1.28 billion) with a maturity of five years and two months on November 25. The proceeds will allow Danone to extend its...

USA's Lacey Act amendments may impact all plant imports, inc herbals.
December 1, 2008... The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has published a notice to call attention to new declaration requirements for importers of plants, plant parts and products thereof. The plants covered by the...

Top French cosmetic firms collaborate on pregnancy effects.
December 1, 2008... The leading French cosmetics companies have said they are ready to collaborate over a study into the effect of their products on pregnant women, as well as on information measures for consumers already announced by the government. The industry...

"Wearable" herbal solution for insomnia.
December 1, 2008... According to the American Insomnia Association, over 20 million US citizens suffer from chronic insomnia connected to a range of triggers such as stress, poor diet and anxiety. For the first time, the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine...

Alkali-rich diet helps strengthen bones.
December 1, 2008... Diets that are rich in protein and cereal grains produce excess acid in the body that may increase calcium excretion and weaken bones, according to a study due to appear in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &...

Anticancer target of broccoli chemical found.
December 1, 2008... An anticancer compound found in broccoli and cabbage works by lowering the activity of an enzyme associated with rapidly advancing breast cancer, according to a study which appeared this week in the on-line early edition of Proceedings of the...

Folate in pregnancy linked to RTIs in infants.
December 1, 2008... Folic acid supplements in pregnant women were associated with a slightly increased risk of wheeze and lower respiratory tract infections in their infants up to 18 months of age, according to a study published in the Archives of Disease in...

Low vitamin K2 linked to hardening of arteries.
December 1, 2008... Norwegian supplements firm NattoPharma says that recent data presented at the American Society of Nephrology's Renal Week 2008 in Philadelphia show that low vitamin K2 intake is a risk factor for vascular calcification in both healthy and...

Lack of vitamin D could spell heart trouble.
December 1, 2008... Vitamin D deficiency - which is traditionally associated with bone and muscle weakness - may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). A growing body of evidence links low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels to common CVD risk factors such...

Coressence presents vasodilation proof-of-concept data for its Evesse.
December 1, 2008... A proof-of-concept trial was undertaken for a novel apple-based ingredient, Evesse developed by UK company Coressence, using 10 informed adult participants between the ages of 23 and 76 (five each males and females) with average body mass index...

Drugmaker Merck to sell Probi's Lp299v.
December 1, 2008... Swedish company Probi's partner, Institut Rosell, has signed an agreement giving the German pharmaceutical company Merck KGaA an exclusive right to sell a dietary supplement based on Probi's bacteria, Lp299v, in Belgium. The product launch will...

Valensa and Parry Nutra join forces.
December 1, 2008... Florida, USA-based Valensa International and Parry Nutraceuticals, a division of EID Parry (India) Ltd, as part of a growth strategy for both companies, have joined forces to usher in the next generation of high-performance nutritional products...

DSM opens third pre-mix plant in China.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Netherlands-based DSM Nutritional Products has opened its third pre-mix plant in China. The first was in 1997 and the second in 2006. This enables the firm to capitalize on opportunities that arise from the rapidly growing animal nutrition and...

Best practice for disease prevention is healthy lifestyle, says USA's CRN.
December 1, 2008... In response to recently-released scientific studies, which have examined the efficacy of individual vitamin supplements for preventing chronic diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the US...

US FDA updates on melamine situation.
December 1, 2008... The US Food and Drug Administration's ongoing investigation continues to show that the domestic supply of infant formula is safe and that consumers can continue using US manufactured infant formulas, the agency says. It has concluded that...

EAS clarifies key gobal health claims regs.(Conference notes)
December 1, 2008... Regulators and food companies in the Asian region recently attended a one-day seminar highlighting the practical implications of health claims regulations across Asia and the European Union. The seminar, which was sold out in a matter of...

Guide to marketing nutra prods in Asia.
December 1, 2008... International food and nutrition policy consultancy EAS has released its unique and easy-to-follow guide to help companies build successful regulatory strategies to enter the Asian nutritional product markets. Developed by experts at the...

FSANZ clears Reb-A for food, beverages.
December 1, 2008... Food Standards Australia and New Zealand has approved the use of steviol glycosides (Reb-A) as a mainstream food and beverage ingredient, reports PureCircle, the supplier of this all-natural, zero-calorie sweetener. The firm's chief executive,...