Breaking News on Food & Beverage Development - North America EU edition

Food companies’ unhealthy internet influence on ‘cyberteens’

28-Sep-2009 - A new scientific review has called for more research into the effects of internet food advertising on teenagers amid fears that teens are too easily influenced by companies marketing unhealthy foods.

News in brief

Spotlight on new probiotic science and technology

28-Sep-2009 - Probiotic mechanisms of action, new delivery systems for the healthy bacteria and an overview of the latest clinical trials in humans will be core topics of discussion at the IPA World Congress early next year.

Soft drinks may raise likelihood of fatty liver disease: Study

25-Sep-2009 - People with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease tend to drink larger quantities of soft drinks than those without the disease, according to new research published in the Journal of Hepatology.

Low-fat options expand with seaweed bead breakthrough

25-Sep-2009 - Microparticles made from seaweed may provide low-cost fat replacers for food and texturizers for beverages, as well as delivery vehicles for value-added bioactives, suggests new research.

Multicultural market for lactose-free

23-Sep-2009 - There is big potential for lactose-free dairy products amongst multicultural groups in the US, suggests a new survey.

The science of sweetener blends

23-Sep-2009 - Achieving the ideal sweetener blend is a scientific undertaking, making or breaking a product’s acceptance. In the second part of our special series on sweetener blends, FoodNavigator look at what makes a blend a success.

Mediterranean weed offers natural fruit flavours: Study

22-Sep-2009 - Extracts from a Mediterranean wild shrub have a fruit-like aroma, which shows their potential to flavour beverages, suggest new findings from Italy.

New gluten to offer formulation enhancements

21-Sep-2009 - A low-salt, low-fat gluten ingredient is being developed in Australia, with the potential to offer formulators a product with a lighter colour and enhanced texture.

Olive fibre may replace fat in meat products

18-Sep-2009 - Fibre obtained from the waste of olive mills may mimic the effects of fat, and improve the product’s cooking properties, says a new study with low-fat potential.

Successful dieters’ brains work differently, claims study

16-Sep-2009 - Scientists claim to have found a correlation between weight loss maintenance and brain activity when people see food, which could lead to new treatments to help people achieve long-term weight loss.

Education key to GM and irradiation acceptance: Report

16-Sep-2009 - Negative consumer attitudes towards biotechnology (GMOs) and irradiation could be improved through communication and education, a new report has concluded.

Meat additives not linked to brain tumours: Study

16-Sep-2009 - Intakes of nitrates and nitrites from processed meats, fruit and vegetables do not increase the incidence of brain tumours, says a new study from Imperial College London and Harvard.

Voluntary action on sodium not enough: Study

15-Sep-2009 - Governments should use regulation to reduce sodium consumption as the food industry is not doing enough, according to the authors of a new study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Amino acids may cut acrylamide, boost flavour

15-Sep-2009 - Proline, an amino acid found in wheat flour, may reduce the formation of acrylamide by 80 per cent, suggests new research from the UK.

Slashing sodium could save $18bn in health care costs, says study

14-Sep-2009 - Reducing US sodium consumption to recommended levels could prevent 11 million cases of high blood pressure and save as much as $18bn a year in health care costs, according to a new study from RAND Health.

French study says organic food is healthier

11-Sep-2009 - A new review from France has concluded that there are nutritional benefits to organic produce, on the basis of data compiled for the French food agency AFSSA. The conclusion opposes that of a UK study published last month.

Science rises to the gluten-free challenge

10-Sep-2009 - The increasing prevalence of coeliac disease is driving innovation, and the growth in the size of the market is boosting R&D investment, but the ideal gluten-free product is still not on supermarket shelves.

Chocolate cravings: Not due to hormones, says study

09-Sep-2009 - A woman’s craving for chocolate as she approaches the menopause is not down to hormones, but more a reaction to the stress and discomfort of the menopause, suggests new research.

Eating cereal can reduce childhood obesity, study claims

08-Sep-2009 - Regular consumption of breakfast cereal can lower cholesterol and reduce obesity in children, according to new research.

Current soda taxes don’t curb teen obesity: Study

07-Sep-2009 - Soda taxes would have to be “raised substantially” to have a major impact on adolescent weight, according to a new study analyzing the relationship between existing state taxes on soda and obesity rates.

Sugar plus vit C boost green tea’s health punch

07-Sep-2009 - Manufacturers of ready-to-drink green tea products should include both sucrose and vitamin C to enhance the health profile of their formulations, suggests a new study from Purdue.

Sucralose safety ‘scientifically sound’: Expert panel

02-Sep-2009 - Studies reporting that sucralose may be detrimental to gut health were “not scientifically rigorous”, and the totality of evidence supports the safety of the sweetener, an expert panel has concluded.

Humans, bees not at risk from heated HFCS, says CRA

01-Sep-2009 - Storage standards and temperature control for HFCS mean human health is not at risk from the formation of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), the Corn Refiners Association asserts, which also refutes suggestions that the toxin could be a factor in honeybee colony collapse disorder.

Climate change could devastate US crop yields: Study

01-Sep-2009 - Climate change could result in severe shortages of two of America’s most important grains, according to the authors of a new study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).