Euromonitor International estimate that baby care grew 7 percent in 2009, making it one of the best-performing segments in beauty and personal care market, with growth continuing into 2010 driven by parental reluctance to cut baby purchases and some adults (especially women) choosing to use some baby products for themselves. Baby skin care will add $365 million to its value in 2009–2014, with China accounting for 51 percent of global growth. Organic baby care products, increase in private labels' market share, and vendors' need to gain consumer trust will influence future market developments. Euromonitor also commented on the growing consumer preference for green products, the rise in private label (with share in the US rising 6.5% in 2008 to 7% in 2009) and the growth of online sales, which have more than doubled since 1999 in North America.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has launched a certification and labeling program for products made from renewable materials.  As part of the USDA's BioPreferred program, the certification aims to encourage manufacturers to use at least 25 percent bio-based content and promote purchase and use of bio-based products by federal agencies and commercial buyers. Consumer goods including household cleaning products and personal care products bearing the labels will come into the market in the first half of 2011.

Despite an increasing trend toward obesity, the lack of nutrients in the diet of America’s children is also causing malnutrition, according to a report from the American Dietetic Association. Compounding the problem is the fact that youth are also not getting the recommended amount of physical activity needed for healthy growth. The report recommends that parents, schools, communities and others make sure kids eat whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean meats and beans, and low-fat and fat-free dairy and get at least an hour of physical activity daily. Opportunities and strategies for improving the quality of children's eating behaviors and increasing their levels of physical activity include: maximizing parental influence, encouraging healthy family routines and promoting the availability of healthy foods for children wherever they eat.

Many U.S. states are reporting only a small fraction of the outbreaks of foodborne illnesses, while states like Oregon and Minnesota with good detection and reporting systems report many more outbreaks, according to a nationwide “report card” from the Center for Science in the Public Interest. The report used 10-year data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and CSPI’s database to assign a letter grade for each state. Oregon and Minnesota were used as benchmarks. Five other states had equally high reporting rates and also received an “A”: Florida, Hawaii, Maryland, Washington, and Wyoming. “F” grades were given to Arizona, Arkansas, and 12 other states. A “troubling”  trend: the percentage of solved outbreaks with an identified food and pathogen declined from 1998 through 2007.

South Korea's Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries will launch a 4.46 trillion won green farming development program seeking to expand the local organic food industry fourfold into a 2-trillion won market by 2015. Up to 60 percent of the budget will go to construction of related infrastructure. Plans also include the creation of up to 50 eco-friendly farming regions throughout the country. This will help increase the volume of crops grown without the use of agricultural chemicals, and reduce use of chemical fertilizers 3% each year from 2011 to 2015.

In a unanimous vote, the Federal Trade Commission has ordered a Nestlé S.A. subsidiary to stop deceptive advertising claims of the health benefits of its BOOST Kid Essentials probiotic drink. The first FTC challenge of company advertising for probiotic products, the order requires the company to stop claiming – without FDA approval – that BOOST Kid Essentials reduces the risk of colds, flu, and other upper respiratory tract infections; stop claiming – without clinical trial evidence – that BOOST reduces children’s sick-day absences in children up to age 13; and to not make any claims about the health benefits, performance, or efficacy of any probiotic or nutritionally complete drinks sold at retail without “reliable scientific evidence.”

Russian and Israeli scientists have developed and successfully lab-tested an antibacterial "killer paper" coated with silver nanoparticles that could be used as food packaging material. The paper helps preserve foods by fighting the bacteria that cause spoilage. Silver is currently used as a bacteria fighter in some medicinal ointments, on kitchen and bathroom surfaces, and even odor-resistant socks. Silver nanoparticles – each 1/50,000 the width of a human hair – are being tested as germ-fighting coatings for plastics, fabrics, and metals because they have a longer-lasting effect than larger silver particles. The silver nanoparticles-coated paper showed potent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus, two causes of bacterial food poisoning, killing all of the bacteria in just three hours.

General Mills's study, General Mills Whole Grain Check-up, reveals that although 92% of Americans know the importance of whole grains in their diet and 61% think they consume enough, only 5% consume the three daily servings (of at least 48 grams) recommended by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Only 55 percent of participants could identify foods with whole grains, and 28 percent cannot differentiate whole from enriched grain. Convenience, price, and taste prevent Americans from consuming the recommended amount. Seventy one percent of over 55s thought they were getting enough whole grain, but only 47 percent in the 18-34 age band.

Leslie Baumann of the Baumann Cosmetic and Research Institute has predicted some trends for skin treatments this year and beyond: new injectable dermal fillers, with new off-label uses; more Botox and Botox me-toos, also with new uses; a focus on sagging skin, with Ulthera ultrasound treatment challenging more invasive treatments; anti-aging skin care innovation targeting cells through DNA-based repair technology; new technology to reduce fat, including lasers and LipoSonix ultrasound treatment; new labels for shoppers to better understand sun-protection benefits; and new innovations from the Baumann Cosmetic and Research Institute. 

A report from the Prevention Institute shows that, despite label claims on prepared foods and meals, snacks, breakfast cereals and beverages, 84 percent of child-targeted products examined did not meet basic nutritional standards. The study looked at the front-of-package labeling on fifty-eight “Better-for-You” children’s products: those that manufacturers tout as their most nutritious. The nutritional content was compared against criteria from the U.S. Dietary Guidelines and the National Academies of Science. Study findings revealed that 57 percent of the products studied qualified as high sugar (95 percent contained added sugar); 53 percent were low in fiber; 53 percent did not contain any fruits or vegetables; 24 percent of prepared foods were high in saturated fats; and 36 percent of prepared foods and meals were high in sodium.

A large variety of dietary supplements promise to help Type 2 diabetics control their blood sugar, but experts warn that there’s virtually no scientific evidence backing the claims. Examples of products from alternative medicine companies include Sugar Crush, which contains herbs like common sage, cinnamon, hibiscus, etc., and Blood Sugar, whose main ingredients are cinnamon bark and chromium. A research chemist with the USDA has found some evidence that cinnamon and chromium do increase the body’s sensitivity to insulin. But endocrinologist Dr. Daniel Einhorn of UC San Diego says there are only two proven, reliable ways to control blood sugar without using prescription medications: a healthy diet and regular exercise.

A six-month randomized, controlled trial involving 120 women in Brazil has found that daily one- or two-gram doses of capsulized polyunsaturated fats (oleic, linoleic, and gamma-linolenic acids) plus vitamin E significantly reduced premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. The researchers also found that administration of the dietary supplement did not change the total cholesterol levels of the patients. PMS symptoms were shown to be reduced at both three and six months after the start of treatment with only mild, insignificant adverse effects unrelated to the medication. The two -gram dose appeared to have the greatest clinical benefit. “The results of the current study present some evidence in support of the use of essential fatty acids in PMS patients,” the researchers concluded.

An Australian study has found that government-led folate promotion programs have reduced folate deficiency in the population with only small increases in overall folate intake. Scientific evidence has shown that adding the B vitamin folate to the diet of childbearing-age and pregnant women reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects such as spina bifida. This has led to government-sponsored efforts to encourage women of childbearing age to supplement their daily intake of folate. Australia implemented food standards calling for fortification of bread flour with folic acid. However, there is continuing concern that excess folic acid in the diet may increase the risk of cancer and heart disease and mask vitamin B12 deficiency. But the study found that ”relatively minor” increases in blood folate levels “have led to an impressive reduction” in folate deficiency in Australia.

According to food industry trend analyst A. Elizabeth Sloan, who surveyed recent market studies, today’s American families are ethnically diverse, strapped for cash and more concerned about health issues. These facts are having a profound impact on cooking patterns and dining out preferences that signal “lucrative market opportunities,” Sloan says. For example, the more children there are in a household, the more likely its members are to cook at home, use prepackaged foods and limit restaurant visits. Gen X (ages 35-44) and Gen Y (ages 18-34) parents prefer freshness, cleaner labels and minimally processed foods. A third of families with children hover at the federal poverty line and need affordable family meals. And parents want kids’ snacks to come in controlled portions with lower fat and fewer calories and include more nutrients.

Contrary to traditional recommendations, breakfast may not be the most important meal of the day for overweight or obese people, according to German researchers. They found that people who consume a high-calorie breakfast end up consuming more daily calories overall compared to people who eat smaller breakfasts or skip the morning meal entirely. The study analyzed two weeks of diary entries from 280 obese and 100 normal weight people. Those who ate high-calories breakfasts – about 400 calories more than small breakfasts on average – consumed about 400 more calories during the day. According to the researchers, reduced breakfast calories was associated with lower total daily calorie intake. “Overweight and obese subjects should consider the reduction of breakfast calories as a simple option to improve their daily energy balance,” the researchers concluded.

Commercial apple growers in northeastern United States face many obstacles, including pests and tree health, which hinder efforts to implement integrated fruit production (IFP) or organic fruit production (OFP), effectively excluding them from profitable alternative markets. The results of a four-year study show how both systems might be successful, although IFP could probably be more widely implemented in the region and OFP is better-suited to smaller, direct-to-consumer operations. Also, a lack of incentives could prevent the adoption of IFP, and some issues related to OFP —such as pest damage, smaller fruit, and less attractive produce—that can affect profitability would have to be balanced by premium pricing.

Unilever and Paques began building a bio-digester at the former's Ben & Jerry ice cream factory in Hellendoorn, the Netherlands. Paques' BIOPAQ AFR bio-digester purifies wastewater and converts waste products, such as from milk and syrup production, into biogas in one step.  Unilever made the investment as part of its Sustainable Living Plan and it is one of the first companies to use this bio-digester that applies an innovative approach of treating wastewater streams that contain fat and oil together with degradable particles all in one reactor. The process relies on over 24 billiard (24*10^15) micro-organisms to digest the waste and the plant will begin operating mid-2011 and supply up to 40 percent of the factory's green energy requirements.

Some of the joint-health benefit statements made by a vitamin supplier for a rose hips-based dietary supplement “overstated the results of the research,” according to the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, which urged discontinuance of the claims. The questionable advertising statements for the “i-flex” dietary supplement product, manufactured by DSM Nutritional Products, Inc., a supplier of vitamins, carotenoids and other chemicals, included performance claims, comparative claims and “green” claims. NAD asked DSM to provide substantiation for claims made in print and Internet advertising and on product labels for i-flex. Specifically, NAD recommended that DSM discontinue claims that “i-flex from Patented Danish Rosehips Gives Rapid Joint Relief and Comfort to 4 out of Every 5 People” and “the longer term effect is also impressive.”

Mars in the UK is marketing its Dolmio bolognese sauces as 100% natural, after improvements in harvesting and manufacturing, and will extend this to the whole pasta sauce range during the year. Sales of Dolmio sauces fell 2.3% to £148.9 million in 2010, and the company hopes the all-natural claim in 2011 advertising will attract buyers that normally make their own. Mars is also launching My Dolmio Squeeze Me sachets, designed for kids to add to pasta, meeting demand for food parents can prepare with their kids.

Adding caffeine to alcoholic energy drink did not enhance performance on a driving test, nor did it improve sustained attention or reaction times, according to a U.S. study published at a time of increased government scrutiny of energy drinks mixed with alcohol. For the study, researchers randomly assigned 129 participants, ages 21 to 30, to four groups that consumed either caffeinated beer, non-caffeinated beer, caffeinated non-alcoholic beer or non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic beer. Those who drank the alcoholic beverages had a higher-than-legal average blood alcohol level of .12. Participants were then tested using a driving simulator and the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) test for sustained attention/reaction time. The researchers concluded that there was "little or no protective benefit from the addition of caffeine to alcohol …”

Despite the growing popularity of sports drinks and vitamin-enhanced waters among athletes and consumers, research continues to confirm that traditional beverages tea, coffee and low-fat or chocolate milk are still the best beverages for nutrition, health and workout recovery. Science has verified the beneficial effects of tea, either green or black, as an antioxidant rich drink whose compounds counter cell-damaging oxidative stress associated with atherosclerosis, diabetes, dementia and cancer. Coffee is also packed with polyphenols and is richer in antioxidants than tea and fruit and vegetable juices. Coffee may have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular and neurological disease, as well as diabetes. And milk – rich in protein, calcium and vitamin D – benefits overall nutrition, bone density, weight loss, muscle-building and more.

U.S. scientists have found that cooking broccoli properly, and eating it along with broccoli sprouts, doubles the vegetable’s potent anti-cancer effect. Over-cooking broccoli destroys the enzyme myrosinase, necessary for the formation of sulforaphane, a cancer-preventative and anti-inflammatory compound. Broccoli powder supplements do not contain myrosinase at all. The researchers conducted a small study involving four healthy men who ate meals with myrosinase-rich broccoli sprouts alone, broccoli powder alone, or a combination of the two. Levels of sulforaphane metabolites in the blood and urine were measured after eating. Three hours later, a twofold increase in sulforaphane absorption was detected when sprouts and powder were eaten together. As to cooking broccoli, the best method is steaming for two to four minutes to protect both the enzyme and the vegetable's nutrients, researchers said.

Orlando Baking Company has launched True Grains, a line of whole wheat breads made with ingredients that include probiotics, which help ensure digestive health. The products, Honey Wheat and Seed'licious, include GanedenBC30®, a probiotic from Ganeden Biotech. Initially, Heinen's Fine Foods stores will sell the kosher-certified breads on an exclusive basis. In 1987, Orlando Baking introduced European-style ciabatta bread to U.S. consumers, and the company is hoping to tap the growing US market for probiotic products, now worth over $1 billion a year. 

Driven by growing consumer awareness of the need for a healthy lifestyle, the global market for whole grain and high fiber foods will top $24 billion by 2015, indicating a “massive shift away from harmful processed foods,” according to forecasts by Global Industry Analysts. Healthier, natural and fat-free whole grain/high fiber foods and baked products are fueling the sales rise in the medium-to-long term. Underlying factors for the trend include the release of new U.S. dietary guidelines and the MyPyramid food guidance system that stress consumption of healthy food products, particularly whole grains. The economic slowdown had only a minimal impact on the global whole grain and high fiber foods market, GIA said, with bread and breakfast cereals performing especially well.

The U.K. agency charged with evaluating novel foods for marketing may soon approve a national register of  nanofoods. The Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) food nanotechnology discussion group, created by an ad hoc House of Lords committee, comprises representatives from FSA, academia, industry, other government departments and consumer groups. Its goal is to help FSA implement recommendations from a House of Lords nanotechnologies report. On the agenda of the first meeting on January 13 were current findings of food industry nanotechnology research, and a suggestion to set up a U.K. register of nanofoods. FSA stressed that it will not assess the safety of nanotechnology in the food chain. But it is obliged to assess the food safety implications of a company’s application to market nanotechnology food.

Indian researchers have found that consuming probiotics supplemented with the micronutrients quercetin and gallic acid may double the beneficial effect to the intestinal tract by improving zinc and iron status and by enhancing the balance of microbes in the colon. The authors reported that quercetin and zinc sulphate positively affected Lactobacillus acidophilus and a “consortium probiotic” containing six lactobacilli and two bifidobacterial cultures. Slight or no effect on growth was found for other tested probiotics. The researchers said their findings may encourage experimentation with various ingredient formulas to develop supplements comprising symbiotic probiotics and micronutrients.

British scientists have developed genetically modified chickens that are incapable of transmitting avian influenza virus to other chickens in a flock, an advance that could stop the spread of bird flu outbreaks. It would also reduce the risk of bird flu epidemics becoming new flu epidemics among humans. To produce the transgenic chickens, the scientists introduced a new gene that manufactures a "decoy" molecule that mimics a key control element of the flu virus, thus tricking the replication mechanism of the virus into recognizing the decoy instead of the viral genome. This process interrupts the replication cycle of the virus. The transgenic chickens who were infected with avian flu became sick, but did not transmit the infection to chickens kept in the same pen, researchers noted.

With a goal of improving the health and well-being of America’s children while tackling childhood obesity, the USDA has proposed changes to the nutritional standards for meals served through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast programs. The proposed rules, which implement part of the newly-enacted Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, would make school meals more nutritious. The proposed rules require more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat milk to school meals, and require schools to limit the levels of saturated fat, sodium, calories, and trans fats in meals. The new law includes an increase in the federal reimbursement for school lunches to six cents a meal, as well as more technical assistance. Nearly 32 million children participate in federally-subsidized school meal programs.

A new era in vending machine technology and marketing has arrived, as established vending machine companies offer healthier snacks, while start-ups launch new machines selling natural and organic yogurt and granola bars, gluten-free products and fresh fruit. Schools, fitness clubs and office buildings are seeing their old machines – stuffed with sugar-sweetened sodas and snacks packed with trans-fats, high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils – replaced by the new equipment. The new healthy vending machine sector comprises small, locally-owned businesses, so their sales have not yet registered in tallies of the $30 billion vending industry. But one industry expert expects "exponential" growth reflecting that of the natural foods and organic industry. And big snack and beverage companies like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are revamping their machine-vendable products to meet demand for healthier, more nutritious foods.

Noting that reports that organic product purchases are growing in the U.S. are “fallacious,” market research firm TABS Group says the proportion of American consumers buying organic products in 2010 was in the 38-39 percent range, the same percentage as in the prior two years. Though growth was flat, TABS found a shift in purchasing outlet patterns away from natural foods stores toward mass market stores. The “big winners” in organic product sales were traditional grocery chains and Target; losers were Walmart, Trader Joe's and natural foods retailers. Natural foods stores dropped nine percent from being the most preferred outlet. Fresh fruits remained the highest penetration category for organics at 27 percent of consumers, followed by fresh vegetables (26 percent), eggs (17 percent), and milk (16 percent).

One seemingly small but important way organizations can embrace sustainability and make their operations greener – and more profitable – is by decreasing the use of paper, according to Ralph Reid, vice president of corporate social responsibility for Sprint. Paper is ubiquitous in today’s offices and its use is growing – by about 20 percent every year, according to one estimate. That puts heavy pressure on natural resources, particularly  forests, water and energy. One solution, Reid says, is to use paper made from post-consumer content and to make sure paper comes from sustainably managed forests. In addition, greater use of e-billing and redesign of customer statements reduces paper consumption, helps protect the environment and saves money.

The emergence of premium-priced almond milk helped boost the growth in the US milk alternatives category by 13 percent in 2010. Blue Diamond Growers’ Almond Breeze and Dean Foods Co.’s Silk Pure Almond brands are battling each other for leadership in the almond milk segment. Milk alternatives, especially soymilk, are becoming more popular as U.S. consumers’ consumption of cows’ milk has declined, partly through vegan lifestyles and some consumers’ intolerance to cows' milk, and almond milk is helping to drive that trend. The National Milk Producers Federation is calling for a ban on using the word “milk” in describing non-dairy milk, although sales of milk alternatives are small compared with regular milk. Silk, known also for soymilk, is extending its range of milk alternatives, with a new coconut milk.

Campbell Soup Company has entered into a joint venture deal with Swire Pacific Ltd., forming Campbell Swire, to help develop its soup business in China. Campbell will take a 60 percent stake in the joint venture, which will start operating in early 2011 from Campbell's existing offices in, and will take charge of manufacturing and distribution in China, now the second largest economy and with one of the highest per capita levels of soup consumption worldwide, although most is homemade. 

U.S. research in mice has found that the absence of the toll-like receptor 2 (Tlr2) in the intestine affects gut bacteria, suggesting a new way to manage weight and intestinal problems. Tlr2 plays a key role in bacterial recognition, intestinal inflammation, and obesity-related metabolic changes. A deficiency of Tlr2 leads to changes in gut bacteria that resemble those of lean animals and humans. Previous research showed that a deficiency of Tlr2 protects against obesity, but also promotes gastrointestinal problems like excessive inflammation. “This research linking gut bacteria to Tlr2 expression opens entirely new doors for weight control solutions, first by cementing TLR2 as a drug target for obesity, and second by providing further evidence that managing gut bacteria may be an important and effective way to control weight,” the researchers wrote.

In past research, scientists discovered that certain vegetables—broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, and their relatives—appeared to halt the growth of cancer; now, they think they know why. Substances called isothiocyanates (ITCs) found within those vegetables target and effectively block the action of a defective gene that occurs in half of all human cancers. When functioning properly, the gene in question—p53—keeps cells healthy and suppresses the growth of tumors. However, it does not do so when mutated. ITCs selectively target and remove mutated p53 protein, leaving normal ones unaffected. Scientists believe that ITC-based drugs could lead to more effective cancer treatment and prevention.

Packaged Facts has published Food Flavors and Ingredients Outlook 2011, its eighth annual look at the future of the US food and beverage market. It shows that consumers’ budget and health concerns will remain major factors this year. Core trends include an increase in demand for ethnic flavors; local and organic being driven by sustainability; food as a cornerstone of health; an increased focus on fruit and vegetables; and a greater overlap between sweet and savory. It also expects honey partly to replace agave as a sweetener. Other key drivers include higher food prices, a new frugality, government pressure to improve diet, and a better lifestyle balance that enhances general well-being.

The total economic cost of an overweight and obese citizenry in the U.S. and Canada is now about $300 billion a year, according to the Society of Actuaries (SOA). The U.S. accounts for 90  percent of the total, or about $270 billion. Costs associated with overweight (BMI between 25.0–29.9) and obesity (BMI of more than 30) are an increased need for medical care and loss of economic productivity resulting from excess mortality and disability. Excess medical care comprises the major portion of costs caused by overweight and obesity: $127 billion. Lost productivity accounts for $49 billion; lost productivity caused by disability for active workers costs $43 billion; and lost productivity for totally disabled workers is $72 billion.

The Czech Republic has called on the European Commission to enact legislation requiring food labeling to include country-of-origin information, claiming the dioxin-in-food scandal in Germany highlights the need for such disclosure in order to ensure food safety. The scandal, which stems from the discovery in December 2010 of dioxin in poultry, eggs, and pork from Germany forced German authorities to cull thousands of livestock. Some countries have temporarily banned the importation of eggs and poultry from Germany until they get assurance that food supplies from the country are free of dioxin, which is a cancer-causing agent.

An organization that promotes fair and sustainable food, farm and trade systems in the U.S. is calling on the new leadership in Congress to make health a priority in writing the next Farm Bill. Healthy Food Action, a project involving national health leaders within the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, has created a “Charter for a Healthy Farm Bill” calling for a food system that incorporates health into the whole lifecycle of production, processing, consumption and disposal. According to the IATP, “Such a food system must protect the environment as well as ensure farmers and workers are fairly compensated. The charter’s principles emphasize a food system that is healthy, sustainable, resilient, fair, diverse, economically balanced and transparent.” Congress is expected to begin work on the five-year Farm Bill this year.

With U.S. data indicating that black mothers are least likely to delay feeding infants solid food until four months of age, researchers wondered whether mothers begin feeding solid foods (i.e., “complementary feeding” or CF) to “fussy” babies as a soothing technique. The researchers looked at data gathered from more than 200 low-income, first-time black mothers aged 18 to 35 years. Babies were assessed during in-home visits at ages 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months. They found that early CF was highly prevalent and linked to a mother’s perception of the baby’s temperament: 77 percent of the infants were fed solid foods at three months, 25 percent were fed juice, and only six percent were exclusively breastfed. Maternal obesity and depressive symptoms were other key factors leading to early CF.

Antioxidants like vitamins C and E have an unexpected negative side effect, according to Israeli researchers: they may cause fertility problems in females. Antioxidant supplements are widely available over the counter and are added to food, drink, and face cream, despite the fact that little is known about how they act in the body. Antioxidants eliminate cell-damaging molecules called reactive oxygen species produced naturally in the body and in large amounts at times of stress. But when researchers applied antioxidants to the ovaries of female mice, ovulation levels dropped dramatically: very few eggs were released from the ovaries to reach the site of fertilization, compared to those in untreated ovaries. The reason for the phenomenon? Ovulation relies on the “harmful” substances destroyed by antioxidants: reactive oxygen species.

Viet Nam’s Ho Chi Minh City is awaiting government approval for creation of a chain of organic food stores under a new food management test project that places all stages of organic food production under the control of one agency. Included in the project will be organic meat, fish and vegetables produced according to the Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices standards created by the newly-enacted Food Hygiene and Safety Law. All phases of production, including breeding, feed, slaughter, use of water, pesticides, veterinary medicines, and delivery will be controlled by the Department of Health’s Food Hygiene and Safety Division. Currently, production and marketing of organic foods are monitored by several agencies. Since 2006, organic agriculture in Viet Nam has grown 20 percent a year, a pace that is expected to continue.

Whole Foods Market has launched a healthy eating promotional campaign called “Health Starts Here” in its 303 stores. The program offers products, education, practical tools and wellness resources to promote healthy lifestyles, the company says. Four key principles underlie the program: eating whole, fresh, natural and organic foods; incorporating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes into every meal; eating nutrient-dense foods that pack more nutrients per calorie; and consuming healthy fats from whole plant foods like nuts, avocados and seeds. The program is being implemented in a variety of departments, with a special emphasis on prepared foods, bakery, and frozen vegetables. According to Margaret Wittenberg of Whole Foods, “’Health Starts Here’ can help turn New Year’s resolutions into long-term health and wellness solutions.”

A recent study conducted at Emory University and reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association concluded that teens whose diet includes a high level of added sugars—sweeteners added to foods and drinks either by the manufacturer or consumer—are more likely to develop heart disease and diabetes as adults. This study, the first of its kind to focus on adolescents, found that, on average, United States adolescents take in 20 percent of their daily calories in nutrient-poor sugars—three to five times higher than the American Heart Association’s recommended upper limit—mostly from soda, fruit-flavored drinks and coffee or tea that’s been sweetened.

Driven by an increasing emphasis on breakfast foods and single-serve, on-the-go bakery products, the global bakery products market will total $410 billion by 2015, according to Global Industry Analysts (GIA). The demand for industrial bakery products is bound to surge over the long term, GIA said, spurred by busy consumers. Also bolstering the market will be continuous demand from developing countries for bread/rolls, morning goods and sweet biscuits. These healthy increases in demand present solid opportunities for baked goods companies, GIA said, but the continuing slow economy also presents challenges that are forcing industry changes. Both U.S. and European bakeries are experiencing weaker demand for traditional baked goods, but that trend is offset by rising demand for bite-sized sweet goods, on-the-go breads, between-meal snacks and easy-to-carry sandwiches.

British retail grocery chain Waitrose says a market study it commissioned has found an increasing interest among Britons in Scandinavian foods. According to the company, Scandinavian foods such as oats and wholegrains, berries, vegetables, oil-rich herring and salmon, hard cheese, poultry and lean meat, could be “the hottest U.K. culinary trend of 2011,” thanks to the popularity of Scandinavian fiction (e.g., Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) and the Wallender TV series. But Britons are also attracted to Scandinavian cuisine, Waitrose says, because of its simplicity and use of “pared-down, high quality ingredients.” Waitrose is acting on the study’s insights by store-testing testing Swedish foods such as Västerbottensost cheese, Leksandsbröd crisp bread, Swedish Kitchen Organic Meatballs and lingonberry jam over the next few months.

The Sara Lee Corporation announced a five-year commitment to buy at least 350 million kilos of UTZ CERTIFIED Good Inside coffee as part of its long-term goals for sustainability. Ranked third globally in terms of volume of coffee, Sara Lee promises to have 20% of its annual coffee volume certified by 2015, putting the company first in sustainability among its competitors. In addition to the UTZ CERTIFIED Foundation, Sara Lee plans to work with other sustainable certification programs and expand the amount of sustainable tea purchased for brands such as Pickwick and Hornimans.

Retail company Target has partnered with two-year old “green company” EcoSet Consulting to make its commercial shoots environment-friendly by recycling or composting production waste, using solar power, and using bio-degradable materials. Target aims to make 90% of its commercials “green” with the help of EcoSet and claims to have cut down its broadcast shoot waste in Los Angeles by 85% or 100,016 pounds. It opted for reusable bottles instead of plastic ones, donated reusable materials, costumes and a swing set, and reused a foam watering can as an art installation.

U.S. researchers have found in experiments with rats that taking the omega-3 fatty acid docosahexanoic acid (DHA) may protect the brain against the type of traumatic injury  experienced by military personnel and football players. Docosahexanoic acid is one of the main fatty acids found in the brain, where it may play a number of neuroprotective roles. For the experiment, five groups of 16 adult male rats were fed 3, 12 or 40 mg of DHA per kg of body weight – roughly equivalent to doses found in supplements taken by humans – for thirty days before being subjected to an “impact acceleration traumatic brain.”  According to the researchers, the tissue damage caused by traumatic brain injury was significantly reduced in rats taking the highest dose of DHA: 40 mg per kilogram of body weight.

British researchers have found that daily consumption of a probiotics beverage by athletes involved in regular intensive sports training reduced the incidence of the common cold. Eighty-four endurance athletes who participated in cycling, triathlon, and middle-distance running or swimming were divided into two groups who consumed either a twice-daily serving of Yakult fermented milk drink containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota or a placebo over 16 weeks. Researchers found that only 66 percent of the group that drank the Yakult beverage every day experienced one or more weeks of upper respiratory infections (URTIs, or the common cold). However, 90 percent of the placebo group experienced a week or more of URTIs. Endurance athletes tend to be more susceptible to infections due to a depression of their immune system.