Canadian and Jordanian researchers examining the effect of barley beta-glucan polysaccharides on cholesterol (lipid) levels in blood have found that three grams of barley daily lowered concentrations of total cholesterol as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad cholesterol”) compared to controls. The researchers studied data from eleven clinical trials from 1989 to 2008. Overall, barley and beta-glucan, a form of soluble fiber isolated from barley, lowered total and LDL cholesterol concentrations by 0.30 mmol/l and 0.27 mmol/l, according to the study. “Increased consumption of barely products should be considered as a dietary approach to reduce LDL cholesterol concentrations,” the researchers concluded.

A U.S. study of the effect of sleep loss on the success of dieting has found that restricted sleep decreases the amount of fat lost while reducing muscle mass. Ten overweight nonsmoking men and women with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.4 spent 14 days on a moderate calorie-restricted diet. Groups either got 8.5 or 5.5 hours of sleep a night. The researchers found that the two groups lost about the same amount of weight during the study (6.5 pounds), but the sleep-derived group lost muscle weight, while those with a good night’s sleep lost fat. "Lack of sufficient sleep may compromise the efficacy of typical dietary interventions for weight loss and related metabolic risk reduction,” researchers concluded.

Two-thirds of American women eat insufficient amounts of fruits and vegetables to obtain necessary levels of the phytonutrients known as carotenoids, leaving them at greater risk for diseases of the breasts and ovaries, according to a new report. The problem is bigger among younger women, however. Compounds that give fruits and vegetables color, carotenoids include alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin (yellow/orange), lutein/zeaxanthin (green) and lycopene (red). Women age 45 and older were found to consume 50 percent more beta-carotene, 40 percent more alpha-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin, and 10 percent more beta-cryptoxanthin. Younger and older women consume comparable amounts of lycopene. Foods rich in carotenoids that women eat most include spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and oranges (and orange juice). The report was produced by Nutrilite, a unit of Amway Corp.

Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut has developed a no-sugar-added chocolate using a fiber-rich sweetener solution made from a stevia plant extract. The solution has two-thirds fewer calories than sugar. The company says the chocolate has no laxative effect and maintains the taste, texture and aroma of fine, traditional chocolate. The chocolate will be used by Belgian chocolate maker and retailer Cavalier, which has been making no-sugar-added chocolate since 1996. Concerned about emerging European rules regarding labeling claims, Barry Callebaut says chocolate with stevia extract may be labeled as sugar-reduced (90 percent), light sugar containing maximum five percent sugars, and rich in fiber (20 percent cocoa-derived fiber). In the U.S., the product can be labeled as “No Sugar Added Dark Chocolate” or simply “Dark Chocolate”.

The National Restaurant Association says a third of 2,000 members polled recently said they have signed on to the “eat local food” movement by planting gardens to produce their own vegetables. The poll results suggest that restaurant gardens are a hot trend in the restaurant industry and is likely to gather steam, because growing produce costs restaurants less than buying it and having it shipped, gives them more quality control and allows them to use locally grown foods. An NRA representative said independent restaurants are more likely to plant gardens because they have more seasonal menu flexibility. Most start small, growing a few basics, but then expand. A restaurant in Michigan, for example, eventually tripled the size of its garden, expanding from tomatoes to include squash, peppers, etc.

An online survey by the Hartman Group of more than 2,700 American adults has uncovered significant trends in health and wellness that apply to the multibillion-dollar functional foods market. The broad trend that encompasses functional food and beverage consumption sees consumers having broader and deeper knowledge of wellness. Other wellness trends among U.S. consumers are quality of life, emotional wellness, new exercise techniques, complementary medicine and “clean, real” foods, according to the report. Key to the healthy lifestyle, however, is healthy food. In fact, nineteen percent of monthly spending in 2010 is devoted to products that promise health and wellness. Spending on these foods since 2005 has jumped 50 percent across several health-and-wellness categories. Fifty-six percent of average wellness spending is on foods and beverages.

An increasing consumer demand for products that can provide functional solutions to their health needs and help them live lifestyles that are more eco-friendly are two key trends driving  the global food and drinks industry, according to a report from market research clearinghouse Reportlinker. Sixty-five percent of industry respondents said consumers interested in sustainable foods are also likely to be interested in superfoods, indicating that the two trends share many of the same drivers. Sustainable superfoods were considered most relevant in the bakery and cereals, dairy foods, ready meals and soft drinks categories. Nestlé and Unilever headed the sustainability list, though other global brands were further down. Nestlé is the market leader for positive health claims by a significant margin, followed by Kraft and Danone.

Research suggests that Vitamin D supplements, primarily intended to increase bone density and protect against osteoporosis later in life, do not improve healthy children’s ability to absorb calcium. A review of six studies that compared bone density between healthy children taking Vitamin D and those taking a placebo, found no measurable differences in bone density. “Vitamin D supplementation had no statistically significant effects.” according to Dr. Tania Winzenberg, at the Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania. Researchers now call for additional studies to determine if supplements can help children with low levels of Vitamin D in their blood.

Lynchburg Grows, a non-profit supplier of organic produce and eggs, offers local consumers the chance to save money by buying directly from local farmers in its “Community Supported Agriculture Program.”  Under the limited-capacity program, consumers can buy a bag of nourishing, “fresh from the field” organic produce and eggs for $15 a week. The program, which  involves forty local farmers, bypasses the grocery middleman, thus eliminating transportation costs, as well as wholesale and retail markups. The farmers end up making more money, even though they sell their organic produce for about 50 percent less than store prices.

New products that leverage biochemical and medical advances, and especially those that address aging are driving the face care market in Europe. Popular technologies include stem cell technology, DNA repair, peptide chains, and sirtuins. Mintel estimates that nearly two-thirds (62%) of French women use anti-wrinkle cream compared to 60% in Italy, 55% in Spain, 51% in the UK and 49% in Germany. European women are primarily concerned with fine lines and wrinkles (with a proportion that peaks at 63% in France and Spain), dark circles and bags under the eyes (peaking at 49% in Britain), sagging skin (43% in Germany) and stretch marks (45% in Italy). Mintel also estimates that the face care market in Europe’s five largest markets (France, Italy, Germany, UK and Spain) was €6.1 billion in 2009 and projects it will reach €6.5 billion by 2013. 

The Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group, reports that its investigation of purported organic egg producers found many facilities as crowded and “industrial” as those at conventional egg farms. U.S. organic standards require that organic chickens have access to the outdoors, but many farms pay only minimal lip service to the rule. In fact, 11 organic egg producers signed a letter to the National Organic Standards Board last year contesting the requirement, arguing that it was too financially burdensome. The Institute is planning  an official complaint to the USDA about unsatisfactory conditions at four farms, including Hillandale Farms, one of the producers involved in the recent salmonella outbreak. Besides Hillandale, egg producers Cornucopia is targeting in its complaint are The Country Hen (Mass.), Petaluma Farms (Calif.) and Paul Fuenger Farm (Wis.).

Cargill, maker of no-calorie natural sweetener Truvia, has launched a multimillion-dollar print, television, digital and social media advertising campaign designed to “connect with consumers on an emotional level … about their relationship with sweetness.” The company says the campaign features “whimsical tunes and real stories” stressing the food choices people face each day. According to Cargill, Truvia is the leading natural zero-calorie sweetener and third largest U.S. sugar substitute brand. Truvia is made with rebiana, the “best-tasting” part of the stevia leaf, the company says, noting that the new ad campaign was tested nationally using a state-of-the-art bio-sensory measurement tool that tracks emotional and cognitive responses to commercials. The “Sweetness Stories” campaign includes four 30-second television spots as well as 15-second spots.

A survey among 1,000 American adults conducted by the Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports magazine, found that 93 percent want “country of origin labeling” (COOL) on the meat that they buy. Country of origin labeling law requires food retailers to provide customers with information regarding the source of meats, fish and shellfish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables and certain nuts. Results of the poll were submitted to the World Trade Organization, which is arbitrating a dispute among the U.S., Canada and Mexico regarding U.S. COOL requirements. CU said consumers want labeling to indicate at least one of the countries in which the animal was born, raised, and slaughtered, and nearly half  (47 percent) said they preferred a multiple country of origin label.

The first U.S. study to use specific blood serum levels to look at food allergies in a nationally representative sample has found that 7.6 million Americans (2.5 percent) allergic to certain foods. Children, non-Hispanic blacks, and males had the highest rates of allergies; male black children had 4.4 times the risk. Researchers used specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) or antibody levels to determine allergic sensitivity to foods such as peanuts, milk, eggs, and shrimp. Allergies were highest (4.2 percent) among children 1 to 5 years, and lowest (1.3 percent) among adults over 60. Peanut allergies were in children ages 6 to 19. The findings should be helpful to public health policy makers, schools and day care facilities in allocating resources to treat food allergies, an NIH official said.

Danish food ingredients company Chr. Hansen has developed a range of probiotic cultures designed for drinkable  yogurts. According to the company, the YoFlex and probiotic nu-trish cultures ensure smoothness and a pleasant mouthfeel and allow manufacturers to remove costly starch/thickeners used in most drinking yogurts. Drinkable yogurt is one of the fastest growing segments of the dairy market: global sales topped 7.2 billion liters in 2008. Market researcher Mintel says the main trends in drinkable yogurts are health considerations (low fat, low sugar), functional benefits, “natural”, and without unnecessary ingredients and fortification. The new cultures  make it easier for dairy producers to produce low fat products with fewer ingredients that offer the benefits of Bifidobacterium BB-12, the company says.

Collaborative biofortification research efforts among German and Colombian scientists applying transgenic modification techniques turned a white-rooted cassava cultivar into a yellow-rooted variety that accumulates beta-carotene (provitamin A). The white cassava is a carbohydrate staple in arid regions of the world, including Sub-Saharan Africa, but is unfortunately low in micronutrients. Scientists looking at differences among cassava varieties found a single amino acid change in the enzyme phytoene synthase, which functions in the biochemical pathway that produces carotenoids. The research "paves the way for using transgenic or conventional breeding methods to generate commercial cassava cultivars containing high levels of provitamin A carotenoids,” the researchers concluded.

Food safety scares and the spate of expensive recalls in the past year have pushed food producers to work with computer companies to implement digital tracing technologies to follow produce as it travels from farm to grocery store. The technologies go beyond bar coding to include sophisticated trace-back systems that use “smart labels.” Though many farmers are reluctant to abandon manual tracking because of the expense involved, everyone agrees something has to be done: the current system of tracking contaminated foods is slow, inaccurate, cumbersome and wasteful. The lack of guidance from the federal government on traceability standards is another problem, so many expect food retailers to pressure food producers to at least adopt the U.S./Canada Produce Traceability Initiative as a step in the right direction.

A British clinical study among healthy individuals with normal body mass index (BMI) has found that two cups of pomegranate juice a day lowers blood pressure and may help ward off abdominal fat. The researchers said the reason may be that the juice reduces the blood levels of nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA), a compound associated in earlier studies with increased fat storage around the abdomen, and consequently an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. At the end of the month-long trial, half of the participants had lower NEFA levels, while nine out of ten had lower blood pressure. Noting that the “initial findings deserved more study,” the fact that the volunteers had a healthy BMI made the impact on the abdomen “more difficult to observe.”

Children’s and adolescents’ risks for many chronic diseases are increasing as more and more join the ranks of the obese. A new U.S. study that sheds light on where kids are getting their calories from explains why. Examining data from a national survey, researchers calculated calories from solid fats and added sugars in foods consumed by kids. The top sources for 2-18 year olds were grain desserts, pizza, and soda. Sugary sodas and fruit drinks provided 10 percent of calories consumed. Forty percent of calories were “empty calories” from solid fat and added sugars from six foods: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk. The researchers said their findings provide a context for dietary guidance that could specifically focus on limiting calories from these sources.

A study in mice by U.S. and French researchers, including four from Danone, has found that consuming Danone’s fermented milk product Activia containing the probiotic Bifidobacterium animalis over four weeks improved colitis, an inflammation of the colon that causes abdominal bloating, pain and other symptoms. According to the researchers, the probiotic created an environment in the gut hostile to the colitis-causing bacteria Enterobacteriaceae. Mouse models of colitis were fed either Activia or a non-fermented milk drink. After four weeks, the intestinal environment of the mice who had consumed the fermented milk drink would not support the colitis bacteria. The findings, which provide insights into the way intestinal microbiota react to various probiotic strains, create a structure for optimizing probiotic-based functional foods, the researchers concluded.

Scientists in the U.K have shown for the first time that a breakfast cereal enriched with whole grain maize significantly boosts levels of a prebiotic bacteria beneficial to the digestive system. Eating prebiotic polysaccharide fibers such as inulin and certain resistant starches has been found to positively impact gut microbiota. The new finding may have found a replacement for inulin. According to the study, eating 48 grams of cereal fortified with about 30 percent whole grain maize semolina each day for 21 days significantly boosted levels of bifidobacteria in the gut, compared to non-fortified cereal. Eating the fortified cereal “resulted in a significant mean increase in fecal bifidobacteria, which is considered a positive indicator of prebiotic activity,” the authors concluded.

Functional foods are booming as consumers focus on disease prevention and wellness. Analysts suggest the US market exceeds $30 billion and is growing 5x faster than the overall food market. Functional or modified foods are usually augmented with things like calcium, antioxidant, and vitamins to provide added nutrient-value beyond intrinsic levels. However, these products are unregulated and dieticians believe that companies often use functional claims as a marketing ploy.  Debate continues on the benefits or otherwise of functional foods, with many dieticians advising consumer to instead opt for natural, unprocessed foods, modified or not.

A federal appellate court has invalidated several provisions in Ohio Dept. of Agriculture organic food rules that, according to the Organic Trade Association, cramped consumers’ and producers’ ability to get truthful label information about the use of synthetic hormones in organic milk and dairy products. Organic farmers who want to apply the organic label to their products are barred from using synthetic growth hormones, genetically engineered organisms (GMOs), antibiotics and toxic, persistent, synthetic pesticides. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit agreed with the OTA and a dairy farmers group that consumers in Ohio have the right to know whether purpotedly organic products on grocery store shelves are produced without synthetic growth hormones.

With consumer research finding that 35 percent of shoppers would never buy a food product containing high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), it’s not surprising that ketchup makers H.J. Heinz Co. and Conagra’s Hunt’s brand have reacted quickly. Hunt’s removed all HFCS from its ketchup lines, while Heinz took a more cautious approach, offering a cane sugar variety along with its popular HFCS-based flagship brand. It’s probably too early to tell if the changes have helped sales, but market researcher SymphonyIRI Group said that in the year ending August 8 unit sales of Heinz ketchup rose 2.37 percent, sales of second-place private label ketchup rose 1.46 percent and third place Hunt's rose 3.06 percent. It’s possible the gains by Hunt’s might be traceable to the HFCS change, experts say.

Natural, herbal-based products for oral health that avoid dubious non-natural ingredients have been added to the arsenal of traditional weapons against tooth decay and gum disease. Examples of undesirable ingredients in standard oral care products include fluoride, the foaming agent sodium lauryl sulfate and artificial colors and flavors. While accepted as safe, some health care providers say excessive use of fluoride among children causes fluorosis – brown spots or streaks on teeth. A variety of natural alternatives are available, product providers say. Ancient ayurvedic herbs provide astringent and antibacterial action, without fluoride. Other options include the popular antiseptic tea tree oil, neem tree bark, and the antibacterial sweetener xylitol. Some products contribute to dental nutrition by including coenzyme Q10 with perilla seed oil, vitamin C and blue-green algae.

The food industry is hoping to deflect bad publicity from its role in the global obesity problem – a billion people are obese, with 300 million considered morbidly obese – by investing in the development of healthy new products. The most recent example of the strategy is Nestlé’s announcement that it will spend $500 million over the next ten years to create a “new industry between food and pharmaceuticals.” However, Financial Times science editor Clive Cookson says, such splashy initiatives emphasizing development of costly niche products for health conscious consumers will divert attention from the need to improve best-selling conventional foods. Pricey ‘nutraceuticals’ and ‘functional foods’ may benefit the sophisticated and wealthy, Cookson says, but not poorer folks who buy cheaper, less nutritious supermarket and fast-food fare.

Research supports the effectiveness of dietary supplements and other health products that target health conditions that accompany aging, including vision loss, cognitive decline, and bone and joint degeneration. In the area of vision, the carotenoids lutein, zeaxanthin and astaxanthin, as well as omega-3 fatty acids and green tea helped boost vision-health product sales by 48 percent in 2008. Studies show that lutein and zeaxanthin help prevent and treat age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and retinitis pigmentosa. Omega-3 fatty acids were shown to cut the risk of age-related macular degeneration, and green tea’s epigallocatechin gallate fights glaucoma. Other helpful supplements supported by research: B vitamins (especially choline) and omega-3s for cognitive health, and vitamins D and K, calcium, and green tea for bone health.

An online survey among nearly 2,000 adults has found that two thirds consider themselves dietary supplement users, a level consistent with four prior years’ findings. The 2010 Council for Responsible Nutrition dietary supplement survey also found that regular supplement usage has been steady over the years, with 74 percent of  supplement users saying they are “regular” users, 21 percent saying they were occasional users and five percent admitting to only seasonal use. Seventy-three percent of  supplement users in 2009 said they took supplements regularly.  According to CRN, more consumers are taking vitamin D than before: 27 percent in 2010, up from 19 percent in 2009. The survey also found that 82 percent of consumers are confident that dietary supplements are safe, high quality and effective.

Following a Greenpeace report – confirmed by an Australian television network – that small amounts (less than 0.1 percent) of genetically-modified soy and maize were found in a widely-used baby formula made by Pfizer, a group of activist mothers marched on Parliament to call for changes in Australia’s labeling laws. Two senators agreed and committed to sponsoring legislation to address weaknesses in the country’s food labeling system. Current Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) laws let manufacturers include up to one percent genetically-modified ingredients without label disclosure, so Pfizer’s product is within the legal limit. But as one protester put it, “Australian parents have a right to know what goes into their – and their children’s – food.”

A study by U.S. researchers has found that obese people tend to overeat to compensate for the fact that they get less pleasure from consuming food. Obese individuals have fewer dopamine (D2) pleasure receptors, and overeating seems to weaken receptor responsiveness even more. Individuals compensate for the reduced pleasure by eating more, further reducing their ability to enjoy food. The researchers used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to measure the activation of an area of the brain after a taste of chocolate milkshake. They also tracked  changes in body mass index over six months. Participants who gained weight showed significantly less response to the milkshake after six months relative to their baseline scan and relative to women who did not gain weight.

A study by USDA scientists has found that blueberries help prevent damaging plaques or lesions associated with atherosclerosis, also known as hardening of the arteries. The study compared the size of atherosclerotic lesions in 30 laboratory mice, half of whom were fed diets containing one percent freeze-dried blueberry powder – about a half cup of fresh blueberries – each day for 20 weeks. The mice were lacking in apolipoprotein-E, which makes them highly susceptible to lesions. The researchers measured lesions at two spots on the aorta. The lesions of the blueberry-fed mice were 39 and 58 percent smaller than lesions in the non-blueberry eating mice. Atherosclerosis is the principal cause of heart attacks and strokes. Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of Americans.

Consumers polled by market researcher Mintel said they are concerned about the controversial food additive high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), though sixty-four percent think HFCS is okay in moderation. Sixty-five percent believe food manufacturers or brands should disclose the HFCS content of foods and beverages. And 57 percent said the government should force companies to reveal HFCS content, while 44 percent said food retailers should enforce disclosure. Only 16 percent said HFCS content does not need to be revealed. Stung by all the bad press recently, the corn syrup industry has proposed changing the name of HFCS to “corn sugar.” Regardless, Mintel said, when it comes to HFCS, “the majority of Americans clearly want complete information that will help them make informed purchase decisions.”

A U.S. study in transgenic fruit flies has found that an enhanced  mushroom variety under study by Total Nutraceutical Solutions, Inc. can suppress and prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). The genetically modified fruit fly over-expresses and over-produces the toxic neurodegenerative protein amyloid within its brain tissues. Amyloids are fibrous aggregates that have been implicated in Alzheimer's disease. The study found that a specific mushroom, Agaricus blazei Murrill (AbM), enhanced with natural organic vitamin D2, “dramatically suppressed and prevented Alzheimer's disease,” the company said. Synthetic vitamin D2 marginally improved survival of the AD flies, while synthetic Vitamin D3 worsened survival. The company, which is seeking a patent for the mushroom, said the findings show for the first time that a natural organic food can suppress and prevent a neurodegenerative disorder.

Swedish firm Biovelop AB has introduced an oat-based soluble fiber ingredient containing 35 percent beta glucan, which has been linked to maintenance of healthy cholesterol levels. According to Biovelop, PromOat is gluten-free, neutral in taste and color and contains no insoluble oat fiber or oat protein, two components that negatively affect the flavor and aesthetics of foods. The company says PromOat can be used in a range of food and drink products not normally associated with oats and it expects “huge interest” from food and drink manufacturers capitalizing on the “free from” and functional food trends. The ingredient has been tested successfully in fruit juices, smoothies, ready meals, condiments, dressings, processed meat and bakery products. Soluble fibers are seen as a big growth opportunity in the functional foods market.

Eleven coastal-state senators told the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that it should  discontinue its review of a genetically modified salmon because they believe the agency’s process is more suited to approving a new drug than a new human food. The AquAdvantage salmon was created using Chinook salmon growth hormone and genetic material from the eel-like pout to make it grow two times faster than natural Atlantic salmon. If okayed by the FDA, it would be the first GM animal approved for human consumption. The senators assert that the review process is keeping the public in the dark about the GM salmon, because the company is allowed to withhold some information submitted to the agency as confidential.

Food service establishments are responding to the increasing demand for “green” products among American consumers by making more and more organic coffees available, according to the Organic Trade Association. Organic coffee brands can be found in highway convenience stores, fast-food chains, college dining halls, and fine restaurants, where roasters often create special blends and restaurateurs offer organic coffees on “menus akin to wine lists.” The interest in organic coffee has driven the North American market to more than $1.4 billion in 2009, according to analyst Daniele Giovannucci, who says the average annual growth rate between 2004 and 2009 was 21 percent, much higher than conventional coffees. According to OTA, heightened interest among restaurants in organic coffee “mirrors the increasing presence of organic fruits and vegetables in restaurants of all kinds.”

European governments have expressed their disapproval of a proposal by the European Commission to relinquish authority to outlaw or approve genetically modified (GM) crops to individual member states. The proposal is part of a projected overhaul of EU policy on GM crops that would give member states more leeway in regulating cultivation within their borders. Critics of the proposed overhaul, however, say that such a system would generate legal confusion for farmers and agri-businesses. Member states, meanwhile, are afraid the plan would end up fragmenting the internal market for agriculture goods. Currently, member states can only curb GM crop farming under strict conditions. Authorization licenses are legally binding in all 27 countries in accordance with the principles of the EU's single market. 

After enduring disappointing financial performance for some years, U.K. food retailer Daylesford Organic is launching an expansion program hat includes opening a shop in Harrods and a Tokyo franchise store this fall. Daylesford also hopes to supply supermarket chains with organic ready meals. According to CEO Jamie Mitchell, the company’s planned expansion is an attempt to reposition and develop the brand after some poor financial performance. In 2008, Daylesford lost $16 million on sales of around $13 million in 2008. The company hopes to get back to breakeven by 2011. Mitchell said the losses were due mainly to costs incurred in servicing its farms, producing food and establishing shops. Daylesford is owned by the family of JCB entrepreneur Sir Anthony Bamford.

Children who consume large amounts of sugary sports drinks are damaging their health, even if they eat healthy foods and are physically active, a U.S. study has found. The problem is the perception among parents and children that sports drinks are part of a healthy lifestyle despite the fact that they are loaded with sugar and lack any nutrients. The researchers looked at the links between consumption of beverages sweetened with sugar or high fructose corn syrup, eating unhealthy and healthy foods and levels of physical activity among 8th and 11th graders. They found that consumption of sugary sports drinks – but not sugary sodas – increased as healthy food consumption and physical activity increased. Though marketed as healthy beverages, sports drinks “have minimal fruit juice and contain unnecessary calories.”

Although found to be safe, pine bark extract administered at 200 milligrams a day had no impact on blood pressure or other heart disease risk factors, a U.S. study has concluded. Scientists theorized that pine bark extract could help high blood pressure because it has been shown to relax blood vessels constricted by stress hormones. In the randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 130 people at increased risk for cardiovascular disease were consumed either 200 milligrams of pine bark extract or a placebo each day for 12 weeks. At the end of the trial, researchers tracked measured blood pressure and found no differences between those who took pine bark and those who took placebo. They acknowledged, however, that different dosages or formulations might produce different results.

Consumer flavor preferences in the juice, nectar, still drink and iced tea market are moving from away time-honored orange toward “a more diverse and interesting range of blends and ‘other flavors,' according to beverage industry information specialist Canadean. The process has been accelerated  by steep orange juice concentrate prices and the economic decline. Operators have turned to a wide variety of mixed fruit combinations of two or three different flavors that are less expensive. The share of orange has dropped to less than 20 percent of every five liters sold of juice, juice drinks and iced teas, down from 24 percent in 2005. Lemon is the second most popular flavor and is gaining ground due to popularity as an iced tea in Asia and an unpackaged still drink in India.

Unilever ice cream subsidiary Ben & Jerry’s will phase out the term “All Natural” on ice cream and frozen yogurt labels. The Center for Science in the Public Interest had written to Unilever complaining that claims of “all natural” were false because 48 products contained alkalized cocoa, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, or other non-natural ingredients. None of the non-natural ingredients in the company’s products are considered unsafe, though some natural ingredients, like cream, can be considered bad for health, CSPI said. The group called Ben & Jerry’s decision an amicable resolution of the dispute. The USDA has a definition of natural for the meat and poultry products it oversees; CSPI said the FDA could perform a “great service” for consumers and food companies by defining the term “natural.”

Natural and organic foods maker Annie's has launched a national campaign to encourage schoolchildren to "dig" or learn about new vegetables this fall and to plant vegetables next spring. The goal of the campaign is to involve parents and teachers in recruiting a million children to plant new vegetables over the next year. The company is working with the National Farm to School Network, a group that links 10,000 American schools with local farms to bring healthy food into cafeterias, and to push nutrition education in classrooms and hands-on learning through school gardens. “Annie's created Root 4 Kids to inspire kids to eat more real food, while providing parents and teachers with resources to help spark conversations about why real food matters," the company says.

U.S.-based Lifeway Foods, which produces a cultured dairy beverage known as kefir, says it is buying the assets of N.J.-based Fruit Juice, Inc., a maker of organic juice drinks for children. The purchase price was $220,000. Lifeway entered the children's drinks market with ProBugs, a family of organic kefir drinks, and sees the acquisition as “a strategic diversification into non-dairy-based health beverages.” First Juice drinks are made from organic produce and are lower in sugar than competitive products. The four flavors are sold at Babies R Us, Toys R Us, Whole Foods Market, Ralphs, Amazon.com and Diapers.com. Launched in 2007, the company posted $1.7 million in sales in 2009. The impressive growth in a short time reflects “parents' rising interest in providing their children with natural foods,” according to Lifeway.

Preteen children are eating more fruits and vegetables now than they were in 2004, according to a new study, though teenagers are eating less. Children five and under ate 11 percent more fruit in 2009 than in 2004, while children 6-12 ate seven percent more. Consumption of vegetables also increased, though at a lesser rate. Kids under six ate three percent more vegetables and kids 6-12 ate two percent more. Teens, however, ate six percent less vegetables and two percent less fruit. Consumption of vegetables among adults was steady, while consumption of fruits declined slightly. The CEO of the foundation that commissioned the study applauded the preteen trend, but nevertheless said that “we still have a long way to go to get consumption up to recommended levels.”

With nine out of every ten Australians saying that chemical-free produce is important, it’s not surprising that retail sales of organics grew 50 percent in the past two years to $947 million and will probably top $1 billion in 2010. There are nearly 3,000 certified organic operators in the country -- a tiny fraction of farmers -- and the sector represents only one percent of total market value. So a huge opportunity exists for farmers who think they can produce foods that are in demand but in short supply, such as essential oils for cosmetics, organic eggs, milk and dairy. But the Biological Farmers of Australia warns that breaking into the organic market is complicated, expensive and time-consuming. Certification is tortuous: it can take months to follow the process and submit documentation.

A new report from Euromonitor says the huge health problem created by cardiovascular disease in the U.S. and globally is driving the evolution of heart healthy foods and drinks. Three key trends are at work in the $3.2 billion global heart healthy food and beverage market, Euromonitor says: today’s consumers take supplements to prevent, rather than treat, health problems; functional foods and beverages are replacing pills; and thanks to the massive amount of health information available, consumers are increasingly aware of the benefits of functional ingredients, such as the plant sterols and omega 3 fatty acids widely used in spreadable oils and fats. Yogurt is a successful heart-healthy food with 205 percent growth from 2005 to 2009.  As to beverage trends, omega 3 fortified milk and juice are gaining momentum.

Functional food marketing in Korea is off to a slow start, thanks to a tough regulatory environment. Unlike Japan, where health claims for ingredients have already been examined and approved, and functional foods flourish, Korea is lagging as it carefully scrutinizes individual ingredients in a process that slows arrival of products on grocery shelves. According to a representative of ingredient maker Pharmachem, Korea’s regulatory system has its pluses and minuses. Regulators are very slow and careful about substantiating ingredient health claims. However, once they give the green light, functional ingredients can be used in a wide array of products. Though functional foods currently comprise only 10-20 percent of the market, an expected 20-30 percent annual growth rate will drive Korean food companies to put more functional ingredients into products.

A clinical study by French and Italian researchers has found that a commercial nutritional supplement that blends prebiotics and probiotics was able to reduce the risk of wintertime infections by 25 percent in school-age children, compared to a placebo. The synbiotic ProbioKid, made by Canada’s Institut Rosell-Lallemand, blends three probiotic strains with a prebiotic. The company believes the results of the studies also indicate the potential to manage and prevent allergic diseases such as asthma. The researchers said the clinical trial suggests that a daily dose of a synbiotic for three months could help prevent wintertime illnesses among 3-7 year-olds. The findings were supported by a preclinical study that showed the product’s ability to alter different types of immune response.

Sales of Greek yogurt have doubled every year for five years, a trend not overlooked by Kraft Foods. Though it took some time to get the formula right, the company says its Athenos brand  is ready for prime time. The Athenos line will stand out from the competition, which includes established Greek yogurts from Fage and Chobani, by offering only fat-free yogurt, either plain or in tubs divided into single-serving compartments with yogurt in one and various fruits in the other, the company says. The product will cost about half of what the competition charges. According to Kraft, Athenos will begin distribution throughout California this month, and will soon be available at Wal-Mart, Jewel grocery stores and Kroger stores in the Midwest.