Nielsen Company research among Chilean consumers has found that 99 percent of households have purchased light or diet food products, a finding that is in line with the global trend of concern for health and wellness. In Chile, light/diet products are purchased at least every two weeks at an average cost of about $4.40. About a third of Chilean households are “intensive buyers” who purchase light/diet products more than 24 times a year. These represent two-thirds of total expenditures in the category. The remaining third of expenditures comes from “moderate buyers” (12-23 purchases a year) and “occasional buyers” (less than once a month). Nielsen said this type of segmentation shows “opportunities for both product manufacturers and retailers in gaining market share by tailoring marketing to the groups.”

It is not surprising that the world’s functional food makers pay close attention to Japan. The country’s Yakult company launched the industry with probiotic yogurt in the 1950s, and since 2006 Japan has launched 3,522 new foods and non-alcoholic beverages that claim they are “high in” a functional ingredient. Although there have been bumps along the road – the removal of the cholesterol-lowering oil econa from the market, and the appearance and disappearance of numerous products – the market is huge, $27 billion, triple the size of the U.S. market. Euromonitor says the Foods for Specified Health Use (FOSHU) market was worth $8 billion in 2007, three times the 1999 level. The latest trend in Japan? “Collagen cuisine:” shark’s fin, pig’s trotters, etc., targeting the anti-aging market.

Researchers in the U.S. have discovered that levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad" cholesterol) in blood plasma drop the lowest when people eat smaller amounts of plant-derived sterols and stanols more frequently during the day rather than in one large serving a day. Often added to foods such as margarine and orange juice and consumed once a day at breakfast, plant-derived sterols and stanols have been found to be heart healthy compounds that lower blood cholesterol concentrations. Researchers analyzed the blood fat profiles of 19 study volunteers after each of three six-day study phases. Volunteers started with placebo meals with no sterols in the first phase, then ate meals with 1.8 grams of sterols during phases two and three. LDL cholesterol dropped by six percent among the sterol eaters.

In the wake of the recent widespread outbreak of egg-derived salmonella poisoning, U.S. researchers are working on a better way to identify the strains of salmonella bacteria that may be the source of the problem.  The government knows that the very common Salmonella Enteridis bacterium instigated the outbreak that led to a recall of half a billion tainted eggs and sickened more a thousand people. But because Salmonella Enteridis is so common, they can’t pinpoint which strain was at the root of the outbreak using current DNA testing methods. So a new tool for better identification would prove valuable. The new approach under development looks at DNA sequences of specific genes, a method that allows scientists to accurately differentiate the various possible  strains.

Fragrance and flavor supplier Symrise has introduced the "Taste for Life" strategic taste platform, a new product development framework for the food and beverage industries that answers questions about how companies can better fulfill consumer needs. The purpose of the framework is to  help companies develop new products more rapidly and tailor them to market needs, the company said. Consumer preferences in the areas of lifestyle and nutrition are changing rapidly while becoming more versatile. Consumers seek a balance between holistic health and pure pleasure, and the two needn’t be mutually exclusive. The Taste for Life platform helps the industry position brands and products by identifying trends, consumer needs, gaps in product portfolios, competition market positioning and points where product line extensions would make sense.

A daily 16 mg. dose of lycopene in tomato paste can lessen skin inflammation caused by UV exposure, according to a British study. The study also found that tomato paste lessens damage to mitochondrial DNA, a reliable biomarker of UV-ray exposure. Twenty women with skin types identified as phototype I/II received either 55 g of tomato paste in olive oil, or just olive oil, every day for 12 weeks. Skin samples taken before and after the 12-week study indicated that the dose of UV rays needed to cause reddening increased from 26.4 mJ/cm2 to 36.6 mJ/cm2 after lycopene consumption, showing improved skin resistance to reddening. No changes were detected in the control. “Tomato paste containing lycopene provides protection against acute and potentially longer term aspects of photodamage,” researchers concluded.

An Australian university is launching a study to gather enough information to help consumers decide whether organic food purchasing is really worth it. The first phase of the study by scientists at RMIT University will look at what organic consumers believe and how they actually behave when shopping for food. A later phase will investigate whether the bodies of adult organic food consumers have fewer toxins than those who eat conventional food. The researchers cite a U.S. study in which children who substituted organic food for conventional food in their diets proved to less pesticide residue in their tissues. Participants in the initial phase will also be asked to take an Organic Food Intake Survey to determine how much organic food they eat.

Indian researchers have developed a transgenic potato much richer in protein and amino acids than conventional varieties. The novel potato incorporates a gene (amaranth albumin) from an edible crop known as amaranth. The new potato variety has between 35 and 60 percent more protein than a conventional potato and higher levels of amino acids, especially lysine, tyrosine and sulfur. Conventional potatoes have only limited amounts of these amino acids. A tall, broadleaf  plant that generates small seeds, amaranth was a staple of the Aztecs and earlier American cultures. U.S. farmers began cultivating the plant in the late 1970s. “It is apparent that this can add value to potato-based products with enhanced benefits for better human health," the scientists wrote.

U.S. natural and organic products supplier Hain Celestial Group continues to expand its business beyond North America and Europe with the introduction of a co-branded organic infant formula in China through its Hutchison Hain Organic joint venture. Produced in Switzerland, Earth's Best (U.S. and Canada) and Zhi Ling Tong (Chi-Med, China) have received organic certification from the China Organic Food Certification Centre. Hutchison Hain Organic began marketing and distributing selected Hain Celestial products earlier this year through A.S. Watson and PARKnSHOP stores in Asia. Chinese pharmaceutical holding company Chi-Med estimates that sales of infant formula in 2009 in China were about $3.4 billion. By the beginning of 2010, Zhi Ling Tong was being sold through 13 sales offices across China covering more than 130 cities.

Contrary to the findings of earlier research, exposure to toxic bisphenol-A  (BPA) is much greater than previously thought, and comes from other sources besides oral ingestion, according to a U.S. study. The researchers provide evidence that women, female monkeys and female mice metabolize BPA in similar fashion, so animal studies are valid predictors. They call for more stringent federal rules on the use of the estrogen-like chemical found in many everyday products, including baby bottles and food-storage containers. The study argues that the available animal study data is sufficient: there is no need of more evidence of human harm before regulatory action is taken. “Our data raise grave concern that regulatory agencies have grossly underestimated current human exposure levels” because they relied on an earlier study whose conclusions were false.

Recent news coverage of tainted beef, salmonella-infected eggs and contaminated Gulf shrimp are having an impact on consumer and food professional spending patterns, new U.S./Norwegian research finds. Web-based surveys of 400 consumers and 75 food companies, including manufacturers, distributors and retailers, found that safe and healthy food is the number one priority, though recycling, social justice, green practices, economic viability and animal welfare are also important, especially as indicators of sustainability. Domestic meat products are a serious concern among consumers along with products coming from international sources. The research also found that many food suppliers are putting certification audits in place to manage food safety risk through traceability tools. “Industry professionals place more emphasis on traceability, while consumers want to see the certification on product labels,” said one researcher.

Making health claims for functional foods is certainly good business: manufacturers racked up $31 billion in sales in 2008 for products modified to offer purported health benefits. But, according to Scientific American, “consumers are getting a rotten deal” because science often doesn’t support – and government doesn’t endorse – the claims. Consumers are thus left with a “false sense of security” that often keeps them from doing what they should do to maintain good health. The FDA’s recent warning letters to 17 food companies about false or misleading label claims was “a significant step toward halting the exploitation of science by food marketers” but more needs to be done. Food and beverage products should be held to the same scientific standards as drug companies, a move that would reduce health claims significantly.

Students at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark are using the rooftop of the student center to organically cultivate a dozen different vegetables. Harvested food is then taken three floors below and used by a campus chef to prepare meals in the dining hall. Students plan to transform the large roof of the center into a mini-farm that will supply organically grown produce for the 9,000-student university. NJIT joins several other New Jersey colleges and universities experimenting with organic produce cultivation. Besides providing healthy veggies, the mini-farms also serve as a living classroom for the study of organic gardening science. But despite the promise of healthier cafeteria fare, some students worry what Newark’s air is doing to the veggies, organically grown or not.

Gluten, unlike trans-fats, is not innately bad to eat. Yet an increasing number of people are buying gluten-free foods. Packaged Facts says U.S. sales of gluten-free foods have more than doubled since 2005 to $1.5 billion. But celiac disease sufferers, who are very sensitive to the protein that gives breads and pastas their structure, make up a tiny minority of consumers. So why is “gluten-free” such a popular label claim? Some say it’s a celebrity fad thing. Some claim gluten-free foods make them feel more energetic or just “better.” Others see gluten-free as part of a lifestyle change, like becoming vegan. That’s fine, nutritionists say, adding a word of caution: gluten-free is not a synonym for low calorie.

Thanks to a quirk in FDA regulations on genetically modified food labeling, anxious consumers may not be able to tell whether the salmon they’re buying is conventional or GM, unless the producer voluntarily labels it as such. If the FDA rules that the fast-growing GM Atlantic salmon called AquAdvantage is not “materially” different from conventional salmon, it cannot require the producer to apply a GM label. The situation worries consumer advocates, because other GM food products, including beef and pork, are in the queue seeking FDA approval. The salmon case would be the first time a GM food is okayed for marketing in the U.S. and would therefore set a major precedent. The biotechnology industry opposes mandatory labeling, saying it would only confuse consumers.

A multinational team of researchers has found that two supplements used by consumers to ease joint pain are in fact ineffective. Glucosamine and chondroitin, taken either on their own or in combination, are used by millions to ease pain caused by osteoarthritis in hips and knees. Global sales of glucosamine neared $2 billion in 2008, a 60 percent increase since 2003. According to the researchers, the supplements are not dangerous, but because they don’t work, "health authorities and health insurers should not cover the costs for these preparations.” The researchers analyzed the results of 10 published trials involving 3,803 patients, assessing pain levels after patients took a placebo or the supplements alone or in combination. No clinically relevant effect on perceived joint pain or on joint space narrowing was found.

A public-private partnership of three British research councils and 13 food and drink companies is awarding $6.2 million for nine new university research projects designed to uncover links between diet and health. The Institute of Food Research will participate in two of the projects. The research will look into topics such as cutting fat content in food, enriching foods with bioactive compounds including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants, and boosting the fiber content of white bread. All projects funded by the partnership, known as the Diet and Health Research Industry Club (DRINC), are run independently at universities and research institutes with a goal of producing publicly-available findings that will be useful to the food industry.

U.S. and Korean researchers have identified and combined a mutant pair of alleles, or gene copies, to develop new germplasm lines that produce soy oil with significantly higher levels of oleic acid. According to the researchers, increasing soy oil's level of the monounsaturated fat oleic acid can eliminate hydrogenation, which converts liquid oil into a solid, and helps to improve shelf life and product quality. But hydrogenation also generates trans-fats, which produce more of the "bad" LDL cholesterol than the "good" HDL cholesterol. Soy oil normally contains about 20 percent oleic acid, but the new soybeans contain more than 80 percent oleic acid. Field trials in the U.S. and Central America proved that oleic-acid production in the new soy lines can stay constant in various growing conditions.

After a review of recent scientific studies on animal clones and their offspring, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) stated that there’s no reason to reconsider earlier conclusions on cloning. Animal cloning involves genetically copying an animal by replacing the nucleus of an unfertilized egg cell with the nucleus of a body cell to form an embryo, which is implanted in a surrogate mother to develop until birth. The EFSA had concluded earlier that mortality rates and developmental abnormalities are higher in animal clones, but there is no indication that the meat and milk of clones and offspring are different from conventionally bred animals. The agency also said that because of a lack of information on other species, cloning can only be done on cattle and pigs.

Thanks to a surge in demand in Canada, and the fact that the country imports three-fourths of its organic food, several organic producers may find themselves in the crosshairs of acquisition-minded food majors looking to diversify their product lines. SunOpta, SunRype and Industries Lassonde are among the potential quarry, according to analysts, with likely buyers being United Natural Foods and Whole Foods Market. SunOpta, with a market value of $380 million and a 10 percent growth rate, produces organic soy, wheat, grains and fruits for food giants General Mills, Kraft, and Kellogg. And fruit-based drinks maker Lassonde could fetch as much as $460 million from an elite buyer like Néstle or Kraft.

New U.S. research has found that children with metabolic disorder who process fats or glucose abnormally, even if their weight is normal, are at greater risk of developing asthma. The abnormal metabolism may stem from a poor diet or lack of exercise, researchers said, noting that the findings belie commonly held assumptions that obesity itself is a risk factor for asthma. The researchers examined demographic data, estimates of body mass index (BMI), and asthma prevalence among 18,000 children 4–12 years old from West Virginia. Asthma prevalence generally increased with BMI. But simple overweight status did not appear to be linked to increased asthma occurrence, which was significantly associated with triglyceride levels and the presence of a biomarker for insulin resistance – independently of BMI.

U.S. researchers have developed a way to bake blue corn (maize)-based cookies that preserves the colorful water-soluble anthocyanin pigments that are rich in antioxidants. The best ratio of whole-grain blue corn flour to wheat pastry flour ratio was found to be 80:20. The cookie dough was tested using added acidulants citric acid, lactic acid and glucono-δ-lactone (GDL). Cookies were backed in three oven types having different heat transfer coefficients. Cookies baked with citric acid in a convection oven at 182° C for four minutes had the highest total anthocyanin content (TAC) after baking. “By baking rapidly at lower temperatures and adding acidulants, it may be possible to increase residual natural source antioxidants in baked foods,” the researchers concluded.

Food products bearing the label “whole grain” have caught on in a big way among health-conscious American consumers, and the industry is taking full advantage of the trend. Researcher Mintel says 651 whole grain products have been launched so far this year, making 2010 a banner year for new whole grain product introductions. Fueling the trend is the fact that consumers trust the Whole  Grain Stamp from the Whole Grains Council. SPINS, which tracks retail food sales, says that combined channel sales of grocery products with the Stamp grew 16 percent for the 12-week period ending August 7, 2010, versus a year ago. Sales of bread with the Stamp rose 172 percent ($7.4 million). Mintel says whole grains are second only to price as the key factor in bread purchases.

The rising tide of obesity in the U.S. has energized the White House, FTC, FDA and the Congress to pressure major food companies to modify products by both adding healthy ingredients and cutting bad ones, like salt and sugar. But reducing salt and sugar content not only creates technical problems for food formulators, it creates marketing problems, mainly because consumers are looking for something other than nutrition when they shop for food. Despite the fact that nine out of ten Americans say it is “somewhat” or “extremely” important to eat healthy foods, “taste, value and convenience” are more important, according to an industry researcher. “Americans know they should eat vegetables, but would prefer not to spend much money on them, prepare them or taste them.”

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis has partially reversed a June 2009 dismissal of a nationwide lawsuit that accuses Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, Safeway and other big retailers of deceiving consumers who purchased premium-priced organic milk. The appeals court said essentially that federal organic law was not intended to pre-empt strict state consumer protection laws covering organic food marketing. The reinstated lawsuit is a consolidation of 19 different class action suits in which plaintiffs alleged that the milk cartons of Colorado milk producer Aurora Organic Dairy’s "High Meadow" brand and the retailers’ store brands claimed the milk was organic when it wasn’t. The plaintiffs also accused the companies of lying about how cows were raised and fed.

Researchers in Taiwan have discovered that the dark-colored berries of the Basella alba L. plant, commonly grown in Taiwan, could become a viable source of natural red pigments for food manufacturers. The scientists found that the pigments were stable at temperatures up to 140 degrees F, meaning that they “could be used in dry state or minimally processed foods.” Solutions of all three pigments became less stable when subjected to temperatures of 194 degrees to 248 degrees F. The berries are rich in betalains: water-soluble natural pigments that include red-violet betacyanins and yellow betaxanthins. The authors identified gomphrenin as the major pigment, followed by betanidin-dihexose and isobetanidindihexose. The researchers concluded that the natural pigments offer “value-added potential for use in the development of food colorants.”

The routine practice of feeding antibiotics to young pigs after weaning to prevent illness and speed growth with less feed could possibly be outlawed soon. But pig farmers cite leading veterinary scientists in arguing that the risks to humans are remote and less important than raising healthy animals and producing cheaper food. The National Pork Producers Council says “there is no conclusive scientific evidence” that animal antibiotics affect the usefulness of antibiotics in people. However, medical experts say antibiotics in animals are contributing to the appearance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, including dangerous E. coli strains and other microbes. The FDA is about to issue tougher guidelines on animal antibiotics, and legislation that would bar most uses in healthy animals is gaining support in Congress.

Snacking is gaining in popularity in Canada, where fruit and potato chips are among the top snack choices, according to research from the NPD Group. In fact, “snacking is the fastest growing meal occasion in the past decade in Canada,” the study found. On average, Canadians ate 300 snacks over the latest 12 months – almost a quarter of all Canadian meals. That’s an increase of 22 percent in ten years. In contrast, Americans on average ate only 230 snacks last year, with candy chosen more often than in Canada. Besides fruit and potato chips, favored snacks in Canada include yogurt and granola-type bars. The increasing popularity of potato chips is probably due to the wider choice of flavors, and the intense marketing and advertising efforts by chip makers.

Reshoot Production Company has reached a preliminary agreement with successful organic Mexican grower Juan Jose Urias to acquire 58 percent interest in his 425-acre organic farm for about $1 million. Urias has grown USDA-certified organic tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers for three years on more than 10 acres, and can prove his USDA-certified organic produce can be sold profitably for the same price as conventional produce. It is generally accepted that organic farming methods are more expensive than conventional methods, making organic produce costlier, and less desirable, in grocery stores. Though Urias has been selling for the full organic price, Reshoot says the produce could be sold profitably for the same price as non-organic produce. After a definitive agreement, Urias will help Reshoot develop organic farms that duplicate his success.

Allergies to foods such as milk and peanuts lead to about 300,000 emergency room visits and as many as 200 deaths a year. But now a discovery by U.S. scientists offers hope of relief to the millions who suffer from food allergies. Working in mice, the researchers found that a certain type of immune cell in the gut – a first line of defense for the immune system – expresses a special receptor, SIGNR1, on the cell’s surface where it binds to specific sugars. They targeted the receptor using sugar-modified protein and were able to keep harmful, allergy-inducing food proteins from causing serious harm. The placebo-controlled study found that the mice that weren’t fed the modified protein experienced tremors, convulsions or death, while the group fed the protein had only minor reactions.

University research in the U.K. has found that identifying food intolerances and eliminating offending foods from the diet may help fight migraine symptoms. Food intolerance is a reaction to some foods and can affect long term health and quality of life with symptoms such as irritable bowel syndrome, bloating, tiredness, migraines and digestive complaints. Six million people in the U.K. suffer from migraine headaches, according to YorkTest, a maker of food intolerance tests, and eliminating problem foods could help many manage their migraine symptoms. Researchers used the company’s IgG antibodies test to determine food intolerances in 5,000 study participants. Within three months of eliminating identified problem foods from their diet, 76 percent showed moderate to high improvement in migraine symptoms and 86 percent showed moderate to high improvement in headaches. 

Food companies and ingredients makers are working hard to help Americans get their 25 to 30 grams of fiber daily. They’ve introduced a slew of fiber-fortified foods and beverages, according to market researcher Packaged Facts, and sales of insoluble fibers, soluble fibers and novel fiber ingredients will continue to trend upward. Novel fibers are especially likely to see increased sales because they are versatile and invisible in foods that heretofore have not been suitable for fiber fortification. The novel fiber food ingredient category is likely to grow from a five percent share in 2004 to a 39 percent share in 2014. Packaged Facts forecasts market share for conventional, insoluble-type fibers will drop 41 percent by 2014, though new or newly refined conventional, soluble-type fibers will increase 64 percent.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted a patent to Glanbia Nutritionals for a whey-derived ingredient that includes proprietary whey peptides. According to the company, Prolibra is “clinically proven to significantly decrease fat mass” and maintain lean body mass when combined with a low-calorie diet. The product also helps decrease the glycemic response that occurs after eating. The company cites the results of three clinical trials as evidence for its health claims. In one, total body fat mass of the Prolibra group was reduced 5.81 percent, and only 2.29 percent in the placebo group. In a second trial, 79 percent of the weight loss by the Prolibra group was fat, compared with 51 percent in the control. A third study showed a statistically significant reduction of postprandial glycemia.

Beginning this month, lunches for Italian schoolchildren will take a healthier turn, with cafeteria menus offering  low-cost meals made with fresh, local and organic foods. The change is a first salvo in Italy’s use of the so-called Mediterranean diet to battle childhood obesity: one in three Italian children under 12 years old is overweight. Earlier this year, the country’s Health Ministry issued guidelines to spur organic food consumption and promote a “zero-mile approach” to bringing locally-grown foods into schools. In one town, school meals include two main courses, a vegetable side dish and fresh fruit that costs about $3.91 a day per child. The town then chips in an extra $2.00 to cover the whole cost. The Health Ministry also urges teachers to include nutrition education in their lesson plans.

U.S. researchers have found that a malfunctioning enzyme system in the liver can reduce the flow of the neuroprotective omega-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and may contribute to cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease patients. The scientists found that when the liver enzyme system that provides DHA to the brain isn't working properly, DHA levels drop in the temporal cortex, mid-frontal cortex and cerebellum of Alzheimer’s patients, compared to control subjects. DHA in the liver was also found to be lower in Alzheimer’s patients than in control subjects. The researchers concluded that “a deficit in D-bifunctional protein activity impairs DHA acid biosynthesis in the livers of Alzheimer’s disease patients, lessening the flux of this neuroprotective fatty acid to the brain.”

A white paper from a dairy industry group urges dairy companies to take a close look at snack foods as a potential profit source. Calcium-rich dairy products account for only 13 percent of between-meal snack choices among people two years old and older. The white paper urges food manufacturers to “re-imagine” snacks with dairy-derived ingredients to take advantage of the virtually unlimited possibilities for innovation. Especially compelling is the fact that healthy snacks comprise more than half of all “snacking occasions:” a total of 850 million annually. According to the white paper, “Snacking is now viewed as helping contribute to moderation and balance in eating, which naturally aligns with dairy’s nutritious profile.” To gain a greater share of snack sales, dairy formulators need to solve refrigeration and portability problems.