Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Scholar program seeking food scientist
3/30/2005-The Fulbright Scholar Program for Faculty and Professionals announced an opportunity in Hungary during 2006-2007. Semmelweis University in Budapest is interested in a specialist in nutritional sciences who will teach undergraduate students, assist in the development of a graduate program in nutrition, and train faculty. Subject areas of interest are: epidemiology of nutrition, nutrition policy, food safety, nutritional sciences research, and methodology of nutritional and dietetic counseling. The award also includes the opportunity to participate in European Union research projects. For specific information about this opportunity, please contact Muriel Joffe, Senior Program Officer, at the Council for International Exchange of Scholars at mjoffe@cies.iie.org or 202-686-6249. For general information about the Fulbright program and application requirements, visit the CIES Web site at www.cies.org. The deadline for applications is August 1, 2005.
Biobased mannitol production obtains patent
3/30/2005-A new method to produce mannitol, the minty sugar alcohol used as a bodying agent, preservative and diabetic-friendly sweetener, has been patented. Called "biobased" by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) chemist Badal Saha, the method involves feeding high-fructose corn syrup to the bacterial species Lactobacillus intermedius in a deep-tank fermentor. Over several hous, the Lactobacillus bacterium's powerful enzymes work to convert 72 percent of the syrup into mannitol. Saha has also used this bacterium to produce mannitol from sucrose and other sugars.
According to ARS, the microbial fermentation method produces less waste and is less time-consuming than the traditional method. Mannitol is usually produced by subjecting a 50-50 mixture of fructose and glucose to a nickel catalyst and high-pressure hydrogenation. The process produces chemical wastes and converts only 25 percent of the sugars to mannitol.
Saha worked at the Fermentation Biotechnology Research Unit at the ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Ill. Since 2002, Saha has collaborated with Chicago-based zuChem, Inc., to scale-up and refine the approach under a cooperative research and development agreement. Last fall, zuChem successfully petitioned the FDA to approve mannitol produced by microbial fermentation.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Mars introduces new dark chocolate M&M’s
3/29/2005-Masterfoods USA, the U.S. food and snack operations of Mars, Inc., has announced the introduction of new dark chocolate M&M’s in conjunction with the new release of the new Star Wars film, “Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith”, the sixth and final episode of the movie saga.
The candies were introduced today in New York City’s Times Square, along with an X-wing Fighter spacecraft, two droids, Storm Troopers and the evil Darth Vader with his M&M's counterpart, M-Vader. The new dark chocolate M&M's will be on shelves nationwide starting April 2.
The product was specifically developed to celebrate the release of dark chocolate M&M's to consumers for the first time in the candy's 64-year history. According to the company, dark chocolate continues to increase in popularity with a 31% growth rate each year.
The candies will be available in a special edition "Darth Mix" that features the following new colors: black, maroon, purple, dark blue and silver.
Food industry merger activity steady in 2004
3/29/2005-According to a press release from the Food Institute, the number of food-industry deals completed in 2004 declined 5% from the 2003 tally, but activity was on par if the 17 major acquisitions announced but not completed in 2004 are counted. One of those acquisitions is Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co. plans to acquire the Altria Group Inc. – Kraft Foods’ Life Saver and Altoids business. Valued at $1.48 billion, it was actually the largest food-related deal announced last year.
Overall numbers held fairly steady, but the sectors varied, observed Irene Kennedy, Director of Research and Education for the Elmwood Park, NJ-based trade association, as she assessed deals covered in the Food Institute’s new edition FOOD BUSINESS Mergers & Acquisitions 2004. As examples: in 2003 alcohol producers accounted for just four deals; in 2004 the number jumped to 10 whereas snack food producers made only three acquisitions in 2004 versus a high of 16 the previous year.
Investment firms more than doubled acquisitions over 2003, even surpassing record 2002 levels. A few - American Capital Strategies Ltd., Crunch Equity Holdings, FOCUS Brands Inc. and Willis Stein & Partners – snapped up more than one deal.
For more information and to obtain a copy of the report, see the Food Institute.
Monday, March 28, 2005
JFS online goes back to 1992
3/28/2005-The Journal of Food Science online now has an archive that goes back to 1992. Remember all that work in the early 1990s into low-fat foods. JFS online now includes this ground-breaking article: BERRY BW. 1992. Low Fat Level Effects on Sensory, Shear, Cooking, and Chemical Properties of Ground Beef Patties. J Food Sci 57(3):537-40,574.
For more information, see the http://bookstore.myift.org/store/iftstore/ and check out the May/June issue of 1992.
FDA posts testing guidelines for ephedrine alkaloids
3/28/2005-The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted guidelines for analytical methods for testing of products believed to contain ephedrine alkaloids. This testing is pursuant to the final regulation issued in February, 2004, which declared dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids adulterated under section 402(f)(1)(A) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act). FDA is posting this methodology so the public is aware of FDA's course of action.
Vitamin B12 deficiency linked with low bone density
3/28/2005-Women are about four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, or weak, porous bones. But a new study links vitamin B12 deficiency with low bone mineral density in men, and confirms similar, previously reported findings in women.
Researchers funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reported the findings in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The study was led by epidemiologist Katherine Tucker with the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging (HNRCA) at Tufts University in Boston, Mass. Tucker directs the HNRCA's Dietary Assessment and Epidemiology Research Program.
While vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked with low levels of markers of bone formation, the mechanism behind the relationship is not known.
The scientists examined the relationship between vitamin B12 blood levels and indicators of bone health measured in 2,576 men and women, aged 30 to 87, participating in the Framingham Osteoporosis Study. They found that those with vitamin B12 levels lower than 148 picomoles per liter (pM/L) were at greater risk of osteoporosis than those with higher levels. Plasma B12 levels below 185 pM/L are considered "very low," according to some experts.
The study found that those with vitamin B12 concentrations below 148 pM/L had significantly lower average bone mineral density--at the hip in men, and at the spine in women--than those with concentrations above.
The range of symptoms of B-12 deficiency includes anemia, balance disturbances and cognitive decline. Osteoporosis usually progresses with no outward effect until a fracture occurs.
The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B12 is 2.4 micrograms per day for both men and women. Low stomach acid and aging can lower the ability to absorb the vitamin. Those over age 50 are encouraged to consume fortified foods or supplements containing B12.
This study suggests adequate vitamin B12 intake is important for maintaining bone mineral density. Animal protein foods, such as fish, liver, beef, pork, milk and cheese are good sources of vitamin B12.
Woman sues cereal makers over "low sugar" products
3/28/2005-According to a report in today’s Wall Street Journal, a California woman has sued Kraft Foods, General Mills, and Kellogg accusing the companies of deceiving consumers by replacing sugar with other carbohydrates in "low sugar" versions of their cereals. For more see the Personal Journal Health Section of the March 28 Journal, a subscription is required.
New specialty produce distribution company formed
3/28/2005-Grocery store distribution business Supervalu announced today that it has formed a specialty produce distribution company, W. Newell & Co., designed to meet the growing demands of retailers for higher quality, wider variety and faster delivery of produce.
W. Newell & Co. will be a specialty distribution company dedicated to fresh produce and will be operated separately from Supervalu's full-line general distribution business.
The company's national headquarters will be based at a regional produce center currently under construction in Champaign, Ill.
Supervalu has tapped its vice president of produce and produce industry veteran, Gary Gionnette, to head the new company as chief operating officer.
"For the last several years we have carefully analyzed the traditional produce supply chain," said Gary Gionnette. "W. Newell & Co. will introduce many improvements in the procurement, inbound transport, warehousing and delivery of produce to our retailers. We believe this company will provide our retailers with better produce quality, wider variety and stronger customer service capabilities than any other specialty produce provider."
Supervalu is one of the largest produce distributors in the United States and ranks among the top ten companies that distribute fresh produce nationally. With this significant volume base, W. Newell & Co. will be able to take advantage of the parent's procurement network, size and scale to create greater efficiencies in purchasing produce on a national level that will improve product availability, freshness and service levels through better forecasting and faster product turns.
"As consumer demand for fresh produce continues to increase, produce has become a key competitive difference as well as a growth vehicle for retailers," Gionnette said. "W. Newell & Co. will meet retailer demands with the widest available produce variety, including organic and specialty items, produce-only store deliveries, and produce that arrives faster and fresher than ever before."
Integral to W. Newell & Co.'s strategy is the new Champaign facility, which is scheduled to open in August 2005. The $25 million, 155,000-square- foot warehouse facility will be one of the highest-volume produce distribution centers in the Midwest, and will consolidate the produce volume currently located in other SUPERVALU regional distribution centers to serve independent retailers in an eight state area (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin) that also includes major corporate retail markets of Chicago, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Fort Wayne, Ind.
Nabisco introduces new healthful snacks
3/28/2005-On March 28, Kraft's Nabisco unit announced it is introducing a new healthy snack for children, called KidSense Fun Packs. The product come in three new varieties; Teddy Grahams(R) Cubs (Cinnamon), Kraft(R) Cheese Nips(R) Sport Crisps and Smilin' Ritz(R) Bits. They have been reformulated to address some of parents' concerns around fat, sugar and artificial ingredients, while still maintaining the taste, according to the company. The products meet Kraft's Sensible Snacking/Sensible Solution nutrition criteria for better-for-you cookies and crackers.
The snacks are packaged into single-serving pouches that provide a wholesome nutrition profile. A serving of each variety is made with 3 grams of whole grain, provides a good source of calcium, contains no artificial flavors or sweeteners, no trans fatty acids, 3 grams of total fat (with low to no saturated fat) and contains 100 calories.
Beginning in March 2005, KidSense Fun Packs will be available in the cookie/cracker aisle in grocery stores nationwide. The suggested retail price is $2.69 per box (which contains six individual pouches).
Saturday, March 26, 2005
USDA/FDA to hold public meeting on biotech foods
3/26/2005-The Office of the Acting Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have announced a public meeting to provide information and receive comments on draft U.S. responses to Codex Circular Letter CL 2005/2-FBT. The letter outlines proposals for new work to be undertaken by the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology that was established at the 27th Session of the Codex Committee in Geneva in 2004.
The public meeting will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, April 7, in Room 5066, South Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence Ave, SE, Washington, DC. Further information on the Codex Letter CL 2005/2FBT is available at www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Codex_c105_02e.pdf.
Friday, March 25, 2005
FDA clarifies raw cheese advisory
3/25/2005-The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a clarification of its March 14th raw milk soft cheese advisory. The advisory mentioned a number of cheeses, including "Ranchero." The FDA announced that it became aware that "Ranchero" is a trademark of the Cacique company, in Industry, California. Cacique's "Ranchero" is made with pasteurized milk. The raw milk cheese advisory was not intended to include this specific product. For more information, see the FDA Press Release.
Food ingredients brochure for consumers released
3/25/2005-The International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation, in partnership with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has produced a new resource for consumers who want a better understanding of the use of food and color ingredients found in many of our foods.
The new brochure, Food Ingredients & Colors, is available in print and online via the IFIC Foundation Web site (www.ific.org), and explains how and why food and color additives are used and what the approval process is for new food ingredients and colorings.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
IFT releases Expert Report on functional foods
3/24/2005-Functional foods are at the threshold of unprecedented influence on public health and disease prevention. A new expert report declares that advances in science and food technology are growing so rapidly that the food industry and government must quicken their pace to ensure food’s greatest benefits on public health.
The report, Functional Foods: Opportunities and Challenges, commissioned by the not-for-profit scientific society Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), was released today. It is an exhaustive review of current methods, and emphasizes recommendations to accelerate future research and development, regulation and marketing of functional foods.
The report advises that functional foods be brought to market in a new, seven-step, scientific process. One part of the process introduces Generally Recognized As Efficacious, patterned after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s successful Generally Recognized As Safe review. The report deems that economic incentives such as tax breaks, market exclusivity or a combination of both would serve as catalysts for increasing food company investment in functional food research. And it urges that label claims on functional foods reflect scientific evidence, driving consumer understanding of dietary components for health.
The expert report calls for expanded research on traditional nutrients, other bioactive food components, and the intersection of genomics and molecular nutrition.
“Functional foods should be integral components of public health programs to reduce the risk of specific diseases,” according to Fergus Clydesdale, Ph.D., chair of the IFT Expert Panel and co-author of the report, and department head of food science at University of Massachusetts.
“The functional foods currently available represent only a fraction of the potential opportunities for consumers to manage their health through diet,” said Clydesdale. “It is imperative to further research to validate full effectiveness and establish appropriate dietary levels.”
The IFT report defines functional foods as foods and food components that provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition. This includes conventional foods, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods, and dietary supplements.
Functional foods can enhance performance and deliver benefits for conditions such as coronary heart disease, osteoporosis and neural tube defects. The report notes that researchers have identified food components that may improve memory, reduce arthritis, and provide other benefits heretofore limited to drugs. It states that future benefits might include foods for increased energy, mental alertness, and better sleep.
Discoveries in genetics make it possible to understand the effects of nutrients in processes at the molecular level in the body and also the variable effects of dietary components on the individual. The report predicts that consumers could tailor their diets to meet changing health goals and different requirements at different ages.
This is the third Expert Report commissioned by IFT, following the release of Biotechnology and Foods (2000) and Emerging Microbiological Food Safety Issues (2002).
USDA posts foodborne pathogen risk assessments
3/24/2005-The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the availability of, and is requesting public comment on, two draft risk assessments. The first is a quantitative risk assessment of Salmonella in ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products. The second is a quantitative risk assessment of Clostridium perfringens in RTE and
heat-treated, but not RTE, products. The Agency prepared the draft risk assessments to provide scientific information in support of lethality
and stabilization performance standards that the Agency proposed for the processing of such products in a notice of proposed rulemaking published February 27, 2001 (66 FR 12590). FSIS is holding a public
meeting to present and discuss these draft risk assessments. The public meeting is scheduled for March 24, 2005. For more information, see the Federal Register of March 24, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 56, Page 15017-15018).
Rice site provides information for food processors
3/24/2005-Rice provides a variety of opportunities for food product formulating. A web site offered by the USA Rice Federation provides information on rice food processing, research, nutrition, and a rice guide. For more information, see www.usarice.com.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
EU confirms existing regulatory framework on GMOs
3/23/2005-On March 22, The EU's European Commission took stock of the EU legislative framework on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). During the debate, the Commission confirmed its full confidence in the existing regulatory framework on GMOs, one of the strictest in the world, which provides for a high level of scientific assessment and at the same time safeguards the consumers right to choose.
The Commission concluded that it would continue to comply fully with its legal obligations and proceed with the approval of pending authorisations as appropriate. While continuing to fulfil the responsibilities imposed on it by the EU legislative framework, the Commission has reflected on the need to develop consensus between all interested parties.
Over the past four years, the EU has put in place a stringent system to regulate genetically modified food, feed and crops. The authorisation procedure under this new system ensures that only GMOs which are safe for human and animal consumption and for release into the environment can be placed on the European market. Clear labelling rules allow farmers, other users and consumers to choose whether or not to purchase such products. Individual authorisations are granted following scientific evaluation on a case by case basis.
Requests for authorisations which do not fulfil all criteria have been and will continue to be rejected. The Commission will fulfil its responsibilities in the establishment of labelling thresholds and, on the implementation of co-existence measures, it will reflect on possible further steps on the basis of a report to be finalised by the end of this year concerning the experience gained in the Member States.
Questions and Answers on the Regulation of GMOs in the European Union at http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/05/104&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Common food additive may help prevent diabetes
3/23/2005-According USDA researchers, a common food additive may help prevent diabetes in consumers of high-fat foods. The researchers report a soluble cellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, may, if added to high-fat food items, slow down fat absorption to a healthier rate and reduce the likelihood of developing insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. The preliminary animal study was described March 15 at the 229th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in San Diego, Calif. The additive has been used for many years to provide texture in foods, but the researchers believe this is the first study to demonstrate its potential as a functional food ingredient.
If the findings prove true in human studies, it could benefit young people, who tend to be frequent consumers of high-fat fast-foods.
“Obviously, the less fat you eat, the better off you are. But if you’re going to eat high fat foods, then adding HPMC to it might help limit the damage,” says Wallace H. Yokoyama, Ph.D., a research chemist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Albany, Calif. “In our studies with hamsters, adding HPMC to the animals’ high-fat diet prevented development of insulin resistance.”
New USDA egg safety lab to be established
3/23/2005-Egg safety, quality and marketability are the focus of a new Agricultural Research Service (ARS) laboratory established this year in Athens, Ga.
The new Egg Safety and Quality Research Unit, based at the Richard B. Russell Research Center, will conduct research to protect both the health of consumers and the marketability of eggs. Scientists will develop improved technologies for egg production and processing that will reduce or eliminate microorganisms that can transmit disease to humans or cause spoilage.
One of the unit's key research goals is to determine how microbial pathogens infect poultry and cause egg contamination, according to ARS microbiologist Richard Gast, the unit's research leader. Additionally, scientists will investigate how poultry production practices can influence such infections.
Researchers will develop methods to prevent pathogens from infecting egg-laying poultry, and tests to detect infected flocks and contaminated eggs. Ultimately, the research may also help improve egg processing practices, which could reduce microbial contamination while enhancing egg quality.
Researchers in the unit include Gast, veterinary medical officer Jean Guard Bouldin, microbiologist Peter Holt, physiologist Randy Moore, and food technologists Deana Jones and Mike Musgrove.
In 2003, an estimated 87.2 billion eggs were produced in the United States, with about 85 percent of them destined for human consumption, according to figures from USDA's Economic Research Service. Per capita consumption of eggs and egg products in 2003 was the equivalent of 254 eggs, an increase of 19 eggs per person from 1990, ERS estimated.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
New sweet potato grade
3/22/2005-The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) is revising the United States Standards for Grades of Sweet Potatoes. USDA had received a request from several industry
groups to add a new grade to the standards, U.S. No. 1 Petite. The change will allow the packing and shipping of smaller size sweet potatoes under the U.S. standards, thereby, improving the usefulness of
the standards in serving the industry. For more information, see the Federal Register of March 22, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 54, Page 14436).
Aerotech expands laboratory network
3/22/2005-Aerotech P&K has announced the opening of two new consumer products and food safety (CPFS) laboratories. These new laboratories in Cherry Hill, NJ and Los Angeles, CA will allow Aerotech P&K to expand its capabilities and services from coast to coast.
The new laboratories will give local clients access to the company's range of consumer product and food safety analysis which otherwise may not have been available. In addition to a full range of services, the new locations will offer clients technical expertise, specialty testing, and complimentary courier service.
"These new locations are an exciting opportunity for us to show clients all over the nation what we can do for them, " stated Andrea Norman, Food Sciences Manager.
Yogurt consumption may promote fat loss
3/22/2005-A study to be published in the upcoming April issue of the International Journal of Obesity indicates that yogurt may help make it easier to lose fat while maintaining lean muscle.
The study – submitted by lead researcher Michael Zemel, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Tennessee – found that individuals who included yogurt as part of their weight loss plan lost significantly more weight compared to others who simply reduced calories. The yogurt eaters lost 22% more weight—an average of 14 pounds, 66% more body fat and 81% more trunkal (stomach) fat during the 12-week study.
“The results are impressive,” according to an editorial discussing the newly published study in the same issue. The editorial goes on to say that this research is important because losing fat while “protect[ing] lean body mass is essential for the development of appropriate dietary recommendations.”
Zemel and colleagues at the University of Tennessee studied the impact of adding yogurt to a reduced-calorie diet on 34 healthy obese adults who were randomly assigned to one of two diet groups.
The yogurt group consumed about 1,100 mg of calcium each day. The control group consumed a low calcium diet with only one serving of dairy per day, a reflection of the typical American diet, which is low in calcium.
“Not only did yogurt help the study participants lose more weight—the average weight loss was 14 pounds—they were about twice as effective at maintaining lean muscle mass,” Zemel said. “This is a critical issue when dieting -- you want to lose fat, not muscle. Muscle helps burn calories, but it is often compromised during weight loss.”
The participants who included yogurt in their diets also lost 81% more fat in the stomach area, which is the most dangerous type of fat. “Apple-shaped” obese individuals who carry extra fat around their middle section are at an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer.
The calcium-rich diet helped the participants lose more than an inch around their waist. This represented about a six-fold greater decrease in waist circumference.
“Successful weight maintenance involves small lifestyle changes that can be easily done on a daily basis,” said Dr. James Hill of the University of Colorado, who is the lead researcher for the National Weight Control Registry and author of the recently published The Step Diet Book. “The science connecting yogurt and weight loss is very encouraging, and what could be easier than including yogurt in your daily routine?”
Egypt lifts ban on U.S. beef products
3/22/2005-U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced on March 21 that Egypt is immediately resuming imports of U.S. beef and beef products from animals less than 30 months of age.
The agreement requires age and origin requirements under a USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Beef Export Verification (BEV) program. In 2003, Egyptian purchases of U.S. beef and beef products amounted to $30 million, with liver accounting for nearly 65% or $19 million of total sales.
New table lists all EU GM food applications
3/22/2005-Since 18 April 2004, Genetically Modified Food and Feed applications are regulated in the European Community under Regulation (EC) 1829/2003. It provides for a single Community procedure for the authorisation. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is responsible for the scientific assessment of genetically modified food and feed. Information related to the applications submitted to EFSA under Regulation (EC) 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed will be updated regularly. For more information, see the EFSA Press Release.
EFSA seeks assistance on foodborne outbreak data
3/22/2005-The European Food Safety Agency is seeking a contractor to provide scientific and technical assistance relating to the collection, reporting, examination, analyses and compilation of data on food-borne outbreaks. This includes, in particular, the identification of the needs for information regarding food-borne outbreaks in the European Community and the construction of a Community reporting system for results from investigations of food-borne outbreaks. For more information, see EFSA Press Release.
Dark chocolate may improve insulin sensitivity
3/22/2005-In latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 81, No. 3, 541-542, March 2005, a group of researchers report that the consumption of dark chocolate improves glucose metabolism and decreases blood pressure. They studied 15 healthy young adults with typical Italian diets that were supplemented daily with 100 g dark chocolate or 90 g white chocolate, each of which provided 480 kcal. The polyphenol contents of the dark and white chocolate were assumed to be 500 and 0 mg, respectively. The group found that the dark chocolate supplement was associated with improved insulin resistance and sensitivity and decreased systolic blood pressure, whereas white chocolate had no effect. For more information, see the editorial and the article.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Twentieth Century edibles timeline
3/21/2005-I can not vouch for its accuracy, but this site offers an interesting listing of some of the food products introduced by decade…For more see, Twentieth Century Edibles Timeline.
Certified Labs acquires Columbia Food Labs
3/21/2005-Certified Laboratories Inc., a private food testing laboratory,announced that it has completed the acquisition of California-based Columbia Food Laboratories, a provider of analytical services to the food industry. The acquisition positions Certified Laboratories Inc., to serve the food industry’s analytical and scientific needs nationwide.
Certified Laboratories, established in 1926, is a full service laboratory, specializing in chemistry, microbiology, import, nutritional labeling, light filth, and regulatory services.
American Egg Board to participate at IFT Annual Meeting
3/21/2005-The American Egg Board will be participating at the upcoming IFT Annual Meeting. Representing the American Egg Board, Donald McNamara will be presenting Egg Protein & Their Applications on Friday, July 15th at 10:30 at Continuing Education Symposium titled “Ingredients and their Applications for the Development of Products Promoting Health & Wellness”. The information presented will demonstrate the significant potential of biologically active egg components for medical, nutraceutical, and food-fortification applications. This information benefits those interested in functional foods and disease prevention properties of nutrients.
Additionally, McNamara will participate in the symposium titled “Egg Nutraceuticals: - Cracking the Secret of Egg” on Tuesday, July 19th from 2:30 – 5:30. His presentation will discuss the health benefits associated with egg xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) as related to decreased risks for degenerative eye diseases and certain types of cancers. His talk will contain information particularly beneficial to food scientists and product developers.
The American Egg Board will sponsor a Coffee Break during this Symposium, and materials will be available pertinent to the presentation.
McNamara holds a PhD degree in biochemistry from Purdue University and has served as a faculty member at the Rockefeller University in New York and the University of Arizona in Tucson. McNamara is currently the Executive Director of the Egg Nutrition Center, a health education and research center funded by US egg producers. He is widely published in the area of nutrition and health and a frequent speaker at national and international programs.
For more information, call 847-296-7043, go to www.aeb.org.
Coca-Cola to introduce new zero-calorie cola
3/21/2005-Coca-Cola North America today announced that it will introduce Coca-Cola Zero, a new zero-calorie cola, in the United States in June.
"Coca-Cola Zero is exactly what young adults told us they wanted -- real Coca-Cola taste, zero calories and a new brand they can call their own," said Dan Dillon, vice president, Diet Portfolio, Coca-Cola North America. "Young people today do not want to compromise on flavor or calories and we think Coca-Cola Zero's taste and personality will appeal to them."
Coca-Cola Zero will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign including television, radio, print, and out-of-home advertising, on-line activation, and sampling programs.
Coca-Cola Zero will be sweetened with a blend of aspartame and acesulfame potassium (ace-k), and will be available in a broad range of package sizes. The launch of Coca-Cola Zero will have no impact on Coca-Cola North America's ongoing support for Diet Coke, America's #1 diet soft drink, as the target audiences are different.
The launch of Coca-Cola Zero continues a year of innovation for Coca-Cola North America, including a range of new product offerings across all beverage categories. Full Throttle energy drink, Coca-Cola with Lime, and Dasani Lemon and Dasani Raspberry flavored waters have already been launched, with Diet Coke sweetened with Splenda as well as Coca-Cola Zero slated for later this year, as well as new packaging for POWERade.
Modern potatoes' origins being explored
3/21/2005-The brown potato has a colorful history that some researchers are still disputing.
While potatoes are believed to have arrived in Europe in the 1500s from the South American Andes, Agricultural Research Service botanist David M. Spooner has uncovered DNA evidence showing that early potatoes also came from South America's southwestern coast, in lowland Chile.
From outward appearances, modern potatoes would seem to have Chilean ancestors. European potato plants have wide leaflets like Chilean ones, and both are "long-day adapted," which means they require the longer days of summer to form tubers.
But in the 1930s, researchers started challenging the notion of the Chilean connection, arguing that the first potatoes to reach Europe came only from the Andes. They claimed Chilean potatoes couldn't have survived the long journey from their native country, down through the Straits of Magellan and across the Atlantic.
According to Spooner, who works in the ARS Vegetable Crops Research Unit at Madison, Wis., potato seeds can last several years and so could have easily survived the trip. But even more compelling are data he recently assessed with colleagues at the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru, and the Central Potato Research Institute in Shimla, India.
The researchers surveyed an assortment of potatoes from India considered to be remnants of some of the first potatoes to Europe. They found that these descendants share specific molecular traits with potatoes from Chile--not the Andes.
Still, some argue that Chilean potatoes weren't introduced to Europe until after the famous 1840s Irish potato famine, to rescue the crop from the rot-causing late blight fungus. But, as Spooner points out, Chilean potatoes aren't known for having resistance to late blight.
With an increased understanding of modern potatoes' true ancestors, scientists can better preserve the world's potato plants to breed future varieties and realize the crop's natural disease- and insect-resistance potential.
Study supports belief that oysters may boost libido
3/21/2005-For centuries, marine mollusks such as clams, oysters and scallops have been thought to act as aphrodisiacs when eaten raw. Now, a team of researchers from the U.S. and Italy says they may have found, for the first time, a scientific basis to support this belief. They analyzed the chemical composition of tissues from a group of mollusks commonly consumed in Mediterranean countries and found that they contain D-aspartic acid and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate), two compounds which were shown in previous animal studies to stimulate the release of hormones, including testosterone and estrogen, that are involved in heightened sexual activity. The findings were presented on Wednesday, March 16 at the American Chemical Society national meeting in San Diego, March 13-17.
Apples may help reduce heart disease risk
3/21/2005-In a new study that provides further evidence that eating apples may help reduce the risk of heart disease, researchers at Cornell University in New York have found that the popular fruit may have a dual benefit on blood cholesterol. In a study using human liver cells, they showed that antioxidants found in apple extracts could potentially lower "bad" cholesterol (low density lipoprotein, or LDL) by stimulating the production of LDL receptors in the liver, which help remove cholesterol from the blood. This mechanism is similar to that of statin drugs, they say. The study also showed that apple extracts prevent the bad (LDL) cholesterol from turning into oxidized LDL, a potentially more deadly form of bad cholesterol that is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Another study by the same researcher found that eating apples may help prevent breast cancer in animals. That study was recently published in the online version of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed ACS publication, and can be obtained by contacting the person listed at the top of this release. The findings were presented on Sunday, March 13 at the American Chemical Society national meeting in San Diego, March 13-17.
New food ingredients consulting service launched
3/21/2005-Bobbi Buford Marketing has launched its marketing and market research consulting services for the food ingredients industry.
“Our marketing services focus on marketing communications planning and execution, in-depth customer interviews, competitive intelligence, secondary market research, and sales and marketing plans,” Ms. Buford explained, “while marketing planning includes product and package evaluation, marketing communications, channel of distribution, and regulatory approvals to better meet customer needs.”
With extensive experience in sales, marketing, market research, and market development, specializing in food ingredients, Bobbi Buford has served as Market Development Executive, Global Business Manager, and National Sales Manager for several corporations, including Eastman Chemical Company, UOP (Universal Oil Products), Teepak, and Kraft Foods R & D.
Active in several food industry organizations, Ms. Buford served on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Flavors and Food Ingredients Systems (NAFFS), the Lipid Oxidation and Quality Division of the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS), and the Food Executive Women (FEW). She is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) and the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT). She has been a featured speaker at food-related conferences and conventions and is a published author and newsletter editor.
Ms. Buford earned an M.B.A. in Marketing Management from Loyola University of Chicago, and a B.S. in Foods in Business from Purdue University. She received the UOP Employee of the Year Award for Outstanding Performance in Business Management. She also received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Consumer and Family Sciences Department of Purdue University, and served as a Trade Delegate on a Mission to China with the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Bobbi Buford Marketing is a marketing services consulting firm based in Glenview, IL and Naples, FL. Additional information is available by contacting bobbi.buford@comcast.net.
North Carolina wine industry has tripled in size
3/21/2005-The number of wineries in North Carolina has more than tripled in the past decade. Sociologists Ian Taplin and Saylor Breckenridge have documented this rapid growth of retail wineries and commercial wine production in a study to be published in the 2005 issue of Research in the Sociology of Work.
They went door-to-door to wineries in the Yadkin River Valley and across the state to find out how the wine industry has taken root in North Carolina. They looked at how good grape-growing soil and climate conditions, the decline of tobacco, and a few pioneering entrepreneurs have given the fledgling industry its start.
Their survey of 14 North Carolina winemakers in 2003 covered topics such as why they decided to make wine, how they learned to grow grapes, the size of their vineyards and the amount of wine bottled and sold. They included vineyards making wine from muscadine grapes, located mostly in the eastern part of the state, and vineyards growing European-style vinifera grapes. The vinifera grapes, like those used to make chardonnays and cabernets, grow best in the Yadkin Valley and other western areas of the state.
The study included only bonded wineries, those wineries actually licensed to sell alcoholic beverages, but the sociologists have continued to track the development of the wine industry. They are conducting a new study and will visit many of the almost 20 new wineries that have opened in North Carolina since their last survey.
Legislation against the tobacco industry has reduced the ability of small tobacco farmers to continue to grow that crop and has led some (about 2 percent) to start growing grapes, a decision made easier by tax incentives for wine production. By switching to grape production, such individuals can continue to extract high value from small acreage, Taplin and Breckenridge reported in their study.
Growing grapes is a long-term investment, with new skill sets and a greater need for marketing the end product. “So, compared to tobacco, it will probably never be as profitable,” Taplin, professor of sociology, said.
They did find that small boutique wineries, the fastest growing group of wineries, are the most likely to make at least a small profit. These small wineries usually have vineyards with less than 10 acres.
They also describe two other types of wineries. Medium-sized wineries, mostly started by farmers who switched from tobacco to grapes, have 10-30 acres of vines and startup capital costs of between $250,000 and $500,000. Large capital-intensive wineries usually have more than 30 acres of vines and startup capital costs greater than $500,000.
Taplin and Breckenridge cite examples of ways winemaking entrepreneurs have developed profitable businesses. One winemaker located his winery close to Raleigh and formed a partnership with a Yadkin Valley farmer to provide grapes for wine production. In a similar move, another opened a winery near the coast, where vinifera grapes will not grow, to take advantage of the tourist market there and then contracted with Yadkin Valley grape growers to provide fruit.
“Much of the wine business is pitched around selling locally from their tasting rooms,” Taplin said.
Taplin forecasts that the economic gains for North Carolina lie primarily in increased tourism, as bed and breakfasts, small inns and restaurants are built around wineries, particularly in areas where several wineries are clustered together.
“The more wineries created, the more visibility the industry gets and the more it attracts new people,” Taplin said.
Everyone interviewed for the study reported a high degree of information-sharing between wineries. An increase in available information has taken place in recent years and continued sharing of knowledge among wineries on what grows best is one of the factors most likely to help the industry grow, the researchers said. The growth of infrastructure to support wineries, including a community college viticulture program in the Yadkin Valley area and the establishment of the Grape Council, whose aim is to promote the growth of winemaking in the state, have been important factors in the creation of new wineries.
According to the sociologists, the North Carolina wine industry is not ready to compete with California’s.
“They might be able to establish a niche with newer types of wine made with grapes that grow well here like viognier and Italian varietals,” Taplin said. “The biggest challenge will be keeping their price points down, to avoid charging too much for wine that has an unknown track record.”
They point out in their study that North Carolina does have a small, historical winemaking tradition and was one of the first states to commercially cultivate wine. The state’s first commercial vineyard, Medoc vineyard, was founded in 1835 in Halifax County.
Company releases new SPC software
3/21/2005-Northwest Analytical, Inc., a provider of statistical process control (SPC) software, on March 16, announced a major update to its SPC charting and analysis software, called NWA Quality Analyst. The software helps manufacturers understand and improve their processes to increase product quality, reduce defects, waste and costs, meet customer requirements, certify vendors and comply with regulatory requirements.
The new Version 6 enables manufacturers to more easily analyze their process data to identify process improvements and execute quality initiatives such as Six Sigma, CAPA (Corrective Action/Preventative Action) and ISO. The new version also includes several key enhancements that further simplify the integration of SPC and process quality data with plant-level and enterprise manufacturing information systems such as ERP, MES and LIMS.
Paper describes new pasteurization testing regulations
3/21/2005-Advanced Instruments, Inc. is offering a new white paper entitled, “Pasteurization Testing in a Stricter Regulatory Environment.” The paper provides U.S. dairy lab managers some help in meeting the new, more demanding Federal pasteurization testing regulations that went into effect on March 1, 2005.
As of March 1, new ALP detection criteria of 350 mU (3 micrograms) per liter (0.075% raw milk equivalent) went into effect. Dairy lab managers using the Scharer method of visual ALP colorimetric testing no longer comply with U.S. Food and Drug Administration pasteurization testing requirements.
The white paper reviews the new ALP testing options and explains their benefits to dairy process control and productivity. For more information, see http://www.aicompanies.com/fluorophos or request a copy by calling, toll-free, 1-800-225-4034.
Kellogg seeking to close Keebler bakeries
3/21/2005-Kellogg Company announced on March 17 that it is considering closing its Keebler bakeries in Macon, Georgia and Des Plaines, Illinois to improve operational efficiency. The company stated that it intends to bargain over the proposed plant closings with the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the unions that represent hourly employees at the respective facilities.
"We are committed to continual improvement," said Brad Davidson, Kellogg Company's president of U.S. Snacks. "Our snacks business achieved solid growth in 2004.
Should the company proceed, up-front costs associated with the capacity rationalization are expected to be approximately $120 million, much of which will be incurred during 2005. Consequently, total up-front costs for the year are now expected to be approximately $0.15 per share, a significant increase from the $0.08-0.10 expected previously. Despite this increase, the Company continues to expect full-year earnings in a range of $2.28-2.32 per share.
Friday, March 18, 2005
USDA to fund BSE research and a Food Safety Network
3/18/2005-The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will redirect nearly $2 million in funding to enhance research on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and $5 million has been awarded to 17 colleges and universities to establish a Food Safety Research and Response Network. The funding was announced today by Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns.
"In a rapidly changing world marketplace, science is the universal language that must guide our rules and policies, rather than subjectivity or politics," said Johanns. "Expanding our research efforts to improve the understanding of BSE and other food-related illness pathogens will strengthen the security of our nation's food supply. These projects will help improve food safety by enhancing our research partnerships with the academic community and establish another tool to aid our response to food-related disease outbreaks."
The BSE research funds will be redirected by USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) for new BSE projects and facilities. Projects include international collaborations with the Veterinary Laboratory Agency in Great Britain; the Italian BSE Reference Laboratory, to evaluate present diagnostic tools for detecting atypical BSE cases; and the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain to compare North American and European BSE strains.
Additionally, about $750,000 will be directed toward a biocontainment facility under construction at the ARS National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa, to allow the long-term study of BSE infection in cattle and other large animals.
Through the Food Safety Research and Response Network, led by North Carolina State University, food safety experts from 18 colleges and universities will investigate several of the most prevalent food-related illness pathogens, such as E.coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter. The team will study where the pathogens are found in the environment, how they are sustained and how they infect herds. They will also serve as a response team that can be mobilized to conduct focused research to control major episodes of food-related illnesses.
New food ingredient supplier to target organic market
3/18/2005-ED&F Man, the world's leading merchant of cocoa, sugar and coffee, has formed Corigins (www.corigins.com), a new US-based supplier of the highest quality, traceable ingredients to the rapidly expanding organic and natural foods sector.
Corigins will have access to ED&F Man's global network of 4,000 employees in 90 countries, and will provide food manufacturers with ingredients such as certified organic sugar from Costa Rica, Fair Trade and organic cocoa from Ecuador, and natural and organic sugars from around the world.
Mirroring the trend started in the specialty coffee industry, Corigins is pioneering the "specialty cocoa" market, which will see the convergence of quality, single origin artisan cocoa with organic and Fair Trade programs.
"Our goal is to expand the organic and natural markets and build long-term relationships with family farmers around the globe," said company president, Bruce Kirk, who has been involved in the organic sugar industry for nearly twenty years. "We want to ensure that our industry is exemplary of the highest possible standards of quality, integrity and transparency."
Corigins will also support natural foods customers with proprietary blending and formulation services that, until now, have been offered only to the largest mainstream foods manufacturers. These services can speed a natural foods company's time to market, improving both production efficiency and product quality.
Corigins is simultaneously introducing an integrated tracking system using cutting-edge Internet technologies that will allow food companies to comply with the complex auditing requirements of the US, EU and Japanese organic programs, as well as the Bioterrorism Act of 2002.
"By automating a paper trail including multiple certificates, lot codes, and inspector reports," said Kirk, "we'll make it possible to trace a product all the way from the farm to the table, and back again. No other company offers this critical service today."
Industry and academics seek middle ground on obesity
3/18/2005-At an obesity symposium held, March 16-17, by the Harvard Medical School Dept. of Nutrition and several food industry corporations, including ConAgra, Coke-Cola, Gerber, and McDonald’s, several saw a chance for partnerships between food retailers and health experts on ways the two could work together to change the U.S. diet. For more information and webcasts of the symposium see
http://www.hms.harvard.edu/nutrition/education/edu_nut_symp.html.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Acrylamide does not increase breast cancer risk
3/17/2005-Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, have found no association between acrylamide intake in foods and risk of breast cancer among Swedish women. The findings appear in the March 16, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
In 2002, the Swedish National Food Administration first reported the discovery of acrylamide in several commonly eaten foods. The World Health Organization has classified acrylamide as a probable human carcinogen, based chiefly on experimental data. Acrylamide appears to form as a result of a reaction between specific amino acids and sugars found in foods when heated to high temperatures. It’s found in foods such as potato chips, French fries, cereals, breads, biscuits, coffee and meatballs, among others. The researchers found that the amount of acrylamide eaten in the diet did not pose an increased risk of breast cancer among the women in the study. Animal and laboratory studies in the past have shown higher levels of certain types of tumors in rats, including mammary gland tumors, however they were exposed to levels 1,000 to 100,000 times greater than levels humans are exposed to through diet.
The researchers assessed acrylamide intake of more than 43,000 women, including 667 breast cancer cases, who were enrolled in the Swedish Women’s Lifestyle and Health Cohort. Acrylamide intake was determined from food frequency questionnaires reported by the women in 1991; the women’s health status was tracked via national health registers until the end of 2002.
The average daily acrylamide intake among the participants was 25.9 micrograms per day. Less than 1.5 percent of the women consumed more than 1 microgram of acrylamide per kilogram of body weight per day, a level used in risk assessment models. The foods that contributed the most to acrylamide intake were coffee (54 percent of acrylamide dose), fried potatoes (12 percent of dose) and crisp bread, (9 percent of dose). Comparing the women in the study who had the lowest daily acrylamide intake, the researchers found no significant increased risk of breast cancer among the women whose intake was higher. Additionally, the researchers did not find an increased risk of breast cancer among study participants who had greater intakes of specific foods known to contain acrylamide.
Lorelei Mucci, lead author of the study and a researcher in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health and Channing Laboratory at Brigham and Women’s Hospital said, “This is the first prospective study to examine whether acrylamide intake through foods is associated with an increased risk of cancer. It’s reassuring to see that the study suggests that the amount of acrylamide consumed in the Swedish diet is not associated with an excess risk of breast cancer”. She added, “Given the widespread public health implications of acrylamide, however, it is important to examine the risk associated with other cancers as well as neurological conditions”
Previous research from Lorelei Mucci found that dietary levels of acrylamide do not increase the risk of bladder, large bowel and kidney cancer in humans.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/press/releases/press01282003.html
Obesity causing decrease in life expectancy
3/17/2005-According to a report in the this week’s The New England Journal of Medicine, the prevalence and severity of obesity is so great that it will lead to a decrease in life expectancy in the 21st century. According to the researchers current life expectancy at birth in the U.S. would be one third to three quarters of a year higher if all overweight adults were to attain their ideal weight. For more information, see the New England Journal of Medicine. (Access requires registration).
FDA warns against cheeses made with raw milk
3/17/2005-The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is advising that some soft cheeses made with raw milk present a health risk, especially to high risk groups, such as pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Such raw milk soft cheeses can cause several serious infectious diseases including listeriosis, brucellosis, salmonellosis and tuberculosis. Recently, cases of tuberculosis in New York City have been linked to consumption of queso fresco style cheeses, either imported from Mexico or consumed in Mexico, contaminated with Mycobacterium bovis, the causative agent.
The raw milk soft cheeses of most concern can originate from Mexico and Central American countries. Queso fresco style cheese, which is soft and white, has been found to be the most popular kind of cheese among the Hispanic community and can include Queso Panela, Asadero, Blanco and Ranchero, among other styles and may be imported or produced in the U.S.
FDA recommends that consumers do not eat any unripened raw milk soft cheeses from Mexico, Nicaragua, or Honduras. Data show that they are often contaminated with pathogens. FDA further recommends that consumers not purchase or consume raw milk soft cheeses from sources such as flea markets, sellers operating door-to-door or out of their trucks or shipped or carried in luggage to them from Mexico, Nicaragua, or Honduras. This includes cheeses made at home by individuals.
Cargill launches new logo for plant sterol products
3/17/2005-Cargill Health & Food Technologies (H&FT) is launching a new logo for its CoroWise™ Naturally Sourced Cholesterol Reducer™ brand of plant sterols that more clearly communicates the consumer benefits of the product, adding more value to those product labels on which it appears. The new brand mark breathes new life into the CoroWise™ branding strategy.
“Our new look makes it easier for consumers to immediately identify the heart healthy benefits of products made with CoroWise™ plant sterols,” said Steve Snyder, Cargill H&FT vice president, sales and marketing. “We are confident that the CoroWise™ brand will strongly support our partner’s marketing objectives for their heart healthy brands.”
Snyder said that consumer marketing research, coupled with customer input, helped to inform and ultimately define the new logo’s key messages.
ADM expands production of zero/low-trans fat oil
3/17/2005-Archer Daniels Midland Co. will expand NovaLipid™ production by adding capacity at its Mankato, Minnesota enzyme interesterification facility. NovaLipid™ products are the Company’s line of zero/low trans-fat oils and margarines. Construction is scheduled to be completed late in 2005. This is the second expansion to the NovaLipid line. Last year, the company had announced that it was expanding its production at its Quincy, Illinois facility to help satisfy the food industry’s demands as it moves forward to meet the January 1, 2006, FDA labeling
requirement.
“ADM is using its expertise to help food manufacturers meet consumers’ demands for variety, taste and health,” stated Paul B. Mulhollem, ADM President and Chief Operating Officer.
“The NovaLipid portfolio includes naturally stable oils, tropical oils, blended oils, and enzyme
interesterified shortenings and margarines to provide alternatives in various food applications
including baking, confectionery, snack, frying and cereal products.”
Monsanto GM sugar beet no longer regulated
3/17/2005-The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced that they have determined that the Monsanto and KWS SAAT AG sugar beet designated as event H7-1, which has been genetically engineered for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate, is no longer considered a regulated article under the regulations governing the introduction of certain genetically engineered organisms. The APHIS documents may be viewed at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppd/rad/webrepor.html
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Liquid egg whites with omega-3 introduced
3/15/2005-Martek Biosciences Corp. announced today that liquid egg whites containing Martek DHA(TM) are now available through Gold Circle Farms. Derived from marine algae, Martek DHA(TM) is a vegetarian source of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid.
"It's good news at breakfast for omelet and scrambled egg lovers. They can now have their Martek DHA(TM) and eat their eggs too," said Henry "Pete" Linsert, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Martek.
Gold Circle Farms liquid eggs are made with real egg whites from vegetarian-fed hens, and are enhanced with the vitamins and nutrients that would otherwise be found in egg yolk. The liquid eggs are free of fat and cholesterol and are also available in a cage-free variety.
Hidden Villa Ranch of Fullerton, California is the exclusive provider of Gold Circle Farms DHA Omega-3 eggs and has more than 50 business relationships with egg farmers across the country, making it the largest non-retail buyer of eggs in the United States. Gold Circle Farms eggs contain one of the highest levels of DHA available in eggs.
Gold Circle Farms egg products are found in natural food stores, such as Wild Oats and Whole Foods Market.
GAO: FDA needs improvement on BSE feed ban
3/15/2005-The Government Accountability Office said in a newly released report that while the Food and Drug Administration has made improvements in its management of the Mad Cow Disease feed ban, "various program weaknesses continue to undermine the nation's firewall against BSE."
For more information, see the GAO Report,"Mad Cow Disease: FDA's Management of the Feed Ban Has Improved, but Oversight Weaknesses Continue to Limit Program Effectiveness".
Why do low-carb diets melt the pounds?
3/15/2005-A new study by Temple University School of Medicine researchers has shown why the pounds melt so quickly on low-carbohydrate diets, and it’s not related to water, metabolism or boredom. The research was conducted in a group of obese patients with type 2 diabetes who followed the Atkins diet.
According to lead researcher, Guenther Boden, M.D., “When carbohydrates were restricted, study subjects spontaneously reduced their caloric intake to a level appropriate for their height, did not compensate by eating more protein or fat, and lost weight. We concluded that excessive overeating had been fueled by carbohydrates.”
Almost 80 percent of diabetics are overweight or obese, compounding health risks such as heart disease and stroke. Boden wanted to examine how low-carbohydrate diets, which have been shown to produce rapid weight loss, affected weight, appetite and blood sugar in obese diabetics.
He discovered that study subjects did not eat less because they were bored with the food selection, and their weight loss was not attributable to water loss, two common speculations about low-carb diets. Further, weight loss could not be explained by a change in metabolism, another popular misconception.
The study, “Short-Term Effects of Low-Carbohydrate Diet Compared with Usual Diet in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes,” is published in the March 15 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine. It is the only study of the Atkins diet to have been conducted in the strictly controlled environment of a clinical research center where every calorie eaten and spent was measured.
After a week of typical eating, ten obese patients with type 2 diabetes followed the Atkins diet for two weeks, with carbohydrates limited to 20 grams per day and unlimited protein and fat.
“When we took away the carbohydrates, the patients spontaneously reduced their daily energy consumption by 1,000 calories a day. Although they could have, they did not compensate by eating more proteins and fats and they weren’t bored with the food choices. In fact, they loved the diet. The carbohydrates were clearly stimulating their excessive appetites,” said Boden.
All patients stayed in the hospital for the length of the study to ensure exact measurements of calorie intake and expenditure. In other studies of the Atkins diet, subjects were at home and reported their own diet and exercise, making it difficult to ensure accuracy.
In addition to the calorie reduction and weight loss, subjects experienced markedly improved glucose levels and insulin sensitivity, as well as lower triglycerides and cholesterol.
Treatment for diabetes centers on closely monitoring sugar levels, diet and medication. Weight loss can often reduce or eliminate the need for medication, including insulin.
Boden warns that the long term effects of low-carbohydrate diets are not known. Whether other types of diets would have a similar impact also remains to be investigated.
Other research projects of Boden’s include a National Institutes of Health supported study of obesity-associated diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
This study was funding by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association.
Breakfast food market rebounds
3/15/2005-After suffering through the dark days of the low-carb craze -- when everything wheat-related was abandoned post-haste -- the breakfast foods market is enjoying a rebound, thanks in part to convenient product formulation, consumer health concerns and the rehabilitation of whole grain foods, according to "The U.S. Market for Breakfast Foods and Beverages," a new report from market research publisher Packaged Facts.
The low-carb, high-protein diet did, however, have a silver lining for the breakfast market. Over the past five years, the strongest selling categories in this $24 billion business have been fresh eggs and breakfast meats. Eggs in particular have boomed of late, posting a nearly 19% boost in sales in 2003.
Also fueling growth have been sales of breakfast bars -- a byproduct of the American consumer's desire for convenience -- and innovative new products, such as specialty eggs and pre-cooked bacon.
The largest single category, breakfast cereal, lost 2.2% between 2000 and 2004. But that may soon change, as marketers reformulate products and consumers recognize that the wholesale rejection of carbohydrate-laden foods can be a nutritional mistake.
"Well before low-carb, breakfast cereal sales had been hurting, and the low carb diet didn't help," says Don Montuori. "But cereal marketers have gotten smart, and are repositioning their products to respond to adult and childhood health concerns, with moves such as lowering sugar content in kids' cereals or, in the case of General Mills, converting its entire cereal line to whole grain."
The U.S. Market for Breakfast Foods and Beverages profiles leading breakfast marketers -- among them, General Mills, Kellogg, Kraft, and PepsiCo -- along with specialists in healthier prepared foods such as Atkins Nutritionals, Keto Foods, and Carbolite Foods. The report also analyzes key competitive and marketing trends, advertising expenditures and positioning, and retail trends, including a look at future growth opportunities in products, packaging, marketing, and merchandising.
Priced at $3,000, this report can be purchased directly from Packaged Facts at http://www.packagedfacts.com/pub/1049928.html.
Cargill to highlight new ingredients at Nutracon
3/15/2005-Cargill will showcase a number of new health-promoting, consumer-friendly products at the Nutracon Conference and Natural Products Expo West, March 16-20 at the Anaheim Convention Center. Visitors to the Cargill Booth can sample a variety of prototype products such as bars and beverages featuring Cargill's health-promoting ingredient brands in great tasting, convenient product applications.
Additionally, Cargill will sponsor a presentation on incorporating health-promoting ingredients into chocolate and other confections. The presentation, "Health Platforms and Emerging Ingredients for Functional Confectionery," will take place at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, March 17, in Room 303C and D.
"Cargill is committed to helping food and beverage companies develop products that meet the recommendations in the U.S. government's 2005 Dietary Guidelines," said Cargill Corporate Vice President Robert Parmelee, who oversees the Food Systems Design business group. "Our concept products address some of our most pressing health concerns, such as heart health, joint health and bone health."
Safe food a higher priority, consumer survey says
3/15/2005-Could consumer reluctance to pay more, and fears over irradiation, be trumped by concerns for food safety? According to a survey conducted by Food Safety Consortium researchers at Kansas State University, a majority of consumers would be willing to pay more for meat that's been treated -- by irradiation or steam pasteurization -- against pathogenic bacteria.
In the mail survey, 79% of respondents said that at equal prices, they would choose a "treated" meat product over a standard meat product. If the treated product cost more, 55% would choose it.
Although the probability of choosing to buy an untreated product was higher if the meat was treated via irradiation, once a respondent chose to buy treated meat, they placed a higher value on irradiation, and were more willing to pay a higher price for it.
“A point I want to emphasize is the fact that in this survey, we did not provide any information about irradiation,” said Sean Fox, the KSU agricultural economics associate professor who conducted the survey. “We’ve shown in other surveys that providing information about the technology is absolutely critical to acceptance. In this survey there was no information other than a statement that irradiation is used to kill bacteria.”
Other results from the survey showed that people who consumed more ground beef away from home were more likely to buy the treated product, and that women were slightly more willing to pay more for a treated product than men.
The survey was mailed to households in Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and Wyoming.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Report: Smaller food retailers doing fine
3/14/2005-Smaller food retailers with sales under $100 million posted six-year highs in net profits (1.45 percent) and return on equity (20.38 percent) in fiscal year 2003-2004, according to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) 2004 Annual Financial Review released today. The net profit for the total industry declined to 0.88 percent, down from 0.95 percent the year before.
The overall decline was due mainly to figures posted by large food retailers, particularly those still recovering from the prolonged labor strike in southern California. In addition, health insurance costs increased 19 percent in 2003-2004, and a majority of the companies surveyed for the report expect further increases of up to 14 percent in the next fiscal year.
“Without a doubt, this is a tough, competitive market,” said FMI President and CEO Tim Hammonds. “Companies are squeezed by fierce price competition and continued double-digit increases in the cost of heath benefits — a major expense for an industry as labor intensive as ours.”
“Most encouraging, however, is that many retailers are finding solutions,” he said. “Supermarkets are continuing to find ways to operate more efficiently as reflected in reduced inventory levels and strong asset turnover rates. And the top performers are investing in technology, consumer service and new products that should sustain growth in the years to come.”
The survey for the report found that 90 percent of retailers are optimistic about their future economic outlook, including 35 percent who are “very optimistic.” For more information, see the FMI Press Release.
Cargill introduces new whole-grain corn products
3/14/2005-Cargill Dry Corn Ingredients (DCI) has announced the introduction of MaizeWise™, a new line of whole-grain corn and corn-bran products that will expand food manufacturers’ choices in delivering healthful, corn-based products to their customers. The product line includes three whole-grain corn and two corn-bran products that can be used in a wide array of applications including cereal, pasta, breads, tortillas, taco shells and extruded snacks.
“Clearly, MaizeWise helps address a growing recognition of the important role that whole grains and fiber play in our diets,” said Rex Winter, president of Cargill DCI. “As a result, food manufacturers are seeking ingredient solutions that provide these nutritious components as part of their product formulations.”
The new whole-grain corn products can be used as a direct replacement for existing corn meal, masa or corn flours in pursuit of the FDA-approved whole-grain claim, or blended with other ingredients, according to Mike Van-Houten, Cargill DCI research & development manager. “They deliver 100 percent of whole-grain nutrition, are specially treated for enhanced storage stability and come in a spectrum of flavors,” said Van-Houten.
“MaizeWise corn bran is an insoluble fiber that can dramatically boost dietary fiber at low-to moderate inclusion rates,” said Van-Houten, “while providing minimal impact to flavor, texture and processing characteristics for a wide variety of food products.” For details on MaizeWise products, please visit http://www.cargilldci.com.
FDA sets food labeling compliance date
3/14/2005-The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is establishing January 1, 2008, as the uniform compliance date for food labeling regulations that are issued between March 14, 2005, and December 31, 2006. FDA periodically announces uniform compliance dates for new food labeling requirements to minimize the economic impact of label changes. On December 31, 2002, FDA established January 1, 2006, as the uniform
compliance date for food labeling regulations that issued between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2004.
This rule is effective March 14, 2005. For more information, see the Federal Register of March 14, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 48, Page 12414-12416).
Friday, March 11, 2005
Campina and Wageningen University sign research agreement
3/11/2005-Campina, one of Europe's leading dairy companies, has signed a research co-operation agreement with Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen-UR, The Netherlands). The agreement will boost the co-operation between Campina's R&D-centres and Wageningen-UR.
The collaboration will considerably strengthen ties between Campina and food scientists at Wageningen-UR. The agreement is based on an effective open way of exchanging knowledge between Campina and Wageningen-UR and includes joint innovation projects and facilities sharing between the parties.
The European dairy market is in some areas close to saturation. Various product categories are purchased on a routine basis. Continual innovation is therefore of vital importance in order to remain attractive to consumers, and innovation is therefore assigned an important position in Campina's strategy. The research agreement is fully in line with this strategy.
"I am convinced that this agreement will further enhance our innovative strength," said Toon van Hooijdonk, Corporate Director R&D/QA at Campina. "Wageningen University and Research is at the heart of Food Valley, one of the most respected concentrations of food scientists in the world. By combining their and our knowledge we will be able to boost research power in the field of dairy related products. It is our intention that this partnership in research will generate new food business."
Children's bone health depends on mealtime routine
3/11/2005-A new study by USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists indicates that parents concerned about a young daughter's bone health should make milk part of their child's mealtime routine.
The study was the first to look at how mothers influence their daughters' beverage-drinking habits and bone health during childhood, according to Jennifer O. Fisher, a researcher at the Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC) in Houston.
The study included 180 five-year-old girls from central Pennsylvania. The girls were tracked by the research team for five years, according to Fisher, a CNRC behavioral scientist and professor of pediatrics.
In the study, the researchers tested whether their mothers' sweetened beverage- or milk-drinking choices affected their daughters' long-term beverage choices, and whether the girls' beverage drinking habits were linked to their bone health.
Fisher found that milk-drinking mothers were much more likely to report always--or almost always--serving milk to their daughters at meals and snack times. The sweetened beverages served included both carbonated drinks, such as soda, and noncarbonated beverages such as fruit drinks, sports drinks and sweetened ice tea that contain little, if any, fruit juice.
Results showed that girls who regularly met their calcium needs over the course of the study drank an average of 13 ounces of milk per day, which was almost twice the amount consumed by the girls who did not meet their calcium needs. Those girls also had significantly better measurements of bone health at the end of the study.
Although both groups drank more sweetened beverages as they got older, only the girls whose mothers were in the habit of frequently serving milk at meals and snacks were still drinking significant amounts of milk--and getting enough calcium--at age 9.
EU folic acid policies not working?
3/11/2005-According to a report in this week's British Medical Journal, the prevalence of neural tube defects in Europe has not declined substantially in the past decade, despite national policies of folic acid supplementation in half the countries.
The study says that each year more than 4,500 pregnancies in the European Union are affected by neural tube defects. Researchers examined trends in the prevalence of neural tube defects in 16 European countries between 1980 and 2001, according to their folic acid policies during that time. They found no substantial decline in neural tube defect rates in Continental Europe in the past decade, and although levels in the United Kingdom and Ireland fell by 32% (a continuation of a long-standing decline), they remain higher than levels in Continental Europe. The authors say the data suggests that policies recommending supplementation of folic acid before conception and during early pregnancy in planned pregnancies are not effective enough.
FMC raises ingredient prices
3/11/2005-FMC BioPolymer announced that effective April 15, 2005
and as contract terms permit, it is raising pricing for Food and Pharmaceutical cellulosic-based
products by 5% to 7% on average, depending on the product line. This action is necessitated by cost increases in raw materials, energy and packaging. FMC BioPolymer is a leader in microcrystalline cellulose, carrageenan and alginates for the food, pharmaceutical and industrial markets. The company’s plants in
the United States, Ireland, Norway, Denmark, France, and the Philippines are ISO certified.
USDA delays BSE minimal risk regulations
3/11/2005-The USDA has issued amendments to delay the applicability of certain provisions of the rule entitled "Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy; Minimal-Risk Regions and Importation of Commodities," published in the Federal Register on January 4, 2005, 70 FR 460-553. That rule was scheduled to amend the regulations in 9 CFR parts 93, 94, 95, and 96, effective March 7, 2005, to establish a category of regions that present a minimal risk of introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy into the U.S. via live ruminants and ruminant products and byproducts and to add Canada to this category. That rule included conditions for the importation of certain live
ruminants and ruminant products from such regions. The amendments are effective March 7, 2005. For more information, see the Federal Register of March 11, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 47, Page 12112-12113).
Symrise acquires English flavor manufacturer
3/11/2005-Symrise GmbH & Co. KG in Holzminden, Germany, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of flavors and fragrances. The company is now continuing to expand its international business activities in the field of flavors. As of 31st of March 2005, Symrise will acquire the British flavor manufacturer Flavours Direct in Corby, England.
With the acquisition of Flavours Direct, Symrise is strengthening its position in Great Britain and Ireland making the company one of the foremost suppliers of savory flavors in Great Britain, the largest market for snacks and savory convenience foods in Europe. Currently growing at a rate of over four percent, these products are also experiencing higher than average growth rates in the regions of Europe/Africa/Middle East (EAME), Asia Pacific and South America. Flavours Direct will link Symrise even more closely with the key markets in the EAME region and clients there. To date, Symrise has been represented in the UK by its subsidiary in Marlow.
"The Flavours Direct acquisition supports our global strategy by building on our core competencies in the UK market. This company has been well run and will prove to be a real asset for Symrise," said Andrei Mikhalevsky, Global President of Flavors at Symrise. The acquisition consolidates Symrise's position as the third-largest provider of innovative flavors worldwide.
Founded in 1998, Flavours Direct currently has 38 employees and will continue to trade under its current name as a UK subsidiary of Symrise. In 2004, it yielded annual sales of around 10 million euros.
"We are all very excited about the venture", said Steve Redfearn, Managing Director Flavours Direct. "We believe that this acquisition will bring important benefits to Flavours Direct, coupling our expertise in flavor design and unrivalled customer service with Symrise's technology."
Flavours Direct in Corby works with modern and efficient blending and production facilities. As part of the European Symrise production network, it will be able to respond flexibly to the needs of a dynamic market. "The team at Flavours Direct has outstanding expertise in the field of flavor design and application", states Heiner Schaper, president of EAME flavors. "The close contacts the company has to its clients will help Symrise consolidate its standing with the major players in the UK's food industry. We will be able to benefit from our growth potential in a consistent manner so that we continue to expand our market leadership in Europe."
Thursday, March 10, 2005
New food development center uses the underutilized
3/10/2005-A new center opened by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) will focus on developing new products from underused agricultural materials, such as cheese whey and citrus and apple pectins.
At the Center of Excellence in Extrusion and Polymer Rehology (CEEPR), located at the Eastern Regional Research Center in Wyndmoor, Pa., scientists will focus on creating new foods, food ingredients and nonfood or industrial biodegradable products. Current research projects at the center cover many products, such as snack foods, cheeses, pet foods and meat substitutes. These new products will be developed from concept to prototype to full market production through technology transfer collaborations.
CEEPR is forming partnerships with industry, other research agencies and universities, and is collaborating with other research units throughout ARS. More information about this research is in the March 2005 issue of Agricultural Research magazine.
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
FDA holds food labeling workshops
3/09/2005-The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold the food labeling workshops at New Mexico and Arkansas. On March 21-22, the FDA will host the FDA/New Mexico University Food Labeling Public Workshop in Las Cruces, N.M. On April 5-6 the FDA/University of Arkansas workshop will be held in Fayetteville, Ark. The workshops will focus on food labeling and provide information about FDA food labeling regulations and related subjects to regulated industry, especially small businesses and startups. For more information, see www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/05-2299.htm .
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Crumb Test Dummy does the chewing for you
3/08/2005-Crumb Test Dummy chews cookies to determine which cooking method produces the most crumbs when eaten. For more, see the BBC news item.
Alleggra Foods gets additional funding
3/08/2005-Alleggra Foods Limited, a Unilever Ventures-backed start-up, has raised £1.6m of second-round funding from Tate & Lyle PLC and follow on funding by Unilever Ventures.
Alleggra is a low cost, low carb, cholesterol-free, higher convenience alternative to conventional hen’s eggs. Founded in 2002, utilizing technology developed in Unilever’s food research & development laboratory in the Netherlands, Alleggra has grown into a business offering a whole egg replacer to the food service and food manufacturing industries. Alleggra’s core technology is protected by a series of patents. The company’s plan is ‘to do to eggs what margarine did to butter’. This is a product with global potential and early sales are being made in the UK, with potential expansions in other geographies being reviewed with Tate & Lyle.
Funds will be used to grow the business and to allow Alleggra to reach break even and profitability. Tate & Lyle have acquired a minority stake, with the remainder held by Unilever Ventures and management. Mark Robinson, Head of Investor Relations of Tate & Lyle now joins the board of Alleggra.
Stephen Manley, Chairman of Alleggra Foods said: “We welcome Tate & Lyle as an investor and partner in Alleggra with their expertise in food ingredients and global reach. Alleggra is now well placed and fully funded to expand its business beyond its current base in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.”
Alleggra was developed in Unilever’s food R&D laboratory (Vlaardingen NL), by Janos Bodor, one of Unilever’s most prolific inventors. Janos has been responsible for over 100 Unilever patents, one of which has accounted for over €2.7bn in sales. The formulation and production methods are patent protected, with 3 patents and further development underway.
McDonald's unveils new "balanced lifestyle" campaign
3/08/2005-McDonald's Chief Executive Officer Jim Skinner today unveiled a major company initiative centered on a multi-faceted education campaign to help consumers better understand the keys to living balanced, active lives. The theme is "it's what i eat and what i do ... i'm lovin' it." The theme underscores the interplay between eating right and staying active and forms the creative core of the program, which takes an innovative and educational approach to advertising and marketing.
"One of the best things we can do is communicate the importance of energy balance in an engaging and simple way," said Skinner. "'it's what i eat and what i do ... i'm lovin' it' is a great new message within our 'i'm lovin' it' theme, and will tie all our balanced, active lifestyles messages together. We are listening to our customers and committed to taking leadership action where we can make a difference."
The worldwide effort features several key components, including new advertising, communications to children that have a greater focus on balanced, active lifestyles messages, and new packaging.
Cargill intends to acquire pectin business
3/08/2005-Cargill has announced that it intends to acquire the global pectin business of Citrico, a manufacturer and international supplier of citrus products for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. The deal is subject to regulatory approval.
Cargill has not previously supplied pectin so the acquisition will strengthen the company’s existing texturising and stabilising ingredient portfolio and will facilitate the creation of value and growth for customers.
Pectin is a natural hydrocolloid that is extracted primarily from citrus peels, such as lemons, limes or oranges. It provides unique texturising and stabilising benefits and enhances the overall “mouth feel” of food and beverages. It is used widely in a variety of applications, including fruit processing, dairy, non-carbonated beverages, confectionery and the pharmaceutical industry.
“The acquisition of Citrico’s pectin business will support Cargill’s strategy of becoming a leading provider of specialty ingredients and ingredient systems to food and beverage companies globally, and provides a number of customer benefits”, commented Robert Parmelee, President, Cargill Food System Design. “Cargill’s ability to leverage pectin with the company’s global juice, orange processing and soya protein assets and our specialty flavouring and formulation expertise, strengthens our ability to partner with customers on a broader array of innovative new solutions, such as beverage compounds, in the future.”
In 2002, Cargill acquired Cerestar to enhance its capabilities in specialty starches and sweeteners. The company then formed a joint venture to ensure access to xanthan gum that is another widely used texturiser. By integrating Citrico’s pectin business with the Cargill / Cerestar specialty starches and xanthan gum business, the company will be better positioned to deliver unique, high value solutions to food and beverage companies worldwide.
Says Ralph Appel, head of Cargill/Cerestar food and pharmaceutical specialty business: “Over the past few years we have increased the number of technical specialists, including hydrocolloid experts, we employ to reflect our growing portfolio of functional products. This team will be further enhanced by the addition of the Citrico employees bringing their expertise in pectin.”
The owners of Citrico’s pectin business were Citrico International Limited and Citrico Deutschland GmbH. The former entity was put into liquidation in December 2004. RSM has acted as official liquidator. Citrico Deutschland GmbH has continued to operate and was not subject to liquidation proceedings.
ADM sells interest in Tate&Lyle
3/08/2005-Archer Daniels Midland Co. reported the sale of its 27.9 million share interest in Tate & Lyle PLC for $271 million. The sale produced an after tax gain of $93 million or $.14 per share, which will be included in its fiscal 2005 3rd quarter results ending March 31, 2005. Archer Daniels has ceased to have an interest in any ordinary shares of the company.
Monday, March 07, 2005
March 2005 JFS posted
3/07/2005-The March issue of the Journal of Food Science has now been posted online at http://bookstore.myift.org/store/iftstore/.
Why does roasting coffee smell good?
3/07/2005-Roasting or brewing coffee sure does smell good, and the chemistry of it is fascinating. Researchers from the Swiss Federal Inst. of Technology in Zurich and DMP Ltd. developed a mass balance that accounts for gravimetrically measured roast loss, measuring carbon
dioxide evolution in two different processes (isothermal high-temperature short time, and low-temperature long-time roasting process). Carbon dioxide release during storage was followed as well.
Carbon dioxide and water vapor concentration were assayed in exhaust air by nondispersive infrared gas analysis. The results,published in
“Carbon Dioxide Evolution and Moisture Evaporation During Roasting of Coffee Beans” indicated that the methodology developed for measuring gas evolution allows better understanding of the complex roasting process and gas evolution. Roasting by a process that retains more of the volatiles may be particularly valuable, as the smell of brewing coffee, very possibly, increases coffee consumption
European food safety panel gives opinion on GM corn
3/07/2005-The European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Panel) has published today two opinions on 1507 maize relating to (i) food use and (ii) import, feed and industrial processing and cultivation. GM 1507 maize has been developed for protection against specific lepidopteran pests such as the European corn borer. It also contains a gene providing tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate. This is the first application reviewed by the EFSA GMO Panel under the GM Food and Feed Regulation. It is also the first time that EFSA’s GMO Panel has published an opinion relating to GM plant cultivation. The Panel has concluded that 1507 maize will not have an adverse effect on human and animal health or the environment in the context of its proposed use. No data have emerged to indicate that 1507 maize is any less safe than its conventional counterpart. For more, see the EFSA Press Release.
Depleted fish stocks require recovery efforts
3/07/2005-Rebuilding depleted wild fish stocks is a "challenging necessity" says the newest edition of FAO's biennial report, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), released today.
According to FAO, there has been a consistent downward trend since the 1950s in the proportion of marine fish stocks with potential for expanded production, coupled with an increase in the proportion classified as overexploited or depleted.
Currently, SOFIA reports, three percent of marine stocks are underexploited, while 21 percent are moderately exploited and could support modest increases in fishing and in harvests.
Fifty-two percent are fully exploited, which means they are being fished at their maximum biological productivity. Increased fishing of these stocks would not produce any additional sustainable harvests and would reduce reproduction to dangerously low levels.
The remaining twenty-four percent are over exploited (16%), depleted (7%), or recovering from depletion (1%) and need rebuilding. Some of these stocks are already under strict management schemes.
Seven of the top ten marine fish species -- which together account for about 30 percent of all capture fisheries production -- are fully exploited or overexploited, today's report said. This means that major increases in catches cannot be expected from them, and serious biological and economic drawbacks are likely if fishing capacity for these stocks is further increased.
Regions with fish stocks in greatest need of recovery include the Northeast Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, followed by the Northwest Atlantic, the Southeast Atlantic, the Southeast Pacific and the Southern Ocean.
For more information, see FAO Press Release.
FDA is reviewing WHO acrylamide report
3/07/2005-FDA is reviewing a March 2 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization on acrylamide in food. Acrylamide is a natural byproduct of certain carbohydrate-rich foods when they've been fried, baked or roasted at high temperatures. It can cause cancer in lab animals at high doses, but researchers have not determined if a cancer risk exists in humans at the lower doses found in food. FDA plans to release new data this spring on acrylamide levels in the U.S. diet. For more information, see the FDA Press Release.
Cargill cuts meat production
3/07/2005-Cargill Meat Solutions announced on March 4 that it is making additional production cuts at its seven U.S. beef plants.
“While we have been operating in reduced mode for some time, current market conditions and lackluster seasonal beef demand are forcing us to further reduce the number of cattle we process weekly,” said Bill Rupp, president of Cargill’s beef business.
Cargill’s U.S. beef plants are located in Plainview and Friona, Texas; Dodge City, Kan.; Schuyler, Neb.; and Ft. Morgan, Colo.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Wyalusing, Pa.
Rupp said that the tight supply of market-ready cattle and the continued closure of the U.S. border to Canadian cattle are making market conditions difficult.
WHO issues acrylamide warning
3/07/2005-On March 2, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a summary report by a Joint Expert Committee of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the WHO that warns that the unintentional contaminant acrylamide in certain foods may be of public health concern since it has been shown to cause cancer in animals. The report, by a committee of 35 experts from 15 countries, called for continued efforts to reduce acrylamide in food. The report said that acrylamide content varies based on cooking time and temperature so it is impossible to issue maximum intake guidelines. For more information, see the WHO Press Release and the Sixty-fourth meeting, 8–17 February 2005, Summary Report.
IFT Functional Foods Report to be released
3/07/2005-The highly anticipated IFT Expert Report on Functional Foods will be released in a public press conference Thursday, March 24 at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The Expert Report focuses on the potential for functional foods; procedures for establishing safety and efficacy; impediments to the development of functional foods, including limitations in the current regulatory framework; advances in new sciences as they relate to functional foods; research needs; and policy recommendations. For the purposes of this report, IFT defines “functional foods” as foods and food components that provide a health benefit beyond basic nutrition (for the intended population). IFT members and Food Technology readers are encouraged to attend the event tentatively set to begin at 1:30 p.m. A Web simulcast of the press conference is under consideration as further means to keep interested parties informed. Monitor the IFT Weekly E-Newsletter and www.ift.org for updated scheduling information.
Amino acids market projected to reach $1 billion
3/07/2005-Amino acids are key building blocks in the formation of proteins. Synthesis applications of amino acids constitute a market that is separate and distinct from nutrition and animal feed. In this market, different amino acids are emphasized and the methods in which they are manufactured tend to be different as well.
According to a soon-to-be-released updated report RB-132R Amino Acids: Highlighting Synthesis Applications from Business Communications Company, Inc. (www.bccresearch.com), the worldwide market for amino acids for synthesis applications is projected to rise at an AAGR (average annual growth rate) of 7% through 2009 from $713 million in 2004 to nearly $1 billion in 2009.
The amino acids for synthesis market is an important submarket of the fine chemicals market. The fine chemical market is valued by analysts as worth $45 billion to $75 billion per year. Pharmaceutical applications account for approximately 60% of this market.
The worldwide market for amino acids is currently estimated at over $7 billion. The majority of amino acids produced worldwide are targeted for agriculture and nutritional applications. Amino acids for synthesis are a small fraction of this market, but it is the fastest growing segment of the amino acids market.
Within the amino acids for synthesis market, biotechnology and pharmaceutical applications account for just over half of the total, but are rising fastest at an AAGR of 9.8%. Amino acids for the synthesis of artificial sweeteners is poised to grown at an AAGR of 3.8% through 2009 to $427 million.
The sector of the amino acids market with the highest return as well as the greatest worldwide growth is the amino acids for synthesis market. This is particularly true for synthesis applications in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, as more drugs enter into discovery and into the market that are protein based. Although there will be increases in the use of amino acids for the high intensity sweeteners market, the increase will be seen primarily in the U.S. market.
Friday, March 04, 2005
D.D. Williamson expands line for Asian markets
3/04/2005-D.D. Williamson Ingredients (Shanghai) Ltd., Asia’s largest caramel colour manufacturer, has expanded its liquid product line for the Asian market. The 2004 D.D. Williamson acquisition of Cargill’s Cerestar caramel colour operation in Manchester, England significantly increased D.D. Williamson’s global production. In 2005, D.D. Williamson has expanded manufacturing in Asia by adding to its Class III product line to include caramel colour DDW # 252, DDW # 301, and DDW # 385 for sauce and brewing applications. This year, the Chinese operation is also producing DDW # 535, a Class I “Plain” or “Spirit” caramel for flavor and alcoholic beverage applications.
“Expanding our Shanghai product options allows us to serve new customers,” said Thomas Chan, D.D. Williamson Regional Sales Manager, Asia. “We now provide more colouring solutions for food and beverage processors”.
FDA posts revisions to Bioterrorism notice
3/04/2005-The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted the draft revisions to Compliance Policy Guide (CPG) Sec. 110.310 entitled "Prior Notice of Imported Food Under the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002." For more information, see the Federal Register of March 4, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 42, Page 10657).
FDA to conduct smoked fish risk assessment
3/04/2005-The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requesting comments and scientific data and information that would assist the agency in its plans to conduct a risk assessment for Listeria monocytogenes in smoked
finfish (smoked finfish risk assessment), and evaluate the provisions of the 2001 Food Code that address preventive controls for L. monocytogenes in retail and foodservice establishments. The purpose of
the smoked finfish risk assessment is to ascertain the impact on public health from the reduction and/or prevention of L. monocytogenes growth and recontamination during the manufacturing and/or processing of hot-and cold-smoked finfish. For more information, see the Federal Register of March 4, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 42, Pages 10650-10651).
Moves block reopening of Canadian beef trade
3/04/2005-The U.S. Senate has voted to overturn a Bush administration decision and keep the border closed to a wide range of Canadian beef and beef products. The Senate vote follows a decision by a Montana district court that blocked next Monday's planned reopening of the border to most Canadian cattle and beef products. The Montana decision came at the request of American ranchers who say they fear that Canadian cattle are still infected with BSE. The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take up the measure soon.
A statement By Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns regarding the Senate vote said, “I am very disappointed in today's vote by the United States Senate to disapprove the rule submitted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to establish minimal risk regions and resume trade in Canadian beef and cattle under 30 months of age.
"Today's action undermines the U.S. efforts to promote science-based regulations, complicates U.S. negotiations to reopen foreign markets to U.S. beef and would perpetuate the economic disruption of the beef and cattle industry.
"USDA remains confident that the requirements of the minimal-risk rule, in combination with the animal and public health measures already in place in the United States and Canada, provide the utmost protection to both U.S. consumers and livestock. We also remain fully confident in the underlying risk assessment, developed in accordance with the OIE guidelines, which determined Canada to be a minimal risk region.
"I will now work with the U.S. House of Representatives to prevent passage of this resolution, which is strongly opposed by the Bush Administration, and continue our aggressive efforts to reopen international markets to U.S. beef."
U.S. dairy exports surge 39% higher in 2004
3/04/2005-Strong global demand, some supply constraints, and a commitment from U.S. suppliers to reliably serve overseas channels led to a record year for dairy exports in 2004.
U.S. dairy exports were $1.49 billion, up 39% from the prior year, according to the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC). By volume, exports were up in most major product categories.
On an aggregate volume basis, U.S. suppliers exported a record-high 1.562 billion lbs. of total milk solids in 2004, up 31% from 2003. With this dramatic growth, exports represented 7.4% of U.S. milk solids production, compared with 5.6% in 2003.
The longer-term growth record may be even more remarkable; in the last five years, exports have increased by 560 million lbs. of milk solids, while U.S. milk production has expanded by only 1.087 billion lbs. of milk solids. That means more than half of the incremental supply growth in the U.S. dairy industry over the last five years has been sold into overseas markets.
Meanwhile, U.S. imports increased just 2% last year, to 928 million lbs. of total milk solids. The U.S. dairy trade surplus grew to 634 million lbs. of milk solids, up from 281 million lbs. in 2003.
“Last year’s success tells us three things,” says Tom Suber, president of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “First, that trade agreements work. For instance, exports were up significantly to Mexico, where NAFTA gives us preferential access. We also saw increased sales to Chile, where we received improved market access in the new bilateral trade agreement. In addition, China has become a significant and growing market for us, particularly since it lowered import tariffs as part of its agreement to join the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2000.
Pangborn Sensory Scholarship applicants wanted
3/04/2005-One $14,000 Sensory Science Scholarship will be awarded for the 2005-2006 academic year to support a Ph.D. student who intends to teach and conduct research in the area of sensory science at the University level. This scholarship is awarded in honor of the memory of Professor Rose Marie Pangborn, who initiated the scholarship fund to encourage the education of Sensory Scientists intending to pursue academic careers. This year, the award is generously being supported by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare.
Applicants for the scholarship must be enrolled in a Ph. D. Program such as Food Science, Nutrition, Psychology or Physiology. The planned or on-going dissertation research must be on a sensory topic under the guidance of a recognized sensory scientist. Candidates will be evaluated on the basis of their academic record, intended research in human sensory science, commitment to a career in teaching in the field of sensory science, and support determined by letters of recommendation. The Board of Directors of the Sensory Science Scholarship Fund (SSSF) will determine policies governing the award and will select recipients.
Applications, including all required documentation must be postmarked no later than May 16, 2005. For additional information and application forms contact Dr. Rick Mattes, Purdue University, Department of Foods and Nutrition, 700 W. State St., W. Lafayette, IN 47907-2059, USA Phone - 765-494-0662 FAX - 765-494-0674 email - mattesr@cfs.purdue.edu Application forms are also downloadable at: http://www.cfs.purdue.edu/sssf/
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Kopi Luwak is the cat’s meow
3/03/2005-FoodScienceCentral.com reports on Kopi Luwak. Kopi Luwak is a unique and expensive coffee, as the coffee cherries, containing the beans, are processed in the digestive system of the civet cat and the beans are excreted in its faeces. The digestive action and fermentation adds a distinctive and desirable flavor to the beans. FoodScienceCentral is a service of IFIS Publishing.
Forbes Medi-Tech gets European approval for ingredient
3/03/2005-Forbes Medi-Tech Inc. announced today that the company received an opinion of substantial equivalence from European regulatory authorities allowing Forbes to market its cholesterol-lowering ingredient, Reducol(TM), in a variety of approved food groups including: yellow fat spreads (margarine), fermented milk type products, soy drinks, low-fat cheese type products, yoghurt type products, spicy sauces, and salad dressings. The substantial equivalence notification follows the recent approval for the use of Reducol(TM) in milk-based products. With regulatory approvals in place and the recently announced expansion of the Company's 50-50 manufacturing joint-venture facility, Forbes is in a favorable position to capitalize on EU consumers' preference for non-GMO foods.
"Our sales opportunities have increased significantly with the approval of Reducol(TM) in these key food groups," said President and CEO, Charles Butt. "I am very encouraged by the level of enthusiasm of our European partners as they prepare for Reducol(TM) product launches in the coming months."
The company claims that the product is a clinically proven ingredient to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. It is a blend of compounds found in plants known as phytosterols and phytostanols. It is produced by the Phyto-Source joint venture manufacturing facility in Pasadena, Texas, a 50-50 joint venture currently representing the largest approved source of food grade wood sterols in the world.
Senomyx gets GRAS for savory enhancers
3/03/2005-Senomyx, Inc. announced today the company has been notified by the Flavor and Extract Manufacturers Association (FEMA) that its savory enhancers S807 and S336 have been determined to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) under the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, administered by the United States Food and Drug Administration. In addition, two of the company's other savory enhancers, S263 and S976, which are related to S336, were also determined to be GRAS. These savory enhancers, discovered and developed by Senomyx, are intended to provide for the reduction or elimination of monosodium glutamate (MSG) and to augment the flavor of naturally occurring glutamate found in many food and beverage products. The GRAS determination will enable incorporation of Senomyx's savory enhancers into a variety of food products including sauces, frozen foods, processed cheese and snack foods.
Energy drinks examined
3/03/2005-Are highly caffeinated energy drinks - such as Red Bull, Go-Fast! and Monster - good for you? Maher Karam-Hage, M.D., an addiction specialist at the University of Michigan Health System, has raised concerns about the beverages, especially when consumed with alcohol, before exercise, or by children.
The typical energy drink contains sugar, caffeine (about 80 mg. per can, similar to a cup of coffee) and taurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid. Some countries have raised concerns about the amount of caffeine and the "uncertain" health effects of taurine.
Karam-Hage is concerned on three counts. Mixing an energy drink with alcohol may deceive people into believing they aren't as intoxicated as they in fact are, thus leading them to drink more than they normally would. Secondly, consuming the drinks prior to intensive exercise can put a strain on the body and lead to dehydration or even collapse. Lastly, the popularity of the drinks with young people can cause them to be hyperactive, fidgety or even rageful, and the small size of the drinks could lead to over-consumption.
Karam-Hage believes that the marketing may be ahead of the science, and that warnings on the drinks may be necessary.
"In the United States, these energy drinks have not had any warnings. In Europe, it’s been more cautionary," said Karam-Hage, pointing to France, which has banned some of the drinks, and to other countries who have placed restrictions on the beverages.
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
FSIS reports decline in E. coli O157:H7 samples
3/01/2005-The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service released data on Feb. 28 showing a 43.3% drop in the percentage of E. coli O157:H7 positive ground beef regulatory samples collected in 2004 compared with the previous year. Of the 8010 samples collected and analyzed in 2004, 0.17% tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, down from 0.30 in 2003, 0.78 in 2002, 0.84 in 2001 and 0.86 in 2000. Between 2000 and 2004, the percentage of positive samples in FSIS regulatory sampling has declined by more than 80%.
According to the agency, in April 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its annual report on foodborne illness in America, reported a 36% reduction in illnesses from E. coli O157:H7 in 2003 compared to 2002. The number of FSIS recall actions related to E. coli O157:H7 also continued to drop. There were six recalls related to E. coli O157:H7 in 2004 compared to 12 in 2003 and 21 in 2002.
For more information, see the FSIS Press Release.
Givaudan announced full-year profit increase
3/01/2005-Flavor and fragrance manufacturer, Givaudan SA announced that full-year net profit rose 20% despite a slight dip in sales because of margin expansion and cost-cutting. In 2004, the Flavor division recorded sales of CHF 1,607 million, representing a growth of 3.5% in local currencies and a slight decline in Swiss Francs. All four regions and all business segments recorded positive sales growth for the year, with the highest growth rate coming from Latin America. The Confectionery and Dairy segments posted the strongest gains. The operating profit rose to CHF 311 million. On a comparable basis the operating margin has improved from 16.6% to 19.4%. This improved performance is mainly the result of the margin improvement initiatives announced at the beginning of the year.
The expansion of the creation and application facilities as well as the new Culinary Centre in Singapore was completed in early 2004. Additionally the North American Culinary Centre located in Cincinnati (USA) and the European Savory Development Centre in Kemptthal (Switzerland) were both opened in 2004. These three new culinary facilities further enhance Givaudan's capabilities in the Savory and Foodservice areas. Contained in these unique centers are experimental kitchens and pilot installations for testing flavors under industrial conditions.
Kerry Group reports results for 2004
3/01/2005-The food ingredients company, Kerry Group announced that it had another strong result in terms of strategic and operational development. The Group achieved strong growth organically and through its acquisition program, contributing record free cash generation, while making a significant investment in the future growth of its core activities. Group turnover surpassed the €4 billion threshold for the first time, while further margin expansion was achieved, reflecting Kerry’s core strengths – consistency of performance, geographic spread and capability of the Group to grow and develop across a global platform. Extending its record of uninterrupted profit growth over 19 years since the establishment of the Group as a public company in 1986, Kerry spent €111m on research and development and €712m on the Group’s 2004 acquisition program, broadening its leading edge technology portfolio into bio-ingredients and pharma-ingredients growth sectors and expanding its flavor and fragrance technical and regional base.