Top Stories: USDA launches MyPlate icon to help consumers make healthier food choices; 2011 World Food Prize honors former Presidents of Ghana, Brazil; White House Chef urges IFT students to create healthier products
June 27, 2011
HEADLINES
USDA launches MyPlate icon to help consumers make healthier food choices
On June 2, First Lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack launched the federal government’s new food icon, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. At the unveiling, IFT's Executive Vice President Barbara Byrd Keenan, Vice President of Science and Policy Initiatives Will Fisher, and Vice President of Communications and Media Relations Jerry Bowman met and spoke with Michelle Obama and Vilsack about the new food icon. MyPlate is a new generation icon with the intent to prompt consumers to think about building a healthy plate at meal times and to seek more information to help them do that by going to www.ChooseMyPlate.gov. The new MyPlate icon emphasizes the fruit, vegetable, grains, protein, and dairy food groups.
“This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we’re eating and as a mom, I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country,” said First Lady Michelle Obama. “When mom or dad comes home from a long day of work, we’re already asked to be a chef, a referee, a cleaning crew. So it’s tough to be a nutritionist, too. But we do have time to take a look at our kids’ plates. As long as they’re half full of fruits and vegetables, and paired with lean proteins, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, we’re golden. That’s how easy it is.”
Originally identified in the Child Obesity Task Force report which noted that simple, actionable advice for consumers is needed, MyPlate will replace the MyPyramid image as the government’s primary food group symbol as an easy-to-understand visual cue to help consumers adopt healthy eating habits consistent with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
ChooseMyPlate.gov provides practical information to individuals, health professionals, nutrition educators, and the food industry to help consumers build healthier diets with resources and tools for dietary assessment, nutrition education, and other nutrition information. Later this year, USDA will unveil a “go-to” online tool that consumers can use to personalize and manage their dietary and physical activity choices.
Over the next several years, the USDA will work with First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’sMove! initiative and public and private partners to promote MyPlate and ChooseMyPlate.gov as well as the supporting nutrition messages and “how-to” resources. A multi-year campaign calendar will focus on one action-prompting message at a time starting with “Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables.”
Press release (pdf)
ChooseMyPlate.gov
IFT Dietary Guidelines page
2011 World Food Prize honors former Presidents of Ghana, Brazil
Two former presidents who led the drastic reduction of hunger and poverty in their countries were named the winners of the 2011 World Food Prize in a ceremony at the U.S. State Department June 21.
The World Food Prize Foundation is honoring John Agyekum Kufuor, former President of Ghana, and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, former President of Brazil, for creating and implementing government policies that alleviated hunger and poverty in their countries. They were commended in remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, and USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah.
Under President Kufuor’s leadership, Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to cut in half the proportion of its people who suffer from hunger, and the proportion of people living on less than a dollar per day, on course to meet UN Millennium Development Goal 1. Continuing Ghana’s tradition of stability, President Kufuor prioritized national agricultural policies: Ghana saw a reduction in its poverty rate from 51.7% in 1991 to 26.5% in 2008, and hunger was reduced from 34% in 1990 down to 9% in 2004.
A guiding principle for President Kufuor during the entirety of his two terms as President of the Republic of Ghana (2001–2009) was to improve food security and reduce poverty through public and private sector initiatives. To that end, he implemented major economic and educational policies that increased the quality and quantity of food to Ghanaians, enhanced farmers’ incomes, and improved school attendance and child nutrition through a nationwide feeding program.
President Lula da Silva made it clear, even before he took office as President of Brazil in 2003, that fighting hunger and poverty would be a top priority of his government. More than 10 government ministries were focused on the expansive Zero Hunger programs, which provided greater access to food, strengthened family farms and rural incomes, increased enrollment of primary school children, and empowered the poor. Zero Hunger very quickly became one of the most successful food and nutritional security policies in the world through its broad network of programs, including: the Bolsa Familia Program; the Food Purchase Program; and the School Feeding Program.
Over the eight years of his administration, President Lula da Silva’s commitment and vision achieved dramatic reductions in hunger, extreme poverty, and social exclusion, thereby greatly enhancing the lives of Brazil’s people. During his tenure, UN Millennium Development Goal 1 was exceeded as Brazil reduced by half its proportion of hungry people, with 93% of children and 82% of adults eating three meals a day, and also reduced the percentage of Brazilians living in extreme poverty from 12% in 2003 down to 4.8% in 2009.
Press release
White House Chef urges IFT students to create healthier products
Innovative, “outside-the-box” thinking is needed in product development to get more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables into the diets of Americans, said Sam Kass, White House Chef & Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives at an address to more than 500 students at IFT’s 2011 Annual Meeting & Food Expo on June 13.
Kass acknowledged the role that food science and technology plays in our modern society, delivering safe, affordable, and convenient foods. But the unintended consequences of this abundant food supply have contributed to an obesity epidemic in the United States. About one-third of children are overweight or obese and one in three of these children will develop diabetes in their lifetimes, noted Kass. Healthcare costs related to obesity amount to about $150 billion annually in the United States.
“We want to make the healthiest choice the easiest choice,” said Kass. But there is no magic bullet. Solving the obesity epidemic requires a collective effort and everyone must play a part, explained Kass. For food science students, tomorrow’s food leaders, their part and challenge is to create healthier foods with less sodium, sugar, and fat that are delicious.
These challenges are not easy. “If I one day reduced sodium 50% in the dishes I prepare at the White House, I would not have a job,” Kass remarked. “But you can reduce sodium gradually over time so that the food is acceptable and enjoyable.” In addition, Kass noted the examples of microwavable prepared vegetables and bagged salads as ways the food industry is already answering the call for the healthier products.
While First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign is spearheading the effort to end childhood obesity in a generation, the problem will not be solved in Washington, DC, declared Kass. “Obesity is a local issue and must be solved block to block and neighborhood to neighborhood,” said Kass. “We must ensure that families have access to healthy and affordable foods. We need to connect kids to food at an early age, such as through cooking or planting a vegetable garden. This basic education forms a foundation that will help them make better food choices throughout their lives,” said Kass.
Catch up on what you missed at the IFT 2011 Annual Meeting & Food Expo by reading IFT Live.
IFT Live article
RESEARCH
Creating an effective anti-inflammatory food market
When the human body suffers an injury or encounters harmful stimuli such as pathogens or other irritants, inflammation occurs. Inflammation is the body’s natural defense mechanism to heal wounds and attack infections. However, when persistent stimulation occurs, inflammation can become chronic, which leads to harmful consequences within the body. Chronic inflammation is responsible for the most prevalent conditions affecting U.S. citizens: obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and so on.
During IFT’s 2011 Annual Meeting session 019, “Inflammation: The Next Business Opportunity,” Britt Burton-Freeman of the Institute for Food Safety and Health discussed how dietary choices affect inflammation. She revealed that persistent stressors on the human body lead to chronic inflammation and that the modern Western diet relies heavily on foods that are chronic stressors. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a clinical biomarker of inflammation, and high levels of CRP in the bloodstream are indicative of chronic inflammation. In general, a CRP level above 3 mg/L puts one at high risk for inflammatory diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Certain dietary choices have a profound effect on the human body by reducing or eliminating the incidence of harmful inflammatory diseases. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are anti-inflammatory because they contain bioactive phytonutrients, which disrupt cell receptors that promote inflammation. Thus, a low-fat diet high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains reduces not only inflammatory responses but also the body’s level of CRP.
From a product development standpoint, the goal is therefore to prepare and process foods using methods that not only maintain the healthfulness of anti-inflammatory food but also deliver its bioactive components in a way that will be most effective to the human body. “Food is the delivery system for dietary intervention,” said presenter Mario Ferruzzi of Purdue University. “Stability and bioavailability of bioactive [compounds] are key to the delivery of benefits from food,” he said. Manufacturers must consider the effects processing and shelf stability have on the phytochemicals, which are the beneficial bioactive compounds of fruits and vegetables. For example, thermal processing greatly improves the bioavailability of beta carotene in spinach and carrots.
This level of understanding is far too complex for the average consumer, said presenter Barbara Katz of HealthFocus International. Even though 80% of U.S. shoppers know that the food they consume is an important part of preventive health measures, very few know why and how. Katz said that consumers are not interested in high amounts of detail about their foods, so product messages must be simple, focusing predominantly on food benefits rather than mechanisms. Moreover, even though close to 70% of Americans are either overweight or obese, most consumers feel that they are already healthy and those with inflammation-related diseases are less likely to think their diet will make a difference in their health.
Thus, in the farm-to-fork continuity, food manufacturers should aim to prepare and process foods in ways that maximize each food’s potential, and food marketers should emphasize a food’s benefit to the human body. For both, simplicity really is key.
Catch up on what you missed at the IFT 2011 Annual Meeting & Food Expo by reading IFT Live.
IFT Live article
U.S. egg market shows no signs of cracking
According to a Mintel report, egg use remains steady at 94% of all U.S. households. A whopping 92% of Mintel respondents agree that eggs are an important part of a healthy diet; however, there is a potential struggle for organic producers as more than half (57%) don’t think organic eggs are any healthier for you than regular ones. Furthermore, 30% of respondents eat fewer eggs than they would like due to concerns about cholesterol.
“Older egg buyers confront heart-health issues and therefore limit egg consumption because of the cholesterol,” said Bill Patterson, Senior Analyst at Mintel. “The over-55 egg buyer is a prime target for low-cholesterol eggs and egg substitutes, and could be reminded that cholesterol levels in eggs have fallen.”
Eggs are such a staple in people’s lives, that regardless of price increases or decreases, half of those households that buy eggs say they will not change their egg purchasing habits.
“Eggs represent an economical source of protein for people’s diets,” said Patterson. “Since the recession began in 2008, consumers have been driven to opt for larger volumes of eggs as a substitute for more expensive proteins. In April 2009 to June 2010, the 30-day average of eggs used increased to its highest level in seven years—33 eggs per household.”
Regular white eggs are purchased by a large majority of consumers (88%), followed in the distance by brown eggs at 27%, organic eggs and free range eggs come in at 17% and 14%, respectively. Organic and free range eggs are most widely used by those aged 25–34. Whether because of higher awareness of and concern with diet and health for young children in the household, or due to a generational tendency to experiment with and embrace natural and sustainable foods, this age group should prove most responsive to marketers’ attention.
Press release
Consumers don’t want to pay more for healthy food
The expanding waistlines of U.S. consumers have created a flurry of governmental and restaurant industry actions aimed at getting Americans to eat more healthfully. Consumers are slowly getting the hint but they don’t want to pay more for healthier restaurant food, according to a report by The NPD Group, a market research company.
The foodservice market research report finds that the majority (70%) of consumers, especially those 50+ years old—who typically express more interest in healthful foods than their younger counterparts—expect to pay no more for healthier items than they do for other menu items. According to the report, when asked if they would be willing to pay more for healthful items at restaurants they visited often, 70% of adults over 50 said no, 25% said they would pay somewhat more, and only 5% said they would pay a lot more.
In contrast, younger adults appear more open to paying more for healthful items, with 44% of those aged 18 to 24 saying they would expect prices for healthful items to be the same as other items, and 41% saying they would expect to pay somewhat more. Fifteen percent said they would expect to pay a lot more.
The restaurant segment also played a role in consumers’ price perceptions, according to the report. More consumers at full-service restaurants expected to pay the same price for healthful items as they did for other menu options, while fewer consumers at quick-service restaurants did. Survey respondents also noted that they would feel more satisfied after restaurant visits if they had more healthful options available at the same prices as less healthful options, including on the value menu.
“One of the key takeaways from the study results is that pricing of the healthy options needs to be consistent with pricing of other choices on the menu,” said Bonnie Riggs, NPD Restaurant Industry Analyst and author of the report. “The market for health today is growing and there is a good opportunity for operators who find a way to offer healthier options at lower price points.”
Press release
Antioxidants: The potency debate
Every day, consumers are inundated with messages extolling the benefits of antioxidants and their potential remarkable ability to clear harmful free radicals from the body. In fact, it is impossible to walk down the aisles of any supermarket without seeing a myriad of food products with labels announcing the level of antioxidants they contain. But many of those messages may be misleading as much of the information about the health benefits of antioxidants is exaggerated and, some say, downright deceptive.
In IFT’s 2011 Annual Meeting session 253, “Antioxidants, Science, and Health: New Perspectives,” presenter John Finley of Louisiana State University discussed how the information about the properties and benefits of antioxidants has largely been exaggerated and misconstrued. He pointed out that processing profoundly affects the potency and bioavailability of antioxidants in various foods. Moreover, some antioxidants that show promise in laboratory studies have limited or no effectiveness within the human body, Finley said. Once antioxidants are ingested, many either lose their potency or are inadequately absorbed by cells. To illustrate his point, Finley referred to a recent study showing that anthocyanins from blueberries were helpful in protecting cells from inflammation but useless at treating cells that were already inflamed.
Presenter Navindra Seeram of the University of Rhode Island had a slightly different view of the efficacy of antioxidants within the body. Seeram and his colleagues believe that the body indeed absorbs antioxidants but that the mechanisms scientists use for detection and absorption are ineffective. He presented data indicating that after antioxidants are ingested, the body metabolizes them into other compounds that are either poorly studied or not documented at all in science. Presenter Darryl Sullivan of Covance Laboratories endorsed this perspective. Sullivan pointed out that more than 5,000 phytochemical compounds exist; most of them have not been identified. Research on antioxidants is in its infancy, he said, and scientists have a lot more to learn. In addition, he stressed that some of the current methods for studying and detecting antioxidants are good, but many more methods are needed.
Discussions on the processing of antioxidant-rich foods and the degree of antioxidant absorption in the body could soon be irrelevant. Presenter Li Li Ji of the University of Wisconsin presented compelling data on how exercise facilitates the body’s inherent ability to scavenge and get rid of free radicals. His research indicates that moderate exercise appears to have a deleterious effect on free radicals within the human body (rigorous exercise apparently has the opposite effect).
The debate on the healthfulness of antioxidants is sure to continue, but in the meantime, consumers should continue to eat fruits and vegetables (both rich in antioxidants) and engage in moderate physical activity just in case.
Catch up on what you missed at the IFT 2011 Annual Meeting & Food Expo by reading IFT Live.
IFT Live article
NUTRITION
IOM makes recommendations for preventing childhood obesity
The U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released a report recommending ways to prevent childhood obesity. The report outlines steps that should be taken by childcare centers, preschools, pediatricians’ offices, federal nutrition programs, and other facilities and programs that shape children’s activities and behaviors. Although the recommendations are directed to policymakers and healthcare and childcare providers, these professionals can counsel and support parents in promoting healthy habits in the home as well, said the committee that wrote the report.
Healthy eating is just one of the policy recommendations suggested by the report. The committee also suggests potential actions for implementation designed to prevent obesity in infancy and early childhood by promoting healthy environments for young children. Here are some of the goals and recommendations for implementation:
Goal: Promote the consumption of a variety of nutritious foods, and encourage and support breastfeeding during infancy.
- Adults who work with infants and their families should promote and support exclusive breastfeeding for six months and continuation of breastfeeding in conjunction with complementary foods for 1 year or more.
- To ensure that childcare facilities provide a variety of healthy foods and age-appropriate portion sizes in an environment that encourages children and staff to consume a healthy diet, childcare regulatory agencies should require that all meals, snacks, and beverages served by early childhood programs be consistent with the Child and Adult Care Food Program meal patterns and safe drinking water be available and accessible to the children.
- The Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture should establish dietary guidelines for children from birth to age two years in future releases of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Goal: Create a healthful eating environment that is responsive to children’s hunger and fullness cues.
- State childcare regulatory agencies should require that childcare providers and early childhood educators practice responsive feeding.
Goal: Ensure access to affordable healthy foods for all children.
- Government agencies should promote access to affordable healthy foods for infants and young children from birth to age five in all neighborhoods, including those in low-income areas, by maximizing participation in federal nutrition assistance programs and increasing access to healthy foods at the community level.
Goal: Help adults increase children’s healthy eating.
- Health and education professionals providing guidance to parents of young children and those working with young children should be trained and educated and have the right tools to increase children’s healthy eating and counsel parents about their children’s diet.
Report
Consuming fruits, veggies may extend life
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who eat more fruit and veggies may live longer. The study is based on a survey of 134,796 adults from Shanghai, China. Participants filled out questionnaires about their eating habits and health history, and the researchers then divided them into five categories according to how much produce they ate.
Over five years, 4% of the people died. Those who downed the most vegetables or fruits, however, were 15% less likely to die over that period than those who ate the fewest. For mustard-family vegetables—including broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower—there was an even bigger difference in death rates between people with high and low intakes. The researchers found a similar pattern when they looked at people dying from heart disease—about a quarter of all deaths in the study. But there was no evidence that eating fruits and vegetables was linked to cancer risk.
However, it should be noted that it is possible that those who consume lots of produce also have a healthier lifestyle in general. Still, the researchers concluded that: “Our findings support recommendations to increase consumption of vegetables, particularly cruciferous vegetables, and fruit to promote cardiovascular health and overall longevity.”
Abstract
Olive oil consumption may lower stroke risk in older adults
A study published in Neurology shows that older people who include olive oil in their diet may have a lower risk of stroke. The study included 7,625 adults age 65 and older who reported on their diets and other lifestyle factors. People who said they used olive oil for both cooking and as a dressing were considered “intensive users.” After analysis, with adjustment for other diet habits, exercise levels, and major risk factors for stroke, heavy olive oil use was tied to 41% reduction in the odds of stroke.
The researchers also took blood samples from another 1,245 older adults, measuring their levels of oleic acid—an acid found in olive oil, as well as oil made from a number of nuts. The one-third of participants with the highest oleic acid levels was 73% less likely to suffer a stroke than the one-third with the lowest levels.
It should be noted that this was an observational study and that more research needs to be conducted to prove a correlation between olive oil and stroke risk.
Abstract
Omega-3 fatty acid consumption may lower diabetes risk
A study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who consume more omega-3 fatty acids may have lowered odds of developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers used information on 3,088 older U.S. adults taking part in the Cardiovascular Health Study (1992–2007). At the outset, participants’ blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) were measured.
Over the next decade, 204 were diagnosed with diabetes. The researchers found that of the one-quarter of study participants with the highest EPA/DHA levels, 5% developed diabetes. That compared with 6.5% of the one-quarter with the lowest blood levels of the fatty acids. The difference was greater when it came to ALA levels: just fewer than 4% of people with the highest levels developed diabetes, versus 8.5% of those with the lowest. When the researchers accounted for other factors—like weight and exercise habits—people's omega-3 levels, themselves, were still connected to a lower diabetes risk.
Abstract
Citicoline may help improve focus, attention
According to research presented at the University of Utah Brain Institute, a nutrient may help improve focus and attention. The research hypothesizes that a key nutrient called citicoline can help improve sustained attention by enhancing the brain’s capacity to focus on a single task.
Sixty healthy women ages 40–60 participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled three-arm study. After an initial performance test to measure attention, they were divided into three groups of 20 and began supplementation with either 250 mg or 500 mg of citicoline or placebo. Results after supplementation showed that individuals receiving either the low or high dose of citicoline produced fewer errors during performance testing. Findings suggest citicoline supplementation, at 250 mg, provided improved attention when required, due to the inhibition of incorrect responses. According to the researchers, when citicoline is consumed as either a supplement or through a functional beverage it is absorbed and able to cross the blood-brain barrier to deliver the citicoline as needed by the body.
“Our findings suggest that citicoline may mitigate the cognitive decline associated with normal aging and improve attention deficits associated with overstimulation of the brain,” said Deborah Yurgelun-Todd, Director of the Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory at The Brain Institute at The University of Utah. “Citicoline’s ability to improve attention and focus is exciting because it can help anyone who wants to improve their focus—from scientists to soccer moms.”
Brain Institute
NEW RETAIL PRODUCTS
Suncore Products debuts nutrition-rich cookies
Suncore Products LLC has introduced WhoNu? cookies, a new brand of cookies packed with 20 essential vitamins and minerals, plus dietary fiber, created to look and taste like regular cookies. WhoNu? cookies contain 3 g of fiber and 20% or more of the daily allowance of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, iron, vitamin E, vitamin B12, and vitamin A in each three-cookie serving.
WhoNu? cookies are available in four kid-familiar forms and flavors: Soft & Chewy Chocolate Chip, Crispy Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Sandwich Creme, and Vanilla Sandwich Creme. Beginning in July 2011, WhoNu? cookie varieties will be available at major retailers throughout the United States.
Press release
Campbell Soup expands V8 brand with energy drinks, shots
Campbell Soup Co. has expanded its V8 franchise by entering the energy drink category with two new products: V8 V-Fusion + Energy drinks and V8 Energy Shots. Each nutritious beverage provides one combined serving of vegetables and fruit as well as a natural energy boost from green tea extract.
V8 V-Fusion + Energy drinks are made with a blend of vegetable and fruit juices plus natural green tea. Each single-serving can contains 80 mg of caffeine, comparable to the leading energy drink on the market. The drinks are 50 calories, provide a good source of B vitamins, and do not contain added sugar.
V8 Energy Shots are a naturally powered shot of 100% vegetable and fruit juices combined with green tea extract, which provides natural caffeine comparable to an 8-oz cup of coffee. The convenient 2.5-oz shots also offer a blend of nine vegetable and fruit juices. In addition, each V8 Energy Shot provides a good source of vitamins including vitamins A, C & E, and certain B vitamins, such as B1, B2, B3, B6 & B12, which support metabolism.
V8 V-Fusion + Energy is available in 8-oz slim cans in two flavors—Pomegranate/Blueberry and Peach/Mango—at a price of $3.98 for a six-pack. V8 Energy Shots are available for the suggested retail price of $2.99 per 2.5-oz shot and $4.99 for a two-pack.
Press release
Freshëns frozen yogurt gets reformulated with Truvia
Truvia brand and Freshëns, the largest frozen yogurt and smoothie company in the United States, have collaborated to create a new frozen yogurt base formula sweetened with Truvia rebiana that has no sugar added and is both fat-free and lower in calories compared to the original formula. The latest Truvia rebiana sweetened formulation marks a new milestone for the company, as it replaces Freshëns’ 25-year-old original recipe in all menu offerings available to consumers nationwide.
Freshëns has always used natural yogurt ingredients with live and active probiotic cultures and fortifies each smoothie mix with 100% of vitamins A, C, D, E and 25% calcium. The brand will launch its new Truvia-based products with a related messaging campaign to communicate the dedication to natural ingredients, while highlighting the better-for-you nutritional changes to their customer base, which primarily consists of 18–24 year-olds living on college campuses.
Press release
Dole launches Peach Fruit Crisp
Dole recently introduced the new Peach Fruit Crisp. The company’s signature portion-controlled cups are filled with all-natural bite-size pieces of Dole fruit, and come with a crunchy, whole grain oat topping. The line already consists of Apple Cinnamon and Apple Pear among its fruit crisp offerings.
Dole Fruit Crisp has fewer than 160 calories, no trans fat, and 40% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. This portable snack can be enjoyed at room temperature or heated briefly in the microwave. They are sold in packages of two servings and feature a cup with easy-to-open, peel-off lids.
Dole Peach Fruit Crisps, as well as Apple Cinnamon and Apple Pear Fruit Crisps, are available throughout the United States in the canned fruit aisle at major food, drug, and mass retail outlets for $2.19.
Press release
COMPANY NEWS
IFT Live videos showcase new product innovations
For the second year, IFT’s Annual Meeting & Food Expo, which took place June 11–14 in New Orleans, La., featured the Trend & Solution Tours. These self-guided tours of the Food Expo floor were developed to help you navigate the show floor but also to highlight the year’s key trends. This year, a total of 92 products from 49 companies were showcased. In addition, IFT featured eight of the participating companies in educational videos to provide more in-depth knowledge on the products addressing the trends. Check out IFT Live to view these videos:
- Ingredients for Functional Foods: ADM/Matsutani LLC; Symrise
- New Directions for Carbs: National Starch/Corn Products International; Watson Inc.
- Next-Generation Fats and Oils: Bunge North America
- Taste Modification: Cargill
- Weight Management and Diabetes: DSM Nutritional Products; Summit Resource Group
IFT Live videos
Stepan acquires Lipid Nutrition product lines
Stepan Co. has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Stepan Specialty Products LLC has acquired the Clarinol, Marinol, and Pinnothin product lines of Lipid Nutrition B.V., a part of Loders Croklaan B.V. The acquired product lines will be integrated into Stepan’s Food and Health Specialties business, which will be renamed Stepan Lipid Nutrition.
“The Lipid Nutrition product lines combined with our Neobee Medium Chain Triglycerides products provides us with a unique portfolio of nutritional fats for the food, supplement, and nutrition industries,” said F. Quinn Stepan Jr., President and CEO of Stepan Co. “The clinically proven benefits of these brands are of value to companies seeking to provide consumers with healthy and nutritional products.”
Clarinol conjugated linoleic acid has been sold as a dietary supplement for over 10 years as an ingredient to reduce body fat and increase lean muscle mass. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as GRAS for use in certain food products in 2008. Marinol concentrated omega-3 triglycerides are used in clinical and infant nutritional products to promote cardiovascular and neurological health. Pinnothin, derived from pine nuts, functions as an appetite suppressant.
The acquired products will be manufactured at Stepan’s Maywood, N.J., plant as well as at existing outside contract manufacturers for sale on a global basis. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Press release
Provexis acquires Science in Sport Ltd.
Provexis plc, a life-science business that discovers, develops, and licenses scientifically proven functional food, medical food, and dietary supplement technologies, has entered into an agreement to purchase the entire issued share capital of SiS (Science in Sport) Ltd. for £8.0 million. SiS produces sports nutrition products for consumers and professional and elite athletes. Its products include: PSP 22 carbohydrate powders, Rego recovery powders, and the Go range of gels.
The acquisition is conditional and is expected to be completed on June 24, 2011. SiS is based in the Northwest of England and has 51 employees. On completion of the acquisition, Phil Walker, Managing Director of SiS, will become a director of Provexis.
“We are delighted to announce that the company has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire Science in Sport, a highly regarded and growing company in the substantial sector of sports nutrition. I believe there are strong synergies between the two businesses, with the existing scientific, regulatory, and product development capability of Provexis available to further enhance the reputation of Science in Sport with elite and professional athletes. The revenue generating, profitable nature of the new business will help us to achieve our strategic goals, by adding a near term revenue stream to our longer-term pipeline development bias,” said Stephen Moon, CEO of Provexis.
Provexis
ICL Performance Products acquires Cosmocel Quimica
ICL Performance Products, a global specialty phosphate producer, has signed an agreement to acquire Cosmocel Quimica S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of Cosmocel Group. The acquired company is based in Monterrey, Mexico, and is involved in the manufacturing and sale of functional food ingredients and specialty chemicals that are sold under the Cosmocel brand. This acquisition is expected to close in the coming weeks.
“Through this acquisition, ICL Performance Products is expanding our reach in the food, beverage, and specialty chemical markets,” said Charles Weidhas, ICL Performance Products LP President and CEO. “We are broadening both our product portfolio and our geographical customer base. This will allow us to expand our ability to meet our customer’s needs, especially in the bakery, dairy, and beverage markets. In addition, it reinforces our position as a global leader in the phosphates and food ingredient industry.”
Cosmocel Quimica S.A. de C.V. is known for high-quality standards in production and service and has been a well-established Mexican market leader for more than 50 years. ICL will acquire the company’s manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico, and its sales and distribution network in Mexico, and Central and South America.
Under ICL Performance Products, the acquired company will operate as ICL Fosfatos y Aditivos México, S.A. de C.V.
Press release
Ashland to acquire International Specialty Products
Ashland Inc. and International Specialty Products Inc. (ISP) have announced that Ashland has agreed to acquire privately owned ISP, a global specialty chemical manufacturer of functional ingredients and technologies. Under the terms of the stock purchase agreement, Ashland will pay approximately $3.2 billion for the business in an all-cash transaction. At closing, ISP’s advanced product portfolio will expand Ashland’s position in high-growth markets such as personal care, pharmaceutical, and energy.
ISP is a global supplier of specialty chemicals and performance enhancing products for consumer and industrial markets. Through its offerings, ISP will bring high-value water soluble polymers and other advanced technologies into Ashland’s functional ingredients business, as well as complementary additives for Ashland’s food and beverage, energy, coatings, adhesives, and water treatment markets. The acquisition is expected to strengthen Ashland’s functional ingredients active patent portfolio and its team of research and development scientists. The result will be a stronger, global functional ingredients business with technological and application capabilities to solve customers’ unique formulation challenges.
“This defining transaction enables us to significantly expand our market positions in higher margin, higher growth, and less cyclical global markets like personal care and pharmaceuticals. It broadens Ashland’s presence within attractive growth areas like skin, hair, and oral care, which are large and fast-growing segments of the $5-billion-plus personal care specialty ingredients market. In addition, we expect to more than double the size of our highest-margin functional ingredients business,” said Ashland Chairman and CEO James O’Brien.
The transaction, which is expected to close prior to the end of the September quarter, is subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions and receipt of U.S. and European Union regulatory approvals.
Press release
DSM opens new Nutrition Innovation Center in N.J.
DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, has announced the opening of its Nutrition Innovation Center in Parsippany, N.J. Designed to foster inspiration and creativity, the advanced regional applications laboratory houses an array of capabilities under one roof. The new center houses a laboratory and fully equipped pilot plant and sensory analysis facilities, which enable DSM to optimize production processes, improve product quality, test new ingredients, and analyze and evaluate a wide range of products.
Specialists will work in close collaboration with DSM’s customers to offer applications expertise, product development assistance, and scale-up benchtop formulation. This will facilitate the creation of application concepts and prototypes, bringing consumer-relevant nutritional solutions to market faster.
“Our new nutrition center is truly a ‘one stop shop’ for innovation. It will enable customers to stay ahead in a highly competitive, constantly changing health and nutrition marketplace—whatever their target application,” said Rick Greubel, President, Human Nutrition & Health, DSM Nutritional Products.
Press release
IFT & MEETING NEWS
IFT announces the call for nominations for the 2012 Leadership Election
This is a very exciting time for IFT, and we need you to get involved. The Nominations & Elections Committee strives to put forth the finest leaders in the food science and technology profession, and we need your input to make that happen! You have an opportunity to nominate yourself or a colleague for President-Elect or for a position as a member of the 2012–2013 Board of Directors. Nominees must be Professional Members of IFT to be considered for candidacy. Find out more about Professional Membership.
It is easy to submit a nomination online. Click here to access the online nomination form. The deadline is October 3, 2011. Questions? Contact Erin Carter, Staff Coordinator for the Nominations & Elections Committee at ecarter@ift.org.
Online course: The Science Behind Food and Health
Explore the compounds and chemistry of bioactives and their impact on cognitive health through this self-paced and interactive online course. You’ll learn the science behind nutraceuticals, gain insights into the regulatory implications of foods combined with nutraceuticals/pharmaceuticals, and explore the requirements and challenges involved in the product approval process. This three-part course, which includes discussion forums and live virtual Q&A sessions with content experts, will be held August 10, August 17, and August 24. Get course details and register today.
July 19: Learn the latest on testing standards for efficacy of functional food ingredients
Functional foods continue to be a major trend, but consumer confidence in their health benefits is eroding due to the scrutiny that antioxidants and other functional factors have received from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and other scientific groups. Testing standards to measure the efficacy of functional food ingredients added to foods is one potential approach to instill confidence in the market place and to consumers. This webcast, taking place on July 19, will explore the needs, opportunities, and challenges to developing, validating, and using scientifically defensible efficacy testing standards for functional food ingredients. Register today!