NutraIngredients NutraTalk Podcast

Mapping the microbiome and the increasing sophistication of gene sequencing and analysis have in just a few years completely changed the research landscape for microbiota, and looks set to answer many to-date unresolved ‘mechanism of action’ questions.

Today the European Commission meets to decide whether or not to send the controversial European Union health claims register to the European Parliament – now is no time to abort the process says European ingredients giant, Beneo.

Changes to dietary patterns could help to slash the risk of type 2 diabetes by around 50 percent, according to the winner of this year’s Alpro Foundation award.

Intra-regional finesse is a necessity not a luxury when it comes to doing business in the many markets of the Asia-Pacific, as leading suppliers Chr Hansen and Danisco relayed at the recent Vitafoods Asia trade show in Hong Kong.

A growing middle class with rising disposable income is fuelling a rapid increase in demand for dairy ingredients in China and Southeast Asia, and North American dairy cooperative Agropur is finding opportunities in some specific market sectors.

Campaigns against vitamin D deficiency have gained prominence in the western world but the dietary issue is just as relevant in Asia, according to supplier DSM, even if sunlight hours are greater than most regions.

As Vitafoods Asia closes its doors on a successful three-day debut edition in Hong Kong today, event director Chris Lee shares impressions of the show with Shane Starling, and ponders refinements to the event in 2012.

Spanish supplier Genosa brought its olive extracts to Vitafoods Asia in Hong Kong this week where it found a recent EFSA-approved health claim resonated well beyond European shores.

Asia Pacific markets are ripe for functional foods development as a response to the increasing prevalence of western diets, says Katrina Diamonon, consumer analyst at market researcher, Datamonitor.

Earlier this year, an international team of scientists identified three distinct varieties of gut microflora. NutraIngredients caught up with the lead researcher of the project to find out more about the research and its possible implications.

As the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) delivers hundreds of batch five general function health claim rejections to an ever-frustrated academic and commercial community, EFSA health claims panelist Ambroise Martin, PhD, tells NutraIngredients why disgruntled researchers would come to the same conclusions as EFSA’s health claims panel, if put in the same position. It’s all about context you se...

Information about the human genome is providing new insights into the way vitamin E – a nutrient that has very much ridden the scientific roller coaster in recent years in the face of questioning meta reviews – functions in the body.

General Mills is throwing more and more resources behind an ‘intellectual outsourcing’ project that has significantly reduced its product fail rate. But gaining the trust of start-ups has not been easy, says Kamel Chida, associate director of its Worldwide Innovation Network.

Metagenomic developments are providing new insights into the here-to-now largely mysterious mechanisms of behaviour displayed by gut microbiota – just the kind of data required by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to win claims.

In advance of the presentation of the southern edition of the DSM Science and Technology Awards yesterday, DSM senior VP in nutritional science and nutrition and health advocacy, Dr Manfred Eggersdorfer, explained how it is that nutrition science is entering a renaissance period.

Probiotics are best used for their potentially beneficial effects on gut health, but they may also help to boost immune functions – an effect that could benefit sports stars in the future, according to a leading sports scientist.

There was a lot of discussion about the convergence of food and pharma at this week’s NutrEvent and NutriConference in Lille, France, but a €1bn+ Nestlé commitment does not a category make.

Hans-Christian Ambjerg, president of DSM Food Specialties, goes head to head with FoodNavigator.com on commodity prices, emerging markets and acquisition strategy.

A lot of talk has focussed on how non-sporty consumers are driving the market, but what about the potential for industry by targeting elite athletes? First, industry must understand the unique demands of top level performance, says Jeni Pearce from the English Institute Sport.

The supplements and functional foods industry is set to do “business as usual” at next month’s Vitafoods trade show, according to the event director, after an uncontrollable period in the wake of health claims.

There is huge potential in producing food ingredients from traditional and natural sources. These ingredients may deliver health benefit or offer functions in processed foods, removing the need artificial chemicals, says Dr Martin Wickham, of Leatherhead Food Research.

Claims consultant and European food regulation specialist, Patrick Coppens, from the Brussels-based consultancy European Advisory Services, says new data could win lutein players a positive health claim opinion.

Naturex will expand again in 2011 with several “€5-20m” targets, 1.5 years after completing the €110m integration of Spanish supplier Natraceutical that made the French botanical extracts supplier the biggest in the world.

Biomarkers for eye health nutrient lutein deserve validation, says a leading academic in the area.

The Probiotics European Scientific League (PESL) is a new group that seeks to improve quality among probiotic supplements by increasing testing and certifying products that pass via a League logo.