Organic & high welfare farming

Arla sees whey protein concentrates as an important growth market

Arla and DMK form new €44m whey joint venture

By Jess Halliday

Arla Foods is to establish a whey processing joint venture with the merged Nordmilch-Humana company DMK to produce whey protein concentrate (WPC) and lactose for the food industry.

EFSA health claims panellist edits probiotic claims book

EFSA health claims panellist edits probiotic claims book

By Shane Starling

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) health claim panellist, professor Seppo Salminen, has co-edited a book investigating probiotic science and health claims, with a focus on regional differences.

Gut health academics will express their negative opinion of the NHCR to MEPs and local MPs in coming weeks

Probiotic academics turn up political health claim heat

By Shane Starling

A recently established group of global gut health academics is sending letters to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) as well as national government politicians as the group attempts to alter the application of a regulation it says is, “killing...

Activia sales have risen 16% in 2010 despite Dannon modifying its digestive claims

Dannon probiotic yogurt sales up 16% despite claims crackdown

By Shane Starling

US probiotics leader Dannon appears to have weathered recent class action and Federal Trade Commission (FTC)-led storms that forced it to alter gut health claims for its spoonable and drinkable yogurt, Activia, with sales rising 16 percent in 2010.

Microwarriors takes a 'pro' position on 'the power of probiotics'

Probiotics documentary reaches out to health professionals

By Shane Starling

A recently completed documentary about probiotics is being welcomed by the probiotics community with Danisco, the world’s biggest probiotics supplier saying it provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the microorganisms among the medical fraternity.

Lipid Nutrition withdraws Oz/NZ CLA Novel Foods application

Lipid Nutrition withdraws Oz/NZ CLA Novel Foods application

By Shane Starling

Dutch-based Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) player, Lipid Nutrition, has withdrawn its CLA Novel Foods application in Australia and New Zealand due to the two countries’ policy to reduce all trans fatty acids (TFAs) in the diet.

Change the diet of the cow to give people a healthier dairy diet

Special Edition: Lower fat foods

The farmyard holds the key to better reduced fat dairy products

By Guy Montague-Jones

Dairy products have become a target for food policy makers eager to put their populations on a low-fat diet but there is some debate about how best to achieve this and whether it is really desirable.

HiPPy times for one German company (and potentially others) as EFSA's health claims panel approves an article 14 thiamin claim for neural development in under-3s

EFSA health claim opinion

EFSA approves vitamin B1-infant brain health claim

By Shane Starling

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved a health claim linking thiamin (vitamin B1) and “normal neurological development and function” in infants and children up to three years of age.

Body shaping and toning is the predominate CLA claim, although to date, EFSA's health claims panel has not accepted CLA claim-backing science

CLA gains EU hearing as Novel Foods status beckons

By Shane Starling

Nine months after the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) handed in a positive safety assessment for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), the weight management ingredient will be assessed by the European Commission as it continues its protracted journey...

Some MEPs are calling for a revision of DHA-infant ye development claims

MEPs question omega-3 baby milk benefits

By Shane Starling

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are questioning whether omega-3 form DHA can benefit infant eye sight, despite the nutrient winning endorsement from one of the world’s toughest claims assessment agencies – the European Food Safety Authority...

Arla opens up access to lactose-free technology

Arla opens up access to lactose-free technology

By Guy Montague-Jones

Arla Foods Ingredients is giving other dairy companies access to its lactose-free technology that had previously been only available to other companies in the Arla Foods group.

Probiotic drinks and juices may still be a category to watch in 2011

Probiotic drinks are still a category to watch

By Guy Montague-Jones

European launches of probiotic drinks may have declined in recent years but analysts remain confident that the category still has strong global potential.

Dannon will continue making digestive health claims for Activia

Dannon on FTC settlement: “Our claims remain intact”

By Shane Starling

Dannon says its year-long negotiations with the Federal Trade Commission that resulted in a $21m settlement and modifications placed on its health statements, has not altered the core claims for its multi-million dollar selling probiotic yoghurts.

Not even the economic slump could dent the digestive health category

“Feeling the benefit” guides 2011 trends

By Shane Starling

Products that deliver physiological benefits quickly such as those benefitting gut health or boosting energy – will be the most important trend for 2011, according to a new report.

Yakult wants a word with the NDA about its rejected probiotic immunity claim

Yakult: EFSA must recognise cold symptoms

By Shane Starling

Japanese probiotics giant Yakult says its recent EFSA probiotic health claim rejection discounted peer-review validated respiratory tract health measures, and called on the European Commission to facilitate a discussion on the matter.

Danone says there is not enough claims clarity to make a submission for Actimel and other products

EFSA gut/immune health meeting

Danone tells EFSA: Health claims “learning experience” is too costly

By Shane Starling

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has repeatedly emphasised that the 2006 EU nutrition and health claims regulation is a learning experience for everyone involved – from its health claims assessment panel to industry stakeholders, to the member...

ASA finds against omega-3 claims for HiPP follow-on formula

Omega-3 baby brain food ads pulled in UK

By Shane Starling

Magazine adverts for follow-on formula containing prebiotics and omega-3s have been rapped in the UK for making brain health claims unauthorised by the European Union nutrition and health claims regulation (NHCR).

Bone health still niche, but sharp rise in NPD

Bone health still niche, but sharp rise in NPD

By Elaine Watson

The UK market for functional foods on a bone health platform grew 6.8% in the year to March 2010, but at just £38M, it still represents a niche part of the £556m functional foods market, according to new data from Kantar Worldpanel.

Why cavemen could hold the key to healthy eating

Why cavemen could hold the key to healthy eating

By Jess HALLIDAY

There’s something incongruous about the hi-tech modern food industry sniffing around the Palaeolithic era for the next big consumer trend. But hold the side order of cynicism. There might just be some logic to good old-fashioned instinctive eating.