Greek researchers have isolated three strains of bacteria from
dairy sources that have desirable probiotic properties and could be
applied in the food industry.
The first consumer product containing a probiotic strain derived
from human milk by Puleva Biotech has launched in Spain, and the
company hopes it may find a home in other foods for infants and
adults.
Scientists have devised a way of using 'live' bacteria in yoghurt
to deliver medicine that can prevent HIV infection, potentially
opening up a new avenue for probiotic dairy development.
Consumer watchdog Which? has questioned the efficacy of probiotic
products, claiming that there is no reliable research to prove that
they can help general well-being.
Australian omega-3 producer Clover Corporation is testing whether
microalgae could offer an alternative source of health fatty acids
to its current raw material supply, fish.
Probiotics, unheard of a year ago, are now being added to more and
more products in China, and look set to see rapid growth in demand,
according to key supplier Chr Hansen.
Danone, France's iconic dairy group, is working with a prestigious
French research institute to find new probiotic strains for dairy
products and understand more about how the 'friendly bacteria'
work.
A method of enriching milk with Omega 3 will result in products
without the fishy taste associated with the oil, Tetra Pak says in
marketing a dosing machine for the nutrient.
Omega-3 fatty acids are increasingly common on product labels but
few manufacturers are going through the complex formulation process
of using fish oils to make this claim.
Functional spreads are increasingly holding up value on the UK
margarine sector, says new research, as Dairy Crest plans to launch
a new range containing omega-3.
Chr Hansen's latest Magical Sensory Tour is designed to bring
innovative products to customers and underline the company's ethos
that ingredients can be fun and imaginative.
Probiotic ingredients are the main focus down at Danisco Cultures'
research and development labs, but false claims are hampering the
market, business director Patrick Veau tells
DairyReporter.com.
The French dairy group will launch its successful Activia probiotic
yoghurts in the US at the start of next year as American consumers
catch on to the benefits of 'friendly bacteria'.
Juices containing probiotic bacteria will see increasing interest
from drinks and dairy producers looking to add value, predicts
Finnish functional dairy innovator Valio.
Too many producers are falsely labelling their products as
probiotic and could present a stumbling block to the sector's
expansion, says the marketing head of leading innovator Valio at
Drinktec 2005.
Europe's food risk assessment body has issued its opinion on
nutrition claims for products containing omega-3 fatty acids, which
will be used in forthcoming laws on nutrition and health claims.
If anyone doubted that the US probiotics market's star is rising,
kefir-maker Lifeway Foods' latest results, positive in spite of
milk price vagarities, should be enough to convince them.
Elderly people who are frail and at risk for bone fractures may be
helped somewhat by giving them both vitamin D and calcium,
according to the results of a new review of previous studies.
French probiotics firm Institut Rosell-Lallemand said it has been
included in a new government initiative to pool research into
cancer prevention and treatment.
A probiotic formulation developed by French/Canadian company
Institut Rosell reduced symptoms associated with IBS in tests on a
rat model, writes Dominique Patton.
A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D may lower the risk of
developing premenstrual syndrome (PMS), a condition that affects up
to a fifth of all women, researchers reported yesterday.
Members of the European Parliament are today debating and voting on
proposals for two new controversial pieces of proposed legislation
that will affect food processors - one toput restrictions on the
health claims they make about...
The first omega-3 milks to hit the UK market will benefit from
increasing demand for healthy children's food, following a wave of
media reports on research into brain food and the poor quality of
school lunches, writes Dominique...
The message about the gut health benefit probiotics can deliver is
finally getting through to US consumers, according to a new report
on the state of the functional foods sub-category.
With the upcoming EU ban on the use of antibiotic growth promoters
in animal feed, companies such as Medipharm and Chr. Hansen are
rushing to provide farmers with natural alternatives.
A drink containing a probiotic strain isolated from infants
relieved symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome to the same extent as
pharmaceutical treatments for the condition, report Irish
researchers.
Not all strains of bacteria used in probiotic products on the UK
market survive through the entire digestive system, conclude study
results published this week by the Food Standards Agency, although
at least one strain in each of...
Danish ingredients company Chr Hansen has licensed the use of a
genomics tool to improve knowledge of how probiotic bacteria work.
It could help the firm develop new probiotic bacteria with superior
benefits over existing products.
Emerging research on lactic acid bacteria is set to offer food
companies a new method of vitamin enrichment that allows them to
get around consumer concerns over added ingredients, writes
Dominique Patton.
The US probiotic industry needs to step up a gear and finance
further research in order to win over consumer confidence by
providing scientific proof of its health benefits, according to
research published by the International Food...
Organic milk has significantly higher quantities of vitamin E - a
key component in contributing to the shelf-life of milk - than its
conventional equivalent, say Danish researchers, suggesting the
origins of the difference are rooted...
A US cancer prevention expert says that if government required
calcium and vitamin D to be added to foods, it could achieve a 20
per cent reduction in colon cancer deaths and osteoporosis-related
fractures.
Dutch ingredients firm Sensus has carried out new research to prove
the prebiotic effect of native inulin at only 5 grams, allowing
food manufacturers to make prebiotic claims on a relatively low
dose.
New gene technology could provide further evidence to support
probiotic bacteria, often criticised by the medical profession for
having insufficient science behind the claims made about their
health benefits.
The first dairy food range in Europe containing Danisco's Howaru
probiotics has been introduced in Slovenia by one of the region's
top dairy product manufacturers Ljubljanske Mlekarne.
The new cultures unit at Danisco looks set to become a powerful
force in the probiotics sector, gaining additional strains and
entrance to new markets with the acquisition of Rhodia Food,
according to new division chief Fabienne Saadane-Oaks.
Probiotics in capsule form have been around for a few years, as
dietary supplement manufacturers seek to take advantage of the
growing awareness of their beneficial effect on gut health. But
some consumers do not like taking capsules,...
Europe's first pasteurized milk enriched with omega-3 fatty acids
has launched in Ireland, thanks to new technology that allows a
fish oil emulsion to be added to milk just before it goes into
cartons, writes Dominique Patton.
Valio is to launch its probiotic cheese in Belgium, the first
country outside its home market, where cheese is a fast-growing new
application area for the health-promoting bacteria, writes
Dominique Patton.
Probiotics, the bacteria thought to help gut health disorders,
allergies and even some forms of cancer, contain immune
system-stimulating DNA, which makes them just as effective when
inactivated as when consumed as live microorganisms...
The food ingredient pectin may be more valuable than thought as it
has significant prebiotic properties, claims a US scientist.
Derived mainly from waste citrus peel, it is used to stabilise
dairy products.
French yoghurt manufacturer Danone has announced that it has raised
its stake in probiotics maker Yakult to 19 per cent, citing strong
performance of the Japanese company as the reason for its long-term
investment.
In the US, an Ohio dairy is recalling 150 half gallons of one of
its products because it contains excessive levels of vitamin A and
D that could present a health risk.
Acidophilus and other probiotic supplements may be gaining in
popularity but a report by independent testers ConsumerLab, says
live bacteria may actually be missing in many priobiotic products.
