Food companies in India that make health claims on product labels will have to have the claims validated once regulations implementing the new integrated Food Act take effect. The Food Act repeals several decades-old laws that were less restrictive, requiring only that claims and labels not be misleading. Under the new rules, health-related claims beyond those well-known and well-established scientifically must be justified by companies and scrutinized by state-level scientific committees. A food company executive said the regulatory changes are generally welcomed by the industry, but hoped the new process won't delay approval of new products. The new rules classify nutraceuticals, functional foods and dietary supplements as food, rather than drugs.

Japan's NTT Communications has developed a mobile phone app that uses photographs of the meal being eaten to count calories. Current phone apps for dieters require typing in food and calorie information. But NTT’s software analyzes food color and shapes and checks the information against a database to come up with the calorie counts. The database, which is accessible by smartphone, is extensive, including information on 100,000 foods; calorie counts can be adjusted according to perceived portion size. NTT says the app is still being tested, but a beta version will be made available free in January.

Health Canada has confirmed in a letter of non-objection that Kemin Health’s Slendesta food ingredient is not considered a novel food and may be marketed as such for use in conventional foods and beverages without a pre-market notification process. Slendesta has achieved the same status in Europe; in the U.S. the FDA ruled it was GRAS (generally recognized as safe) for use in foods and beverages. The active component in Slendesta, Proteinase Inhibitor II (PI2), is derived from U.S.-grown white potatoes. According to the company, the compound enhances the body’s natural release of cholecystokinin (CCK), a signaling peptide that travels through the bloodstream and helps induce feelings of fullness and satisfaction, thus helping people control hunger and perhaps make dieting easier.

U.S. organic food producer Fig Food Company says it is now offering its organic soups in the U.S. via Whole Foods Markets and other natural food stores. Ingredients for the soups, which are certified organic and kosher, come primarily from North American farms, the company says. The company offers four shelf-stable ready-to-eat varieties (Tuscan White Bean, Umbrian Lentil, Yucatan Black Bean, Gran Farro e Fagioli) and three condensed varieties (Tomato, Wheatberry and Split Pea). The company’s mission is to provide healthy plant-based foods that contribute to fossil fuel independence and a reduction of greenhouse gases. The company plans to expand beyond soups to other ready-to-eat meals in the future.

U.S. researchers studying the relationship between fatty acid intake and osteoporosis in women have found that saturated fatty acids increase the risk of hip fractures, while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids decrease the risk. Participants in the study included more than 137,000 postmenopausal women who reported having hip fractures and ingesting omega-3 dietary supplements. Researchers were surprised to find that consuming higher levels of marine omega-3 fatty acids was associated with greater total fracture risk, but higher omega-6 intake was linked to a lower total fracture risk.

Functional foods that target bone health, cardiovascular health and gastrointestinal function can play a useful role in the healthy diet of older people, according to a report from the U.K.’s International Longevity Centre. The report emphasizes that functional foods should be considered only as a supplement to a nutritious diet, not a sole solution. Functional foods, the report says, “should be seen as a way to reinforce the health improvement and disease prevention aims of a healthy lifestyle approach.” The report suggests that: age-specific dietary recommendations be established for different age groups; calcium and vitamin D strategies should be reviewed; cholesterol-lowering foods should be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle approach; and probiotic treatment protocols should be developed for those at risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

U.S. research sponsored by ConAgra Foods, Inc., looked at multiple studies and found that tomatoes offer numerous cardiovascular benefits that qualify them to be of a heart-healthy diet. The researchers found, for example, that in one study people with high blood pressure who consumed two servings of canned tomato products daily experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure. Tomatoes contain high levels of carotenoid antioxidants such as lycopene, but are also a source of vitamin C, fiber and potassium. According to ConAgra, tomatoes account for 85 percent of the lycopene consumed in the U.S. One study the researchers analyzed found that lycopene absorption is two to three times greater in canned tomato products than raw tomatoes.

A survey on family eating habits, attitudes and physical activity finds significant positive changes in eating patterns related to healthier weights in children since 2003. There has been a significant increase in daily family meals eaten at home: a majority of families are not eating at fast food or sit-down restaurants often. Many children are interested in meeting with registered dieticians to learn how to prepare a meal. However, less than 25 percent of parents and children correctly identified grains as the main daily food group. Children are most likely to skip breakfast, according to the survey, and a majority of kids would be more physically active if fun activities were offered before or after school. A total of 1,193 parent and child pairs were surveyed among African-Americans, Hispanics and Caucasians.

Families with little time for food shopping and cooking are increasingly willing to contract with companies that prepare and deliver nutritious, even diet and gourmet, meals daily straight to the home. The service is especially helpful at holiday time, when dieters try delivered meals to keep weight off. An added benefit is the learning process dieters undergo, especially if they pay attention to portion sizes, food preparation techniques, etc. It often leads to a new approach to cooking and eating when they leave the meal delivery plans, which can cost up to $40 a day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, fresh or frozen. Some plans offer counseling, meal planning guides and other resources for dieters

A nutritionist speaking at a recent food and nutrition conference suggested pistachios as a nutritious snack that is also eco-friendly.  Among the reasons to choose pistachios as a frequent snack: only two calories of fossil fuel are need to produce one calorie of plant food like pistachios, compared to as many as 80 calories of fossil fuel to produce a calorie of animal food; pistachios have a minimal carbon footprint because they are a one-ingredient food; pistachios do not required energy-guzzling refrigeration; the discarded shells are compostable; and their light shipping weight means fuel consumption is minimized.

A nutrition professor at Kansas State University has shed 27 pounds on a junk food diet whose main sources of sustenance were Hostess Twinkies, Little Debbie’s Zebra Cake, Duncan Hines Brownie Chewy Fudge and Doritos Cool Ranch Chips – but whose calorie intake was limited to 1,800 a day. Mark Haub acknowledged he also are a nutritious protein shake, took a multivitamin and ate a couple of servings of vegetables each day. And he continued his regular exercise routine. On that regimen, it took ten weeks to lose 27 pounds. In addition, his body mass index dropped from 28.8 to a more normal 24.9; his LDL (“bad cholesterol”) level dropped 20 percent, good cholesterol (HDL) went up 20 percent, and blood triglycerides went down 39 percent.

Australian researchers studying the relationship between chocolate intake and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) in women have found that eating chocolate as infrequently as once a week can cut the risk of heart disease by 24 percent. In fact, they found that eating chocolate once a week was just as effective in preventing atherosclerosis as eating it daily. Researchers studied data from a randomized controlled trial of calcium supplement consumption in1,216 older women over ten years. The women were divided into three groups based on frequency of chocolate consumption. They then examined them for plaque buildup in their arteries using ultrasound. Twenty-seven percent of the women who rarely ate chocolate were hospitalized for, or died from, heart attacks or strokes, compared to 20.7 percent of the weekly eaters.

A study by researchers from the University of Western Australia showed that consuming chocolate daily or once a week can lower women’s risk for heart diseases and cardiovascular problems later in life. The study, which sought to determine the links between chocolate consumption and atherosclerotic vascular disease (ASVD), used data from a “randomized controlled trial of calcium supplements,” which covered 1,216 older women. As part of the study, the researchers tested the subjects, who were subdivided into three groups based on self-reported chocolate consumption, for artery plaque buildup using B-mode carotid ultrasonography.  The researchers found that people that consumed chocolate weekly or daily both obtained a similar level of risk reduction of around 24%.

A multinational team of researchers who examined results of clinical trials that studied whether widely used vitamin E supplements prevent stroke found mixed – but very sobering – results. The researchers looked at data from nine randomized trials involving nearly 119,000 people. Noting that the “results were largely disappointing,” they discovered that vitamin E actually increased the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (bleeding within the brain) by 22 percent, but reduced the risk of ischemic stroke (brain tissue death from lack of oxygen) by 10 percent. They argued that vitamin E’s 10 percent risk reduction was negligible compared to other types of intervention, especially blood pressure medication and lifestyle changes. The conclusion: “Indiscriminate widespread use of vitamin E should be cautioned against.”

A Canadian researcher recently presented study results showing the potential health benefits of plant-derived phytosterols not only in reducing blood triglycerides, but also in developing personalized nutrition programs and combination therapies. Phytosterols are found in fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils, legumes, nuts and grains, and have been shown to lower cholesterol. But Prof. Todd Rideout of Canada’s Richardson Centre for Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals believes phytosterols offer broader health benefits. For example, by determining the factors that affect an individual’s cholesterol synthesis, doctors can better prescribe a nutritional program. And even greater benefits may be derived by combining phytosterols with other therapies, such as omega-3 fatty acids.

U.S. researchers have found that the bioavailability of certain nutrients in 100 percent orange juice and in a nutrient-fortified low-calorie beverage are similar. In the study, 12 adult men were fed a 591 mL serving of orange juice, a low-calorie beverage fortified with ascorbic acid and folic acid, and one percent low-fat milk. Blood samples were taken at 30-minute intervals over 4.5 hours and analyzed for nutrient concentrations. Although the blood plasma concentration of ascorbic acid was much greater after drinking the fortified beverage, bioavailability of the nutrient was the same in both drinks. The same result was found with folic acid. The researchers noted that, though both beverages delivered nutrients equally well, the fortified drink had "far fewer calories".

Advocates of the so-called “Paleo Diet” argue that, to stay healthy, humans should only eat foods that Stone Agers ate. That means meat, fish, vegetables and fruits, but not processed foods, and no sugar, dairy, beans, grains and potatoes. But Pres. and Mrs. Obama’s personal trainer Cornell McClellan has his doubts. First, no one really knows what the caveman diet consisted of. But a recent archeological study found evidence that Paleolithic men ate grains and other prepared foods such as roots, vegetables and a form of cracker. And despite its popularity, the Paleo Diet, even when it achieves weight loss, is “not the healthiest diet program,” McClellan says. He agrees with cutting out processed foods, but says a meat-heavy diet that eliminates whole food groups is not recommended for most people.

U.S. researchers working with mice found that the harder the animals worked to get a certain food the more they chose and savored it over other options. The researchers said the results suggest that dieters might be conditioned to consume lower calorie foods; the results also offer possible insights into ways to change other less-than-optimal behaviors. The research team conducted two experiments, both involving ordinary lab mice. In the first, mice pressed a lever once to obtain a sugary treat. But they had to press a second lever 15 times to get a similar snack. When later allowed to choose a snack freely, the mice preferred the food that they had worked harder for. The second experiment confirmed the results when a low-calorie snack was substituted.

Whole Foods Market has expanded its kosher food offerings with the addition of specially developed organic kosher chicken broth from Pacific Natural Foods. Certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, the broth is made from free-range, grain-fed chickens raised without antibiotics or added growth hormones, and are processed according to kosher standards. Whole Foods offers an array of kosher products from Streit’s, including  vegetarian and gluten-free macaroons, and vegetarian cake and stuffing mixes that are free of hydrogenated oils, artificial preservatives and MSG. Some stores also offer poultry options from Kosher Valley, including fresh and frozen whole young turkeys and chickens, ground turkey and chicken, and value-pack options for both. On the confectionery side, Whole Foods offers kosher marshmallows, candy canes, and organic, ethically sourced Hanukkah gelt.

U.S. researchers who analyzed data from 26 studies found no data to support a hypothesis that eating red or processed meat is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, the second most common cancer among men worldwide. Some scientists have suggested that the spread of prostate cancer could be due to a wider global adoption of the Western diet, including higher fat and meat intake. But the researchers looked at 15 studies of red meat and 11 studies of processed meat and could find no association between prostate cancer and high or low consumption of red or processed meats. The researchers concluded: “The results of this meta-analysis are not supportive of an independent positive association between red or processed meat intake and prostate cancer.”

Acknowledging that advances in nutrition science have rendered its fat- and calorie-based “points” plan obsolete, WeightWatchers is implementing a new system that focuses on the quantity and types of protein, carbohydrates, fiber and fat in food. The “ProPoints” scheme, to be launched in time for the New Year’s resolution season with a $45 million ad campaign, awards weekly bonus “real living” points that allows participants to indulge in favorite foods and even fast foods. About 250 products that had total sales of $510 million in the U.K. last year are packaged for the WeightWatchers system. Fifty-seven of the products will be reformulated for the new points scheme. Heinz, Yoplait, Greencore and Warburtons will have to alter their WeightWatchers packages.

Acai juice maker Bossa Nova has a lot of explaining to do, if the results of a consumer survey are to be believed. Apparently, not a whole lot of people are familiar with the acai berry or its health benefits. The survey found that half of adults put antioxidants at the top of the list of nutrients they want in their diets, but don’t know which fruits contain the most antioxidants. A third of those surveyed believe blueberries have more antioxidants than acai berries, which is not accurate. A quarter of those surveyed mistakenly believe acai juice helps with weight loss. Bossa Nova says the  survey findings mean it has “a long way to go in terms of educating the public” about the benefits of superfruits, especially acai.

Voluntary reductions in the salt content of processed foods have proven cost-effective in terms of improving health and lowering healthcare spending, according to an Australian study, but government-mandated reductions would be even more effective. Dietary advice targeted at individuals was found not to be cost-effective, even among people at risk for high blood pressure. Researchers said the current voluntary salt reduction efforts in the Australian food industry could be 20 times more effective if the government imposed “moderate salt limits” in processed foods. The researchers said heart disease rates could be cut by 18 percent if the government forced food manufacturers to lower salt content. "If corporate responsibility fails, maybe there is an ethical justification for government to step in and legislate," the authors wrote.

Adding monounsaturated fat (MUFA) such as sunflower or avocado oil to a cholesterol-lowering diet increases so-called “good cholesterol” (HDL) by 12.5 percent and lowers “bad cholesterol” (LDL) by 35 percent, a Canadian study has found. Low HDL levels and high LDL levels are associated with greater risk for heart disease. Twenty-four men and women were randomly assigned to either a high- or low-MUFA diet. All patients ate a vegetarian diet of oats, barley, psyllium, eggplant, okra, soy, almonds and a plant sterol enriched margarine. Researchers substituted 13 percent of the carbohydrate calories with either sunflower or avocado oil in the high-MUFA diet group. They concluded that a cardio-protective, cholesterol-lowering diet “may be significantly enhanced by inclusion of a moderate amount of monounsaturated fat.”

According to market researcher Mintel, several forces have combined to transform the functional foods and beverage industry: the economy, consumer doubts, and tought FDA rules. Price-conscious consumers are more likely to take a cheaper multivitamin, for example, than a specialty supplement. Though antioxidant-rich functional beverages are still highly sought after, consumers can find many cheaper regular beverages containing antioxidants. And they are less likely to buy a functional beverage that is high in calories. Key problems for the industry: consumers don’t really think of functional foods as a category, and they look for foods that are enjoyable as well as healthy, benefits that can come from a wide variety of foods. Mintel says consumers are more likely to choose functional foods to provide a specific benefit: weight loss, energy boost, or stress relief.

Researchers in Brazil investigating the biochemical effects of daily consumption of margarines and butter found plant sterol margarine significantly reduced apolipoproteins (Apos), which are proteins that bind to oil-soluble substances such as fat and cholesterol to form lipoproteins. They also reduced the ability of HDL (“good cholesterol”) to accept fats. The randomized study involved 53 men and women with metabolic syndrome, a precursor of diabetes. Participants were fed butter, no-trans-fat margarine or plant sterol margarine (all of equal caloric value) in addition to their usual diets for five weeks. “No significant effects were noted on the concentrations of inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers among the groups," the researchers noted.

Mothers who eat peanuts during their pregnancy may put allergic infants at increased risk of potentially dangerous peanut allergies, a U.S. study finds. Researchers assessed 503 three- to 15-month-old babies who had milk or egg allergies, had eczema or tested positive for milk or egg allergies, all of which are associated with a heightened risk of peanut allergy. Of the group – none of whom had been diagnosed with peanut allergy – 140 infants were found via blood tests to have a strong sensitivity to peanuts. Eating peanuts during pregnancy was a significant predictor of the test result. While acknowledging that their study had some limitations – like reliance on self-reporting – it nevertheless “highlights the need for further research to make recommendations about dietary restrictions."

Incomplete information from blood tests called serum immunoassays about potential food allergies is causing many children, especially those with eczema, to unnecessarily avoid certain foods, according to U.S. researchers, leading to nutritional risks. The researchers examined the medical charts of 125 children placed on restricted diets because blood tests indicated allergies to 177 foods, such as egg, milk, shellfish, peanut and tree nut. After many of the children later tried the restricted foods, physicians restored 84 percent to 93 percent of them to their diets. The researchers said children with known allergic reactions, especially anaphylactic reactions, should of course avoid questionable foods. But “a growing number of patients” on strict, unproven food-elimination diets end up with “poor weight gain and malnutrition,” thanks to overreliance on immunoassay tests.

Italian scientists have found evidence in a clinical study that supplementation with either of two proprietary probiotic strains (BB-12 or L. casei 431) improves the body’s resistance to common infections such as flu and colds. The study was sponsored by the developer of the strains, Danish food ingredients maker Chr. Hansen. The clinical study involving 211 healthy adults showed that antibody responses were significantly increased in both probiotic groups compared to a placebo after a challenge to the immune system from a flu virus vaccination. Antibody responses to a vaccination model of this type are considered the best marker available to assess the human immune response. The study was conducted at the Luigi Sacco Hospital in Milan.

South Korean researchers have found that the antioxidant activity of phenolic acids mixed into  bread dough is reduced by the mixing process, but is then recovered during fermentation and baking. The finding is “important for the development of functional foods,” the researchers said. Phenolic acids are plentiful in whole grains in certain cell walls and in the seed coat and embryo of wheat. But the milling process removes these. For the study, four phenolic acids (caffeic, ferulic, syringic and gallic) were mixed with wheat flour. The most pronounced antioxidant effect was found in caffeic acid, researchers said, adding that phenolic acid recovery after baking was 74–80 percent. The retention of antioxidant activity during the baking process “has potential health benefits for consumers,” they concluded.

Turkish and American scientists have found that people who rely on portion sizes listed on food labels are often misled into eating more than they intend. Inconsistent portion sizes – small, medium and large vary from one product to another – contribute to consumer confusion about how much to  eat. Size labels in fact “can have a major impact on consumers' purchase and consumption behavior," the authors wrote. In their five studies of people eating, the researchers found that when people consumed a large item labeled "small," they felt less guilty, an effect they termed "guiltless gluttony." The biasing effect of size labels was most evident when people didn’t seem to care about accurate nutrition intake. "Stricter size labeling laws and more vigilant monitoring of marketers' use of size labels may be needed,” the researchers concluded.

A large cohort study showed positive associations between red meat intake and esophageal and gastric cardia cancer. During a 10-year follow-up, researchers recorded 215 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, 630 esophageal adencarcinomas, 454 gastric cardia adenocarcinomas, and 501 gastric non-cardia adenocarcinomas. Results of the study positively linked red meat with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, showing that subjects with the highest intake of 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx) at greater risk for gastric cardia cancer and those with the highest intake of 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (MeIQx), 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), or heme iron intake at increased risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Stevia extract supplier GLG Life Tech Corporation says it has contracted with online distributor ChemPoint.com Inc. to sell GLG’s portfolio of stevia extracts to food and beverage companies in the U.S. and Europe. ChemPoint will handle sales and order fulfillment under the three-year agreement, as well as technical support and expertise. Stevia is a natural, calorie free sugar substitute, derived from the leaves of the stevia plant, that can replace many uses of sugar. GLG’s vertically integrated operations include each step in the stevia supply chain , from non-GMO stevia seed breeding, natural propagation, stevia leaf growth and harvest to extraction, refining, etc.

Driven by health and aging concerns, lifestyle changes and growing wealth, functional foods are moving to the mainstream and, according to Global Industry Analysts, set to reach $130 billion in sales by 2015. Growth slowed in 2009 and 2010 but remained positive and is now recovering; Asia Pacific will have especially strong growth at 6% annually through 2015. GIA sees continuing innovation in functional foods and drinks as companies target specific needs such as heart health, energy and antioxidant delivery, increasingly using niche ingredients such as spirulina, wheatgrass and Chlorella and other  ‘super greens’.

A U.S. study examining the impact of wild blueberries on the blood vessels of rats with hypertension found that the berries improved “vascular tone” and lowered blood pressure. Polyphenol-rich wild blueberries comprised eight percent of the diet in the test rats over an eight-week period. The diet resulted in “a significant moderation of the increased aortic vascular tone,” the researchers said, noting that the berries affected acted the nitrous oxide pathway, increasing nitrous oxide delivery to the blood vessels, causing them to dilate or relax and thus improve blood flow. The researchers concluded that wild blueberries show potential as an effective vasodilator for reducing blood pressure.

Health Canada and Food and Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC), the largest Canadian food industry association launched a multi-media education campaign to improve consumer food knowledge. The campaign, which will include messages on food packaging as well as in-store, national print, television, and online advertising,  will center on improving consumer food knowledge and use of nutrition facts tables and percent (%) daily value information so that Canadians can make more knowledgeable diet decisions. The Honorable Leona Aglukkaq, Canadian Minister of Health, stated "This innovative, national initiative builds on ongoing efforts by our Government to help Canadians better understand and use this information to make healthier food choices."

Researchers who analyzed data from a large European cohort study found that intake of more than 100 mL (about 3.4 oz.) of coffee and tea a day was significantly associated with a reduced risk of brain tumors (gliomas). The findings support the conclusions of an earlier U.S. cohort study as well as some experiments showing that caffeine slows the persistent growth of glioblastoma. Researchers examined data compiled from more than a half-million people over eights years. They found 343 cases of glioma and 245 cases of meningioma in nine countries. There was “an inverse association between total coffee and tea consumption and risk of glioma that was consistent with the findings of a recent study,” the researchers concluded.

Change4Life, a U.K. government nutrition program funded with a two-year commitment of £75m, took a blow when one of its leading partners, Nestlé, included the program’s logo on a website dominated by its sugar-laden products. This was particularly inappropriate because families that participate in the Change4Life program are encouraged to replace high-sugar foods with nutritious alternatives. Christine Haigh, Children’s Food Campaign Coordinator, argued that Nestlé’s actions provide a “wake up call for the Department of Health” to think about their collaboration with companies promoting products inconsistent with its anti-obesity efforts.

Four percent of the U.S. population currently suffers from food-related allergies, up18 percent in the last ten years, and both food manufacturers and food-service providers are beginning to address allergy victims’ concerns. General Mills’ gluten-free brands, Chili's allergen-informative website, and American Airlines switch from peanuts to pretzels are all examples of how businesses meet these expanding challenges. Because a large percentage of the 12 million U.S. food-allergy sufferers are children, parents are highly-sensitive to safety issues, underscoring the need for businesses to change food processing, preparation, distribution and contamination-prevention practices. Doing so can allay victims’ concerns but also be good for business. Unresponsive companies will likely lose business, a process aided by technology:  the iPhone app, iCanEatOntheGo, screens fast-food restaurants; Foodcontentalerts.com identifies packaged-food allergy issues; and Allerdine.com grades restaurants on allergy-related issues.

Research indicates that organic food marketers in the U.K. have an opportunity to convert a significant part of the population if they can address perceptions of high cost and low value-added. U.K. shoppers see two primary issues with purchasing organic goods: the first is high cost, an issue for 58 percent of respondents in a recent study conducted by YouGov SixthSense. The second, identified by another 25 percent, is lack of a comparative advantage over non-organic foods. A researcher involved in the study points to the reality that, “many organic lines are coming down in price, and in some cases are equal to, or cheaper than standard branded products.” The small percentage (13%) that buy organic exclusively include well-off, urban, females over 25 who own homes, are single, and well-educated.

A new U.S. study has found that the way consumers pay for food – either by cash or credit card – influences the kind of food they purchase: healthy or unhealthy. Researchers analyzed shopping behavior among 1,000 households for six months. They found that shoppers react to certain food items, mainly unhealthy ones like cookies, cakes and pies, impulsively. That impulse is more easily satisfied and becomes fairly painless when credit cards are used, but more difficult when cash is the only option. The researchers found that “shopping baskets have a larger proportion of food items rated as impulsive and unhealthy when shoppers use credit or debit cards to pay for the purchases.” Follow-up tests showed that the “pain” of paying with cash can restrain impulsive actions.

Canadian and Jordanian researchers examining the effect of barley beta-glucan polysaccharides on cholesterol (lipid) levels in blood have found that three grams of barley daily lowered concentrations of total cholesterol as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad cholesterol”) compared to controls. The researchers studied data from eleven clinical trials from 1989 to 2008. Overall, barley and beta-glucan, a form of soluble fiber isolated from barley, lowered total and LDL cholesterol concentrations by 0.30 mmol/l and 0.27 mmol/l, according to the study. “Increased consumption of barely products should be considered as a dietary approach to reduce LDL cholesterol concentrations,” the researchers concluded.

A U.S. study of the effect of sleep loss on the success of dieting has found that restricted sleep decreases the amount of fat lost while reducing muscle mass. Ten overweight nonsmoking men and women with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 27.4 spent 14 days on a moderate calorie-restricted diet. Groups either got 8.5 or 5.5 hours of sleep a night. The researchers found that the two groups lost about the same amount of weight during the study (6.5 pounds), but the sleep-derived group lost muscle weight, while those with a good night’s sleep lost fat. "Lack of sufficient sleep may compromise the efficacy of typical dietary interventions for weight loss and related metabolic risk reduction,” researchers concluded.

Research suggests that Vitamin D supplements, primarily intended to increase bone density and protect against osteoporosis later in life, do not improve healthy children’s ability to absorb calcium. A review of six studies that compared bone density between healthy children taking Vitamin D and those taking a placebo, found no measurable differences in bone density. “Vitamin D supplementation had no statistically significant effects.” according to Dr. Tania Winzenberg, at the Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania. Researchers now call for additional studies to determine if supplements can help children with low levels of Vitamin D in their blood.

Functional foods are booming as consumers focus on disease prevention and wellness. Analysts suggest the US market exceeds $30 billion and is growing 5x faster than the overall food market. Functional or modified foods are usually augmented with things like calcium, antioxidant, and vitamins to provide added nutrient-value beyond intrinsic levels. However, these products are unregulated and dieticians believe that companies often use functional claims as a marketing ploy.  Debate continues on the benefits or otherwise of functional foods, with many dieticians advising consumer to instead opt for natural, unprocessed foods, modified or not.

Recent news coverage of tainted beef, salmonella-infected eggs and contaminated Gulf shrimp are having an impact on consumer and food professional spending patterns, new U.S./Norwegian research finds. Web-based surveys of 400 consumers and 75 food companies, including manufacturers, distributors and retailers, found that safe and healthy food is the number one priority, though recycling, social justice, green practices, economic viability and animal welfare are also important, especially as indicators of sustainability. Domestic meat products are a serious concern among consumers along with products coming from international sources. The research also found that many food suppliers are putting certification audits in place to manage food safety risk through traceability tools. “Industry professionals place more emphasis on traceability, while consumers want to see the certification on product labels,” said one researcher.