News

Researchers at Fuji Chemical Industry (Fuji; Toyama, Japan) are researching the supplement AstaREAL astaxanthin for its potential to cure asthenopia, commonly known as eye fatigue, reports its U.S. subsidiary Fuji Health Science (Burlington, NJ).

A recent study on the effects of quercetin proves the plant pigment found in red wine and apples is still of scientific interest.

Fusion Formulations (Fusion; Phoenix) has announced an estimated quadrupling of its capacity for liquid manufacturing as a result of recent investments in production equipment that will create higher and faster output of products.

Chemi SpA (Chemi; Milan, Italy) has announced that its manufacturing facility, ITF Chemical Ltda, (ITF; Camacari, Bahia, Brazil) has been granted “acceptable status” after an inspection was conducted by HHS (Washington, DC) on its construction of new R&D and QC facilities.

The United Fresh Produce Association (United Fresh; Washington, DC) is urging member companies and the produce sector at large to enact change for what United Fresh thinks can be a transformative year in the industry.

A new United Nations report may have some small food companies feeling left in the cold. The World Health Organization (WHO; Geneva) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO; Rome) wrote a report that warns of the adverse effects that may occur impending food safety standards put on smaller companies.

IBM (Armonk, NY) has released a survey indicating significant levels of consumer anxiety in the U.S. surrounding grocery shopping, reports MediaPost News.

The biotechnology company Redpoint (Ewing, NJ) has announced that it has developed a new all-natural sweetener, RP44. Redpoint claims RP44 “demonstrated enhancement results” with common sweeteners, including sucrose, fructose, and high-fructose corn syrup.

DSM (Basel, Switzerland) and Lonza (Basel, Switzerland) have announced an extension of their partnership in Swiss production facilities in the districts of Visp and Lalden, the companies announced today.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the distribution of $176 million in Recovery Act funding to research laboratories in 29 states, according to the Agricultural Research Service (ARS; Washington, DC).

Effective June 15, 2009, chemical company BASF (Florham Park, NJ) will charge an increase of 5 cents per pound on all of its grades of Styropor and Neopor expandable polystyrene.

A nationwide recall of all Toll House cookie dough products has been announced due to the risk of E. coli infection, according to Nestlé USA (Nestlé; Glendale, CA).

Agricultural Research Service (ARS; Washington, DC) scientists have discovered that an avian bacterium, Bordetella hinzii, has been doing more damage to turkeys than previously assumed.

According to a study by the Organic Trade Association (OTA; Greenfield, MA) and Kiwi Magazine, families in the United States are now spending significantly more money on organic products than in years past.

Matt J. Whitworth, acting U.S Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that Sally Qing Miller and Stephen S. Miller, owners of pet food supplier ChemNutra, Inc. (Las Vegas), have pleaded guilty on federal charges for selling adulterated and misbranded pet food.

Rising consumer interest in eco-friendly products-not to mention recent food scares-is encouraging food manufacturers to take on more natural approaches when it comes to selling products.

As plenty of markets take spills in the midst of international economic downturn, one industry is managing to thrive: the dairy industry.

According to data supplied by IRI of Chicago, Illinois, sales of herbal dietary supplements in the food, drug, and mass market (FDM) channel increased by 7.16% in 2008 from 2007 sales, for a total figure of $289,248,200.

In the May 13th edition of The New York Times, columnist Nicholas Kristof paints a very favorable portrait of vitamin A supplements.

ZMC-USA (The Woodlands, TX)and ZMC China have announced a strategic partnership to market ZMC’s line of beta carotene products in the United States.

FDA says federal agents have seized more than $1.5 million worth of herbs, botanicals, and other ingredients used in dietary supplements that were being stored in “filthy” conditions.

The Organic Trade Association has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is offering $50 million in new funding to encourage greater production of organic food in the United States.

Western-origin brands were found to be leading Asia-based products in terms of research and development, according to joint findings by Global Intelligence Alliance Group (GIA) and analyst Fusion Consulting.

Phosphotech (Saint-Herblain Cedex, France) and Enzymotec (Springfield, NJ) have signed a marketing agreement to target the nutraceutical market in France.

The sale of U.S organic products, both food and non-food, reached $24.6 billion by the end of 2008, growing 17.1% over 2007 sales, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), which yesterday made available final results from its 2009 Organic Industry Survey.

Danisco (Copenhagen, Denmark) is introducing a new enzyme called LysoMax for vegetable oil refiners. The enzyme is claimed to increase yield during refining, and enable more sustainable use of water and energy.

Capsugel (Peapack, NJ ) has announced the launch of Pre-Pro Combo, which is designed to contain a combination of prebiotic and probiotic ingredients. Utilizing its Moisture Defense System (MDS) design, which includes the use of capsule-in-a-capsule technology, the capsule offers natural products marketers the opportunity to enter the growing probiotic market "with an innovative edge," according to the company.

CapsCanada announced today that it has formally acquired two additional bovine hide gelatin production facilities.