Food Business News cites Fortitech’s Ram Chaudhari on fortifying food with vitamin D
Cost-effective and relatively easy to include in formulations and premixes, Vitamin D is a popular ingredient to include in fortified foods and beverages. And since so many of us are deficient in this nutrient, the opportunities for developing products enriched with Vitamin D continue to expand. A recent Food Business News article – A vitamin for young and old: Potential markets for vitamin D-fortified foods include the elderly and school lunch programs -- cited Fortitech’s Chief Scientific Officer Ram Chaudhari. KEEP READING >>
Astaxanthin: What makes flamingos pink may be powerful antioxidant as dietary supplement
While the most notable carotenoid is the vitamin A precursor b-carotene, another carotenoid has received much attention lately - astaxanthin. Chemically, astaxanthin is classified as a xanthophyll, which is a family of non-provitamin A carotenoids. It is a fat-soluble nutrient with a unique molecular structure, giving it excellent antioxidant capacity. There is a substantial body of literature including in vitro studies, pre-clinical studies and several human clinical trials that support the use of astaxanthin as a dietary supplement. The data consistently suggests that astaxanthin may be an effective therapeutic tool for a variety of conditions and diseases, including cardiovascular, immune, inflammation, and neuro-degenerative concerns. KEEP READING >>
Fortitech presents free webinar on strategic nutrition to fight inflammation
Health-conscious consumers are expressing increased interest in fortified food and beverage products that fight inflammation. As demand for strategic nutrition with anti-inflammatory properties grows, both product innovation and nutrient science play key roles for the public and manufacturers. KEEP READING >>
Comparing beverages for hydrating children: Water, milk or sports drinks?
Researchers at McMaster University in Canada reported recently on a study comparing the effectiveness of milk, water and sports drinks for rehydrating children after exercise. The results of the research – conducted in a climate chamber and funded by Dairy Farmers of Canada – indicated that milk rehydrated children better than both water and sports drinks. KEEP READING >>
Plant stanol esters lower estimated cardiovascular disease risk
The Mediterranean diet is an attractive dietary pattern in the strategy to combat type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, the ability to adopt this dietary pattern may be difficult for the majority of people in Western countries. A promising alternative approach involves consumption of increased amounts of plant stanol esters, which can reduce dietary cholesterol absorption. A recent clinical trial by Greek investigators compared the effects of a plant stanol ester-enriched spread compared to consumption of a Mediterranean diet pattern in patients with mild hypercholesterolemia (total cholesterol 200-250 mg/dl). This study is of interest because it indicates that adherence to a Mediterranean diet results in a substantial reduction in estimated cardiovascular risk and similar reduction can be achieved by the consumption of 2 g per day of a spread fortified with plant stanol esters alone in mildly hypercholesterolemia patients. KEEP READING >>
Energy shots market changing with consumer interests in new products
The market for energy shots and energy drinks exploded in recent years, and although some research says the pace of growth may be slowing, what seems more likely is that products are diversifying to reach a broader consumer segment. KEEP READING >>
Strategic use of supplements and fortified foods, along with fresh foods, for complete nutrition
If only our lifestyles never failed to give us opportunities to prepare and eat the variety of foods we need to provide our bodies with complete nutrition. If only aging didn’t throw new nutritional challenges at us every few years. If only everyone lived in a region where the availability of nutrient-rich foods were consistent. If only. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world. We live in a different reality. The good news is that we have extensive knowledge about nutritional science and we have the ability to enrich foods and beverages (and produce supplements) to help us address nutrient deficiencies. KEEP READING >>
Strategic nutrition for athletes: High quality protein beverages
What researchers are discovering about protein consumption and exercise may be helpful both to athletes and to beverage manufacturers as consumer interest in strategic nutrition continues to grow. KEEP READING >>
Regular dark chocolate consumption reduces oxidative stress in response to exercise
Getting enough exercise is important for health. However, physical activity also results in increased production of free radicals and other reactive oxygen species. These free radicals are potentially harmful and can induce lipid and protein peroxidation, increase oxidative stress and the acute-phase inflammatory response and may even accelerate the development of exercise-induced muscle fatigue. Antioxidants may be able to protect muscle cells from the damaging effects of free radicals. The consumption of chocolate may have beneficial effects because [OF] the potent antioxidant properties of its constituent polyphenols. However, there have not been many studies investigating the potential of cocoa-containing food to modulate exercise-induced oxidative stress and performance. But a recently published Swiss study examined the effect of a two-week period of regular dark chocolate consumption on the responses of selected plasma markers of oxidative stress to a single bout of prolonged exhaustive exercise. KEEP READING >>
Yogurt: Some foods are trickier to fortify than others
No matter what ingredients a food and beverage product designer works with, taste, mouth feel and aroma are keys to that product’s success. And when working with a food, like yogurt, that may start out with some flavor and texture issues of its own, improving nutrient profile and sensory experience simultaneously can be tricky. However, with its popularity as a diet and health food, yogurt continues to be a major focus of fortification, and competition is fierce. KEEP READING >>