Wellness Foods - October 2007 - (Page 14)

Cover Story muira puma, peptides, phenylethylamine, ribose, taurine, theobromine, theophylline, yerba maté in concentrates or as customized formulas for food and beverage applications. Purity Dairies Inc. (www. puritydairies.com), Nashville, Tenn., makes its 1 percent Sweet Acidophilus Milk with Howaru acidophilus and bifidobacterium bacteria. Danisco also supplies Howaru probiotic cultures to Atlanta-based Freshëns Quality Brands (www.freshens.com) for its yogurt line and Howaru culture-based immunity boosters for smoothies in their retail stores. Kraft added probiotics to its LiveActive Cheese Sticks and Cheese Cubes with probiotics. Eugene, Ore.-based Nancy’s Naturally Cultured Low Fat Organic Kefir is made with organic milk from small family farms with grass fed cows and offers billions of probiotic cultures in every sip. The kefir is sweetened with organic agave nectar – a naturally low glycemic index sweetener – and contains organic inulin. General Mills Inc. (www.generalmills.com), Minneapolis, incorporates Optibalance – a blend of probiotic cultures and natural fibers for immunity and digestive health – in its Yoplait Yo-Plus yogurt and Go-Gurt Fizzix fizzy yogurt snacks. Studies show clear correlation between inulin or oligofructose and a statistically significant increase in bifidobacteria levels in the colon. Today, inulin and oligofructose are among the most widely utilized prebiotic fibers used in food and beverage formulations. Turning to natural sources of immunity ingredients, General Mills released, under its Green Giant brand (www.greengiant.com), “Immune Boost” microwave-steamable vegetables in seasoning. The vegetables are broccoli, carrots and red and yellow sweet peppers, marketed for being “naturally rich in antioxidants vitamins A and C to help support a healthy immune system.” specifically in warding off urinary tract infections via anti-adhesion properties of compounds called proanthocyanidins which help protect the body from harmful bacteria. Ocean Spray ITG released results of a new study suggesting unique cranberry compounds also may help ward off the flu. The research suggests the anti-adhesion components also prevent certain flu viruses from attaching to host cells. Decas Botanical Synergies (www.decasbotanical. com), Carver, Mass., provides a number of cranberry- and other berry-derived ingredients under its Nutricran label targeting specific immune aspects. Examples include Nutricran GI, a gastro-intestinal health fruit powder blend shown to inhibit the H. pylori bacteria linked to ulcers, Nutricran AM flavorless and odorless antimicrobial additive to protect protein foods such as beef and fish and Nutricran AO high-antioxidant powder. Luna Elixirs and Luna Bar (www.lunabar.com), both part of the Berkeley, Calif.-based Clif Bar & Co., also emphasize immunity ingredients that are naturally derived. Luna Elixirs contains green tea extract loaded with polyphenolic antioxidants. Green tea extract was selected for its ability to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and high blood pressure. Kerry Foods (www.kerryfoods.com), Beloit, Wis., collaborated with Brattleboro, Vt.-based NutraGenesis to create Essentra, a patented, GRAS-affirmed derivative of the herb Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). Essentra is standardized to contain glycowithanolides (8 percent), withaferin-A (2 percent), and oligosaccharides (32 percent). The oligosaccharides serve as a carrier for the glycowithanolides and withaferin-A helps maintain a consistent ingredient ratio. NutraGenesis President Suzanne McNeary said, “Essentra is shown in human research to shield the body with stress reduction, mental clarity, enhanced energy, heart health and glucose release. The Ayurvedic botanical is marketed as a highly standardized patented nutraceutical ingredient.” Kagome (www.kagome.com), Foster City, Calif., provides Lactobacillus brevis KB290, a plant-derived lactic acid bacterium for dairy beverages. The bacterium, discovered in traditional Japanese pickles, can survive in the intestines longer than the L. casei strain used in most dairy products. Consumer demand for energy- and immunityenhancing products will continue to surge as long as the current trends of lack of sleep, exercise, and abundant stress continue. As consumers seek foods and beverages for energy and immunity, processors are working closely with ingredient manufacturers to meet this untiring demand. Green Giant is taking smart advantage of the natural immunity boosters in fruits and vegetables. Botanical Basics Cranberries were one of the first natural ingredients to be recognized for their effect on immunity, Read More about Energy and Immunity We’re not immune to offering lots more info on our websites, so if you have the energy log on to www.wellnessfoodsonline. com, type in the keywords for the topic or ingredients you’re interested in – you’ll find hundreds of articles and products. 14 | October 2007 www.wellnessfoodsonline.com Food Processing’s Wellness Foods™ http://www.puritydairies.com http://www.puritydairies.com http://www.freshens.com http://www.decasbotanical.com http://www.decasbotanical.com http://www.lunabar.com http://www.generalmills.com http://www.kerryfoods.com http://www.greengiant.com http://www.kagome.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wellness Foods - October 2007

Wellness Foods - October 2007 Diluting the Messages Healthbites New Ingredient Profiles Power Up! Ingredients for Energy and Immunity Beverages for Beauty Potassium Rocks Get Smart with Omegas On the Shelf Marketing to Facts vs. Myths

Wellness Foods - October 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.