Wellness Foods - December 2007 - (Page 5)

By Diane Toops, News & Trends Editor HEALTHBITES How to Score The Overall Nutritional Quality Index (ONQI), created by a group of experts under Yale Prevention Research Center chairman David Katz, MD, MPH, is slated to hit grocery stores in 2008. The ONQI is a new, “at-a-glance” system for scoring the nutritional value of foods. It assigns a score of 1 to 100 for each food, based on multiple factors such as saturated fat, sugar and cholesterol content, as well as levels of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, plus amounts of nutraceutical components like fiber, omega-3s and other functional ingredients. Skokie, Ill.-based Topco Associates LLC, a 13,000-store grocery distribution cooperative owned by grocers such as Wegmans, IGA, Hy-Vee and Food City, will feature the system on some of its private-label products to start. Another group, the Nutrition Rich Food Coalition, made up of the National Dairy Council, the National Pork Board and other commodity organizations, is developing a scoring system as well, also set to launch in 2008. Hire a Hero A consistent complaint from processors is how hard it is to find good help. As it happens, responsible workers are a mere 8,000 miles away – but they’re coming home. Hire a Hero is a web-based community with a mission to help returning troops network and find meaningful employment and hometown support. Don’t just put a yellow ribbon on your car; help those who have done the most to protect the American Dream have a chance to enjoy its rewards. All Hire a Hero services are completely free for all participants. For more info, go to www.hireahero.org. Sweet Claim The FDA announced it will allow products using the nutritive sweetener isomaltulose to carry a “does not promote tooth decay” claim. Isomaltulose is not sufficiently fermented by bacteria in the mouth and so cannot reduce the pH of plaque nor influence erosion of enamel. This is good news for companies such as Minneapolis-based Cargill Inc. (www.cargill.com), which makes Xtend Isomaltulose; Morris Plains, N.J.-based Palatinit Inc.(www. palatinit.com), maker of Palatinose; and Gadot Biochemical Ind. (www.gadotbio.com), Haifa, Israel, maker of NRGylose. Isomaltulose is a slow-released, more efficiently absorbed sweetener made from sucrose through conversion. It can be used in candies, gums and confections. EyE On: REgulatORy IssuEs Here are a few regulatory issues to keep an eye on in 2008. We’ll see continuing focus on reducing foodborne pathogens, as well as pressure for greater checks on imports, particularly with respect to chemical contaminants. Also: • Obesity – FDA has been urged to require more prominent nutrition information on packaging, and is considering whether symbols on the front label would be useful in helping consumers make informed choices. There also is heightened concern about childhood obesity, with emphasis on advertising to children and school food programs. • Weight Loss – Challenges to the substantiation of weight loss claims for foods including dairy and green tea are expected to continue. • Flavors – There are ongoing hearings regarding the occupational hazards (bronchiolitis obliterans, a.k.a. “popcorn lung”) of diacetyl, a component of butter flavor, as well as investigations into possible consumer risks. The outcome could be regulations or legislation, in addition to voluntary substitution. Other flavorants also could be affected. — Leslie Krasny is a partner at the law firm of Keller and Heckman LLP, San Francisco office. She specializes in food and drug law with emphasis on food safety, food labeling, ingredient evaluation, organics, biotechnology and advertising. OU Kid More than 10,000 food industry professionals converged on the 2007 Cultural Food New York trade show and conference at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York last month. Formerly Kosherfest, the inclusion of Expo Comida Latina and All Asia Food, plus emphasis on the organic subcategory, inspired the name change. More than 700 exhibiting companies displayed the very latest in kosher, Asian and Hispanic food, wines, beverages and equipment showcasing thousands of products from more than 20 nations. The show also is typically co-located with the International Hotel Motel Show. “The surge of attendance confirms the ever-growing demand for these important categories of food and beverage for kosher, Hispanic, Asian and organics,” said Brian Randall, show director. Food Processing’s Wellness Foods™ www.wellnessfoodsonline.com December 2007 | http://www.hireahero.org http://www.hireahero.org http://www.cargill.com http://www.gadotbio.com http://www.wellnessfoodsonline.com

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Wellness Foods - December 2007 Well Noted Healthbites New Ingredient Profiles Wellness Trends in 2008 On the Shelf Expert Opinion

Wellness Foods - December 2007

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