06.01.06
Grapevine
British supermarket giant Tesco has launched a tomato that offers double the lycopene content of normal tomatoes, as the company continues to expand its functional food range…Re-cent studies have linked tomatoes and their extracts to reducing the risk of several diseases, such as prostate cancer, and lowering inflammation that may cause hypertension and heart disease. “This is the first step for Tesco into the developing world of functional foods and we plan to extend our range as public interest grows,” said Ian Reed, produce technical manager for Tesco. Public interest is already on the rise, says Tesco, with demand for tomatoes reported to have soared by 10 percent in the last year.
The new Tesco Healthy Living Tomato on the Vine variety…are said to contain 36 percent more lycopene than the standard tomato variety, Elegance. The tomato was bred in Holland from different types of tomatoes with high lycopene levels.
—Stephen Daniells, NutraIngredients.com, 4/11/06
Nestlé has finalized arrangements for a new fund that will invest in food companies producing for the health, well-being and nutrition sectors, as part of the group’s drive to stay on top of consumer health trends. The fund, to be called W. Health, has been designed to complement Nestlé’s own research and development facilities. Nestlé said it had initially put €500 million into the investment fund, but may increase this. Its aim is to grow promising new food businesses in the science-based nutrition sector. Francois-Xavier Perroud, a group spokesperson, said the fund would have a broad mandate in the types of processes and foods in which it would put money into. “The new step will contribute significantly to fostering and accelerating the group’s expansion into health, wellness and nutrition, as the new fund will be investing in companies with products or processes in the final testing stage or about to come on the market,” he said. Wolfgang Reichenberger, Nestlé’s now ex-chief financial officer, will run the fund in partnership with Gunnar Weikert, the chairman of Inventages Venture Capital Investments.
—DairyReporter.com, 4/18/06
Beans are a cheap and key source of nutrition especially in the developing world, but many people are thought to be put off by anti-social side-effects. A Venezuelan team says fermenting beans with certain friendly bacteria can cut the amount of wind-causing compounds, and boost beans’ nutritional value…Flatulence is caused by bacteria that live in the large intestine breaking down parts of food—such as soluble fiber—that have not been digested higher in the gut...The team concludes that fermentation involving L. casei could decrease flatulence compounds and increase nutritional quality. They suggest the bacteria be used by the food industry to create better bean products.
—BBC News, 4/25/06
As part of its move to turn around the company, Toronto-based Cott Corp. will roll out private-label energy drinks for six different retailers, including Alimentation Couche-Tard, whose banners include Circle K and Albertsons. Cott also plans to grow its juice-flavored drinks and bottled water businesses.
—The Wall Street Journal, 5/1/06
Sprint has launched a new service for its camera phone users that will let them take pictures of their meals, and send the images to nutrition experts who will tell them how well they’re eating. Dubbed “the ultimate tool for remaining fit and healthy while on the go,” MyFoodPhone will provide Sprint camera phone users access to the world’s first nutrition service based on the use of
British supermarket giant Tesco has launched a tomato that offers double the lycopene content of normal tomatoes, as the company continues to expand its functional food range…Re-cent studies have linked tomatoes and their extracts to reducing the risk of several diseases, such as prostate cancer, and lowering inflammation that may cause hypertension and heart disease. “This is the first step for Tesco into the developing world of functional foods and we plan to extend our range as public interest grows,” said Ian Reed, produce technical manager for Tesco. Public interest is already on the rise, says Tesco, with demand for tomatoes reported to have soared by 10 percent in the last year.
The new Tesco Healthy Living Tomato on the Vine variety…are said to contain 36 percent more lycopene than the standard tomato variety, Elegance. The tomato was bred in Holland from different types of tomatoes with high lycopene levels.
—Stephen Daniells, NutraIngredients.com, 4/11/06
Nestlé has finalized arrangements for a new fund that will invest in food companies producing for the health, well-being and nutrition sectors, as part of the group’s drive to stay on top of consumer health trends. The fund, to be called W. Health, has been designed to complement Nestlé’s own research and development facilities. Nestlé said it had initially put €500 million into the investment fund, but may increase this. Its aim is to grow promising new food businesses in the science-based nutrition sector. Francois-Xavier Perroud, a group spokesperson, said the fund would have a broad mandate in the types of processes and foods in which it would put money into. “The new step will contribute significantly to fostering and accelerating the group’s expansion into health, wellness and nutrition, as the new fund will be investing in companies with products or processes in the final testing stage or about to come on the market,” he said. Wolfgang Reichenberger, Nestlé’s now ex-chief financial officer, will run the fund in partnership with Gunnar Weikert, the chairman of Inventages Venture Capital Investments.
—DairyReporter.com, 4/18/06
Beans are a cheap and key source of nutrition especially in the developing world, but many people are thought to be put off by anti-social side-effects. A Venezuelan team says fermenting beans with certain friendly bacteria can cut the amount of wind-causing compounds, and boost beans’ nutritional value…Flatulence is caused by bacteria that live in the large intestine breaking down parts of food—such as soluble fiber—that have not been digested higher in the gut...The team concludes that fermentation involving L. casei could decrease flatulence compounds and increase nutritional quality. They suggest the bacteria be used by the food industry to create better bean products.
—BBC News, 4/25/06
As part of its move to turn around the company, Toronto-based Cott Corp. will roll out private-label energy drinks for six different retailers, including Alimentation Couche-Tard, whose banners include Circle K and Albertsons. Cott also plans to grow its juice-flavored drinks and bottled water businesses.
—The Wall Street Journal, 5/1/06
Sprint has launched a new service for its camera phone users that will let them take pictures of their meals, and send the images to nutrition experts who will tell them how well they’re eating. Dubbed “the ultimate tool for remaining fit and healthy while on the go,” MyFoodPhone will provide Sprint camera phone users access to the world’s first nutrition service based on the use of