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The case for allowing genetically-modified food to enter the U.S. marketplace has taken a strong step forward. FDA recently (Rockville, MD) announced its intent to hold a meeting in mid-September with AquaBounty Technologies (Waltham, MA), a biotech company wishing to bring its genetically-modified salmon to market. The company says its AquAdvantage salmon grow twice as fast as conventionally grown salmon; but they do not grow bigger.

Summer is winding down, and we have yet to see S. 510, the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act receive a vote in Congress. The Council for Responsible Nutrition sent a letter to Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Judd Gregg (R-NH), reaffirming their support of a bill that, as of today, has the bipartisan support of 17 cosponsors (9 Democrats and 8 Republicans).

Cyvex Nutrition (Irvine, CA) has introduced Alfapro Agglomerated, a highly dispersible grade of the company...s alfalfa protein concentrate. Suitable for powdered beverages, sachets, and stick packs, the company...s ingredient provides 50% protein, amino acids, and plant-based omega-3s, among other nutrients.

Fiber ingredients will see rising sales as more food and beverage companies seek to launch fiber-fortified products, says market researcher Packaged Facts. Rises are expected for all types of fiber, including soluble, insoluble, and digestive-resistant forms. Packaged Facts... publisher Don Montuori says that fiber sales are set to increase 'indefinitely, as the market for fiber-enhanced foods is still in its infancy. There is a great deal of room across almost all food categories, which presents an opportunity for the many different fiber ingredients.'

The Food Science and Technology Abstracts (FSTA) Thesaurus has taken on major revisions to its eighth edition, according to the International Food Information Service (IFIS; Shinfield, U.K.).

The dietary supplement market still needs enforcing, as evidenced by a new ConsumerLab report on ginseng supplements. ConsumerLab released a report on Monday stating that 5 out of 11 ginseng supplements the group recently tested had less ginseng than stated on the label or were contaminated with lead or pesticides. The group's report included Asian or "Korean" ginseng (Panax ginseng) and American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius).

FDA (Rockville, MD) reports that Wright County Egg (Galt, IA) has initiated a voluntary recall of an estimated 380 million shell eggs at risk of carrying Salmonella Enteritidis. The company's recall is on eggs that were shipped out to national U.S. food distributors in California, Illinois, Missouri, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa as far back as May 16, 2010.

Following Wright County Egg's (Galt, IA) voluntary recall of some 380 million eggs on August 13, FDA now reports that an additional company, Hillandale Farms of Iowa Inc. (New Hampton, IA), has been implicated in an egg recall.

Thirty-five percent of consumers have already eaten or would consider consuming products containing stevia, according to consumer data tracked by The NPD Group since last August.

The food industry currently accounts for 90% of worldwide usage of intense sweeteners'”in part, thanks to growing popularity of diet and low-sugar foods, according to market researcher Leatherhead Food Research...s 'The Global Market for Intense Sweeteners' report. The remaining 10% of the market is used by the pharmaceutical industry. A growing influence of China-based producers is among the trends impacting the market, says Leatherhead.

Bottled teas may not be as healthful as some consumers might think, according to research presented at this week...s national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

The stage could be set for luo han guo, also known as monk fruit, to eventually see the growing market success that stevia is currently experiencing in the United States, according to market researcher Innova Market Insights. Market penetration will largely depend on regulatory approvals. Currently, luo han guo, said to be 300 times sweeter than sugar, is mostly confined to supplements in the United States, and not food. (Innova says that most 2010 U.S. launches involved liquid, capsule, and tea-concentrate supplements.)

A team of scientists has discovered that ultrasound and electric shock can increase the polyphenol content in potatoes, according to research presented on Sunday at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS reports the findings as 'simple, inexpensive ways' to increase the antioxidant content of potatoes.

An unprecedented decision in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals could ramp up demands for adverse event reports (AERs), if not reversed, the Natural Products Association (NPA; Washington, DC) announced last week.

Researchers in the Czech Republic claim to have discovered 'the first firm evidence' that cranberries may improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), according to research published online in the British Journal of Nutrition, this week. The researchers assigned 41 male subjects to 1500 mg of dried powdered cranberries or no cranberry treatment daily, for six months. At baseline, and at three and six months, many prostate-related measures were accessed.

Kemin Health (Des Moines, IA) has launched Enlivitea, a proprietary blend of green and black tea formulated for high antioxidant value. The company ensures that the tea extracts in Enlivitea provide high concentrations of specific antioxidants and work synergistically to provide antioxidant health benefits.

The Natural Products Association (NPA; Washington, DC) has awarded its first natural certification for a home-care ingredient to Zemea propanediol, a natural solvent by DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts. To qualify for NPA...s Natural Home Care Standard and Certification program, ingredients must be evaluated by both NPA and a third-party auditor. Ingredients are screened to ensure they are 100% natural, are sourced from a renewable resource found in natural, have no petroleum compounds, and are processed under certain conditions.

Market research groups Mintel (Chicago) and SPINS (Schaumburg, IL) are forecasting 2010 to be the biggest year ever for fiber consumption. According to recent research from Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD), more than 3,700 products were launched since 2005 with a 'whole grain' claim in the US.

Sugar beets supply half of the nation's sugar, but a U.S. federal district court judge has prohibited the cultivation of genetically-modified Roundup Ready sugar beets previously approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA; Washington, DC), The Center for Food Safety reports.

FDA has issued a 'no objections' GRAS approval for SG95, a new stevia product from PureCircle (Oak Brook, IL). The product...s GRAS approval not only covers seven previously GRAS-approved steviol glycosides, but also two new steviol glycosides, Rebaudioside D and F, contained in SG95'”the first time the two glycosides have been GRAS approved.

The European Food Safety Authority...s (Parma, Italy) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA Panel) has determined that Artinia, a chitin-glucan ingredient by Stratum Nutrition (St. Charles, MO), shall be considered safe for consumption under established terms in the European Union. In the NDA Panel opinion, the ingredient is referred to as KiOnutrime-CG, the brand name used by Stratum...s European partner KitoZyme (Herstal, Belgium).

Just weeks after researchers reported finding low levels of nutrients in store-bought green tea beverages, FDA (Rockville, MD) has now reprimanded two major companies for using misleading claims on their green tea beverages. On August 30, the agency sent a warning letter to Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (Plano, TX) over its Canada Dry Sparkling Green Tea Ginger Ale.

Pacific Technology Exchange Calendar: Monthly meetings held every 3rd Thursday of the month, October 14, 2010: Nutritional Deficiency in Obesity and Following Bariatric Surgery Speaker Jacqueline Jacques, ND Chief Science Officer, Bariatric Advantage Holiday Inn '“ 2:30 '“ 4:30 PM 14229 Firestone Blvd, La Mirada CA Hors d'oeuvres and drinks provided.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC; Washington, DC) will formally announce a lawsuit next Monday against a marketer of acai berry supplements for weight loss and colon cleansing, according to a press release posted yesterday on FTC...s website.  

In response to complaints from television viewers, the United Kingdom...s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an ad for weight-loss beverage Optislim. The agency says that the drink...s television ad infers that consumers can use the drink to lose weight in lieu of exercising.  

The American Herbal Products Association...s (AHPA; Silver Spring, MD) board of trustees recently accepted revisions for the association...s guidelines for policies on microorganisms and mycotoxins, and heavy metals. The established guidelines serve as AHPA standards for responsible trade of herbal supplements to benefit the industry and its consumers. AHPA urges companies to submit information on any ingredients that exceed substance limits outlined in the AHPA in order to ultimately meet those limits.

In an effort to raise public awareness of companies selling dietary supplements tainted with steroids and other drugs, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA; Colorado Springs, CO) has introduced its 'Supplement Safety Now' initiative.

Key dietary supplement trade groups are again voicing disapproval of dietary supplements sold as treatments for the H1N1 virus. Since May, FDA and the FTC have issued 147 warning letters to companies marketing products for the prevention or cure of swine flu, including products such as air filters, facemasks, shampoos, and supplements. Earlier in May, the organizations together released a joint statement discouraging sales of such products.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA; Springfield, VA) announced that it has classified boldione, desoxymethyltestosterone, and 19-nor-4,9(10)-androstadienedione as anabolic steroids under the Controlled Substances Act, according to the Natural Products Association (NPA; Washington, DC). This ruling will be made effective January 4, 2010.

The 'Life"supplemented' campaign just released results from its 2009 Healthcare Professionals Impact Study, finding that dietary supplements have a considerable impact on healthcare professionals and their relationships with clients. The survey, conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs (Chicago), found that eight out of every ten registered dietitians (RDs) 'view dietary supplements as important for maintaining health.' Eighty-one percent of those surveyed believe that most people can fill gaps in their nutrition with vitamin and dietary supplement use.