Scientists in the U.S. who studied fast food consumption data from 5,115 young adults found that having fast-food restaurants in the neighborhood is strongly associated with the amount of fast food consumed. However, living near grocery stores and supermarkets has no impact on healthy diet choices, a finding that tends to belie assumptions – often inspiring federal policies on food – that lower income people often eat unhealthy diets because they have less access to healthy foods, and greater access to junk foods. The researchers said classifying restaurants and food stores as healthy or unhealthy “may provide little understanding of how the food environment impacts diet and may overlook innovative policy solutions."

Polyphenol-rich molasses extract added to a high-fat diet seems to lower body weight and reduce body fat, U.S. researchers found in an as-yet unpublished study in mice. For the study, mice were fed either an unaltered high-fat diet or the same diet enriched with either two percent or four percent molasses extract for 12 weeks. The mice fed the diet supplemented with four percent molasses extract not only lost weight and body fat, they also had lower levels of leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells. The researchers said the addition of molasses to the high-fat diet seems to reduce fat and body weight by reducing the absorption of calories. Researcher Richard Weisinger, Ph.D., said that molasses extract supplements ”might be a way to address the escalating rates of overweight and obesity.”

People with type 2 diabetes who replace carbohydrates in their diet with as few as two ounces of nuts daily showed better control of blood sugar and lipids, new Canadian research has found. The researchers tested three diet supplements on type 2 diabetics: muffins only; a mixture of a variety of nuts; and a mixture of nuts and muffins. Those who ate the nuts-only supplement showed the greatest improvement in blood glucose control and the greatest reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol. "The study indicates that nuts can provide a specific food option for people with type 2 diabetes wishing to reduce their carbohydrate intake," the researchers concluded. Nuts used in the study included raw almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, and macadamias.

U.S. researchers who analyzed data collected from a large, 15-year national health and nutrition survey have confirmed that the ratio of sodium to potassium intake is a more important factor in heart disease risk than just sodium or potassium levels alone. They found that a high sodium intake combined with a low potassium intake “is associated with significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in the general U.S. population." Previous research had focused on apparent associations between high blood pressure and either high sodium, or low potassium, consumption. The new finding is critical because most Americans consume much more sodium and much less potassium daily than recommended. “Public health recommendations should emphasize simultaneous reduction in sodium intake and increase in potassium intake," the authors concluded.

People can become addicted to delicious foods and become compulsive about consuming them, in much the same way as drug addicts and alcoholics, according to unpublished Canadian research. For the study, researchers analyzed the answers to a questionnaire completed by a group of obese people to diagnose substance dependence. People were then classified as either food addicts or non-addicts. The two groups were compared in three areas associated with conventional addiction disorders. Food addicts were more likely to show evidence of binge-eating disorder and depression, as well as symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. "These findings advance our search for clinically relevant subtypes of obesity that may possess different biological and psychological vulnerabilities to environmental risk factors,” researchers said.

In findings that run counter to patterns in Western society, teenaged boys from affluent Chinese families who are physically active and whose diet is rich in vegetables but not candy or junk food are more likely to be overweight. U.S. researchers looked at lifestyle questionnaire data from more than 9,000 Chinese middle and high school boys. Like Western teenagers, Chinese youth who slept and exercised less tended to be more overweight. But similarities ended there. Contrary to Western patterns, Chinese adolescents were more likely to be overweight: if they were boys; if they frequently participated in vigorous physical activity; and if they were younger rather than older. The findings suggest that “weight-related correlates might play different roles in Chinese culture than they do in Western cultures," researchers said.

Nestlé announced it is acquiring a 60 percent stake in Chinese candy and snack maker Hsu Fu Chi. Under the agreement, the founding family of Hsu Fu Chi will retain a 40 percent interest in the company and Hsu Chen will remain CEO. Nestlé said it is paying approximately CHF 1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) to acquire the stake in Hsu Fu Chi. Hsu Fu Chi’s product lines include sugar confectionery, cereal-based snacks, packaged cakes and the traditional Chinese snack sachima. In 2010, Hsu Fu Chi reported sales of CHF 669 million and an EBIT margin of 17.3percent. The completion of the transaction is subject to regulatory approval in China.

Heinz has launched a line of soup products that come in plastic sachets resembling a tube of toothpaste. The portable soups are available in four flavors and come in puree form, which consumers need to dilute with hot water. Heinz emphasizes that the new soups contain natural products, have no artificial colors and flavors, and are low in fat, promoting them as healthier than soups that come in cans or in powder form. Heinz expects the soups in tube to replace soup products that come in tin cans, which have a long history that began with French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's search for a reliable method to preserve food for his armies.

Heinz has launched an alternative to the familiar “tin can” of soup in the U.K.: “squeeze and stir” all-natural, low-fat  soups in plastic tubes that resemble toothpaste tubes. As the price of metal to make soup cans rises, the plastic tubes offer a cheaper production option for Heinz. However, consumers are likely to notice an apparent price hike: the 70g soup tube costs 59p ($0.95), or about 0.84p ($0.01) a gram. A 400g can of soup, however, costs 85p ($1.37), or 0.21p ($0.003) per gram. The benefits for Heinz are two-fold: higher unit prices at much lower production costs. “Even taking account of the fact the puree has to be diluted, it would seem the new product is a more expensive option,” the Daily Mail reports.

European dietary supplement companies have begun to launch retail products based on Chr. Hansen’s probiotic-plus-fiber formulation designed to fight constipation. The Chr. Hansen product is a stick with a powder blend of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium BB-12 and fiber. It is sifted over breakfast cereals or poured into a glass of water once or twice a day. In February, the product Yovis Regola was unveiled in Italy; British firm Wren Laboratories Ltd. has just introduced a consumer version of the product in the UK under the brand OptiBac Probiotics. Chr. Hansen said it is working with other companies in other countries on probiotics-plus-fiber products to “help people tackle constipation.”

A 251-page report from the United Nations takes a close look at the key forces – energy generation and natural resource management – that will play a critical role in shaping the future of the planet as global population climbs toward nine billion by 2050. The World Economic and Social Survey notes that while hundreds of millions of Asians, Latin Americans and Africans have risen from poverty, the expansion of economic production requires a balance between “respect for the human and natural capital.”  Otherwise, there will be irreversible changes in the ability to sustain progress. Growth and sustainability should not be competing goals, the report warns, but “complementary and mutually supportive imperatives.” The report calls for a global energy transformation using green technologies that not only improve the global food supply but protect its sources.

An analysis of data collected in ten clinical trials has found that omega-3 fatty acid intake was associated with improvement in two measures of the stiffness of arteries, a finding that “may account for some of its purported cardioprotective effects.” The study, conducted by Australian researchers, analyzed the impact of omega-3s on pulse wave velocity and arterial compliance and found that “supplementation with omega-3 offers a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness.” Several recent studies have verified the benefits of daily doses of omega-3s for cardiovascular health, including a reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.

German scientists have developed an eco-friendly technology for gently vacuum-drying less robust probiotic bacterial strains for use during food production. The new method will allow food manufacturers to incorporate underused probiotic strains in functional foods and supplements. The current production process involves freeze drying, which destroys some probiotic bacteria strains and uses a lot of energy. In the newly developed technology – called low temperature vacuum drying (LTVD) – the bacteria remain in a liquid state and easily survive. And vacuum drying requires 40 percent less energy than conventional freeze drying.

Natural and organic foods are growing in popularity among mainstream consumers, and supermarkets and mass-market retailers are hustling to meet the demand, but convenience stores have been reluctant to jump on the bandwagon. True, C-stores have been offering more fresh and local foods and snacks. But does the average gas station customer really care whether there’s a wide choice of natural and organic foods available in the quicky mart? Not yet, according to Timothy Powell, research director at Technomic Inc. C-stores, he says, are probably the last place customers expect to see natural and organic, and are less likely to trust the quality of the products anyway. Natural and organic food buyers tend to be high-end, affluent and mostly female customers – not your typical C-store food patrons.

Probiotic intestinal microbiota that deliver certain neuroactive compounds to the intestines seem to have an impact on both gastrointestinal and psychological health, according to U.S. researchers who proposed the creation of a new field of research to be called microbial endocrinology. Texas Tech University researcher Mark Lyte said that when probiotics such as Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria are ingested they become part of an “interactive environment encompassing, microbiological, immunological, and neurophysiological components.” Neurochemicals generated by the bacteria  in the gut circulate through the bloodstream and seem to exert effects outside the intestines, including changes in behavior.

Global mortality rates could be cost-effectively reduced by as much as 17.3 percent by increasing serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, a U.S. study has found. Researcher William B. Grant evaluated the possible impact on mortality rates in six regions of the world if vitamin D intake was doubled. He found that life expectancy would increase an average of about two years. The mortality rate for African females would drop by 7.6 percent, and for European females by 17.3 percent. Doubling vitamin D intake would be cost-effective, according to Grant, because vitamin D supplementation is cheap and supplementation and moderate UVB irradiance have few adverse side effects.

Canadian organic specialty foods company SunOpta Inc. announced it has completed the divestiture of its Mexican frozen fruit assets with the sale of land and buildings in Irapuato, Mexico, to parties related to privately-owned Fruvemex Mexicali. The sale price was $2.5 million. According to SunOpta, the assets had been leased to Fruvemex when that company purchased other frozen fruit operations and processing assets. Fruvemex sells frozen, refrigerated and dehydrated fruit and vegetable products, including strawberries, mango, melons, hot peppers, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and salsas. The company has been a supplier to SunOpta for several years.

Organic yogurt company Stonyfield Farm has teamed with Breastcancer.org, an online resource for breast cancer information, to launch “Organic Living” as part of the Think Pink, Live Green breast cancer prevention initiative. Think Pink, Live Green was created to educate women about the impact of the environment on the risk of developing breast cancer. Using articles, recipes, videos, and lifestyle tips, Organic Living explains the meaning and importance of organic choices in everyday life, especially in regard to chemicals in food, beverages, personal care products, and the environment.

Natural marijuana-like chemicals in the body known as endocannabinoids play an important role in regulating fat intake, according to research by University of California, Irvine, scientists. They found that fats in foods such as potato chips and french fries trigger a biological mechanism that makes them nearly irresistible. The study in rats found that when the animals tasted something fatty, the cells in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract started producing endocannabinaoids. This launches a rush of cell signaling that prompts the wanton intake of fatty foods. The researchers concluded that “the endocannabinoid system in the gut exerts a powerful regulatory control over fat intake and might be a target for anti-obesity drugs.”

Though income levels are low in Africa, they are on the rise, and Nestlé SA has decided to take advantage of that by investing 1.2 billion Swiss francs ($1.4 billion) over the next four years to expand production capacity on the continent, where sales soared to $3.5 billion in 2010. The company also plans to fortify products made there with more micronutrients. Sales growth in Africa and other emerging nations is at double-digit levels, much stronger than in Europe and North America, where growth is two percent of less, according to the company. Nestlé expects to spend 150 million Swiss francs to refurbish factories in Kenya and Zimbabwe. The company opened a second factory in Nigeria this year, and new plants are planned in Mozambique and Angola.

A systematic review of the results of seven studies involving more than 6,000 participants found little evidence to conclude that a moderate reduction in salt intake cuts the risk of dying or experiencing cardiovascular disease, though there was evidence that it reduces blood pressure. The researchers said moderate reductions in salt intake in the studies were perhaps too little to have a significant health benefit. They acknowledged that they would be more comfortable drawing conclusions regarding clear health benefits if the pool of participants were at least triple the number they examined. Larger studies should be conducted “to get a full understanding of the benefits and risks of reducing salt intake," said British researcher Rod Taylor.

U.S researchers who analyzed eight years of data from a large (nearly 100,000 participants) cancer prevention study found an association between consuming high levels of the water-soluble B vitamin known as folate and a reduction in colorectal cancer risk. Folate occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables and other foods, and is also available as folic acids in supplements. The researchers found that the best results came from total folate and folic acid intake, from both natural and fortified foods, and from supplements. The study period was from 1999 to 2007, after folate fortification began. Researchers found neither higher nor lower risk of cancer during the first two years of follow-up (1999 to 2001), but found statistically significantly reductions in colorectal cancer during the subsequent years (2002 to 2007).

Premium beauty product sales rebounded strongly in 2010, driving the recovery of the global beauty and personal care industry. Also fueling the recovery was “dynamic innovation activity” in skin care, the largest market category, Natural Products Insider reports. The category is expected to grow three percent a year to $100 billion in sales by 2015, one fourth of which will come from sales of anti-aging products. Thanks to the focus on innovation, technically advanced skin care formulations based on stem cell technology and aesthetic medicine are showing up in new cosmeceutical products. A major disappointment, however, has been the slow start of nutricosmetics products, which have not yet surmounted the skepticism of consumers.

Snacking on in-shell pistachios helps curb consumption and decrease calorie intake, making it a healthful way to lose weight, according to two U.S. studies. In one study, participants who ate in-shell pistachios consumed 41 percent fewer calories compared to those who consumed shelled pistachios. In the second study, pistachio nut shells were found to provide important “visual cues” about eating that translate into lower caloric intake. The studies suggest that in-shell pistachios, which are one of the lowest calorie nuts, are a practical, everyday snack for weight management. “In-shell pistachios are the original ‘slow food,’ researchers said. “Choosing in-shell pistachios instead of shelled nuts is a simple way to decrease calorie consumption without restriction.”

The voluntary phase-in period of Canada’s Organic Products Regulations, issued in 2009, ended on June 30. As of July 1, compliance with the rules is mandatory and will be enforced by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Products labeled as “organic” are subject to the rules and must be certified by a CFIA-accredited certification body. All organic product labels must carry the name of the certifier. According to the CFIA, the rules “have leveled the playing field and given both domestic and foreign consumers confidence in the organic label” in Canada. Both the U.S. and the European Union recognize Canada’s organic standards.

U.S. researchers have found that a natural form of vitamin E activates the production of a protein in the brain that washes toxic substances from neurons and keeps them alive following a stroke. The researchers suggest that alpha-tocotrienol could be have a more powerful effect than drugs in acting on single mechanisms for preventing stroke damage. The tocotrienol form of vitamin E, or TCT, is commonly found in the Southeast Asian diet. It is scarce in the American diet, however, but available in nutritional supplements. The researchers said alpha-tocotrienol influences the production of the protein MRP1 that clears away a toxic compound that destroys neurons when stroke blocks blood flow to brain tissue.

Retail sales of  health and wellness foods and beverages in the U.S. totaled $153 billion in 2010, accounting for one fourth of global sales in the category, according to Euromonitor International. “General wellbeing” comprises the largest subcategory, accounting for 40 percent of U.S. health and wellness sales. Euromonitor says general wellbeing is popular because “it does not make any overt allusions to ‘disease’.” In fact, marketers of health and wellness products are advised to avoid mentioning disease because that “needlessly narrows down a potential mainstream audience to a select target group.” Weight management products remain the second largest sales category, but growth is stagnant; energy boosting products and products to improve digestion are being well received; but beauty-from-within foods and beverages have not yet caught on in the U.S.

A study by French researchers has found that resveratrol curbs insulin resistance and prevents bone density loss associated with spaceflight weightlessness and lack of physical activity. Experiments with rats in which the weightlessness experienced by astronauts was simulated showed that animals who were not fed resveratrol lost soleus muscle mass and strength, developed insulin resistance, and lost bone mineral density and resistance to breakage. Animals who received resveratrol experienced none of these effects. “[Resveratrol] could thus be envisaged as a nutritional countermeasure for spaceflight but remains to be tested in humans,” the researchers concluded.

A meta-analysis of 14 clinical trials in which participants either drank green tea or consumed green tea extracts from three weeks to three months found that green tea was associated with a lowering of HDL or “bad” cholesterol, but not with a rise in HDL cholesterol. Green reduced total cholesterol an average of 7.2 mg/dL compared to the placebo. Meanwhile, LDL dropped by a a mean of 2.2 mg/dL, about two percent. The researchers suggested the possibility that these reductions could be due to the presence of catechins in green tea, which lower absorption of cholesterol in the intestines.

A Swedish researcher has developed a way to measure a food’s impact on blood sugar levels – the glycemic profile or GP – that provides a more accurate picture when combined with the glycemic index (GI) system because it takes the shape of the blood sugar curve into account. The flatter the curve over time the better the GP. Food that produces an even and reasonably low curve scores the highest GP values because it delivers energy for a long time. Using the GI system alone is inaccurate because it only takes into account short-term fluctuations in blood sugar. The best foods have a low GI and a high GP score. To calculate GP, blood glucose is measured for three hours after a meal, rather than two hours used in GI.

Spice and seasonings manufacturer McCormick & Company said it will acquire all of the shares of Kamis S.A., a privately held Polish flavorings company whose market comprises Poland, Russia and other parts of Central and Eastern Europe. According to McCormick, Kamis is a brand leader in spices, seasonings, mustards and other flavor products in Poland with annual sales of zł 300 million (zloty, or $105 million). The purchase price is about zł 830 million (zloty, or  $291 million). McCormick said the acquisition, which will close in September, extends its presence in Western Europe into Poland and other markets in Central and Eastern Europe. The company also recently announced a joint venture in Turkey.