The Ministry of Health in China recently published a draft ruling that would ban the use of food flavoring and fragrance in more than 20 of infant formula and food products leading to widespread concern in the industry, which is heavily dependent on the practice. Excess intake of certain fragrances has been found to be harmful, especially in the development of infant organs; parents also argue that the use of flavors affects children’s sense of taste and causes them to become dependent upon them. In contrast, consumers view natural milk products as the products most reliably beneficial for their baby’s growth. Currently, only five companies in China do not add any fragrance to their milk products. This includes Yili, the leading diary product company that has firmly established its image as natural and pure. With the anticipated passing of the draft ruling, the market for non-fragrant baby milk product is looking promising again. 

Eating three portions of whole grain foods a day significantly reduces cardiovascular disease risk in middle-aged people, mainly by lowering blood pressure, a U.K. clinical study has found. Researchers divided 206 healthy middle-aged men and women into two groups: one group ate three servings of whole grain foods a day; the control group ate refined grain foods. After 12 weeks, the researchers measured lipid and inflammatory marker concentrations, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure. They found that systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure were significantly reduced (by 6 and 3 mm Hg, respectively) in the whole grain foods group compared with the control group. “The observed decrease in systolic blood pressure could decrease the incidence of coronary artery disease and stroke by 15% and 25%, respectively,” the researchers concluded.

The active ingredient that gives hot peppers their heat also induces relaxation in blood vessels and reduces hypertension, a new Chinese study has found. The compound capsaicin, one of the more plentiful components of chili peppers, was fed to hypertensive rats for seven months. The compound was found to activate the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel in the lining of blood vessels, which increased the production of nitric oxide. The gas molecule is known to protect blood vessels from inflammation and dysfunction. The researchers concluded that “TRPV1 activation through chronic dietary capsaicin may represent a promising intervention of lifestyle in high-risk populations with hypertension and related vascular disorders.”

The CPI in China hit a new high this year at 3.3%, with floods and other factors contributing to the increase. Among the eight categories of CPI, food prices had a profound impact. Prices for agricultural products such as pork, garlic, leaf vegetables and grains increased the most. Discussion on increased interest rate has been ruled out by government officials as absurd and reports indicate that there may be hope for the CPI to decrease in later months since the increase in food price is short term. Still, authorities advise that people should stay vigilant in case of an increase.

U.S. researchers who tested a commercial compound containing 33 natural nutrients, medicinal mushrooms, minerals, and herbs on animal prostate cancer cells have found that it stops abnormal cell growth and induces programmed cell death (apoptosis). The compound, known as ProstaCaid, was tested in low concentrations on both hormone sensitive and hormone resistant prostate cancer cell lines at very low concentrations. Herbal extracts in the compound include turmeric root, saw palmetto berry, grape skin, pomegranate, pumpkin seed, pygeum bark, sarsaparilla root, green tea, and Japanese knotweed. Natural polyphenols include quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and ellagic acid, all shown to have anticancer potential. The researchers will conduct further studies in animals and humans to determine if the product can be used to prevent or treat prostate cancer.

The polyphenol ellagic acid, an antioxidant found mostly in berries and pomegranates, protects the skin from collagen breakdown and thus wrinkling as a result of sun exposure when taken orally or applied topically, a Korean study in mice has found. According to the researchers, when applied to the skin of hairless mice, ellagic acid lessened ultraviolet ray-induced skin roughening and thickening that causes wrinkles. The compound also prevented collagen destruction and skin reddening (inflammation). The researchers concluded that “dietary and pharmacological interventions with berries rich in ellagic acid may be promising treatment strategies interrupting skin wrinkle and inflammation associated with chronic UV exposure leading to photoaging.”

A study from www.MyVoucherCodes.co.ukfound that consumers in the UK were unsure about the meaning of “organic food”. Nearly 20 percent of respondents thought it meant “low fat” and another quarter admitted that they didn’t know. 12% thought it meant “expensive”. Only a quarter of respondents said they bought organic food, and over half said it was too expensive. Consumers were also uncertain about their food’s nutritional content: although over 40% said that they regularly checked labels, over 10% said they didn’t know where to find that information.  Mark Pearson of MyVoucherCodes.co.uk said that a significant proportion of British shoppers regard organic items as health food or diet food. He believes supermarkets should do more to get the organic message over to consumers.

The organic food movement is beginning to catch on in China, though people are still uncertain whether products touted as organic are properly certified and labeled and of high quality. But some reputable local firms are working hard to meet international organic certification standards and are delivering organic choices to Shanghai shoppers, sometimes straight to the buyer’s door for free. BIOfarm, for example, offers many organic foods derived from its 120 annually rotating crops. The farm delivers weekly “Farmer’s Baskets” of fresh, high quality produce, including a “singles” basket of five to seven types of fruits and vegetables. Other Chinese organic food producers include Shanghai Organic Agriculture Co., Ltd., Fields, Organic Kitchen and My Local Store. Several of these have online stores.