Health & Wellness
2011 IFT Live Articles
Antioxidants: The Potency Debate
June 14, 2011, 1:50 pmby Toni Tarver Every day, consumers are inundated with messages extolling the benefits of antioxidants and their potential remarkable ability to clear harmful free radicals from the body. In fact, it is impossible to walk down the aisles of any… Read more
Natural Flavors, Colors Here to Stay
June 14, 2011, 1:02 pm
by Kelly Hensel “The economic downturn may have slowed growth, but ‘natural’ is here to stay,” said Mintel’s Lynn Dornblaser, Director CPG Trend Insight, in a presentation in the Special Events Pavilion on Tuesday, June 14. This is… Read more
White House Chef Urges Tomorrow’s Food Leaders to Think ‘Outside the Box’ to Create Healthier Products
June 14, 2011, 10:01 am
by Bob Swientek Innovative, “outside-the-box” thinking is needed in product development to get more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables into the diets of Americans, said Sam Kass, White House Chef & Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food… Read more
Overcoming the Challenges of Natural High-Potency Sweeteners
June 14, 2011, 7:46 amThanks to their zero-calorie profile and sourcing from plants, the natural sweeteners Rebaudioside A and luo han guo (monk fruit) have hit a sweet spot with consumers and product developers alike. But using these ingredients in formulated foods and… Read more
A Taste for Reduced Sodium
June 13, 2011, 6:19 pm
by Toni Tarver Although the movement to reduce sodium intake is underway, strategies to limit sodium in foods are diverse and not as straightforward as simply reducing the use of salt in food preparation. During Session 183, “Reducing Sodium in… Read more
ChromaDex’s pTeroPure Receives Self-affirmed GRAS Status
June 13, 2011, 4:35 pmby Kelly Hensel ChromaDex Corp. has announced that its pTeroPure pterostilbene ingredient has received self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status for use in foods and beverages. Pterostilbene is a naturally occurring compound… Read more
Snacks Take Off as Food Industry Struggles to Define
June 13, 2011, 4:23 pm
by Kelly Hensel There’s a phenomenon that has taken the United States by storm in the last 30–40 years. In session 136 “Snacking: Insight and perspectives on contributions to the American diet,” held Monday, June 13, three experts… Read more
Healthy Icon Served on a Plate
June 13, 2011, 4:06 pm
by Toni Tarver Earlier this month, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled a new icon to help U.S. consumers make better food choices: the MyPlate icon. To elaborate further on what the icon represents and why it was developed, Robert Post,… Read more
Legalizing the Menu
June 13, 2011, 3:02 pm
by Toni Tarver In the United States, nutrition labels provide information about the amount of calories, level of sodium, and other nutrient facts of packaged food items. Presumably, the panel was introduced to serve as a helpful tool in the… Read more
High-Oleic Soybean Oil Moves Closer to Full Commercialization
June 13, 2011, 1:02 pmAt a media breakfast meeting on Monday morning hosted by Qualisoy, a collaborative group of soybean growers and processors (Booth 6649), several presenters discussed the benefits and commercialization progress of high-oleic, low saturate soybean… Read more
Keeping Fido and Tabby Fit & Trim
June 13, 2011, 9:20 amConsumer interest in healthy eating is a family affair, even extending to their four-legged pets. On Tuesday afternoon from 1:15 –2:45 pm in Room 287, Session 275 Novel Application of Functional Ingredient Technology in Product Development of Pet… Read more
Effective Delivery of Bioactives in Functional Foods
June 13, 2011, 9:06 amThe first wave of nanotechnology applications in foods is focused on enhanced uptake and bioavailability of bioactives. The efficacy and absorption of bioactives delivered orally may be hampered by environmental degradation, enzyme attack,… Read more
Improving Physical Performance Through Nutraceuticals
June 12, 2011, 6:12 pm
Research has shown that nutraceuticals may improve physical performance and speed the recovery of injuries, according to presenters at Session 075 Measuring the Effects of Nutraceuticals on Physiological and Cognitive Performance on Sunday… Read more
Creating an Effective Anti-Inflammatory Food Market
June 12, 2011, 5:09 pm
by Toni Tarver When the human body suffers an injury or encounters harmful stimuli such as pathogens or other irritants, inflammation occurs. Inflammation is the body’s natural defense mechanism to heal wounds and attack infections. However,… Read more
Fruits and Vegetables in School Lunch Programs
June 12, 2011, 3:00 pmParticipants who attend Session 180 Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables and Weight Control in the School Lunch Program on Monday afternoon from 1:30–3:00 pm in Room 292 will hear current research on the health benefits of fruits and… Read more
Frontiers in Carbohydrates
June 12, 2011, 9:00 amThe structures of carbohydrates can be engineered using genetic, enzymatic, chemical, and physical methodologies for improved food quality. For example, glucan nanoparticles are used to protect and deliver bioactive compounds, starch biosynthesis is… Read more
Protein’s Benefits Beyond Muscle Health
June 11, 2011, 6:00 pmProtein has been considered a muscle-building macronutrient, particularly important for strength-building and endurance athletes. New research differentiates types of protein and identifies benefits beyond its effect on muscle (e.g., bone health,… Read more
A Full-Course Meal on the 2010 Dietary Guidelines
June 11, 2011, 9:30 amIn January 2011, the U.S. government released the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The Guidelines set a high standard for consumers and is designed to reduce overall caloric intake, increase consumption of more nutrient-dense foods, and… Read more
2010 IFT Live Articles
Drinking Coffee Regularly Reduces Disease Risks
July 20, 2010, 3:47 pm
Habitual consumption of coffee has been shown to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, according to experts at Session 253 “Emerging health benefits of coffee: Recent advances in epidemiologic and… Read more
2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to Target Obesity
July 20, 2010, 2:15 pmThe 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA)—scheduled for release in December—will focus on recommendations for reducing obesity and improving health, stated Robert Post, Ph.D., Deputy Director of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Center for… Read more
Changing the Model for Nutrition and Health Assessment
July 20, 2010, 12:38 pmby Toni Tarver Eating for health and wellness has become very important to consumers. Yet most people’s diets are deficient in nutrients and lead to high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes. This reality has led researchers to rethink the… Read more
New Soybean Oils Increase Stability, Reduce Saturates
July 20, 2010, 8:56 amNew high-oleic soybean oils nearing commercialization offer greater stability for food processors and reduced saturated fatty acids for consumers, according to speakers at a media breakfast on Monday, July 19, hosted by Qualisoy (Booth… Read more
Healthier Pets Make for Healthier People
July 19, 2010, 3:08 pmby Toni Tarver Cats and dogs can have some of the same health problems as humans—namely, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Presenters for the symposium “Innovations in Biofunctional Ingredients for Optimizing Pet Health” provided insight into… Read more
A ‘Pinch’ of Realism for Sodium Reduction Strategies
July 19, 2010, 1:14 pm
by Karen Nachay Sodium intake guidelines as well as the reduced sodium levels in processed foods must be realistic if consumers are going to purchase the products, said experts at the session “Sodium Reduction: Striking the Right Balance,” on… Read more
Personalizing Nutrition and Health
July 19, 2010, 10:00 amThe emerging field of nutrigenomics offers the potential to deliver appropriate foods to individuals based on their personal health needs. Session 212 “Nutrigenomics, nutritional phenotype, and delivery of personalized nutrition” on Tuesday… Read more
A ‘Cup of Joe’ May Keep the Doctor Away
July 19, 2010, 7:00 amIn many parts of the world, coffee is a popular drink consumed daily at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and in between. The caffeine in coffee stimulates the central nervous system and maintains alertness. New studies, however, are shedding light on… Read more
The History and Future of Food Science and Nutrition
July 18, 2010, 6:52 pm
by Kelly Frederick For the First Annual Gilbert A. Leveille Lectureship Recognizing Contributions at the Interface of Food Science & Nutrition, the speaker was, in fact, Gilbert Leveille. On Sunday, July 18, in McCormick Place, Leveille,… Read more
Healthy Nut Components Highlighted
July 18, 2010, 4:00 pmby Karen Nachay The skins of almonds are an important source of phytochemicals, according to Karen Lapsley, Chief Scientific Officer of the Almond Board of California. She and other experts presented research at the session, “Nuts:… Read more
Tips for Constructing Clean Labels
July 18, 2010, 1:22 pmWhen it comes to labeling of foods, start with the applicable standards and regulations, said Sarah Roller, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP, at Session 024 “Clean food labeling & sustainability benefit claims: What do consumers want? What are the… Read more
Probiotics and Human Health
July 18, 2010, 9:00 amNew research on the beneficial relationship between probiotics and human health continues to unfold. The probiotic food market continues to grow with a host of probiotic strains now added to a broad array of dairy and other food products. For the… Read more
Exploring the Potential of Bioactives from Sri Lanka
July 17, 2010, 5:06 pmby Karen Nachay There are a number of value-added ingredients and bioactives from Asia that may help in the fight against diabetes, obesity, and other disorders and diseases, says experts at a panel discussion, “Bioactives and Value-added… Read more
Food Scientists, Nutritionists Working Together to Solve the Obesity Epidemic
July 17, 2010, 9:01 am
by Kelly Frederick It has become apparent in the last decade or so that obesity in America has reached epidemic levels. The food industry has begun to respond to the crisis by cutting trans fats, reducing sodium, and lowering calorie counts in… Read more
Starting the Day Right with Protein-rich Breakfast Foods
July 17, 2010, 7:00 amResearch indicates physiologic differences following consumption of a carbohydrate-rich versus a protein-rich breakfast. Results of various studies suggest that eating protein at breakfast promotes satiety, lean body mass preservation, weight… Read more
Designing Macronutrient Ingredients for Enhanced Satiety
July 17, 2010, 5:00 amObesity is a huge public health problem in the United States and it is reaching epidemic proportions in other parts of the world. One remedy may lie in the application of satiety-enhancing ingredients. Session 053 “Designing macronutrient… Read more
Can Functional Foods Help Prevent Cancer?
July 15, 2010, 11:00 amFunctional foods and nutraceuticals in the prevention of cancer, inflammation, and diverse degenerative diseases Session 116 Monday, July 19, 10:30 a.m.–noon Room: S401cd Track: Food, Health & Nutrition This session will discuss… Read more