Over recent years there have been several reports of suspected fraud in the supply of olive oil. In March 2008, the Italian police arrested 23 people and raided more than 80 farms after claims that low quality olives from around the Mediterranean had been processed and passed off as a superior Italian product.

DMV International has launched a new vegetable-based powdered topping suitable for use in ice creams, aerated instant desserts and bakery applications. Aerion DP 90 is free of hydrogenated fat.

Cognis Nutrition & Health is marketing a liquid form of Tonalin, its brand of the weight management ingredient, conjugated linoleic acid. Tonalin can be taken from the bottle or diluted in a drink.

Israeli firm Solbar Industries has launched a low-sodium 90% isolated soy protein. The firm maintains that it can reduce typical sodium levels in its soy isolate to 300mg/100g.

French plant extract company Naturex is marketing a patented hops extract that is said to reduce the effects of the menopause. Two placebo-controlled clinical trials indicated that taking 120mg of Lifenol per day for six weeks significantly reduces hot flushes.

Ingredients firm Synergy has launched a line of sweetness boosters for dairy applications. The range enhances natural sugar perception, while delivering a fruit flavour profile. It allows manufacturers to reduce the added sugar content in dairy products and improve flavour.

The global popularity of the cranberry continues with 223 new cranberry-based product launches reported by Mintel in the first quarter of 2008. This follows 900 new product launches for 2007, up from 54 in 2006.

Healthy lipids firm Lipid Nutrition has produced a powdered version of its appetite suppressant ingredient PinnoThin. Derived from pine nuts, PinnoThin is claimed to stimulate the appetite-suppressing hormones CCK and GLP-1.

Always famed for its health-giving qualities, the nutritional content of the apple is now being heralded as an elixir of beauty and slimming aid by the French nutraceutical firm Val de Vire Bioactives.

Vollmond lager is not your average beer. Made in the Swiss Alps by Suisse Connection and recently launched in the UK, the beer is brewed according to biodynamic farming principles, which means it is brewed only on the night of the full moon.

The latest chefs' council event run by flavours giant Givaudan in Barcelona has generated scores of ideas that utilise ideas from the world's leading chefs.

General Mills is taking a more targeted approach to open innovation as its worldwide innovation network (G-WIN) celebrates its first anniversary.

A New Zealand-based firm is hoping to take the European market by storm with a herb native to the country that boasts strong anti-fungal qualities.

Worryingly for companies that are plugging fibres as the hottest healthy ingredient on the block, UK consumers at least do not seem to be getting the message.

Cargill has gained formal recognition for its Zerose erythritol as an approved sweetener and additive in the EU. As the tooth-friendly sweetener does not raise blood sugar or insulin but still has 60-70% of the sweetness of sugar, it serves as a useful alternative for diabetics and pre-diabetics.

Aquanova has developed novel preservatives to replace the antibiotic Natamycin for the surface preservation of foods prone to mould such as cheese and salami. Novasol DC creates a stable, invisible film, releases benzoic or sorbic acid when it encounters pathogens.

Amino acids could prove to be key weapons in the fight against sarcopenia (age-related muscle wasting), according to ingredients giant Ajinomoto. While many people associated amino acids with body building, nutritionists were increasingly urging manufacturers to use them in mainstream products targeted at an ageing population, it said.

AB Enzymes has launched two new proteases for bakers: Veron HPP reduces dough resting times and improves dough handling in biscuits and crackers; Veron S50 improves friability, browning and texture and can replace sodium metabisulphite.

DMV International has launched Aerion FOAM 210, a new trans fat-free cappuccino foamer with significantly less saturated fat than standard foamers but boasting an equivalent shelf-life and functionality.

As people become increasingly sedentary, the value of functional foods in helping to maximise health and wellbeing is increasing. The challenge is in making such products a regular, ongoing part of people's daily lives.

While functional foods are often targeted at older people who may be looking to reduce the risk of chronic disease or prolong their active life, younger shoppers are also starting to buy in to the concept, according to new research from Datamonitor.

New research suggests that bilberry extract may prove particularly effective in protecting the body from renal damage caused by potassium bromate - an environmental pollutant formed as a by-product in the process of ozone purification of water.

Despite growing evidence that it could serve as a useful alternative to wheat flour, pea flour has been "largely overlooked" by food manufacturers, particularly in the gluten-free market, according to Stuart Cree, md of UK-based Arable Resource Services.

The European market for functional foods is growing at 10% a year, according to new research from RTS Resource.

French firm Lesaffre has created a nutrition and health division dedicated to developing yeast ingredients for functional foods and dietary supplements.

A new study has added to the growing body of evidence sugesting that the long chain omega-3 fatty acid DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) could help reduce the risk of developing late onset Alzheimer's disease.

Caramel colours giant DD Williamson has launched a patented, shelf-stable, water soluble natural blue colourant derived from anthocyanins extracted from vegetable juice.

Article 13.5 of the EU Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation is often described as the "accelerated" authorisation procedure and is applicable to health claims referring to the role of a nutrient or other substance in the growth, development and functions of the body based on newly developed scientific evidence. Unlike claims approved under article 13, those approved under 13.5 will protect applicants' proprietary data. This is great news!

A new deal between Polish fruit ingredient supplier Frubella and JO Sims will see the launch of Frubella's new vacuum-infused garden fruits in the UK.

Israeli firm Gadot is going head to head with German rival Palatinit with the launch of NRGylose, an isomaltulose bulk sweetener made by fermentation of sucrose.

The results of the EU-funded Microfunction project suggest that synbiotics (a combination of pro- and prebiotics) may help tackle oxidative stress as well as improving digestive health, researchers have revealed.

Flavours giant Firmenich and technology firm Senomyx have teamed up to develop novel flavour ingredients that will provide a cooling taste effect.

Ancient grains such as quinoa, amaranth, teff, millet and kamut will become increasingly popular in the future as manufacturers try to tap into emerging health trends, according to market researcher Mintel.

Israeli firm Solbar Plant Extracts has entered the 'beauty from within' market with the launch of skin-friendly soy isoflavone extracts designed for both topical and oral use.

Probiotics expert Chr Hansen is targeting the German market with new whey-based one-shot probiotic drinks containing a cocktail of healthy ingredients including probiotic strains BB-12 and LA-5, the enzyme Ha-Lactase and whey protein.

Slovenian nutraceutical firm Vitiva has launched AquaROX 10, a new rosemary-based natural preservative designed to extend the shelf-life of fresh and frozen prawns.

Chr Hansen has set up a partnership with Swedish dairy co-op Norrmejerier to develop value-added foods and drinks containing healthy polyphenols. The polyphenols would come from lingonberries, bilberries and cranberries with other berries to follow, said the firms.

Cargill is lobbying regulators for an amendment to the European Sweeteners Directive so that manufacturers using erythritol as a sweetener would not have to put laxative warnings on packs. Erythritol has a superior digestive tolerance to rival polyols, claims Cargill. All EU Member States will allow the use of erythritol by February 2008.

Senomyx, a company using proprietary taste receptor technologies to develop novel flavour ingredients, is working with soy firm Solae to develop compounds that block the bitterness of soy products.

Dow Wolff Cellulosics has launched an enhanced emulsion technology - Methocel food gums - enabling the replacement of trans fats in baked goods. The gums closely imitate the mouthfeel of fats and permit precise control of formulation viscosity. They hydrate in cold water and gel when heated. They also bind, cling, thicken and add stability to food systems, claimed the company.

Tate & Lyle has struck a deal with Lipid Nutrition to include its PinnoThin and Clarinol weight management ingredients and Marinol fish oils and powders in Tate & Lyle's Enrich ingredients systems for soups, sauces and dressings.

Plant extract manufacturer Kaden Biochemicals has launched a new antioxidant-rich extract of the aronia berry that is also rich in proanthocyanidins.

The krill oil market is set to experience triple digit growth in the next few years as consumers learn about its unique health benefits, biotech firm Aker BioMarine has predicted.

The recent Food Ingredients Europe (FiE) exhibition saw a flurry of activity in probiotics, with new immune-boosting probiotic sticks from Chr Hansen and a cold and flu formulation from Danisco - both aimed at kids, plus a probiotic chocolate from Barry Callebaut and Lal'Food.

Aspartame giant Ajinomoto has raised the stakes in the battle of the high intensity sweeteners with the publication of a study suggesting that consumers prefer the taste of aspartame to sucralose.

The heart health category looks set to expand beyond cholesterol-reduction and blood pressure regulation, following a tie up between a London-based technology firm and Coca-Cola and Unilever.

ADM Kao is working on a battle plan to launch fat-busting DAG oils (diacylglycerols) in Europe in a range of applications from bottled oils to ingredients in a host of packaged goods.

Chr Hansen has launched NutriPhy Cranberry, a powder standardised to contain at least 4% of the proanthocyanidins that reduce the adhesion of certain E. coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls.

The number of new products launched in Europe containing almonds leapt 33% to 355 in 2006, while sales of bagged almonds also rocketed, according to the Almond Board of California (ABC).

Supplements containing DSM's weight management ingredient Fabuless have been launched in Europe under the Slimthru brand (in the UK and Ireland) and the Slimcup brand (in Austria, Germany and Italy) by German supplements firm Melbrosin. The product comes in a single dose format that can be added to coffee, yoghurt, cereals or other products to promote satiety.

The European market for soyfoods grew by 7% in 2006 to €1.8bn, according to a new report from research and consultancy firm, Prosoy. More information is available at http://www.prosoy.org

A Ciambello cheese containing probiotic cultures from Chr Hansen has been launched in Italy by cheese maker Bidino. The cheese contains Bifidobacterium lactis Bb12, is claimed to reduce the duration of diarrhoea and help alleviate constipation.

Cargill is offering to help bakers meet demand for reduced fat products with the launch of TexDesign, a new carbohydrate-based fat replacer that can be incorporated as a dry mix or cream to replace margarine or oil. TexDesign can help reduce fat in cakes by 25%, luxury breads by 50% and biscuits by up to 20% without compromising taste or texture, claims Cargill.

New research from Leatherhead Food International has shown that a seaweed-based calcium and magnesium-rich mineral complex from Marigot can help slow the growth of white powdery 'bloom' on chocolate.

Sipal Partners has launched Seda-Fruct: the first organic fructose syrup on the market. The low-glycaemic index syrup, which has more than 95% fructose, can be used in drinks, yoghurts, fruit preparations, baby food and ice creams.

After Atkins, manufacturers have thought long and hard about how to communicate the concept of glycaemic response. Most have tried to bring the science home to consumers with slogans like “slow carbs”, “keeps you fuller for longer” or “sustained energy”.

Slovenian nutriceutical firm Vitiva claims to have developed a method of encapsulating lutein extracts at higher levels, allowing for smaller, more manageable, tablets and capsules.

Chr Hansen is offering manufacturers of ready to eat cooked meats and fresh cheeses an effective weapon against listeria with the launch of a new addition to its SafePro bio-protective range of cultures.

The European food and beverage probiotics market is set to more than double from €45.4M to €120.3M by 2013 according to a new report from Frost & Sullivan.

The first starch-based vegetarian gelling agents promising "the same level of functionality as gelatine" have been launched by Avebe.

The first foods and drinks containing a 'next-generation' prebiotic soluble fibre derived from whey lactose should hit the market next year.

UK farmers' co-op First Milk is moving into the functional ingredients market with the launch of a heat and acid stable galacto-oligosaccharide prebiotic made from milk, which it claims helps to stimulate the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Kerry Biosciences has created Myvatex Spread Control - a trans-fat free emulsifier for low-fat spreads and margarines.

Sugar-free gum grew by 14% in Russia, 18% in France and 34% in Turkey in 2006, according to Palatinit, which makes sugar replacer Isomalt.

Nearly a quarter of all new product launches in Europe in the past three years contained a "low" claim (eg. low fat, low salt), with particularly rapid growth in central and eastern Europe, said Mintel. The number of probiotic launches was up 65% and prebiotics up 168% over the same period.

Slovenian firm Vitiva has developed Inolens 12, a natural antioxidant designed to extend the shelf-life of chocolate products by up to 30%.

Tate & Lyle has entered the burgeoning dietary fibres market with Promitar resistant starch, which it claims survives better than rival products in extreme process conditions. Owing to its superior process stability, it can also be used in smaller quantities, added Tate & Lyle, which is now working with Leatherhead Food International to determine Promitar's prebiotic qualities.

The word 'sustainable' doesn't really mean much to consumers. What does mean something to them are brands that they recognise as being responsible partners in society - the ones that help them to do the right thing. They are seen as modern, aware, quality brands that they can trust.

Pregnant and breast-feeding women are being targeted with functional foods as evidence of the link between maternal nutrition and children's long-term development strengthens.

The dietary supplements market in Poland is set to grow 20% by 2009, more than doubling in size from 2005.

Burcon Nutrascience is preparing to make a Novel Food application to gain regulatory approval to use its canola proteins Puratein and Supertein in Europe.

Competition is hotting up in the salt reduction stakes with a series of new products hitting the market claiming to help manufacturers replicate both the flavour and technical functions of salt.

Sports nutrition companies can break into the mainstream food and drinks market if they re-educate consumers - particularly women - about the merits of protein, experts have predicted.

By using amino acids in combination with high intensity sweeteners, their bitter taste can be masked, according to new research from Ajinomoto.

Cargill has launched new omega-3 ingredients that can be incorporated into a wide range of foods without discernible changes in flavour or shelf-life.

DSM has developed BakeZyme WholeGain, an enzyme to help manufacturers of wholegrain bread overcome problems associated with high fibre baking, such as reduced volume and unappealing crumb. The enzyme increased dough tolerance and enhanced volume, texture and taste, said DSM.

Waitaki Biosciences has launched Coll2: a combination of type II collagen and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) claimed to assist in the restoration of connective tissues in inflammatory or degenerative disease such as osteoarthritis.

Folic acid supplementation can boost cognitive function and slow down age-related hearing loss, according to recent studies conducted by Nestlé.

Middle-aged subjects taking a daily supplement of DHA omega-3 (docosahexaenoic acid) from algal DHA supplier Martek Biosciences, showed decreases in diastolic blood pressure, according to research conducted at King's College, London

A new study conducted by Bordeaux Univeristy has shed further light on the fat-burning mechanism behind green coffee extract Svetol - a weight management ingredient from Berkem.

Health claims about the ability of probiotics to reduce the risk of cancer are very unlikely to gain regulatory approval, delegates at the Vitafoods International conference were told.

Danisco has launched Dimodan NH: a new emulsifier for the European market designed to help manufacturers provide products free of hydrogenated oils and fats.

Kemin Health Europe has announced the European launch of its hunger-busting ingredient Slendesta. The product, available in the US under the Satise brand, is the latest weight-management product to be put on the market amid claims it stimulates the hormones that regulate appetite. A potato extract containing proteinase inhibitor II (PI2), a protein naturally found in white potatoes, Slendesta stimulates the release of the appetite regulating hormone CCK, claimed the company.

Chr Hansen is the first to market with oral probiotic capsules designed to help restore and maintain healthy vaginal flora.

Two stress-beating ingredients have been launched to tap into the burgeoning 'mood food' market.

Functional foods will account for just 1% of the European food market by value by 2010, despite an explosion of interest in the sector, according to Leatherhead Food International (LFI).

French hydrocolloids maker Colloids Naturels International has launched Equacia, a new nutritional texturiser, in a bid to cash in on the fast growing fat replacement market. A blend of wheat and acacia gum fibres, Equacia serves as a thickener, stabiliser, water binder, fat replacer and mouthfeel enhancer. However, it also has important nutritional qualities, containing soluble fibres with a prebiotic effect and insoluble fibres for their bulking effect.

Enzymotec's phytosterol-based ingredient CardiaBeat increased the absorption of key nutrients such as beta carotene and other fat soluble vitamins by 16% compared to standard sterol esters, according to a recent human study conducted at McGill University in the US.

Nutrisoft 55, a new emulsifier from Cognis, can help manufacturers reduce trans fat levels in a range of products from bread to mousse desserts. The product, which should be used in conjunction with an aerating emulsifier, also boosted the shelf-life of bread by stabilising the helical structure of starch, which slowed down the staling process, said the firm.

Danisco has launched Guardian Green Tea Extracts, a new range of natural antioxidants designed to preserve the flavour and shelf-life of meat and poultry products. Performing better than synthetic antioxidants such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), the new range was more cost effective than other natural antioxidants, claimed Danisco.

Flavours firm Treatt has launched Habanero Treattarome 9815, a new flavour ingredient distilled from top grade habanero chilli peppers. Ideal for spicy sauces, salsas and drinks, Habanero Treattarome 9815 is the latest addition to Treatt's expanding range of natural ingredients.

Long before the innovation funnel, big food companies conducted their research and development (R&D) mostly in-house. Their labs were large enough for 'blue sky' research, which may not have led directly to retail outcomes. It was an act of faith that knowledge would lead to opportunity.

Sipal Partners has launched a new range of organic syrups made from dried dates and figs. As natural sweeteners, Sipa-Dates and Sipa-Figs add a fruity taste and colour to a wide range of products including biscuits, cereal bars, breakfast cereals, drinks, yoghurts, desserts and sauces, says the firm.

Competition in the weight management market is set to become even more frenzied as pomegranates, black soybeans and white kidney beans join the growing list of foods claiming to help battle the bulge.

Caffeine increases stress, according to preliminary results of an intervention study undertaken by scientists at Bristol University, UK.

Givaudan claims to have broken completely new ground in the gum market through the use of patented technology enabling it to 'layer' different flavours into a single piece of chewing gum and release them at different stages as it is chewed.

The functional ingredients arm of DSM Food Specialties is preparing to launch a 'breakthrough flavour innovation', bosses have revealed.