“Scottish ice cream maker Mackies is launching mood enhancing ice cream. The company, which is based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, has added the essence of an orchid, native to Alaska, to a low calorie ice cream. The flower essence is a legal mood enhancer, which creates the feeling of intense pleasure after it has been tasted…”
FoodNavigator.com, 2/25/02

A recent survey of eye doctors commissioned by Kemin Foods and conducted by an independent research firm reveals that 91% of eye doctors believe poor nutrition plays a role in the development of common eye diseases and they believe lutein plays an important role in promoting eye health. The study…surveyed 150 ophthalmologists and 150 optometrists throughout the U.S. The study found that 84% of eye doctors currently recommend lutein to their patients, while 80% of these doctors believe the regular use of lutein is helpful in maintaining eye health…
Kemin Foods, Des Moines, IA

“U.S. food company HJ Heinz has pledged to invest a total of $1 million in iron sprinkles designed to be added to food to reduce the incidence of anemia worldwide. Toronto pediatrician and researcher Dr. Stanley Zlotkin received Heinz’ Humanitarian Award for creating Supplefer Sprinkles, an award that includes a $750,000 grant. The sprinkles are tasteless, inexpensive to manufacture and contain vitamin C. Dr. Zlotkin who was asked to develop a solution to anemia in 1996 by UNICEF, found that the supplements cured anemia in 60% of the children who received the supplement in Ghana. The iron syrup and drops available at the time were not working due to poor taste, the fact they discolored teeth and the difficulty illiterate mothers had in measuring the correct amounts of iron. Now more than two million of the sprinkles packets will be distributed to Mongolian children. The effectiveness of the supplement will also be studied in India, China and Northern Canada.”
Just-Food.com, 2/20/02

Health claims made on yogurt products were examined and criticized for a number of reasons in the March issue of Consumer Reports. First, the article reported that yogurt’s live and active cultures may promote gut health, but that the bacteria must remain alive until they settle in the intestine for these benefits to be realized and the two bacteria that federal standards require to be used in yogurt making, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, are unlikely to survive the journey. According to the article, some bacteria may survive the journey through the gastrointestinal tract and offer health benefits, but the article made it clear that research that provides evidence to this does not exist. The report also says that food processing methods may destroy the beneficial bacteria. While the article was skeptical of any probiotic health claims made about yogurt, it did admit that yogurt is a good source of calcium, protein, B vitamins and some minerals.
Consumer Reports, March