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understanding the science of how the human gut functions and the role that diet plays in human health will be explored at a major international functional foods conference in cork, this week. foods have an enormous role to play in keeping people healthy and many foods have properties that can enhance the health of those that consume them. a ‘functional food’ is one that serves a purpose beyond basic nutrition, promoting health or reducing the risk of certain diseases.

a major open day for the food industry is taking place at the teagasc moorepark food research centre in fermoy, today, 9 june. the open day celebrates 20 years of research at moorepark with exhibitions on research in functional foods, food ingredients, dairy foods and food quality. the interaction with industry for which the centre has achieved a strong international reputation is also being highlighted.

milk could be the ideal functional food matrix for delivery of polyphenolic-rich antioxidant extracts, suggests new research from south america. milk and sucrose could both reduce the bitterness and astringency of the polyphenolic extracts, suggesting that “sweetened dairy products could be interesting carriers for the development of functional foods containing polyphenolic-rich antioxidant extracts,” wrote the researchers in food research international .

as 2008 drew to a close, new zealand’s hortresearch and crop & food research merged, as the country aims to stay competitive and innovative. “at a time of global fiscal concern it is essential that we retain our competitive edge by continuing to innovate and add value,” said peter landon-lane, chief executive of the new institute. the combination of the world-renowned research institutes will now be known as the new zealand institute for plant and food research limited, and will trade as plant & food research.

ift expo is bridging the gap between dietary supplement ingredients and mainstream food manufacturers, with companies who once focused on nutrition in a capsule now looking to supply functional food ingredients. cognis nutrition & health and lycored are two such examples of companies well-established in the us dietary supplement ingredients market, but edging into new territory so as to expand their client base into the growing category of value-added foods.

new zealand today launched a major initiative to boost its food and beverage exports, including nz$19m earmarked for new market development and a roadmap for innovations. exports play a major role in new zealand's economy, largely because it is an island nation. food and beverages exports are valued at nz$15bn per annum - double the figure for 1990 and now accounting for half of all exports for the country.

europe's health food industry has 'under-utilised' the nutraceutical properties of carotenoids and consumers are still unaware of their health benefits, finds report on the $348.5 million (€291.4m) carotenoid market. also this week, frost & sullivan awards new entrant to synthetic beta-carotene segment allied biotech corporation. market research company frost & sullivan says that carotenoids, still used primarily as a colouring agent for the food and feed industries, have only been widely used in supplements in germany.

the current trend towards health foods is making an impact on the €20.2 billion global food additives industry with demand for low-fat, low-calorie and functional foods ensuring future development of fat replacers, hydrocolloids, sweeteners, vitamins and minerals, as well as other functional food ingredient categories, claims a new report from leatherhead food research association . as the functional foods market develops further, new sectors will be added to this last category, with ingredient innovation being vital to the continued expansion of functional foods, adds the report.

in 1926, the commonwealth government created the council for scientific and industrial research, the body that later became csiro. to commemorate the 75th anniversary of this event, several functions were held throughout australia last year. one of these, organised by aifst nsw branch food microbiology group and the australian society for microbiology food microbiology special interest group, presented an historical survey of the work of csiro scientists in food microbiology.