ArchievesOctober2007

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                            October 2007

31.10.2007: GM ban in France may hinder the Monsanto's MON810 plantation[1]
France will find it difficult to maintain a ban of GM Maize which has already been allowed for cultivation in Europe. Greenpeace, however, says that the European Commission approved Mon810 without a comprehensive monitoring plan and considered only the possibility of resistance to Bt-toxin in corn borer populations. Later more stringent rules had been established in the 2001/18/EC directive.

Monsanto and the French research institute CIRAD are deeply worried about a possible ban of GM crops alleging that their efforts could protect the environment in reducing the use of pesticide and economise water.

Green activists, however, stress the fact of cross-contamination of non-GM crops and uncertainty about health effects on humans.

[1] GM Watch: GM ban in France confirmed.     http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=8424

31.10.2007: Agency publishes diet advice for over 50s [1]
The UK has some of the highest rates of chronic diseases in Europe, most of which are preventable though healthier lifestyles.
The Food Standards Agency has published a leaflet, entitled 'The Good Life', that provides practical advice to help people aged over 50 improve their diets
According to FSA, awareness of healthy eating advice is high among the 50 to 65 year group, however, certain misconceptions may be preventing people from putting this knowledge to good use.

[1] FSA : Advices for over 50s      http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2007/oct/over50s

31.10.2007: Guidance for caterers in public institutions [1]
The Agency published a guidance to help caterers in publicly-funded institutions across the UK provide food that meets the nutritional needs of older people and other adults.

The guidance covers the many thousands of people who eat food provided by the public sector, including hospitals and residential care homes as well as workplaces.

The two documents include practical advice in the form of two weekly sample menus based on dietary references for older people in residential care and three sample menus that meet the guidelines for adults.

More information on the guidance and sample menus can be found at the links below:
- Guidance on food served to adults in major institutions.
The nutrient standards provided in this document are based upon the needs of adults aged 19–74 years.    http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/institutionguide.pdf

- Guidance on food served to older people in residential care.
This paper provides specific guidance to care homes for older people who do not have nutritional requirements due to illness or disease. It contains a nutrient-based guidance for older people in care.
http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/olderresident.pdf

- FSA nutrient and food based guidelines for UK institutions.
Contains general recommendations.   http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/nutrientinstitution.pdf

- Example Menus for Adult Men 19-74 years  http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/menusmen.pdf

- Example Menus for Adult Women 19-74 years http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/womenmenus.pdf

- Example Menus for Care Homes       http://www.food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/carehomemenus.pdf

[1] FSA: Guidance for caterers in public institutions. http://www.food.gov.uk/news/newsarchive/2007/oct/publicinstguide

30.10.2007: Call for a US Farm-to-Table Food Safety reform [1]
While the majority of bills introduced so far in Congress address import inspection and include mandatory recall authority and civil penalties, many do not include mandatory process controls and government-enforced performance standards for both domestic and imported foods., says CSPI.

CSPI maintains that legislation should also address safety issues on American farms, provide for frequent inspection of FDA-regulated American food processors, and require greater traceability for foods that pose hazards.

CSPI outlined the essential elements that are needed to modernize food safety programs:

Process controls systems, such as the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, should be mandatory for all food processors regulated by the FDA. HACCP is already required for meat, poultry, seafood, and juice processors.

Government agencies should establish and enforce meaningful public-health based performance standards, including limits on the incidence or levels of contamination.

Inspections of high-risk products should be frequent and intensive, and there should be a minimum inspection frequency for other foods, as currently required for drugs and medical device manufacturers. (FDA currently inspects the average food-manufacturing facility only once a decade, whereas USDA inspects every single beef or chicken carcass.)

Imported food should be produced under safety systems at least as strong as those in the U.S., and the FDA should begin certification of food safety programs and facilities in foreign countries.

Research and education mandates should be broad and well-funded enough to help solve a wide range of food safety problems.

On-farm programs should begin with written food safety plans for every farmer.

Enforcement should include mandatory recall authority, greater civil and criminal penalties, product traceback and detention, and whistleblower protection.

Funding disparities between USDA and FDA should be also addressed, according to CSPI. While the FDA regulates 80 percent of the food supply, its food safety budget is half that of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, which regulates the remaining 20 percent of the food supply.

[1] CSPI: Congress Needs to Build a Modern Food Safety System, Says CSPI. 30.10.2007
http://www.cspinet.org/new/200710301.html

30.10.2007: Conflict and Emerging Infectious Diseases [1]

Instability of regions in Far East, Asia and Africa promote infectious diseases. Dr Michelle Gayer from the WHO, writing on detection, containment, and control of emerging infectious diseases in conflict situations says that they are major challenges because of multiple risk factors that promote disease transmission and hinder control even more than those in many resource-poor settings. She stresses the moral imperative to alleviate the effects of these diseases on already vulnerable conflict-affected populations.

Risk Factors Enhancing Disease Emergence and Transmission in Conflict Situations, according to Gayer, are:
Population Displacement and Environmental Conditions

Malaria epidemic due to Plasmodium falciparung was caused by massive population displacement to Afghanistan in 1992-1993.
Emergence of Lassa fever in camps in non–disease-endemic areas has been documented and is probably related to the poor condition of dwellings and storage of grain rations in nonsecure canvas sacks, which attracts rodents.
Unsanitary environmental conditions led to the proliferation of rats in postwar Kosovo and resulted in a tularemia outbreak among the displaced population from August 1999 through April 2000.

Breakdown in Infection Control
Poor infection control practices in healthcare facilities have enabled amplification of outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers, several outbreaks of Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) in Yambuku, in 1976, in Sudan in 1976 and 1979, in Kikwit, in 1995, and in Gulu, Uganda, in 2000. The outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Angola from October 2004 through July 2005 was booted by healthcare centers reusing needles and syringes and using multidose vials in healthcare centers due to poor training in safe injection practice. An outbreak of Lassa fever occurred in Kenema District Hospital from January through April 2004 and was also caused by reuse of needles and syringes.

Disruption of Disease Control Programs and Collapse of Health Systems
Recurrence of the sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis) in the 1990s, predominantly in conflict-affected Angola, DRC, and Southern Sudan due to interruption of the control measures.

Inadequate Surveillance and Early Warning and Response Systems
Surveillance systems are often weak in conflict situations, which results in delays in detection and reporting of epidemics. Limited laboratory facilities and lack of expertise in specimen collection may delay confirmation of the causative organism. Outbreak investigation and implementation of control measures may be hampered by fighting, impeded access to populations, destroyed infrastructure, limited coverage of healthcare services, poorly trained health staff, and difficult logistics that prevent delivery of drugs.
This resulted in the outbreak of Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Durba in northeastern DRC from October 1998 through September 2000.

Impeded Access to Populations
Ongoing conflict can hamper access to populations for timely delivery of supplies and implementation of control measures during an outbreak. Access to populations to conduct vaccination campaigns may also be interrupted for months to years during protracted conflict due to long-term inadequacies in cold chain and logistics or ongoing insecurity.
Several outbreaks of pneumonic plague have been documented in Oriental Province in northeastern DRC, where war has hampered control efforts.

Development of Drug Resistance
Pathogen resistance to drugs can contribute to disease emergence. Resistance may develop more rapidly in conflict situations because of inappropriate diagnoses or inappropriate drug regimens and outdated drugs.
An outbreak of Shigella dysenteriae type 1 infection in a Rwandan camp for Burundian refugees fleeing civil war in 1993, <50% of patients complied with their 5-day antimicrobial drug treatment.

Refugee populations had higher anti-tuberculosis (TB) drug resistance rates than nonrefugee populations in northeastern Kenya.

Movement of Refugees and Aid Workers
International spread of infectious diseases from conflict situations may occur through movement of refugees, relief workers, animals, goods, and private sector employees working in mining, oil, logging, or construction industries. An example of the outcomes of such conditions was the prolonged outbreak of hepatitis E virus in a camp in Darfur, Sudan, in May 2004 .
Also cited is the imported case of Lassa fever which was confirmed in Germany in July 2006, after a Sierra Leonean resident, flew from Freetown to Frankfurt through Abidjan and Brussels, 5 days after symptom onset. Aid workers and British soldiers have imported Lassa fever into the Netherlands (2000) and the United Kingdom (2000 and 2003) after postings in Lassa-endemic areas of Sierra Leone.

Improving Detection and Control of Infectious Diseases in Conflict Situations
Gayer calls for a functional healthcare system for the detection and control of many emerging infectious diseases.

In such settings, good hygiene and standard infection control precautions in health facilities are needed to reduce the potential for nosocomial transmission and amplification of disease.

It is imperative that the technical capacity of all humanitarian health partners and ministries of health regarding disease surveillance, prevention, and control in conflict-affected countries be enhanced to ensure effective implementation of infectious disease interventions.

Data on disease incidence and trends are essential for prioritizing risks and planning interventions and should be obtained through disease surveillance and early warning and response systems. Several of these systems have been implemented in conflict situations.

Surveillance systems rely on close partnerships with NGOs, international organizations, and community groups and are built on resources and capacities of all organizations present.

Epidemic preparedness measures to be taken should involve training staff to use surveillance tools and manage cases of epidemic-prone diseases and equipping them with reliable means of communication.

Revised International Health Regulations of 2005 provide a global legal framework to guide response to public health events of international concern.

Military forces are increasingly implementing aid programs for conflict-affected populations. These programs have a crucial role and are a valuable resource.

[1] Gayer M, Legros D, Formenty P, Connolly MA. Conflict and emerging infectious diseases. Emerg Infect Dis [serial on the Internet]. 2007 Nov.

http://www.cdc.gov/EID/content/13/11/1625.htm

30.10.2007: Polysaccharides from brown marine algae as health benefits promising ingredient
Seaweeds, such as Laminaria spp, are rich in polysaccharides which are classified as dietary fibres, because they are resistant to hydrolysis in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Human digestive enzymes did not hydrolyse laminarin, so this polysaccharide can be considered as a dietary fibre. [1]

Laminarin is a beta-1,3-Glucan and function as a storage substance which can be compared to starch in plants on land. It is commonly obtained from the brown kelp alga Laminaria digitata. [2]

Alginates are currently used as low-cost thickening and viscosity stabilisers for such products as salad dressings, and for microencapsulated ingredients.

Isolation of water insoluble laminarin-like polysaccharide has been achieved from
Sargassum linifolium by extraction with hydrochloric acid and oxalic acid solutions, according to Abdel-Fattah and Hussein [3]. Devillé and colleagues found a hot HCl-based method as best strategy to isolate laminarin [1]

Imuno- stimulant agent: K H Kim and colleagues suggest that laminarin oligosaccharides and polysaccharides from Laminaria japonica, can be utilized to develop new immunopotentiating substances and functional alternative medicines [4].

Franck Hennequart and colleagues from the National University of Ireland in Galway, Health Sea International Symposium in Granville, Normandy in October. 2007. announced to have produced and identified four different extracts from the seaweeds, intended to be used in a range of drinks, including mineral water, orange juice and cold tea. According to Hennequart crude fucodians seem to demonstrate a prebiotic effect. The seaweed extracts were found to have anti-bacterial activity on some bacteria. Some of the extracts seem to have an anti-inflammatory effect. Tests on rats have shown no toxicological effects so far. [5]

[1] Devillé C.; Damas J.; Forget P.; Dandrifosse G.; Peulen O. Laminarin in the dietary fibre concept. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. Volume 84, Number 9, July 2004 , pp. 1030-1038(9).
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/jws/jsfa/2004/00000084/00000009/art00017

[2] Universität Hamburg: Chrysophyta.
http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/jws/jsfa/2004/00000084/00000009/art00017

[3]Abdel-Fattah, A.F.; Hussein, M.M.: Isolation of water insoluble laminaran-like polysaccharide from Sargassum. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition. 181-187 Vol 22, Number 2, 1973.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/l544g0r384257p03/

[4] Kim KH et al: Anti-apoptotic activity of laminarin polysaccharides and their enzymatically hydrolyzed oligosaccharides from Laminaria japonica. Biotechnol Lett. 28/6/2006 S. 439-46.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids
=16614911

[5] Foodnavigator: Brown marine algae mined for functional ingredients. 30.10.2007
http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=80978-algae-laminarans-fucoidans

06/10/2007 – Bioavailability of calcium from soymilk [1]
Soymilk are often enriched with 120mg/100ml with calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, or calcium chloride to obtain an equivalent content of calcium of cow milk. However poor solubility reduce bioavailability of calcium from soymilk.

Tang and colleagues 2007 found that fermentation of calcium-fortified soymilk with probiotic bacteria such as Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4962 and L. casei ASCC 290 increased the calcium solubility up to 89 per cent, enhancing bioavailability. The low pH resulted from the production of lactic and acetic acid was found to cause the increased solubility.

The increase in calcium solubility observed was related to lowered pH associated with production of lactic and acetic acids. The conversion of the glucoside isoflavones into the bioactive isoflavone aglycone form was also observed.

The fermentation significantly increased also the conversion of isoflavones from their natural glucoside form into the biologically active aglycone forms such as diadzein, genistein, and glycetein.

[1] Tang, A.L; Shah, N.P; Wilcox, G; Walker, K.Z; Stojanovska, L: Fermentation of Calcium-Fortified Soymilk with Lactobacillus: Effects on Calcium Solubility, Isoflavone Conversion, and Production of Organic Acids. Journal of Food Science. Published on-line ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00520.x
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2007.00520.x

06/10/2007 – New hydrocolloid from Norway spruce. [1]
Hydrocolloids are increasingly needed in the production of foods as stabilisers, thickeners, emulsifiers and gelling agents, papermaking, textile and cosmetic industries.

Steffan Willför and colleagues stress that mannans used as guar gum, Konjac glucomannan, locust bean gum, tara gum, and fenugreek gum are used, but mannans from wood are neglected.

The researchers found that the process waters in mechanical pulp mills processing Norway spruce is high in dissolved O-acetylgalactoglucomannans (AcGGM). This hydrocolloid represents about 50 per cent of the dissolved matter in the process water.

{1] Stefan Willför, Stefan; Sundberg, Kenneth; Tenkanen, Maija; Holmbom, Bjarne: Spruce-derived mannans - A potential raw material for hydrocolloids and novel advanced natural materials. Carbohydrate Polymers. Published on-line ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2007.08.006

http://www.scirus.com/srsapp/search?p=0&dt=all&ds=bls&ds=sd&ds=mps&ds=cps&ds=cpp&sa=all

&q=(au%3ASteffan+OR+au%3AWillf%C3%B6r)++AND+(issn%3A01448617)#results

05.10.2007: The scandal of organic produces by air freight and supermarket dumping

It is not true that air freight helps the poor [1]
International Trade Centre (ITC) claims that banning air traffic for organic produces would affect economy of poor regions. Air freight enables producers in some of the poorest regions of the world to supply high value fresh fruit and vegetables to Europe.: This is not true, as the poorest have no access to the high technical logistic of air traffic. Only the Australian lobby, specialised on air traffic to USA is interested to sell their surplus to Europe, after a sudden wave of US own produces.

Air traffic is the most pernicious way to harm climate and environment
Avoiding pollution of the environment with pesticides and chemical fertilisers, using crop rotation and good animal husbandry to control pests and diseases are the basics of a sustainable method of agriculture. The primary goal is the protection of the environment. A side-product is the food which is harvested in such environment.

Buying organics grown far away you are doing the best for your supermarket corporation but its not better for your health or the environment than choosing cheaper conventional produces.

If you want to go organics look for small organic farmers, small organic stores which have their ware supplied by surrounding farms, and look for weekly markets of your town.


Organics is a philosophy of cohabitation of mankind and nature. On the other hand supermarket shelf ware organics is a genial marketing effort to boost business, the contact with the roots of organics are blurred.

Air freight has the highest global warming potential of any form of transport: It is opposed to the deepest principles of organic philosophy. Opening the door for niche products, the whole organic segment will be questionable.

Economic interests of WTO, supermarket chains and big corporations are eroding the meaning of organics. A new definition becomes necessary to differentiate between the produces from supermarket and the original organic food

New label: Organic food / Nature food, Biokost and Naturkost
European organic food has mutated to mass production under the EU regulation 2092/91 and 1804/1999. [2] [3]

The European Commission in their “ European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming” states:
“Organic sales through supermarkets are the fastest-growing distribution channel in most markets. For consumers buying organic produce in supermarkets, environmental considerations are thought to be less important, compared to consumers buying produce in specialised organic shops. “ [4]

The European organic food regulation clearly demonstrates its commitment to mass production and
the supermarkets as distribution channel. This increases monoculture wide fields long transport ways and air freight.

New definition of organic food and nature food
The organic food produced according to the EU regulation differs from the original way of production. It becomes necessary to separate the organic food from supermarkets from the original nature food, produced under strict rules of certifying corporations which follow the principles of Rudolf Steiner or follow a holistic way of farming.

Definition
To make the difference between both types of food the following definition is being suggested:

Nature food (En), Naturkost (D): Nature food is produced according to rules of certifying corporations which follow the principles of Rudolf Steiner or other holistic ways of farming. These Foods are sold by the producer itself at its farm, at weekly markets or at nature shops. There competent informations are given concerning the origin of the food. The consumer understands that the higher price of nature products is due to diversification of crops at the farm, a species-appropriate animal raising, and environment conservation.

The nature food farmers and the specialised nature shops should keep distance from the words “Organic” or “Biokost” because they have become a domain of supermarkets and have undergone a mutation from the original food.


Organic Food (En), (Biokost D): Organic food is produced according to the EU 2092/91 and 1804/1999 regulation. The consumer expects food produced without agrarian chemicals, like herbicides or pesticides. He expects better taste compared with conventional foods. He looks after low priced products. He is concerned with the welfare of his person and does not care about environment. He is not interested to know the food miles and airfreight of the items he buys. Organic food is primarily sold by supermarket chains.

[1] ITC: Organic Food Exporters Risk Loss in British Markets
http://www.intracen.org/docman/PRSR10770.pdf

[2] Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 of 24 June 1991 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs (OJ L 198, 22.7.1991, p. 1).
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31991R2092:EN:HTML

[3] Council Regulation (EC) No 1804/1999 of 19 July 1999 supplementing Council Regulation (EEC) No 2092/91 on organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs to include livestock production (OJ L 222, 24.8.1999, p. 1).
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:1999:222:0001:0028:EN:PDF

[4] Commission of the European Communities: European Action Plan for Organic Food and Farming. Brussels, 10 June 2004 SEC(2004) 739
http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/qual/organic/plan/workdoc_en.pdf

04.10.2007: CSPI unveils tricky labelling concerning omega-3 fatty acid in foods [1]
DHA and EPA, the omega-3s found in salmon, trout, other fish, and algae, are linked to a lower risk of heart disease. Another omega-3, ALA, found in flaxseed and to a lesser extent, canola and soy, may not have the same benefits. But that doesn’t stop companies from loading products with ALA and bragging about their omega-3 content.

According to David Schardt, a nutricionist from CSPI, many foods with omega-3 claims have only or mostly ALA, which may not prevent anything.He recommends to get DHA and EPA from salmon, or fish oil or algal oil capsules.

Tricky labeling on Omega-3
CSPI found tricky labeling on omega-3 fatty acids misleading consumer in foods like:
Yogurt: with very low content of DHA claiming “Boost your brain”. This is a vague claim which needs no evidence.

Soymilk Plus Omega-3 DHA: High content of omega-3 are mainly based on ALA omega-3s which , according to CSPI, everyone gets enough of, thanks to soy and canola oil.

Cereals: Advertising omega-3, but not specifying whether it’s ALA, DHA or EPA, and not listing fish, fish oil or algal oil on the ingredient label is misleading. Claims on Omega-3 of products containing flax oil, soybean oil or canola oil , should be assumed to refers to ALA which do not have the same benefits expected by the consumer.

Omega-3 Eggs: Omega-3 eggs were found to have more than half of the claimed omega-3s as ALA.

Recommendations
Schardt recommends eating fatty fish like salmon twice a week to average 500 to 1,000 mg a day of DHA plus EPA. (The American Heart Association recommends 1,000 mg a day of DHA plus EPA omega-3s for people with heart disease.)

Get the whole story at http://www.cspinet.org/new/200710011.html
A very good summary of researche on omega-3 and food labelling is available at the article
"Omega Medicine? Is fish oil good for what ails you?” [2]

[1] CSPI: Omega-3 madness: Fish oil or snake oil. Stick with fish or fish oil for best heart-health benefits, says Nutrition Action
http://www.cspinet.org/new/200710011.html

[2] Liebman, Bonnie: Omega Medicine?: Is fish oil good for what ails you? Nutrition Action Health Letters. Center for Science in the Public Interest. October 2007, Volume 34. Number 8.
http://www.cspinet.org/new/pdf/omegas.pdf

03.10.2007: Glyphosate-tolerant genetically modified Syngenta maize GA21  [1]
The GMO Maize GA21 applyed for food and feed uses, import and processing and for renewal of the authorisation of maize GA21.

The GMO Panel of EFSAconsiders maize GA21 as safe as its non genetically modified counterparts with respect to potential effects on human and animal health or the environment. Therefore the GMO Panel concludes that maize GA21 is unlikely to have any adverse effect on human and animal health or on the environment in the context of its intended uses.

[1] EFSA: Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms on applications (references EFSA-GMO-UK-2005-19 and EFSA-GMO-RX-GA21) for the placing on the market of glyphosate-tolerant genetically modified maize GA21, for food and feed uses, import and processing and for renewal of the authorisation of maize GA21 as existing product, both under Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 from Syngenta Seeds S.A.S. on behalf of Syngenta Crop Protection AG, The EFSA Journal (2007) 541, 1-25.
http://www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_1178648864472.htm

03.10.2007: The African, Caribbean, and Pacific Sugar Group (ACP) complain about EU sugar reform  [1]

The ACP and the EU have benefited in the sugar sector under the terms of the 1975 ACP/EU Sugar Protocol. It guarantees access to the EU market for fixed quantities of ACP sugar at preferential prices over an indefinite period of time. The Sugar Protocol has been hailed the world over as a model for development cooperation, as it has brought significant benefits to the economies of small and vulnerable ACP countries.

The ACP claim that the 30 years old Sugar Protocol,now terminated by the EU, is a legally binding intergovernmental agreement between the ACP signatory States and the European Union. Any reform of the EU Sugar Regime must respect the rights and obligations of the Protocol.
ACP refers to the Article 1 of the ACP/EU Sugar Protocol: “The [European] Community undertakes for an indefinite period to purchase and import, at guaranteed prices, specific quantities of cane sugar, raw or white, which originate in the ACP states and which these States undertake to deliver to it”. The Sugar Protocol is attached to the Lomé Convention which had been concluded for five years.

[1] ACP: The ACP/EU Sugar Protocol.
http://www.acpsugar.org/Sugar%20Protocol.html

03.10.2007: Carbohydrates, Glycemic Index  and obesity [1]
According to Glenn Gaesser, diets high in carbohydrates are almost universally associated with slimmer bodies. They found that consuming high levels of high-glycemic foods is not associated with higher body weights. 0n this contest, Several large studies in the United States revealed that high-glycemic diets were linked to better weight control. With few exceptions, high glycemic load is associated with lower BMI.

Carbohydrates had been labelled as "good" for low, or "bad" for high glycemic index (GI), a measure of how much it raises blood sugar. High GI foods are such as white bread, white rice, breakfast cereals and concentrated sugar. Low GI foods include most vegetables, fruits, beans and unprocessed grains.

Low GI foods help to reduce the risk of diabetes and related conditions. The author, however, found that the relationship between carbohydrate intake and body mass index (BMI) is controversial.

Definition related to Glycemic Index used in labelling and claims [2]
The Glycemic (Net) Carbohydrate Definition Committee of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) International has approved definitions related to glycemic carbohydrates such as:
Available carbohydrate, Glycemic response, Glycemic carbohydrate Glycemic impact
The definitions may be found at   http://www.aaccnet.org/news/06glycemicdefinitions.asp

However, Gaesser urges caution in the use of GI labels and claims, not before more research is done on this matter. He stresses that whole-grain intake is generally inversely associated with BMI, and refined grain intake is not. A low-fat dietary strategy, with carbohydrates rich on cereal fiber, may be beneficial for health and weight control.

[1] Glee A. Gaesser: Carbohydrate Quantity and Quality in Relation to Body Mass Index.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Volume 107, Issue 10, Pages 1768-1780 (October 2007).
http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822307014770/abstract

[2] AACC International Approves Definitions Related to Glycemic Carbohydrates
http://www.aaccnet.org/news/06glycemicdefinitions.asp

01.10.2007: Lower hurdles for novel foods?
Industry on both sides of the Atlantic are calling to reduce the hurdles for the approval of new foods and new supplements. In Europe such a movement was spurred on by a recent decision by the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA) to refer Cargill's vegetarian glucosamine hydrochloride ingredient to further review by EFSA prior to granting novel food status. This matter should, however, be analysed very carefully, according to a comment of Stephen Daniells, from Food Navigator. [1]

Novel food and supplements are approved to be marketed in USA by the FDA and in Europe by the EFSA following the Novel Foods Regulation EC 258/97. [2]

This ingredient was widely used as dietary supplement since 2004, and has been approved in USA under the less strict way of its self-affirmed GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) for certain food and beverage applications, which Cargill proclaimed in March 2007. It may be used in a variety of specific mainstream foods and beverages. Cargill stresses that glucosamine added to orange juice helps to protect cartilage and joints from the stresses of normal daily activities. [3]

The UK Food Standards Agency, alleging that it is unknown how the ingredient affects glucose metabolism, asked the EFSA to review it considering diabetic concerns. The industry, leaded by the Confederation of Food and Drink Industries of the EU (CIAA) and he Alliance for a Competitive European Industry (ACEI) intensified lobbying for laxer regulations pointing to America to boost innovations.

European Commission would be well advised not to ease regulations, adopt the US GRAS system, or charging fees for processing dossiers so as it is being done there.

There is an unhealthy movement in the USA going on. It puts economic development in front of safety. This is most painfully noted in the case of strategy to avoid climate change last month at the APEC Conference in Australia and in the President Bush´s Climate Conference in Washington denying clearly any activity which could hinder the economy. This works in opposition to the Kyoto Protocol, backed by European Countries. Failure of the next climate conference at Bali in December will endanger staple food supply of Africa and Asia. Prices will increase on account of the competition of biofuel versus food.

The FDA finds itself amidst the interests of the industry and does weaken in relation to safety, such as the approval of GRAS.

The Contergan story and food safety [4]
A sad anniversary of Thalidomide is being commemorated in Germany. It was sold under the generic name Contergan, by the German pharmaceutical company Grünetal. Approximately 10,000 children were born with severe malformities, because their mothers had taken thalidomide during pregnancy. Phthalimidoglutarimide was obtained by heating the peptide phthaloylisoglutamine.

High doses did not kill rodents, rabbits, cats or dogs, nor show any other side effects. The Grünenthal research team began to describe thalidomide as "nontoxic", with no teratogenicity tests (tests on pregnant animals), no clinical trial plans, and no scientific rationale.

European food regulators and the European Commission should stick to food safety policy and never forget the lesson of Contergan where low hurdles and profit caused horrible malfomities.

[1] FoodNavigator: The red tape merry-go-round. By Stephen Daniells, the Science Editor for NutraIngredients.com and FoodNavigator.com. 01.10.2007.
http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/ng.asp?n=80197&m=1fneo01&c=nfuzqfgkdkribxo

[2] Regulation (EC) No 258/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 January 1997 concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:31997R0258:EN:HTML

[3] Cargill: Cargill announces GRAS status for REGENASURE Glucosamine. 12.03.2007
http://www.cargill.com/news/news_releases/070312_regenasure.htm

[4] Wikipedia: Thalidomide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalidomide