Americans remain supportive of existing federal rules for labeling foods produced through biotechnology

The International Food Information Council (IFIC) 2012 “Consumer Perceptions of Food Technology & Sustainability” survey shows that Americans remain highly supportive of existing federal rules for labeling foods produced through biotechnology and very few cite biotechnology as an information need on the food label.

According to the survey, satisfaction with current food labels remains high, despite extensive coverage of biotech labeling and modern food production issues in traditional and social media. Seventy-six percent of consumers could not think of any additional information (other than what is already required) that they wish to see on food labels. Of the 24 percent who wanted more information, 36 percent wanted information related to nutritional content; 19 percent wanted more information about ingredients; and 18 percent wanted more food safety related information, such as possible allergens. Only three percent of the 24 percent subset (or about five people and less than one percent of all surveyed) wanted more information about biotechnology. In addition, eighty-seven percent of Americans say they have not taken any action out of concern about biotechnology.

And when consumers were presented with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) current labeling policy for foods produced using biotechnology, which calls for labeling only when the food’s nutritional content or its composition is changed, or when a potential safety issue is identified, 66 percent of respondents indicated their support for the policy.

IFIC President and CEO David Schmidt said the strength of the methodology used in the IFIC survey sets it apart from other surveys looking at food technology issues.

“In the public landscape, we often see polling that tries to provoke or frighten people into giving a certain desired response,” Schmidt said. “We don’t believe in leading consumers to any conclusion. We believe our open-ended methodology used at the beginning of our survey provides a more accurate view of concerns on Americans’ minds, and the survey is the most objective and long-term publicly available data set on U.S. consumer attitudes toward food and agricultural biotechnology.”

Perceptions of biotechnology: The majority of Americans, 74 percent, have some awareness of plant biotechnology and almost 40 percent are favorable toward the use of biotechnology in food production. Of the 35 percent of consumers who expect biotechnology will provide benefits to them or their families in the next five years, 36 percent expect nutrition and health benefits, while 22 percent listed improved quality, taste and variety as beneficial characteristics to expect. In terms of biotech foods consumers would be likely to purchase based on specific attributes, 77 percent indicated they would be somewhat or very likely to purchase foods produced through biotechnology that required fewer pesticide applications; and 71 percent indicated they would likely purchase biotech foods that provided more healthful fats, such as Omega-3 fatty acids.

In addition, a majority (57 percent) of Americans have some awareness of animal biotechnology, while 33 percent say they view the technology somewhat or very favorably. Of those who are “not favorable” (i.e. not very or not at all favorable, or neutral) toward animal biotechnology, 55 percent say not having enough information about the technology is the reason for their answer.

Importance of sustainability: The 2012 survey found that awareness of the concept of sustainable food production remains relatively high, with 56% who have heard or read something about sustainability in food production. In 2010, 50 percent had heard or read something about it, and in 2008, 41 percent were aware of the concept. New this year, most consumers (69 percent) say it is important that foods they purchase or consume are produced in a sustainable way. However, only 33 percent of consumers say they are willing to pay more for products that fit their concept of sustainability.

“Not surprisingly, awareness of sustainability among consumers is high,” said Marianne Smith Edge, MS, RD, LD, FADA, IFIC Senior Vice President, Nutrition and Food Safety. “Consumers expect that the foods they purchase will be produced sustainably. The catch is that we see from survey responses that consumers have many different definitions of sustainability, which can make meeting that expectation a challenge.”

Among those consumers perceiving sustainability as important, the top four characteristics of sustainability are conserving the natural habitat (35 percent), ensuring a sufficient food supply for the growing global population (32 percent), reducing the amount of pesticides used to produce food (30 percent) and ensuring an affordable food supply (24 percent).

Additional insights regarding perceptions of animal genomics, genetic engineering and nanotechnology can be found in the “2012 Consumer Perceptions of Food Technology Survey” Executive Summary on http://www.foodinsight.org.

Yogurt Makes Mice Slimmer and Sexier, Study Finds

Scientists studying the power of probiotics to fight obesity got more than they bargained for: They found that yogurt not only makes mice slimmer, it also makes them sexier.

Studies in humans suggest eating yogurt may help stave off age-related weight gain. But Massa­chusetts Institute of Technology researchers Eric Alm and Susan Erdman wanted to know why.

“Maybe it has to do with the healthy bacteria that live in our guts,” said Alm, an evolutionary biologist, explaining how there are 10 times more bacteria in the body than human cells. “Maybe probiotics in the yogurt have something to do with the effects on weight.”

To test the theory, Alm and Erdman fed one group of mice a normal mouse diet and another group the same diet with a mouse-sized serving of vanilla yogurt.

“One of the first things we noticed was their fur coat,” said Erdman, assistant director of comparative medicine at MIT. “It was so thick and shiny; shockingly shiny.”

But shiny fur wasn’t the only thing that set the yogurt-eating mice apart from their siblings: They were also slimmer, and the males had “swagger.”

“We knew there was something different in the males, but we weren’t sure what it was at first,” Erdman said. “You know when someone’s at the top of their game, how they carry themselves differently? Well, imagine that in a mouse.”

A lab technician would soon discover what was giving these males their sexy strut.

“She noticed their testicles were protruding out really far,” Erdman said.

It turns out their testicles were 5 percent bigger than those of their non-yogurt eating counterparts, and 15 percent bigger than those of mice on a diet designed to mimic “junk food” in humans. And in this case, bigger was better.

“Almost everything about the fertility of those males is enhanced,” Erdman said, explaining how yogurt-eating males mated faster and produced more offspring. “There were legitimate physiological differences in males fed probiotics, not just the extra sexiness.”

And let’s not forget the ladies. Female mice that ate yogurt were even shinier than the males, and tended to be better moms to their larger litters.

“We think it’s the probiotics in the yogurt,” Alm said. “We think those organisms are somehow directly interacting with the mice to produce these effects.”

Although the study is ongoing, the findings could have implications for human fertility, not to mention weight control and hair health.

Red wine compound can combat Alzheimer’s

More than two dozen academic institutions will recruit volunteers in the coming months for a national, phase II clinical trial to examine the effects of resveratrol on individuals with mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

Resveratrol is a compound found in red grapes, red grape juice, red wine, chocolate, tomatoes and peanuts.

Pre-clinical and pilot clinical research studies suggest that resveratrol may prevent diabetes, act as a natural cancer fighter, ward off cardiovascular disease, and prevent memory loss, but there has been no large definitive study of its effects in humans.

The risk of all of these diseases increases with aging. Animal studies suggest that resveratrol may impede molecular mechanisms of aging. Human population studies suggest several health benefits from modest daily consumption of red wine, but the mechanisms of action in the body are unknown.

R. Scott Turner, M.D., Ph.D., director of Georgetown University Medical Center's Memory Disorders Program, is the lead investigator for the national study.

"Most resveratrol studies showing any health benefits have been conducted in animal models, such as mice, and with doses that far exceed intake from sipping wine or nibbling on chocolate," said Turner.

"With this clinical trial, we'll find out if daily doses of pure resveratrol can delay or alter memory deterioration and daily functioning in people with mild to moderate dementia due to Alzheimer's.

"During this study, we will also test whether resveratrol improves glucose and insulin metabolism in older individuals -- although those who already have diabetes will not be included in this study," he stated.

Resveratrol is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of Alzheimer's. It is not known if resveratrol can change the course of the disease.

Not everyone who enrolls in the study will receive resveratrol. Half of the participants will receive a placebo (a sugar pill made to look like the resveratrol pill) to allow researchers to more objectively test the benefits of resveratrol. Neither the patient nor the clinical staff will know if the study participant is receiving the placebo or resveratrol until the end of the study.

"This is the gold-standard for conducting a clinical study because it allows us to objectively determine if resveratrol is offering any benefits," explained Brigid Reynolds, NP, lead investigator for the study at Georgetown.

In addition, the phase II study will examine the safety and tolerability of resveratrol administered twice daily with a dose increase planned at three-month intervals, she noted.

The resveratrol study will be conducted at 26 U.S. academic institutions that are affiliated with the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study.

The research is sponsored by the Alzheimer's Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS), through a grant from the National Institute on Aging (NIA).

DEMAND FOR MICROWAVEABLE FOODS CONTINUES TO GROW

Largely fueled by convenience and time restraints, the demand for microwaveable foods continues to grow, according to a new report from Global Industry Analysts, Inc. (GIA). The research report titled "Microwaveable Foods: A Global Strategic Business Report" announced by GIA, provides a comprehensive view of the market, impact of recession, current market trends and issues, key growth drivers, product profile, recent product introductions, recent industry activity and profiles of major global, as well as regional, market participants.

The report highlights that, in addition to changing lifestyles—including working women, time constraints and trends in ethnicity— is leading to an increased growth in the microwave cooking market, while new trends are also emerging in the related packaging market worldwide. Several types of packaging are being developed using patterned susceptors technology, new tray-lidding methods and new cook bag techniques. In upcoming years, food-packaging companies are expected to use sensors, logic, digital displays and other automatic features aimed at offering increased benefits out of microwave cooking.

In addition, developed economies of the United States and Europe represent the largest worldwide microwavable foods market, as stated by the recent research report on Microwavable Foods. As one of the world's leading technology driven economies, innovations in meal solutions are the most dynamic in the United States, driven primarily by the reluctance of Americans to prepare time consuming meals. In Europe, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Netherlands, Germany, France and Italy are the individual countries that will hold the most lucrative growth potential for additional convenience "occasions" in the upcoming years, driving forth high sales in the market. Strong growth is envisioned from the developing countries in Asia, and South and Central America. In the Asian market, an appetite for new and advanced technologies displayed by first time buyers is expected to provide increased growth. The Asia-Pacific market is set to forge ahead at a strong growth pace of 7.4% through the analysis period.