Most baby formula health claims not backed by science: study

Yahoo – AFP, Daniel Lawler, 16 February 2023 

The vast majority of health claims used to advertise baby formula worldwide are not supported by rigorous scientific evidence, a study said Thursday, leading researchers to urge the breast milk substitutes be sold in plain packaging. 

The study comes a week after a group of doctors and scientists called for a regulatory crackdown on the $55-billion formula industry for "predatory" marketing which they said exploits the fears of new parents to convince them not to breastfeed. 

Breastfeeding is widely recognised to have huge health benefits for babies. The World Health Organization and the US CDC recommend breastfeeding exclusively during the first six months of a newborn's life. 

However that recommendation is followed for less than half of infants globally, according to the WHO. 

Daniel Munblit, an honorary senior lecturer at Imperial College London and an author of the new study, said researchers were not on a "crusade" against infant formula, which should remain an option for mothers who cannot or choose not to breastfeed.

"But we are very much against inappropriate infant formula marketing, which provides misleading claims not backed up by solid evidence," Munblit told AFP. 

Munblit and an international team of researchers looked at the health claims made for 608 products on the websites of infant formula companies in 15 countries, including the United States, India, Britain and Nigeria. 

The most common claims were that formula supports brain development, strengthens immune systems and more broadly helps growth. 

Half of the products did not link the claimed health benefit to a specific ingredient, according to the study published in the BMJ journal. 

Three quarters did not refer to scientific evidence supporting their claims. 

Of those that provided a scientific reference, more than half pointed to reviews, opinion pieces or research on animals. 

Just 14 percent of the products referred to registered clinical trials on humans. However 90 percent of those trials carried a high risk of bias, including missing data or the finding not supporting the claim, the study said. 

And nearly 90 percent of the clinical trials had authors who received funding from or had ties to the formula industry, it added. 

'Distressing' 

The most commonly cited ingredient was polyunsaturated fatty acids, which is in breast milk and is considered important for brain development. 

However there is no evidence of any added benefit when the ingredient is added to baby formula, according to a Cochrane systematic review. 

Munblit said the health claims were mostly used to advertise premium formula products, which could be "distressing" for parents who are misled into believing the ingredients are essential but cannot afford them. 

When asked what he thinks needs to be done to address the problem, Munblit was concise. 

"Plain packaging," he said. 

The study comes after a series of papers were published in the Lancet journal last week calling for global policy makers to end exploitative formula marketing. 

WHO infant health specialist Nigel Rollins, an author of one of the Lancet papers, said busy parents "lack the time to properly scrutinise claims" about infant formula. 

The new study showed that "governments and regulatory authorities must commit the necessary time and attention to review the claims of formula milk products," Rollins said in a linked BMJ editorial.

Government gives green light to new healthy food logo

DutchNews, November 29, 2019 

A Nutri-score logo on yoghurt. Photo: Cz ja [CC0] via Wikimedia Commons

The government has given the green light to a new system of food labeling which it hopes will help consumers make ‘healthy choices’ when it comes to buying food. 

Junior health minister Paul Blokhuis announced the government’s decision in favour of the French food labelling system Nutri-Score on Thursday and said the definitive logo should see an end to the confusion surrounding food quality logos. 

Supermarkets had earlier opposed the system because it includes a red logo denoting unhealthy products while critics claimed the way the system is set up would only increase confusion, the NRC reported. 

Nutri-Score, which replaces manufacturers’ own ‘tick’ (V) logo, grades food between A (green) and E (red). The scores indicate calorific content, the amount of sugar, saturated fat, salt, protein, fruit, vegetables and nuts. A is the healthiest option while red means the product is bad for your health. 

Confusion 

Critics of the new label said the logo would confuse consumers because the new system looks at separate ingredients. That could lead to a green A or B label for products that fit into unhealthy eating patterns (such as pizza and sugary cereals) while tea and cheese could end up with a yellow C label, the NRC said. 

Blokhuis has said that the logo will be adjusted to make a better fit with the Schijf van Vijf, the official Dutch recommendations on healthy eating, which takes eating patterns into account as well as ingredients. 

France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland and Spain have already adopted the system. Its introduction in the Netherlands is part of the agreement reached by ministers, consumer groups and industry last year to tackle unhealthy eating habits. Half of Dutch people are currently overweight.

In US, plant-based diet easier than ever, even at Thanksgiving

Yahoo – AFP, Bob Chiarito, November 26, 2019

US President Donald Trump will "pardon" turkeys Bread and Butter (seen here)
before Thanksgiving, but some Americans do not eat turkey at all on the holiday,
preferring to embrace plant-based diets (AFP Photo/SAUL LOEB)

Chicago (AFP) - When Elysabeth Alfano hosts a Thanksgiving dinner for 12 next week at her home in Los Angeles, the menu will be traditional -- with a few key changes that were all but impossible just a decade ago.

For dessert, she'll have the staples that feature on nearly every American dinner table -- pumpkin and apple pie. And the huge number of vegetable side dishes are not unusual.

But the "turkey" -- the centerpiece of the meal -- will be a vegan-stuffed breast made of chickpeas, wheat gluten, tomato paste, mushroom broth, seasonings and red wine.

Her main dish reflects a shift in eating habits in the United States: there are an increasing number of Americans choosing a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. But they're calling it something else.

While still only around three percent of Americans identify as vegan and six percent identify as vegetarians, more and more offerings are being marketed as "plant-based" -- a term which food industry watchers say is more palatable to all.

"Veganism is often linked with some sort of deprivation," explains Michael Robbins, spokesman for the three-year-old Plant Based Foods Association, which represents more than 100 companies including food giants like the Campbell Soup Company.

Pumpkin pies are part of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but some Americans 

are changing up their menus to accommodate their plant-based diets (AFP Photo/

Olivier DOULIERY)

"Plant-based is generally associated with the general benefits of eating plants" and "has been shown in research to have a greater acceptance to a broader set of consumers," he told AFP.

Indeed, nothing is more mainstream in America than fast food, and the giants are all in -- Burger King is serving meatless Impossible Whoppers, and McDonald's is test-marketing its plant-based burger.

"Just as the horse and buggy gave way to the car and the typewriter gave way to the computer, we are seeing more and more people go plant-based," says Alfano, a chef, coach and lifestyle expert.

"In the first half of 2019, 248 million plant-based burgers were sold, 95 percent of which were bought by meat-eaters. The meat-eaters are the largest segment incorporating plant-based."

Diet vs lifestyle

For decades in America, veganism has been linked to a way of life that transcends food choices.

Practitioners often don't only refuse to consume any animal-based products -- they also don't wear clothes made from animal products like wool or leather.

Eating vegetarian or vegan has become a lot easier in the United States 

in recent years (AFP Photo/Olivier DOULIERY)

Devotees of plant-based diets are generally all about the food, but they are happy to embrace the ethical debate as well, within reason.

Chicago-based artist Tammy Kohl grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin but has gradually shifted her diet, which has been completely plant-based for a year.

"To keep weight off by taking dairy out of my diet made sense. I did vegan cleanses and felt great and that inspired me," said Kohl, who added that anti-animal cruelty efforts made cutting out meat easier.

But she noted: "I still wear leather. If you own leather, you might as well wear it."

Holiday options

Jean Johnson, a sales consultant from Colorado, converted to a plant-based diet for health reasons and shies away from the term "vegan," which she says conjures up an image to which she does not subscribe.

On Thanksgiving, she says she'll stick to eating vegetable side dishes at a friend's home -- and isn't all that worried if she happens to inadvertently consume animal products.

"I'm not so OCD about it where you can't put any butter in the mashed potatoes -- it's such a small portion," Johnson said.

Tofu may feature on some Thanksgiving menus in the United States

(AFP Photo/Olivier DOULIERY)

Alfano, who splits her time between Los Angeles and Chicago, went completely vegan in 2016.

Her Thanksgiving plans are proof positive that the stigma which once surrounded non-carnivores, especially on traditional American holidays, is slowly fading away.

"What we have now that we didn't have 10 years ago is good taste. We have convenience and we have price," she says.

Kohl said she will celebrate the holiday with some relatives who raise beef cattle -- a profession that hardly aligns with her veganism. But another family member is a vegetarian, and everyone gets along.

"I usually bring my own plate and very quietly fill it up," Kohl said. "I'm not one of those preachy vegans."

Fad or trend here to stay?

Johnson believes that her plant-based diet helped her beat cancer, and she identifies another benefit of plant-based diets these days -- she has seen her grocery bills plummet.

Different takes on plant-based burgers are even being offered at the nation's

largest fast food chains such as Burger King (AFP Photo/ERIC BARADAT)

"Meat and dairy, that's not cheap stuff, whereas rice and beans, lentils and potatoes are cheap,” Johnson said.

Alfano agreed, saying it would also help Americans save money if healthier eating meant they could stop taking certain medications such as those to control cholesterol.

"It's really expensive to be sick. If you can get off the pills, you'll really be saving money," she said.

Of course, meat producers are hardly on board for all this, but they're not really worried either.

Hillary Makens, director of media relations for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association, said vegans and vegetarians constitute a tiny portion of the US market, and her industry has bigger concerns.

"The beef industry has been competing against other proteins for a long time. When you think of chicken, pork, beans, peanut butter, all types of protein, it's not really a new thing." Makens said.

However, consumer research company Mintel said the number of new US food and drink products that mentioned "plant-based" grew 268 percent between 2012 and 2018.

Additionally, in a May 2019 report, Mintel said 38 percent of US consumers report trying to incorporate more plant-based items into their diet.

"Rarely in life do you ever get a triple winner -- where one thing positively effects your health, positively effects your wallet, positively effects the environment and the planet," Alfano says.

Vegetarian Butcher to supply 2,500 Burger Kings with meat-free patties

DutchNews, November 12, 2019

Photo: Depositphotos.com

Dutch meat substitute company The Vegetarian Butcher has won a contract to supply burgers to Burger King in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. 

The Utrecht-based company, founded in 2007, was bought by Unilever at the end of last year and will now provide the protein for the Rebel Whopper in 2,500 Burger King outlets from Tuesday. 

Financial details were not disclosed. 

In the US, Burger King’s vegetarian burgers are provided by Impossible Foods which, according to the Financial Times, is still working to clear its products for sale in Europe. 

Main rival McDonalds works with new market entrant Beyond Meat

US fast-food giant Burger King launches its meatless burger in Europe, hoping to capture a substantial slice of a growing market https://t.co/z0C4TZJVtS

— AFP news agency (@AFP) 12 november 2019

Veggie burgers gain in popularity, meat sales down

DutchNews, August 14, 2019

Photo: Zwanenburg.nl

Meat substitutes are gaining in popularity with Dutch shoppers while meat sales are going down, broadcaster NOS reported on Wednesday. 

Figures from market researcher IRI show that the sale of vegetable-based meat substitutes went up 51% over the past two years while meat sales went down by 9%. 

Chicken proved the exception with an increase in sales of 2% but the first half of this year saw a 0.2% falling off signalling that it, too, is becoming a less attractive consumer option.

Supermarket leaders Albert Heijn and Jumbo supermarkets now stock 100 and 200 meat substitutes respectively, the broadcaster said. In total, €123m was spent on substitutes in the last year, some 4.5% of the total spend on meat products. 

Traditional meat product producers and butcher shops are – sometimes reluctantly- adopting the trend for less polluting food, NOS said. Meat substitutes are much less harmful for the environment than meat, with 1 kilo of beef, the worst offender, producing over 57.9 kilos of CO2 and a kilo of tofu coming in at only 5.8 kilos of CO2. 

‘You have no choice. But we butchers are an innovative lot so we will turn our hand to meat substitutes,’ butcher of 50 years Gerard Steltenpool told the broadcaster. 

In January, website Nu.nl said the Dutch are eating less meat, with two in five people saying they cut down on steak and burgers last year. Around one third of the 20,000 people polled said they ate meat every day, while one in 10 is vegetarian and 7% fully vegan. 

Industry 

The Dutch meat industry is also adapting. Last December, multinational Unilever said it is taking over the Dutch fake meat company The Vegetarian Butcher ‘in response to the growing trend among consumers to increasingly opt for vegetarian and vegan meals’. 

Brabant-based meat processing giant Vion said in March it is seriously considering moving into the market for meat replacement products and in the future half the turnover of Dutch meat producing giant Zwanenburg will be based on non-meat products. 

‘The takeover of the Unox factory is a big step towards this goal,’ a Zwanenburg spokesperson told NOS. ‘For Unox we are making vegetarian sausages, soups and sauces.’ Including the vegetarian products produced by subsidiary Kips, Zwanenburg, vegetarian food now accounts for 30% of total sales.

Do Kraft Heinz's travails signal a reckoning in US food?

Yahoo – AFP, John BIERS, March 10, 2019

As Campbell Soup turns 150, the company is having to rethink the business of soup
due in part to competition from private label companies. (AFP Photo/Jerod Harris)

New York (AFP) - Buffeted by rising consumer taste for fresh ingredients, competition from upstarts and a tricky retail environment, 150-year-old Campbell Soup now finds itself having to rethink the business of soup.

It is a similar tale at Kraft, whose once-popular yellow and white cheese singles are no longer ubiquitous. And at Kellogg, which has seen demand for cereal go soft.

As the travails of these and other companies show, iconic brands that dominated 20th century American supermarkets are having a much tougher time in the Amazon-Whole Foods era.

Kraft Heinz last month announced a steep annual loss following a $15.4 billion asset impairment, partly from writing down the value of the Oscar Mayer and Kraft trademarks.

Some experts see a broader reckoning in the American food industry akin to the shakeout in other sectors, though technology is not really the main culprit in this case.

Many of Kraft Heinz's products are "geriatric brands" that were "created in the early or mid-20th century, at a time when consumers aspired to eat 'American food' and advertising reached almost everyone through television," said Anastacia Marx de Salcedo, author of "Combat-Ready Kitchen," a history of processed foods.

By contrast, today's consumers are more ethnically diverse, health-conscious and food-adventurous, she said, adding that many of the older brands will see market share fall further or disappear entirely.

A huge write-down by Kraft Heinz has sparked questions about a reckoning in

the broader US food business. (AFP Photo/JUSTIN SULLIVAN)

Saved by treats, snacks

The industry's response thus far has included healthier options that are low-fat, low-sodium or gluten-free items. There are also more flavors of flagship products, with Special K breakfast cereal now available in vanilla and almond as well as blueberry with lemon clusters, among other options.

But these efforts have not reversed the trend.

Major food companies also have popular cookie and snack products that can make up for weakness in other products, although the industry's overall record with consolidation is mixed.

Campbell Soup, which has faced pressure from activist investor Daniel Loeb, has offset weakness in soup with solid Pepperidge Farm sales.

The company acquired Pepperidge Farm, known for Milano cookies and Goldfish crackers, in 1961.

But Campbell Soup last year wrote down $748 million mostly on a 2011 acquisition of Bolthouse Farms' refrigerated salad dressings, carrots and other fresh foods it now plans to divest.

Soups, meanwhile, remain challenged, suffering lower US sales in 2018.

Campbell's blamed the decline on the change in promotion strategy by a major retail customer and said retail sector consolidation and the rise of private label competitors could further affect sales, according to a securities filing.

General Mills, maker of Haagen-Dazs, paid $8 billion for a pet food company, 

raising eyebrows (AFP Photo/Denis Charlet)

Campbell's new Chief Executive Mark Clouse said last month he was still developing a strategy for turning around soups but that a "much more holistic and comprehensive" approach was needed.

Targeting Rover

At General Mills, which announced a $193 million write down last year on Progresso soups and two other brands, part of the strategy is to diversify.

Last year, General Mills, which makes Cheerios cereal, Yoplait yogurt and Haagen-Dazs ice cream, bought natural pet food company Blue Buffalo for $8 billion, a sum that raised eyebrows with some analysts.

Chief Executive Jeffrey Harmening gave a bullish outlook on the brand during a recent conference call, highlighting wet pet food and treats as two growth areas that have high profit margins.

Treats "are just pet food speak for snacking and we see snacking can trend in human food and we see it in Pet the same way," Harmening said, calling the dynamic the "humanization of pet food."

Times change: In an earlier era, now disgraced actor Bill Cosby marketed Jell-O 

gelatin, a product of Kraft Heinz, which recently announced a big 2018 loss (AFP Photo/

Michael Buckner)

Whither Miracle Whip?

But the dangers of acquisitions were underscored with Kraft Heinz, which shareholder Warren Buffett has said was a case of spending too much.

Baruch Lev, an accounting professor at New York University, said big mergers like Kraft Heinz usually underperformed, undermining the logic of further deal-making by the company.

Daniel Binns, chief executive of Interbrand NY, said some of Kraft Heinz's brands, such as pasta sauce Classico or Philadelphia cream cheese can be successfully updated, while others, such as Jell-O or Miracle Whip sauce, could fade further.

"It's so rooted in another era," he said. "You're not going to create a Miracle Whip for the 21st Century that's going to appeal to the farm-to-table consumer."

But Moody's analyst Brian Weddington predicts leading food companies will adapt to changing consumer needs over time, adding that established brands still have credibility.

"Brands like these still resonate with the core consumer," he said.

"There's no question that more consumers are looking for premium or fresher products, but there will always be a very large market for products that give you consistency and value as well. Everyone can't afford organic products."

EU judges offer no 'break' to Kit Kat trademark war

Yahoo – AFP, 25 July 2018

The European Court of Justice ordered the EU's intellectual property office to
consider its trademark recognition of Nestle's iconic Kit Kat chocolate bar

The European Union's top court on Wednesday ordered the EU's intellectual property office to "reconsider" Kit Kat's bloc-wide trademark, prolonging Nestle's decade-long battle to claim exclusive rights over the chocolate bar's distinctive shape.

Nestle has been locked in a blockbuster legal war with US rival Mondelez, maker of Cadbury chocolate, over the four-fingered wafer biscuit which was first sold in 1935.

In a closely watched case, the European Court of Justice said the EU's intellectual property office must go back to the drawing board and revisit its 2006 to decision to grant Kit Kat an EU trade mark based on its shape.

But in a break for Nestle, the Luxembourg-based ECJ did not cancel the trade mark outright, as suggested by the court's top advisor in April, with the EU intellectual property office now tasked to re-visit the basis for awarding the trademark.

"Today no one has won, no one has lost. Nestle has saved time because its brand remains registered for the time being," a court source told AFP.

"But Nestle did lose a battle as it would have preferred a full confirmation of the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) decision," the source added.

The EU's intellectual property office allowed Nestle in 2006 to trademark what the court calls the "three-dimensional shape of the 'Kit Kat 4 fingers' product".

This trademark has helped keep copycat candy-bars out of grocery stores, and punished the development of similar treats owned by Mondelez, including the Norwegian favourite Kvikk Lunsj, a Kit Kat doppelganger.

The EU's intellectual property office "must reconsider whether the three-dimensional shape of a '4 Finger KitKat' can be retained as an EU trade mark," a court statement said.

At issue is that the food giant specifically failed to provide evidence that the Kit Kat shape was well enough known in Belgium, Ireland, Greece and Portugal.

A lower EU court "was right to annul the EU's intellectual property office decision, in which it concluded that distinctive character had been acquired" without including those countries in the case, a statement said.

The trade mark criteria "must be shown throughout the EU," it said.

Nestle has already lost a legal bid in Britain -- currently an EU member state but set to leave next year -- to trademark the Kit Kat shape.

"Today?s judgment is not final," a Nestle spokesperson said in an email.

"We think the evidence proves that the familiar shape of our iconic four finger KitKat is distinctive enough to be registered as an EU Trademark," Nestle added.

The European Court of Justice ordered the EU's intellectual property office to consider its trademark recognition of Nestle's iconic Kit Kat chocolate bar

German MPs show Nutella 'red card' over World Cup giveaway

Yahoo – AFP, Jul 18, 2018

Customers would have to cart home 35 jars of Nutella to gather enough points for a football
printed with the signatures of Germany's World Cup team (AFP Photo/DAMIEN MEYER)

Frankfurt am Main (AFP) - German MPs have blasted a World Cup promotion by Nutella chocolate spread, after they worked out people would have to scoff almost 16 kilos of the sugary treat to earn a football.

"Once again, the food industry has used the football World Cup to market sweets to children," Greens party MP Renate Kuenast told AFP Tuesday as she and other lawmakers complained to Germany's advertising council.

"It's a red card for Ferrero's Nutella," she added, referring to the Italian manufacturer.

Customers would have to cart home 35 jars of Nutella to gather enough points for a football printed with the signatures of Germany's World Cup team.

That adds up to "15.75 kilos (34.7 pounds) of Nutella, nine kilos of sugar, five kilos of fat, 85,000 calories and 97.65 euros ($113.60)" Kuenast and other MPs wrote to the advertising authority.

They further charged that Ferrero had "exploited kids' special trust" in their favourite football stars by printing their photos on collectible cards.

"We have nothing against the product -- if people like it, they should eat it -- but one shouldn't suggest to children that it has something to do with being sporty, active or healthy," the MPs said.

Kuenast and the other lawmakers hope the advertising council, an industry-run body that watches for ethical breaches in advertising, will block the campaign and issue a warning to Ferrero's German division.

Menus with calorie counts now a must in US as Obama-era rule takes effect

Yahoo – AFP, May 7, 2018

The US government now requires thousands of American restaurants and stores
to post nutritional information in a bid to combat obesity (AFP Photo/DON EMMERT)

Washington (AFP) - An Obama-era rule requiring thousands of US restaurants, stores and movie theaters to post nutritional information for items on their menus kicked in Monday, reminding Americans they are what they eat.

The calorie-labeling rules were a controversial provision of former president Barack Obama's signature 2010 health care law -- which President Donald Trump has pushed to dismantle -- and their implementation has been postponed several times.

But the Food and Drug Administration announced last year it would press ahead with the regulation, which requires chains with 20 or more locations as well as grocery stores and convenience chains to post calorie counts for standard menu items.

Many major restaurant chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell are already complying with the rule, but the federal government will now require it.

"National menu labeling could help make a big difference in America's obesity rates, one of our most vexing public health challenges," wrote FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, citing research that menu labeling prompts consumers to order 30 to 50 calories less per visit.

A number of public health advocacy groups as well as the National Restaurant Association have lauded the move, but some industry organizations have lampooned it as inflexible and anti-business.

"Regrettably, FDA's one-size-fits-all approach demonstrates a stunning lack of understanding about consumer preferences and the pizza category," said Tim McIntyre, chair of the American Pizza Community, a coalition of pizza chains.

"Pizza's unique ordering variations create countless combinations making it difficult to accurately deliver information on printed menu boards and costly to maintain," he said in a statement.

But Gottlieb emphasized that the FDA has "worked hard to make sure this new rule can be implemented in a way where the information will be maximally beneficial to consumers and the new requirements will be minimally burdensome to restaurants and retail establishments."

"Firms won't need to deal with a patchwork of different requirements for calorie labeling across the country," he added.

Posters, billboards and coupon mailings are exempted, and supermarkets and convenience stores do not have to post calorie information next to each item in self-service buffets and drink stations, Gottlieb said last November.

More than a third of Americans are obese, putting them at higher risk for heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer.

Study suggests link between ultra-processed foods, cancer

Yahoo – AFP, 15 February 2018

Scientists suggested on Thursday a link between cancer and "ultra-processed" foods

Scientists suggested on Thursday a link between cancer and "ultra-processed" foods such as cookies, fizzy drinks and sugary cereals, though outside experts cautioned against reading too much into the study results.

Researchers from France and Brazil used data from nearly 105,000 French adults who completed online questionnaires detailing their intake of 3,300 different food items.

This was compared to cases of diagnosed cancer among the group.

"The results show that a 10-percent increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet was associated with increases of 12 percent in the risk of overall cancer and 11 percent in the risk of breast cancer," said a press statement from The BMJ which published the research.

No significant association was found for prostate or colorectal cancer.

Foods on the list included packaged breads, buns, pizzas and cakes, crisps, industrially-produced desserts, sodas, fish and chicken nuggets, instant noodles and soups, and frozen ready meals.

Previous research had linked processed foods high in sugar, fat, and salt to obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, but firm evidence for increased disease risk has been "scarce", the team said.

They stressed their research showed no more than a correlation between a diet high in ultra-processed foods and cancer. This could be coincidental, and does not prove conclusively that these types of food actively cause cancer.

Ian Johnson, a nutrition researcher from the Quadram Institute Bioscience in England, said the authors identified "some rather weak associations, of low statistical significance."

"The problem is that the definition of ultra-processed foods they have used is so broad and poorly defined that it is impossible to decide exactly what, if any, causal connections have been observed," he said in comments via the Science Media Centre.

Tom Sanders of the King's College London agreed that the term "ultra-processed food" was "difficult to define".

"The definition excludes many home-made or artisanal foods such as bread, cakes, biscuits, butter, meat, cheese, tinned fruit and vegetables as well as sugar and salt used in domestic food preparation," he said.

"From a nutritional standpoint, this classification seems arbitrary and based on the premise that food produced industrially has a different nutritional and chemical composition from that produced in the home or by artisans. This is not the case."

Related Articles:

Non-stick chemicals common in fast food packaging: study

Kryon Q&A

(13) Question: Dear Kryon, I’m very concerned about the obesity epidemic, particularly in the U.S. Around me I see people getting bigger and more unhealthy, all for the sake of convenience and saving time. You mentioned at one point a famine, and I suspect the famine won’t be from a lack of food, but from an abundance of food that has no nutritional value.

I wonder how we can honor the Earth by eating nothing that comes straight from it? Of course this involves caring for the lands and oceans as part of a bigger issue and making that connection, too. Is this what it will finally take for people to switch to a healthier way of living?

Its amazing how detached people are from the food they eat. We don’t even honor our digestive processes, the way we combine foods. Whatever happened to nutrition? Atkins is no solution; there is no balance in it. Gastric bypass is all about quantity reduction, not quality increase. When will people make the direct connection between what/how they eat and their health? Is a change in diet and lifestyle part of the upcoming shift?

Answer: The shift has little to do with it. It’s a culture-specific problem and has to do with consciousness of health. Go study the cultures on your planet that have very few overweight Humans. Start with the Japanese. They have some of the same western work ethics and live in very sophisticated industrial-based environments. Yet they aren’t overweight. It’s about the core food groups and the combination of them.

(39) Question: Dear Kryon: I've noticed how many children are developing severe allergies to foods (my daughter included). When I've researched this, it seems that most of the allergies are essentially to seeds, grains, legumes, eggs, and dairy. I've noticed that these foods all hold the potential for life, or in the case of dairy, are essentially used to sustain the first stages of life in an animal's baby. My feeling is that because we're not releasing the life force within these foods (that is, sprouting, etc.), they're becoming harmful to us. I would like your impressions of this.

Answer: For thousands of years, these foods have worked for humanity. In these cases you speak about, the main culprit continues to be the way in which these foods are collected and processed. You won't find these allergies in third-world countries, and you won't find them within the children who work on farms, where they eat the foods directly. There will eventually have to come a day when you relax some of your efficiency attributes and go back to the way food was meant to be collected and eaten. And yes... there are effects from how the dairy animals are treated, too. Going back to some basics will help, and so will eliminating some of the procedures that supposedly create a "safer food." These procedures have instead made them begin to look like foreign food to the Human body.

(15) Question: Dear Kryon, please help us understand the increase of allergies. What can we do to heal this phenomenon?

Answer: Reduce the steps in your food chain, which are adding chemistry to fresh food.

Meat producer Zwanenberg to concentrate on vegetarian market: FD

DutchNews, September 12, 2017

Soya is widely used as a meat replacement. Photo: Depositphotos.com

Zwanenberg Food Group, which includes Dutch meat and snack producer Kips and Zwan luncheon meat, is phasing out meat products in favour of vegetarian products, the FD reports. 

The family firm, which has been in business since 1929, says it is moving with the times and the new strategy comes in response to the fall in meat consumption in Europe. ‘It is now quite normal for young people to not eat meat three days a week,’  ceo Ronald Lotgerink told the paper. 

The switch is a ‘rigorous’ one, FD writes. In time Zwanenberg is aiming for 50% of its turnover to come from non-meat products like vegetarian snacks, soups and sauces. 

According to owner and director Aldo van der Laan the trend towards eating less meat is irreversible. ‘As a food producer we are looking to profit from this by buying specific companies or building more factories,’ he told FD. 

Fresh meat

At present 90% of Zwanenberg’s €400m annual turnover is based on meat products. 

The company has already sold its fresh meat business to Belgian meat producer Ter Beke for €40m. Kips liver paste is not included in the package and will be sold as a snack. 

It has also gained access to the new market for soups and sauces by taking over Unilever’s soup and (Unox) sausage factory in Oss where it will also produce part of its meat based products. 

The move towards diversification is not only a result of changing eating habits but also a matter of size. ‘Scale is essential in the food market,’ Van der Laan told the paper.