Algatech (Algatechnologies) Ltd. announces its 100% organic Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae powder and astaxanthin oleoresin as part of its AstaPure line was granted National Organic Program (NOP) certification from the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service. “NOP organic certification means that our products are being cultivated, processed—and thus able to be labelled as—organic,” says Efrat Kat, VP Marketing and Sales for Algatech. “This certification, in addition to our GMP accreditation and non-GMO project verification, reaffirm our commitment to providing premium quality ingredients that consumers and industry partners can trust.” According to trends tracked by Global Food Forums, today’s consumers continue to seek healthier choices and want to know what the sources are for the products they use, especially how and where the products are produced. These consumers prefer suppliers who offer greater transparency. This is especially relevant to algae-based products since they can grow under a wide range of conditions. “Supplying pure, natural microalgae requires a tremendous amount of knowledge, experience, and fully controlled processes, with constant attention paid to the smallest details,” explains Shoshi Shunak, QA Manager for Algatech. “We cultivate microalgae in a patented, eco-friendly, closed system that allows the production of the highest quality ingredients and prevents any exposure to contaminations.” “The four NOP principles for organic certification—health, ecology, fairness and sustainability—comply with Algatech’s ‘DNA’ and core values, and therefore to ‘go organic’ was a natural step,” notes Hagai Stadler, Algatech’s CEO. “Our plant, in the Arava Desert between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea, is a living example of how it is possible to green the desert and unlock the potential of a non-fertile land. Recycling water, saving solar energy is just a small part of activities that Algatech does on a regular basis to minimize its environmental footprint. For us, this is a fundamental part of our shared vision: to make an impact by bringing the good that’s inherent in microalgae to the world.” “Algatech insists on reflecting maximum transparency to our clients and partners, from the growing of our Haematococcus pluvialis microalgae to ensuring a safe, clean environment,” adds Kat. “We are among the few companies in the world who have cracked the code for producing commercial-scale natural microalgae under the very highest standards.”

www.algatech.com

Food packaging could be negatively affecting the way in which your digestive tract operates, according to new research by faculty and students at Binghamton University, State University at New York.

A natural antioxidant found in grain bran could preserve food longer and replace synthetic antioxidants currently used by the food industry, according to researchers at Penn State.

Just under 60 percent of the German population view undesirable substances in food as a high or very high health risk. The most well-known of these substances, which are scientifically denoted as contaminants, are mercury compounds and dioxins. In contrast, only around 13 percent of respondents have heard of the natural contaminants pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in honey or tea – and only roughly one in three of those who have heard of PAs believe these substances pose a significant health risk. These are the findings of a representative study recently conducted by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) on the risk perception of contaminants in food. “People feel most at risk from synthetic substances and heavy metals”, says BfR President Professor Dr. Dr. Andreas Hensel. “Appropriate risk communication on contaminants should take this subjective risk perception into account.”
Contaminants are undesirable substances that unintentionally find their way into food products. They can occur naturally in the environment and in the processing of raw materials into food products or can be released into the environment through human activity and thereby enter the food chain. Contaminants are undesirable because they can impair health under certain circumstances.
1,001 people were asked about contaminants in food in the representative population survey using computer-assisted telephone interviews. The most well-known contaminants in food are mercury in fish and dioxin in eggs or milk (with scores of 78% and 70%, respectively). In contrast, pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in tea or honey (13%) and arsenic in rice and rice products (26%) as relatively new consumer protection topics are only known to a minority of respondents. Only 36% and 57% of those who have heard of PAs or arsenic see these substances as posing a significant risk to health.
General attitudes towards contaminants in food and the assessment of potential health risks also differ by population group. Compared to women, for example, men see the risks of undesirable substances in barbecued meat as being lower. Men tend to spend less time in general than female respondents thinking about the issue of undesirable substances in food. Younger people feel less well informed about undesirable substances in food than their older counterparts: some 41% of 14 to 29 year-olds say they are poorly or very poorly informed about undesirable substances in food compared to 15% of those above the age of 60. And it is particularly those respondents who are relatively well informed who would like additional information on possible protective measures, legal regulations and affected product groups. When it comes to communicating health risks, the main challenge is therefore to raise awareness levels for this topic among the less well-informed population groups.

The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR)http://tinyurl.com/yc5jauzh

In January 2017 guidelines were released urging parents to begin early introduction of peanut-containing foods to reduce the risk of peanut allergy. A new study shows those who are aware of the guidelines are still hesitant to put them into place and not everyone has heard of them.