John Gay Named Executive Director and CEO of the Natural Products Association
Natural Products Association
The Natural Products Association (NPA) announced today that John F. Gay has been named executive director and CEO of the oldest and largest trade association in the natural products industry. "After conducting a thorough search for someone with an outstanding background in advocacy and trade association leadership, John is the ideal person for the job," said Pat Sardell, president of NPA. "John has tremendous experience and a widely respected presence on Capitol Hill. Having already worked closely with many of our congressional champions, he will lead our staff — who we are grateful to for their dedication in this interim — and association in the development of new champions."More

Natural Products Association and Virgo Publishing present an advanced GMP course at SupplySide West
Natural Products Association
Are you ready for a visit from FDA? FDA promises a significant increase in GMP inspections in 2009 and if your company has more than 20 employees, your company could be one of them! An Advanced Course on the FDA GMPs for Dietary Supplements will be offered at SupplySide West in Las Vegas in November. As the leader in dietary supplement GMPs, having launched the industry's first GMP third-party certification program in 1999, and providing GMP education to over 800 companies for more than 10 years, NPA is uniquely qualified and presents an outstanding program. You won’t find another GMP course like ours!More

FDA targets nutritional claims on food packaging
The Wall Street Journal
The Food and Drug Administration said it will start cracking down on any logos and symbols on cereals, snacks and other food packages that may be misleading consumers on the products' heath benefits. Food companies put various labels on the front of packaged products as an advertising tool to attract consumers in the grocery aisle.More

USDA finalizes five-year food choice study
FoodNavigator-USA.com
A five-year study on food choices and expenditures by U.S. households will be conducted by Mathematica Policy Research, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced. The data collected in the National Household Food Purchase and Acquisition Study will be used to examine how food assistance programs and other economic and demographic factors affect household food purchase decisions and health outcomes.More

Calorie limits for school lunches are recommended
Los Angeles Times
Children would get fewer French fries and more dark green vegetables in school cafeterias under recommendations being issued by an Institute of Medicine panel. In addition, for the first time in the National School Lunch Program, the committee called for calorie limits on meals in an effort to curb obesity. The lunch recommendations allot 650 calories for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, 700 calories in sixth to eighth grade, and 850 calories in high school. Breakfasts should not be above 500, 550 and 600, respectively, for the same grade levels, the committee said.More

Affordable nutrition index rolls out
Progressive Grocer
It would be hard to think of a new dimension the nutrition navigation system idea, various versions of which are currently being employed by retailers, CPG companies, private label product vendors and others, but a new initiative has done just that: The Affordable Nutrition Index, a food-rating program that analyzes both nutrition and cost value of food, made its official debut at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo in Denver.More

The art of the soft sell
BusinessWeek
On the surface, this may not sound groundbreaking: treat your customers well, figure out what they want, give them information about your product, and sell them something you care about. But wrapping it all together and persuading your sales folks not to obsess over, well, sales, is something different: customer-centric or consultative sales. A customer-centric sales process emphasizes a low-pressure environment that lets your sales staff act as consultants.More

Soy foods may curb hip fracture risk in older women
Reuters
Postmenopausal women may lessen their chances of fracturing a hip by adding soy-based foods to their diet, a study from Singapore hints. Women in the study were 21 to 36 percent less likely to fracture a hip when they reported eating a moderate amount of soy, Dr. Woon-Puay Koh, at the National University of Singapore, and colleagues found.More

Olive oil component could avert Alzheimer's
NutraIngredients-USA.com
A compound in extra virgin olive oil could deter proteins from disrupting nerve cell function that causes the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease. In findings published in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, U.S. scientists explain how this naturally occurring compound, oleocanthal, beneficially alters the structure of highly toxic proteins known as ADDLs.More

Get sustainable agriculture right this time, experts urge
The Seattle Times
Food quantity or food quality? Can the world quell starvation now and still have a healthy ecosystem over the long term? Tough questions for anyone concerned about agriculture and its relation to hunger and poverty. In a keynote speech at the World Food Prize symposium, Bill Gates said he supports sustainable agriculture, welcome words to experts in the field, who say there is no short term fix.More

Get fit, the green way
Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Working out is essential to your health, and with some smart steps, you can make your fitness plan eco-friendly, as well as more enjoyable and affordable. That might be just the motivation you need to get moving every day.More

Studies claim mangosteen benefits heart, immune system, acne
eMaxHealth
Several recent studies of mangosteen, a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia, have reported that the unusual fruit may be helpful in preventing heart disease, improving immune response, treating acne, and even fighting cancer. Research thus far has included evaluation of mangosteen extracts and pureed juice.More