Food Matters Live is an annual event, based at the ExCeL London, which brings together the food and drink industry across retailers, foodservice providers, government, education and those working in nutrition. Needless to say, it’s a huge event which allows for a massive variety of those in the industry, across the globe, to collaborate, learn and inform. With five of the IFIS team attending across Tuesday and Wednesday, we got stuck into as many of the seminars and exhibitions as possible, to hear about the latest news and innovations in food. Here, we detail just a few of our highlights from the event.
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Topics:
labelling,
food quality,
nutrition,
cereals,
healthy eating,
superfoods,
bacteria,
retail and marketing,
calcium,
food production,
sugar and substitutes,
food research,
UK,
dieting,
conferences and events,
health,
local foods,
novel foods,
supplements,
IFIS Publishing
This post was originally published on The Conversation, and was written by Sarah Bath, a lecturer in Public Health Nutrition and Margaret Rayman, a professor of Nutritional Medicine, both based at the University of Surrey.
Milk and dairy products are the main source of iodine in many diets, and an important iodine source in many countries. However, our latest research found that the iodine concentration of most alternatives to cows’ milk – such as soy and almond “milk” – is very low. This matters because deficiency of iodine, especially during pregnancy, affects brain development and is linked to lower intelligence.
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Topics:
milk and milk substitutes,
labelling,
fish,
nutrition,
allergies and allergens,
seafood,
pregnancy,
iodine,
eggs,
soy,
dairy,
nuts,
vitamins and minerals,
health,
cognitive function,
plant-based diets,
supplements
Our second brain
We have a second brain in our guts. Known as the enteric nervous system, it consists of a mesh-like network of around 100 million neurons lining the entire gastrointestinal tract. These neurons include a range of cell types operating via a complex system of circuitry largely independent of the central nervous system.
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Topics:
zinc,
sleep,
fish,
cereals,
seafood,
bacteria,
fruit,
vegetables,
eggs,
fibre,
soy,
meat,
dairy,
immune system,
amino acids,
neuroscience,
fatty acids,
nuts,
tryptophan,
gut health,
cognitive function,
mental health,
central nervous system,
fermented foods,
supplements
Stevia is the name given to extracts from leaves of the plant Stevia rebaudiana used as sweeteners or sugar substitutes. The two main compounds responsible for the sweetness of stevia are stevioside and rebaudioside A, both of which are derivatives of the diterpene, steviol.
- Stevioside is 250-300 times sweeter than sugar, but possesses a bitter aftertaste.
- Rebaudioside A is 350-450 times sweeter than sugar and is less bitter than stevioside, making it a popular option for use in sweetener preparations.
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Topics:
diabetes,
bacteria,
obesity,
additives,
sugar and substitutes,
functional foods,
confectionery,
analytical techniques,
hormones,
appetite and satiety,
supplements
It is estimated that around 2 billion people worldwide may have an insufficient intake of iodine. Iodine is essential for the synthesis of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3), and there is increasing evidence for its importance in the early growth and development of many organs, including the brain and central nervous system.
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Topics:
organic,
salt,
seafood,
nutrients,
pregnancy,
iodine,
thyroid,
eggs,
dairy,
vitamins and minerals,
hormones,
cognitive function,
central nervous system,
supplements
