Scientific Information Bulletins (SIBs) Address Food Science Issues 
Nanotechnology, Salt Intake and Natural Ingredients are subjects of three new IUFoST SIBS

November 2010 – IUFoST today has released three new Scientific Information Bulletins (SIBs) on the topics of Dietary Sodium and Health, Nanotechnology and Food and Regulation of Natural Health Products, produced for the more than 200,000 members of IUFoST Adhering Bodies worldwide, legislators, experts and consumers alike and to food science departments around the world. These SIBs present authoritative science on emerging and headline food science topics.
 
“Authorities, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA), the American Public Health Association, the US National Academies of Science Institute of Medicine (IoM) and Health Canada, recommend an overall reduction in salt intake to 5-6g/day to reduce the effect on blood pressure (BP), although others take the view that evidence does not justify universal restriction but that intake restriction should be encouraged for older hypertensives and young children. Salt producers, via the Salt Institute, strongly dispute the need for intake restriction guidelines.”  An examination of the science and possible solutions are the subject of the IUFoST SIB on Dietary Sodium and Health.
 
Nanotechnology and Food, an update, looks at the debate surrounding “the prospect of the use of products of evolutionary nanotechnology in the food area.” “The concern is that if changing the size of materials can lead to radical, albeit useful properties, can we be sure how size will affect other properties and, in particular, the potential toxicity of such materials?” 
 
“While figures range from country to country, increasingly over recent years, consumers have been including both complementary therapies and products within their health care options. Some of the reasons are negative, reflecting a decrease in confidence in Ê»westernʼ medicine, many are positive reflecting an increased focus on wellness and health promotion.”   The focus of this IUFoST SIB on Regulation of Natural Health Products is on the products element of complementary therapies – called by many different names such as complementary medicines in Australia, natural healt products in Canada and dietary supplements in the USA.
 
These and the other titles in the series of IUFoST Scientific Information Bulletins provide an outline of the scientific principles involved in the topic, underpinned by the scientific expertise of the authors of each SIB and including provision of key and scientifically reliable online and other sources of further information on the topic. They are available online at http://iufost.org/iufost-scientific-information-bulletins-sib. Each SIB is prepared by an expert or small team of experts selected by the IUFoST Scientific Council. The draft is reviewed and approved by the IUFoST Scientific Council, the body responsible for the quality and integrity of IUFoST science activities. It is elected by the General Assembly from International Academy Fellows nominated by the Academy.