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| |  Scientific Evidence On FOS Deserves Serious Attention, Nutrition Expert Says PORTLAND, Maine -- May 8, 1997 -- A "natural" carbohydrate may be the key to preventing colon cancer, as well as preventing and treating other diseases. This was revealed by Daniel A. Nadeau, M.D., at a combined meeting of the Maine/New Hampshire Dietetic Association in Portland. Dr. Nadeau, who holds a master's degree in nutrition and is the former Associate Medical Director for Nutrition Products at Abbott Laboratories in Chicago, addressed the meeting on the use of FOS (short for fructooligosaccharides, a carbohydrate available in the U.S. as NutraFlora FOS) in treating a variety of conditions, including cholesterol, ulcerative colitis and constipation, as well as the prevention of colon cancer. "As many dieticians have long suspected, nutrition may be a key element in colon cancer prevention," explains Nadeau. Nadeau's April 28, 1997, presentation included research from Japan, France, Belgium and the United States, including a recent animal study published in the Jan. 15, 1997, edition of Cancer Research which suggests actual reversal of precancerous colon cancer lesions after introducing FOS to the diet. Nadeau calls the researchers' conclusions "a startling result achieved through simple dietary intervention." He adds that dieticians have shown tremendous interest in NutraFlora FOS because "unlike many other dietary supplements, FOS has a growing body of serious science behind it." Nadeau was involved in clinical research into NutraFlora FOS at Abbott Laboratories in 1994. After extensive testing, Ross Products (a division of Abbott and manufacturers of the well-known Ensure(R) nutrition product line) is now adding NutraFlora to a number of medical nutrition products. Nadeau has reviewed literally hundreds of scientific papers related to FOS. He describes FOS as "a dietary fiber that promotes the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract." He adds that the potential benefits of literally hundreds of millions of healthy bacteria, as well as reduced numbers of harmful bacteria, has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. Further evidence of growing interest in NutraFlora can be seen on the Internet. "A year ago you could count the number of web sites with information on NutraFlora FOS and FOS on one hand; now there are at least a hundred," says Douglass Brown, vice president of Golden Technologies Inc. (GTC), which is the sole U.S. distributor of NutraFlora FOS. In addition to dieticians, NutraFlora FOS is attracting strong interest from major food companies interested in "nutraceutical" foods. Nadeau defines a nutraceutical as "a food or food ingredient designed to provide medical or health benefits, including the prevention or treatment of disease," and cites adding calcium to orange juice to prevent osteoporosis as an example. "In addition to clinical applications, we're seeing tremendous growth in everyday health-promoting nutraceutical foods," says GTC Vice President Douglass Brown. Brown cites Campbell's line of "Intelligent Cuisine" products, as well as Kellogg's recent $65 million investment in a food and nutrition research center, as proof of the food industry's long-term commitment to nutraceuticals. Nadeau and Brown agree that the medical community and food industry are committed to nutraceuticals as a way to promote good health, and that interest in NutraFlora FOS will continue to grow. "Given the body of solid scientific research that supports its potential benefits, NutraFlora deserves close examination," Nadeau says.
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