Meristem: Beef Science

From battling a $4.3 billion per year obesity epidemic and offering new hope for cancer and heart disease, to simply giving consumers one more reason to enjoy dairy and beef products, leading experts on conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) shed light on a range of opportunities for this unique food component at the CLA Summit, May 8-10 in Kananaskis, Alta.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a fatty acid found naturally in dairy and beef products. Though research is in early stages, pioneering studies based largely on animal models have shown CLA has considerable potential for human health benefits related to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, bone density and obesity. Studies have confirmed that dairy and beef products already contain natural CLA and these natural levels may be increased substantially through simple livestock production approaches such as feeding strategies.

The CLA Summit 2007 conference, hosted by the CLA Network, brought together leading speakers to present and discuss the latest science and potential surrounding CLA. The CLA Network is a collaborative team that includes representatives from many areas of expertise such as research, food industry, health and communications.

"CLA represents a tremendous opportunity to strengthen the health image of current dairy and beef products and to open the door to new products with enhanced levels of CLA," says Dr. Spencer Proctor, Director of the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory at the University of Alberta and a member of the CLA Network. "The more we learn from research, the closer we come to confirming and realizing that potential."

Themed "Harvesting the Future," the CLA Summit provided an overview of the major progress achieved under the past three years of CLA Network funding. It also featured perspectives from several top speakers on CLA developments and future prospects.

A key area of CLA opportunity is obesity, observed several speakers. Obesity rates in North America have shot upward over the past decade, creating an economic burden estimated at $4.3 billion per year spent on obesity and obesity related diseases in Canada alone. "There is a growing body of evidence indicating that CLA can play a role in increasing lean muscle mass and decreasing body fat," says Dr. Corey Scott of Lipid Nutrition, B.V., who delivered a feature presentation on CLA and fat loss.

Other important areas of scientific progress on CLA as it relates to human health include cancer and heart disease, says Proctor, leader of the CLA Network human health module. CLA Network research has included cell culture studies confirming that two prominent types of CLA can reduce the growth of cancer cells, as well as a series of studies confirming that feeding animals CLA can reduce body weight and risk markers of cardiovascular disease.

In addition to capturing the health promise of CLA, a key benefit of CLA research is its potential for improving consumer perceptions of animal fat, says nutritionist and author Helen Bishop MacDonald. "CLA can play a major role in reshaping the negative image of animal fats. It's a great example that many of these fats are not harmful but in fact are healthful."

Initial market research by the CLA Network has indicated strong consumer interest in potential beef and dairy products with enhanced CLA levels, says Yulian Ding of the University of Alberta. "Our consumer surveys have indicated not only strong interest, but also a willingness to pay a premium for CLA-enriched products."

The broad conference agenda centred on presentations by leaders of the various CLA Network component areas, which include dairy production, beef production, animal mechanisms, human health, market research and product development, and communications. In addition to Scott and MacDonald, keynote speakers included Dr. Roger McLeod of Dalhousie University, on insights into CLA action from animal and cell culture models; and Dr. Martha Belury of Ohio State University, on CLA benefits related to insulin resistance.

Further information on CLA Summit highlights and presentations will be made available over the coming week at www.CLAnetwork.com.

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Kananaskis 'CLA Summit' highlights new health market promise for dairy and beef products