Red Deer, Alta., Dec. 4 2007: Along with strawberry, French vanilla and black cherry, a healthy dose of Canadian science and innovation is part of the appetizing mix in a new yogurt product line that is the first to feature natural "CLA" content.
CLA stands for conjugated linoleic acid – a healthy, natural type of dairy and beef fat that research has linked to strong potential for a range of human health benefits. These include advantages related to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, obesity and bone density.
The new yogurt line is produced by Bles-Wold Yogurt Inc. and was developed in cooperation with the CLA Network. Founded in Canada in 2001, the CLA Network is a team of researchers, food industry representatives, health professionals and communicators, devoted to tapping the potential of natural CLA found in dairy and beef products.
"This new yogurt represents a tremendous step forward for new health-based marketing opportunities related to natural CLA," says Bruce Beattie, a Sundre, Alta., dairy producer and chair of the CLA Network. "It's great news for consumers who enjoy dairy products and also for the dairy industry."
The new Bles-Wold product line is now available at a range of supermarkets and specialty stores in Alberta. The product packaging includes a statement of CLA content as 0.12 grams per 125 gram serving of plain yogurt and 0.14 grams per 125 gram serving of flavoured yogurt. Bles-Wold is also marketing a sour cream with a statement of CLA content as 0.20 grams per 30 ml serving.
The yogurt launch is a pioneering natural CLA marketing effort that could be followed by many for a range of both dairy and beef products.
"The focus of the CLA Network has been to explore the potential of natural types of CLA that are already found in dairy and beef products," says Dr. Spencer Proctor, a University of Alberta researcher and science lead of the CLA Network. "Particularly for a natural food component, this natural CLA has shown substantial health potential. As we learn more about these benefits, there is more knowledge to support product opportunities."
Years of CLA Network research and development in numerous areas, including dairy and beef production, animal mechanisms, human health, marketing and communications, have led to progress that has supported the new CLA yogurt.
A major part of this has been dairy production research to develop strategies, such as dietary formulations, that promote substantial, consistent CLA levels in milk. Knowledge from the CLA Network has backed the dietary formulations and other production approaches used by Bles-Wold to produce the new yogurt line.
"Over the past 10 years we have developed feed formulations using natural ingredients that result in up to a 10 fold increase in CLA levels in milk," says Dr. John Kennelly of the University of Alberta, also part of the CLA Network's dairy production module team. "The challenge is to do it in a way that is economical, consistent and supports the health of the animal. Those goals have been achieved with the approaches adopted by Bles-Wold to support their new yogurt line."
Development of the new yogurt has also been assisted by CLA Network efforts related to regulatory and labelling strategies.
"The role of the CLA Network is to support CLA progress all the way from the primary production level to the retail level," says CLA Network manager Vince Ohama of Alberta Agriculture and Food. "The new yogurt line is a great example of the result of this effort. It's also an excellent example of the progress that can be achieved by industry, government and academia working together."
CLA Network progress related to dairy production has been strongly supported by Alberta Milk, Dairy Farmers of Canada and the Agriculture Funding Consortium, with leading research and development contributions from the University of Alberta, Alberta Agriculture and Food, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Other broader CLA Network research that has also contributed to this progress has been supported by the Beef Information Centre and Alberta Beef Producers.
More information on the Bles-Wold product launch and related CLA Network progress is featured in a new article now available at www.CLAnetwork.com.
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