Cholesterol-lowering products are continuing to mushroom on Australian retailers' shelves. After the launch of Logicol Spread in 1999, Praise has introduced Logicol Mayonnaise and Logicol Coleslaw dressing, which contain plant sterols from soya bean and other vegetable oils. Praise claims these products can reduce 'bad' cholesterol by 10% in three weeks if 2g of plant sterols are consumed daily, which is the equivalent of three to four servings of Logicol. The US has seen a new introduction in its booming health foods sector. California Day Fresh Foods has launched PowerNoni, which is a new blend of tropical juices with Noni, a Polynesian fruit, and glucosamine. PowerNoni contains 1,500mg of this plant, said to be a pain reliever, and 800 mg of glucosamine, beneficial to cartilage and joint health. The fruit juice contains apples, pineapple, guava, banana, and passion fruit, and is enhanced with calcium, vitamin D and vitamin C. The German snack foods market is performing well. Intersnack has launched Goldfischli-Orakel under the Wolf brand. This extension of the Goldfischli baked snacks brand includes a game whereby five Goldfischli snacks are thrown on to a chart (included in each pack), and the position they land in is used to make predictions about the future using the information on the pack. Human-style snacks and treats are becoming increasingly available to pets. CraZy Dog of the US has launched CraZy BitZ, which are premium treats made with real peanut butter. They are crispy on the outside and filled with peanut butter, and contain malted barley flour, niacin and thiamin. The American company has also introduced CraZy Dog Summer Sausage, which is made with fresh meats, and is packaged in shrink-wrapped cellophane, just like human-style sausages. The product has a bacon flavour, is low in fat and salt, and is formulated to meet canine nutritional needs. A major packaging innovation took place in the South African breakfast cereals market last month. Kellogg has launched Nutri-K, a breakfast cereal product packaged in self-standing pouches with resealable zippers. This product is the first stand-up pouch with zipper to be launched in the South African breakfast foods market. Nutri-K is available in two flavours, one of which is strawberry. New from Stassen of Belgium is Cidre & Orange, an orange-flavoured cider, marketed as a refreshing drink for the summer. {{P&P }}

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