Silliker Group Corp., Homewood, Ill., acquires the Clabo Group, a network of food testing and consulting laboratories in France. Widely recognized for its semi-automated microbiology technology, the Clabo Group is comprised of 12 companies, including Atlangene Applications, one of the leading genetic testing laboratories in Europe.

Four servings of dairy a day can reduce serious risks to pregnant women, as milk drinkers have lower risks of pre-term delivery and neonatal deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Pregnant women who drink four glasses of milk a day can substantially reduce their chances of premature birth, a recent WHO study has discovered.

Calcium and vitamin D supplements may not be effective in preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, suggests a recent study as part of Woman’s Health Initiative, funded by the U.S. government. Researchers of the seven-year study, reported in two recent articles in the The New England Journal of Medicine, found that overall, supplementation of calcium and vitamin D was not associated with reduced risk of bone loss and colorectal disease.

International experts in nutrition, genomics, bioinformatics and milk will gather in Brussels, Belgium, to address the status of milk-specific genomic research at the third International Symposium on Milk Genomics and Human Health, Sept. 19-21 at the Hilton Brussels. The symposium, organized by the California Dairy Research Foundation and the International Dairy Federation, will feature three sessions focusing on such topics as the regulation of lactation genes and milk peptides sequence.

Orafti Active Food Ingredients, Malvern, Pa., will host its fifth research conference, “Inulin & Oligofructose: Proven Health Benefits & Claims,” Sept. 28 and 29 at Harvard Medical School. Topics include intestinal and bone health, gut peptides, energy metabolism, immunity, inflammation, colon cancer and benefits for specific target groups. m