HEALTH

 NORTHFIELD, Ill. — Kraft will introduce more than 40 new products in 2013, the company stated. This is the first comprehensive new products launch since Kraft became an independent public company in October. In keeping with the company's initiative to offer consumers good, better and best choices, Kraft is using its iconic brands and successful new platforms to deliver innovation across multiple categories. While some new products are hitting store shelves now, others debut in early 2013.

NEW YORK — Demand for SeroVital-hgh — a proprietary amino acid compound developed by Sierra Research Labs — has spiked in the past month, in part due to recent exposure on news channels like CNN and on news programs like "The Today Show," the company announced last week. To help meet demand, the company on Dec. 21 announced distribution expansion through GNC. 

PALATINE, Ill. — In support of its December launch of the pseudoehedrine product Nexafed, Acura Pharmaceuticals recently kicked off a national e-mail campaign to help drive pharmacists to the Nexafed website with content specifically designed for the pharmacist audience, including infographics, graphic representations of study data and a behind-the-scenes look at Nexafed's abuse-deterrent technology.

NEW YORK — Convenience retailer 7-Eleven has jumped on the "fresh" bandwagon, according to a report published last week in the New York Times. And while 7-Eleven has been serving up fresh for more than a decade with its variety of hot dogs and breakfast fare, now the focus is on fresh food items that will fit within a consumer's diet plan, too. 

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — A new product from the PediaCare line is designed to keep children hydrated when they have a cold or flu.

Prestige Brands Holdings announced the launch of PediaCare Cold & Flu Hydration, designed to ensure children get needed fluids and electrolytes. The product replenishes nutrients lost from illness and provides immune-boosting antioxidants, with less sugar than sports drinks, soda and juices.

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles-based entrepreneur says he's built a better breath mint.

The breath tablet InFresh promises to "systematically eliminate" bad breath rather than masking it, as other products do. The product is a concentrated tablet that uses chlorophyll to eliminate the causes of bad breath, creater Elias Chavando said. Chavando came up with the idea in 2000 and worked with physicians and homeopathic product experts to develop it.

PLANO, Texas — As an extension of Dr Pepper Ten, the soft drink company will launch 10-calorie versions of five of its biggest soda brands, beginning January 2013. Sunkist, 7-Up, Canada Dry, RC Cola and A&W Root Beer are all getting makeovers.

Unlike other artificial sweeteners, the 10-calorie sweetener mix used by Dr Pepper Snapple Group contains enough high-fructose corn syrup to appeal to those consumers who have reservations about the taste of diet drinks, the company said.

NEW YORK — Predictions of a more active flu season are coming true as temperature differences have helped drive flu activity, a Citibank financial analyst wrote.

In a letter to investors, Citi Research analyst Deborah Weinswig wrote that influenza virus activity in the week ended Dec. 8 increased year over year for the ninth consecutive time this season and increased significantly compared with last week — up 28.3% compared with last week's 20.7%.