shelves next year thanks to a breakthrough in Sweden, scientists said on Wednesday. An emulsion derived from natural products which help send signals to the brain that you've eaten enough has been put into yoghurt by a Swedish milk manufacturer and tested on more than 200 people. The company behind the product, British-based healthcare group Scotia Holdings Plc, said it could be used in a wide range of foods from chocolate to milk drinks to help people who want to lose weight to cut their intake of calories painlessly. Controlled tests in Sweden, where the emulsion has been developed, showed people who ate the yoghurt could consume between ten and 30 percent fewer calories without feeling hungry. Scotia believes it has isolated food ingredients which normally produce a feeling of fullness. The product, known as Ileal Brake (IB), is designed to activate rapidly sensors in the small intestine which signal to the brain when enough food has been eaten. "The normal feeling of satisfaction during a meal is achieved very quickly, leading to a substantial voluntary reduction in calorie intake which is achieved without effort,'' Scotia said. Scotia believes the product could be used in a range of foods including milk drinks, custards, ice creams, cheese, soups and sweets. It could also be sold as an over-the-counter or prescription pharmaceutical.

Because it is made from components already found in foods, Scotia believes the product would not require regulatory approvals in most markets. It hopes to start introducing Ileal Brake in Sweden early next year.