New Zealand calls for ban on ‘damaging’ soy-based infant formulas

15-May-2012 - Health and medical experts in New Zealand have called for a ban on soy-based infant formula after a recent mouse study suggested soy damages the reproductive tract and immune system.

BASF backs Chinese functional bakery

14-May-2012 - China’s bakery sector is fast developing but there are unmet needs for healthier products that BASF Nutrition is hoping to tap into following its presence at Shanghai trade show Bakery China 2012 last week.

Validated, gut-tailored probiotics needed in Asia: Frost & Sullivan

10-May-2012 - Developing demographic-specific formulations and validating health claims must be a focus for probiotic manufacturers targeting Asian markets, according to an industry analyst.

Clean label starch patent secured in Japan amid surging 'free-from' demand

23-Apr-2012 - National Starch has received a patent for its clean label starch technology in Japan, amid a surging demand for such ingredients across the country.

Substantial scope to reduce sodium in NZ processed foods: Study

10-Apr-2012 - New Zealand’s processed foods sector is contributing significantly to excessive salt intake in the country but there is substantial scope to reduce the sodium levels in these foods, a new study suggests.

Coles ‘goes natural’ for consumers

27-Feb-2012 - Consumer concerns are proving increasingly powerful in influencing food and beverage formulation decisions, and Australian supermarket Coles is the latest to react and remove all added MSG and artificial colourings from its own brands.

WFP backs Cambodian and Bangladeshi fortified rice programmes

23-Feb-2012 - The World Food Programme (WFP) operates on many fronts, with many initiatives, but it’s core remains the same – to better the nutritional inputs of the world’s neediest people. Significant advances in fortified rice technology are set to see those goals made real in Cambodia and Bangladesh.

Aussie start-up eyes fortified dairy and juice market with “innovative” encapsulation technology

20-Feb-2012 - Brisbane-based food technology start-up Progel has an encapsulation technology that will enable manufacturers to develop new ranges of innovative foods with higher levels of active, according to the CEO of the company.

Uncertainty over NZ folic acid fortification move

06-Feb-2012 - The New Zealand Government is seeking to further delay a decision on folic acid fortification citing a need to consult and review more scientific data.

Indian start-up enters omega-3 sector with high-dose powders

30-Jan-2012 - A year-old Indian venture company has isolated the two major fatty acid components of omega-3, DHA and EPA, and developed both into high purity powders; a potentially interesting innovation according to industry expert.

India to reduce trans fats in vanaspati oils

19-Jan-2012 - In an attempt to combat the sharp rise in obesity-related ailments in India, the national government is planning to reduce trans fatty acid (TFA) content in vanaspati oil over the next couple of years.

Highly nutritional plankton, an ideal food ingredient: Japan

16-Jan-2012 - A microscopic plankton, known as ‘euglena’ is an ideal functional food ingredient due to its highly nutritional profile combined with lack of acute taste and smell, according to Japanese company.

China standardises nutrition labelling guidelines

10-Jan-2012 - In a bid to create unified standards and transparency across packaged products in China, the Ministry of Health has issued nutritional labelling standards, set to commence in January, 2013.

Indian nutrition body calls for healthy innovation in baked products

10-Jan-2012 - The apex nutrition body in India has called on the country’s bakery sector to focus more on technological innovations and better ingredients to keep pace with changing consumer trends.

New Zealand must reduce salt intake, finds survey

21-Dec-2011 - Nearly 65% of adult New Zealanders are consuming more sodium than current nutrition guidelines in the country recommend, a survey has concluded.

Chinese functional beverage market growing by 29%

01-Dec-2011 - Impressive growth in the Chinese functional beverage market looks set to continue as some national experts predict China to become the largest functional beverage market in 2012.

Organic and health beverages help Nutrastar to record revenues

29-Nov-2011 - Health products, such as cordyceps and functional beverages have helped Nutrastar International Inc gain record revenues despite the current global financial turmoil.

Neptune tapping into China’s supplements market

22-Nov-2011 - Canadian krill oil supplier, Neptune, has teamed up with a local fishing company in a bid to tap into China’s fast growing and emerging omega-3 supplements market.

LycoRed’s premix plant in China set to leverage functional food growth

17-Nov-2011 - Global supplier LycoRed has opened a new facility in China to meet the growing demand for nutritional pre-mixes in China and South East Asia.

China tightens up on fortified foods regulation

07-Nov-2011 - China has announced new regulations and a renewed focus on the quality and safety of functional foods being sold in the country, as part of a series of crackdowns meant to reinforce food safety in the country.

Frost & Sullivan: Exposure and research to boost functional foods in Asia Pacific

07-Nov-2011 - Continued research and development combined with exposure will drive and strengthen the functional foods market in Asia Pacific, according to analysis.

Functional food research between New Zealand and Japan

26-Oct-2011 - A collaborative project investigating the health-related compounds in onions is being conducted by Japan and New Zealand as part of a broader research partnership into functional food.

News in brief

Danone launches new kids brand in India

10-Oct-2011 - Danone has launched a new brand of fortified, milk-based products for children throughout India.

Dispatches from FI India

Beneo still has a hurdle with oligofructose in India

06-Oct-2011 - Beneo is still waiting for an approval from the Indian authorities for the use of its prebiotic fibre, oligofructose, in infant milk powder products in the country.