Food policy picks: Our top 5 regulation stories from 2017
While Asia-Pacific is often, and rightly, seen as a region of immense opportunity for food and beverage firms, its fragmented and frequently volatile landscape can make it a regulatory nightmare.
As our top five stories show, the prevailing trend for sugar taxes shows no signs of abating, while when it comes to edible insects it can be a lack of regulation that poses the problems.
Take a look at the full list to see what has been gaining traction this year.
1) Exploring the legal status of edible insects around the world
Entomophagy is a new phenomenon in the West and, as a result, it is rarely regulated. This leads to public institutions like food agencies and customs and health departments often finding themselves helpless in the face of new product developments based on processed insects.
2) India puts GM foods on ‘permanent hiatus’
Widespread opposition to ending the moratorium on genetically-modified food pushed the Indian government onto the back foot on the issue of GM foods.
3) Indonesian businesses prepare for the worst as they face up to universal halal law
Concerns are mounting over a controversial new law to bring across-the-board halal certification to Indonesia, as an unprepared government department and industry figures wonder how they will cope with its implementation.
4) Thailand to introduce new sugar tax over six years
Thailand will phase in a sugar tax over six years in a bid to help drinks manufacturers to lower their sugar content and take advantage of a simultaneous lowering of tax on sugar-free beverages.
5) European firms to sue China for infringing their intellectual property
European countries were to be granted the right to sue China if their food trademarks are counterfeited in the country.
