The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has emphasised that its recent announcement to allow insect imports for human consumption is underscored by food safety and transparent labelling regulatory requirements to ensure smooth integration of this nascent sector.
The Vietnamese government has drafted new regulations proposing a phased increase on excise taxes for alcoholic beverages to 100% by 2030 as well as 10% for sugar-sweetened beverages, in attempts to curb overconsumption as well as boosting national income.
Manufacturers of Foods with Function Claims (FFC) are legally bound to four newly added requirements from September 1 – the latest move in regulating Japan’s functional foods industry since Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s red yeast rice scandal broke out.
The South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has announced new, stricter regulations governing food product labelling, specifically prohibiting links to various types of herbal medicines and other health or nutritional claims.
Taiwanese authorities have drafted a new set of regulations for milk product labelling in the country, in the hope of reducing consumer confusion regarding the various items available on supermarket shelves.
The Philippines government has launched a new digital ‘pre-border’ verification and payment system for food and other product imports to improve efficiency, with the scheme to be headed by a multi-ministry committee.
Food firms in Australia and New Zealand have been told that that if current 70% Health Star Rating uptake targets are not hit by November next year, it is likely to lead to mandatory implementation.
The Indonesian government has announced a two-year postponement of its mandate for all food and beverage enterprises to be halal certified, originally set for this year, in view of governance changes and the slow progress being made.
The Thai government has published draft regulations on governance over the alternative proteins industry starting with the plant-based sector, and has suggested banning certain animal-related terms but allowing others.
The ASEAN Secretariat’s newly-launched food marketing standards to ‘protect’ children have put mandatory marketing policies and the establishment of a classification system at the core of its strategy, calling on the 10 member states to put these into...
The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has formalised new regulations requiring food firms to obtain a new specific ‘Samples Only’ import permit for all products meant for research use after a year of deliberations.
The South Korean food authorities have highlighted that public health and potential food safety concerns will be its top priorities when developing the upcoming regulations to govern cultivated meat in the country.
The Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) has introduced new distribution guidelines in an effort to protect food manufacturers from retailer practices and prevent food product wastage.
The Japanese government has clarified that the final responsibility to ensure the safety and quality of food packaging lies with food manufacturer producing the end-product that will reach consumers.
Palm oil industry experts have criticised a new EU-backed analysis that identified ‘shortcomings’ in Malaysia’s national sustainability certification scheme that prevent it from being fully accepted under the new EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR).
Targeted messaging based on personal characteristics and demographics might have more success in garnering support for controversial sugar taxes than focusing on the impact to the food industry, claim researchers in Australia.
The UK Government plans to take a ‘light touch’ approach to post-Brexit checks on food in a bid to avoid red tape and bureaucracy, according to the exports minister.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is seeking public comment on draft regulations for the newly-coined ‘defined foods’ category, which will cover novel foods, genetically modified foods and insect-related foods.
New evidence suggests that brands and government need to scrap altruistic messaging about climate change and focus on health and culture to promote sustainable eating in Asia.
The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is facing major pushback from ministers and trade organisations within Europe, alongside continued pressure from palm oil producer nations in Asia, casting doubt on hopes for a smooth implementation.
China regulators are considering subjecting the local ready-to-cook (RTC) foods category to additional mandatory standards and regulations in response to general public concerns over the food safety and quality.
The Philippines Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will establish a new electronic recall system for pre-packaged processed food products found to be in violation of domestic food safety regulations.
The South Korean government will relax the punishment levelled on retailers and other sellers found to have been deceived into alcohol sales to minors, after receiving complaints of ‘excessive responsibility’ from the industry and outcry from the general...
Taiwan has finalised the labelling requirements when making nutrition claims for prepackaged foods, after completing two public consultations across more than two years of deliberation.
The South Korean government is implementing a new national strategy to boost wheat self-sufficiency and production capabilities, after several years of supply chain challenges.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has ordered all manufacturing firms of fortified rice to integrate a new national traceability application into their operations in order to prevent adulteration of the final product.
New Zealand-based ENZAFruit recently secured a landmark win and compensation in China for IP infringement of its Envy apples, representing a spark of hope for fruit firms operating in the region that have also experienced similar infringements.
Members of the Philippines government are calling for regulations that would officially ban manufacturers from using added sugar as an ingredient in foods for young children aged three and below.
Mainstream food and beverage firms flouting Taiwan advertising rules and regulations will now be subject to harsher punishments, with repeat offenders warned their businesses could be closed down.
China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA) is to set industry standards for electrolyte beverages, including its definition, technical and manufacturing, testing, labelling, and packaging requirements.
The Chinese government’s new draft regulations governing the labelling of pre-packaged foods and beverages contains stricter guidelines, including mandating manufacturers to include clearer information on compound ingredients as well as more country of...
The South Korean government is looking to mandate label-free packaging for drinking water bottles, replacing this with a digital QR code system over the next two years.
The insect protein sector in Asia Pacific still has ‘much to learn’ from its plant-based counterpart when it comes to the development of regulations and policies palatable to both governments and consumers in the region.
Taiwan is set to add new functional claims for health foods containing selenium and zinc, with regulators stating this will bring them into line with international standards.
There is an ongoing trend of processed sugar products being advertised as Health Functional Foods in South Korea, with products making fatigue recovery and blood sugar control claims sold on e-commerce platforms, warned the country’s food and drug safety...
Two South Korean ministries are collaborating to lower the allowed levels of pesticide residue in agrifood and processed food products made domestically, in the hope that it will help boost international trade.
The Japanese government has announced plans to implement more stringent standards for milk products that do not require chilling, meaning that exporters of these items will need additional certificates from the country of origin before being allowed into...
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has highlighted that cultivated meat still needs to meet a ‘more rigorous’ set of requirements to be halal-certified, even though it has been deemed potentially permissible for halal consumption.
Thailand is the latest market in South East Asia to implement new nutritional labelling policies for the food industry, with the authorities also issuing more stringent ‘science-based’ guidelines for on-pack health claims.
Vietnam has started to enforce its new nutrition labelling regulations, which will see some 40% of domestic manufacturers making on-pack changes over the next two years.
Philippines is set to replace a 33-year-old vitamins and minerals regulation which essentially reclassifies the category as food or dietary supplement, instead of the existing arrangement where it is categorised as either food or drug.
China is seeking to tighten governance over the domestic dairy industry with specific standards to manage different types of milk available on supermarket shelves.
China’s recent removal of tariffs on all dairy products from New Zealand, including milk powder used for both general consumption and processing to infant formula, could spell huge potential for brands that have a strong focus on quality and sustainability.