The Indonesian government has announced new, more rigorous regulations to control heavy metal contamination in processed foods within the local food supply, in response to rising consumer concerns.
Japanese food firms in regions affected by the Fukushima nuclear disaster will be ‘greatly encouraged’ by the UK’s abolition of all import restrictions, with trade officials now preparing a significant marketing push to promote food and beverage sales.
Health foods that claimed to strengthen the immunity, reduce blood lipids, and act as an antioxidant were the top three categories that were successfully granted the ‘blue-hat’ status in China during the first six months of this year.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has specified supply chain traceability up to the manufacturer level as a key criterion for food firms manufacturing vegan products to obtain the relevant regulatory permissions.
Australia’s Healthy Care and Canada’s Jamieson Laboratories were the few overseas firms to receive China’s health foods filing approval in the first seven months of 2022, according to a new report.
Japan has updated its food labelling regulations for foods with genetically modified components, and will enact a national ‘non-GM’ labelling system update in 2023.
Taiwan has become the latest international market to start eliminating the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in food packaging, citing environmental and sustainability concerns over over-usage of the material.
New Zealand’s food and grocery sector says manufacturers could end up footing bill after one of the nation’s largest chains Foodstuffs cuts prices to win back consumer – and likely government – favour.
New Zealand is facing new questions about the impact of its dairy system after research claimed that every litre of dairy milk produced in Canterbury can require up to 11,000 litres of water to dilute the pollution from its production.
The Japanese government has drafted a new set of labelling guidelines specifically targeted at regulating foods and beverages sold online, with emphasis on the displaying of expiration dates and food allergens.
Japanese firms will gradually introduce a new voluntary net alcohol labelling scheme to avoid cost and environmental impacts, according to beer giant Kirin.
The Japanese government has published a set of national export and expansion guidelines with the aim of helping local food and beverage businesses expand the reach of their products into overseas markets.
The scale of Singapore’s challenge to achieve 30% food self-sufficiency by 2030 has been underlined by new data released by the city state’s national food agency.
Indonesia’s palm oil export ban announced earlier this month has left the door open for Malaysia to swoop in and expand its market share – but this will very much depend on contract timings and labour viability, say industry experts.
South Korea has introduced two major new import policies for food and beverage firms looking to sell in the country – a year-round express customs clearance application system and a new ‘Use By’ date labelling requirement for all food and beverage imports.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has revised the nutrient values for infant nutrition products, with the new requirements enforced from October.
The Japanese government has introduced a new national fishery policy to promote efficient industrialisation and revitalisation for the local industry in view of the many challenges the one-prosperous sector has faced over the past several years.
A set of new nutraceutical regulations operationalised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) this month will make it easier for companies to innovate and import a broader range of supplements, although there are still some ‘bottlenecks’...
The Australian beverage sector has hit out at veiled warnings of price increases and tax hikes for soft drinks detailed in the country’s latest obesity strategy, claiming that such policy measures are ineffective.
While consumers are clamouring for healthier beverages across APAC, spanning sugar reduction and the added functionality, the regulatory landscape still poses a significant challenge for brands.
Indian and Chinese food firms should seek alternative or additional sources of vegetable oil, with both countries facing severe shortages and price hikes due to the Ukraine-Russia conflict, according to an industry analyst.
Australia’s plant-based sector is seeing red over recommendations from senators to restrict the use of traditional animal product terms on packs, and there could be further policy woes for firms in the cultured meat space.
South Korea’s government has instructed local authorities to play a bigger role in the nation’s food supply strategy, as well as pumping in cash for new food tech and sustainability projects.
The Indian food regulator is being urged to include on-pack ‘warning labels’ for sugar, salt and fats as part of its upcoming health star rating system for packaged foods.
Japan has announced stricter labelling regulations for soybean milk and other soy-related beverages with the aim of preventing fraudulent or exaggerated claims and ensure fair competition between brands in the very competitive local market.
Officials have reached an agreement to improve access of certain Australian supplements to the Vietnamese market, after a bureaucratic dispute threatened to hit trade.
Food industry and policy experts have voiced doubts about the practical benefits of Indonesia’s new trade licensing policy, the Neraca Komoditas, which is kicking off this year for five major food commodities.
South Korea has chosen to focus on national staple food ramen as the first target for the enforcement of its new reduced sodium labelling rules, doubling down on the category by announcing the specific sodium values for manufacturers to adhere to.
Policy chiefs in the Philippines have circulated guidelines for food firms to eliminate the use of Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA) in pre-packaged processed foods by next year, including prohibiting the use of on-pack claims such as ‘TFA-free’.
The Ministry of Health in Japan has urged local food manufacturers to provide scientific evidence and proof of their products’ food safety credentials if they want to take advantage of new licensing exemptions for 17 food categories.
To guard its upcoming budget from soaring global wheat prices, the Egyptian government is considering scrapping a popular bread subsidy for cash payments – but this risks a repeat of history.
The South Korean government’s grand plans to overhaul local dairy policies and pricing systems have been met with major pushback from industry groups and confusion from farmers, with the ministry in charge calling on detractors to ‘clarify their misconceptions’...
Manufacturers of ‘solid beverages’ will need to follow a set of new rules, such as changing their product labels, to prevent consumers from confusing them as health foods or infant formula, said the Chinese authorities.
Researchers in Australia are calling for an overhaul over the regulations for toddler foods, claiming that 74% of products are ultra-processed, and that there has surge in discretionary snack launches over the past 25 years.
The Japanese government has published a new set of ‘fair transaction’ guidelines for the food manufacturing and retail sectors as it seeks to promote proper trading practices and prevent monopolies in the supply chain.
Japan is hopeful that the United Kingdom will lift bans on food imports from Fukushima following a positive risk assessment report, citing the benefits of reduced trade barriers and lower costs for the food sector.
About 93% of food products tested in Lebanon met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for trans-fats, with some traditional snacks, baked goods and margarine the main culprits among the products that did not.
India’s hemp industry is predicting a wave of product innovation, from protein bars to flavoured powders and snacks, in the wake of recent regulatory advances that will see hemp seed, oil and flour products classed as food for the first time.
South Korea has expanded its food safety and monitoring guidelines to tighten control over food and beverage products that are directly purchased by consumers from foreign countries, with implications for items bought via e-commerce.
Regulator Food Standards Australia New Zealand is seeking public comment on the use of 2’-O-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) produced using new genetically modified (GM) strains in infant formula products.
From new hemp regulations in India, to Singapore’s sugary beverage control policy, and plant-based labelling in multiple countries, we bring you five must-know policies and regulations that look set to have a significant impact on the Asia Pacific food...
We reveal the top 10 most viewed regulation and policy stories from the food and beverage industry in 2021, featuring palm oil and halal in Malaysia, hemp and mustard oil in India, chilled foods in China and more.
South Korea has introduced an ‘S mark’ certification for food products that have undergone review and been approved as elderly-friendly, with products for the ageing population being dubbed a ‘future food’ category for the country.
Indonesia is looking to introduce new trade controls on imported processed foods including a revised application process subject to government approval as well as stricter mandatory shelf-life requirements.
The dairy industry in South Korea appears to have split opinions about the local government’s plans to implement a new pricing system for milk in order to improve profitability and boost the sector’s slumping self-sustainability.
