Thailand's retraction of a nationwide blanket ban on alcohol sales, which led to panic-buying and fears of a fresh wave of COVID-19 infections, has been defended by industry leaders who claim alcohol and social gatherings don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand.
Australia and New Zealand are still actively seeking to widen the range of genetically modified (GM) foods accepted in the region despite related amendments to the food code being postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.
South Korea has made Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification mandatory for all foreign food facilities exporting into the country, in an effort to tighten its control over imported food safety hazards.
Country leaders of all the member states comprising the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reaffirmed commitments to ensure food security and smooth regional food trade in the recent ASEAN Special Summit on COVID-19.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has revamped the national food code system for all imported foods into the nation in an attempt to achieve more uniformity with the internationally used HS Code system.
Japan has temporarily relaxed its traditionally strict food labelling regulations to help accommodate food manufacturing firms that need to make adjustments to production processes or raw materials in their production chains as a result of the COVID-19...
The flour industry in Pakistan has requested the government to exempt or at least subsidise all flour mills from taxes that would normally have to be paid in light of the sector’s significant contributions to food stability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic...
An analysis of the diets of nearly 3500 Australian women found high consumption of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, cabbage, green beans and potatoes before conception helped women reach full term pregnancy.
New Zealand researchers have called for a complete overhaul of the country’s current national agricultural strategy, which is heavily skewed towards dairy and meat, to accommodate a more plant-focused approach.
Pakistan has enforced an import tax on sugar entering the country, adding another layer of complexity to the country’s ongoing war between sugar cane farmers and sugar mills.
The Chinese government has been pushing for a ‘return to normalcy’ for what it deems ‘low-risk’ COVID-19-affected areas within the country, but faces multiple challenges in the form of public anxiety over food security and relaxed control measures.
India recently announced import tariff increases for many food and agricultural products in hopes of encouraging local trade, but the same move is likely to push it even further away from the possibility of entering free trade agreements within the APAC...
Singapore’s introduction of its new sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) labelling system Nutri-Grade has received a lukewarm response from consumers, with 68% of public sentiment remaining ‘neutral’ or ‘unsure’ about the policy.
Taiwan Premier Su Tseng-chang has opted to employ humour to reassure the local public that his government has sufficient food stocks to tide the country through the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, asking the people to ‘buy as much as you like’.
The Indonesian National Police and Philippines Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) have both issued orders to limit the purchases of noodles, rice and other staple food items nationwide in hopes of curbing the hoarding and panic-buying induced by the...
In the wake of India’s nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, Coca-Cola India, Nestle India and various other big MNCs in the country have called for F&B manufacturing to be made an ‘essential service’ in order to keep shelves stocked and avoid further...
Pakistan’s Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has recently issued a set of COVID-19 guidelines aimed at the food industry in hopes of controlling the outbreak, amid rampant rumours and speculations about the virus in the country.
Here’s our Editor-in-Chief’s latest completely subjective and occasionally irrational take on three food, nutra and cosmetics stories that have caught his attention – not always for the right reasons…
The Australian Department of Agriculture’s (DoA) recent suggestion to implement new regulations that will lead to an over 40% increase in export costs for fresh produce has been met with fervent disapproval by the local industry.
Malaysia’s announcement that borders of the entire country will be closed for two weeks in an attempt to control the local spread of COVID-19 has led to renewed panic in neighbouring Singapore, which imports large amounts of fresh produce from the country,...
Four major dairy industry associations in China have formed a set of guidelines for dairy and dairy product consumption for local residents in the hope of strengthening the public's immune health amid the COVID-19 novel coronavirus outbreak.
Indonesia has relaxed the quality requirements for sugar entering the country to allow Indian supply in, as part of a barter exchange to secure palm oil export access to the latter and to deal with dwindling local supply.
The Taiwanese government has issued new regulations requiring all dairy and dairy product imports to be accompanied by an official sanitation certificate issued by the country of origin.
Singapore has joined Philippines, Brunei and New Zealand in officially lifting bans on all food items from Japan, but some strict restrictions remain in place from China, Taiwan, and South Korea due to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
The Pakistani government aims to reduce the skyrocketing prices of basic food items in the country by reducing taxes, amidst an unsuccessful bid to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce its tax collection target.
Singapore has announced a colour-coded labelling scheme for pre-packaged sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) based on sugar content by volume – a move that has already drawn dissent from the local food and beverage industry.
Taiwan has reached organic equivalency agreements with Japan and Australia in a bid to protect its local organic industry, widen export markets and smoothen organic certification processes both ways.
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced that it will re-evaluate the safety and functionality of 12 functional raw materials this year.
The food and beverage industry in Indonesia has voiced disapproval over the government’s suggestion to tax sugar-sweetened beverages in the country, citing a lack of efficacy data and evidence.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has denied that the recent novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has had any impact on the local meat and fish industry, but said that it intended to ‘leverage’ the crisis to raise hygiene standards...
Experts have come out in approval of a landmark report by the Australian and New Zealand food regulator that found current definitions of “gene technology” in food standards “are no longer fit for purpose.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recently approved a proposal to implement regulations mandating that all alcohol bottles are to carry warning labels targeted at pregnant women, a move that has prompted severe backlash from the Australian...
Melons, berries and leafy vegetables have been singled out as major priorities in Food Standards Australia New Zealand’s (FSANZ) move to formulate a new standard to manage horticultural products at ‘high risk’ of causing foodborne illnesses.
The government of Pakistan’s most-populated province, Punjab, is trying to halt the ongoing ‘sugar wars’ in the country between sugarcane millers and growers by raising the maximum penalty for illegal dealings by 10,000%.
The Chinese authorities are conducting a public consultation for the new food safety standards that it has drafted for a number of food items, including liquid infant formula, infant formula powder, and infant food.
The recent coronavirus outbreak originating from animals in China has seen food and beverage authorities and industries worldwide taking steps to prevent spreading or ‘importing’ the virus into their countries – some more aggressively than others.
The Philippines has become the latest country worldwide, and the 12th in the Asia Pacific region, to fully lift all import bans and measures on Japanese foods previously restricted due to nuclear radiation concerns.
China has reduced the tax rates for multiple imported food items in the hope of promoting foreign trade and fulfilling local demand for products that are in short supply.
South Korea has enforced regulations banning the usage of plastic materials that are difficult to recycle such as PVC and coloured PET bottles for the packaging of food and beverage items.
The Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA) has implemented the regulation No. 2483/2018 which bans the use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) in the food industry with effect this year.
The UAE Cabinet has established the Emirates Council for Food Security (ECFS) to oversee all food security activities in the country in an attempt to boost self-sufficiency.
South Korea has released a new 10-step nutrition labelling guidelines document to address challenges faced by food businesses in correctly labelling food and beverage items, in the hopes of increasing industry compliance to standards and regulations.
Many APAC governments have explored sugar taxes to some extent over the past few years, but experts now say that although on the surface these appear to have been effective in driving reformulation, consumer behaviour and not taxation is likely to be...
Allergen labelling in China for pre-packaged foods could soon become mandatory under new plans unveiled by the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC).
Singapore is looking into developing a comprehensive regulatory framework to govern novel food production for human consumption in the country, which would cover new items such as cell-based meat and alternative proteins.
