The rise of new ingredients and innovations in the better-for-you confectionery space is shifting candies and other sweet treats into a guilt-free indulgence space, and has to the potential to progress further into the functional foods realm.
China’s national ‘Excellent Milk’ project says it is on track to implement further quality and safety advances to locally-produced dairy as it seeks to slash reliance on imports.
China plant-based meat brand Haofood believes that the versatility and affordability of its peanut-based products, as well as its clean labels, are key to attracting domestic consumers to the category.
The food industry in Thailand is calling for the development of a more all-rounded solution to reduce sodium consumption, including product reformulation and innovation, amid continuing talk of a salt tax.
The supplementation of French pine bark extract has shown to increase hair density in women who have undergone menopause, according to a six-month clinical trial conducted in Shanghai.
Nestle has moved one step closer towards its ambitions to reduce plastic packaging in the APAC region with its latest announcement of a paper packaging trial for chocolate in Australia, though its suitability for Asia’s hot and humid climate still remains...
Boiling peanuts for up to 12 hours could help overcome children’s allergic reactions, according to the results of a clinical trial at Flinders University and SAHMRI in Australia which found up to 80% of children with peanut allergy became desensitised...
Australian guilt-free confectionary firm Funday has highlighted its unique gut-friendly ingredient formulation as well as its one-bag-one-serve packaging as major success factors after entering 3,000 retail outlets in the region.
Selenium supplementation may be effective in reducing insulin resistance in those with cardio-metabolic diseases (CMDs), according to a systematic review and meta-analysis by researchers in China.
China is ramping up its efforts to move past the immense impacts COVID-19 has had on the country over the past three years, including removing all requirements for nucleic acid testing on frozen food imports and reducing tariffs.
Bioactive spice-derived compounds require studies using dietary doses to properly determine their preventive effects against colorectal cancer (CRC in humans), according to a review by Asian, European and South American researchers.
Probiotics supplementation could reduce gastrointestinal side effects and restore alterations to the gut microbiota caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-eradication therapy, a new study reveals.
With South East Asia (SEA) one of the fastest-growing region for e-commerce, we speak to Amazon Singapore and e-commerce enabler firm CREA on the outlook and opportunities for health and nutrition brands in the e-commerce space.
The South Korean government is implementing a nationwide project to set ‘use-by’ dates for some 2,000 food and beverage items, in its latest move in an attempt to cut national food waste.
Beverage giant Vitasoy believes that oat milk is set to be an important avenue of growth for the company across multiple APAC markets including China, Oceania and the Philippines.
The halal food and beverage sector in Thailand is ramping up its use of technology as a crucial tool to achieve ‘Halal Integrity’, and hopes to establish a halal blockchain platform within the next few years.
Cultivated meat pioneer Mosa Meat says it is still working to get full regulatory approvals to retail its cultivated meat in Singapore, despite the signing of a manufacturing agreement with Esco Aster for production in the Asian trade hub.
The Indian government appears to be softening its stance as ‘no-GMO’ country in light of ongoing food security and trade disputes – sparking fresh debate in the country.
Kirin’s first human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) production plant has commenced operation and the company anticipates that half of the market will be dominated by China in the future.
Beverage giant Yeo’s has reformulated its portfolio so that all products will contain less than 5% of sugar by 2023, in line with both consumer tastes and upcoming regulatory measures in Singapore.
South Korean beauty and skincare conglomerate Amorepacific has revealed its ambitions in expanding its healthy ageing supplement portfolio, and is developing threonine-rich new products, following positive findings on the amino acid.
South Korea-based postbiotic ingredient and finished product firm Bereum is now pursuing growth in overseas markets following steep growth in the domestic market in the past two years.
New Zealand is now a step closer to a new regulatory environment governing natural health products, now that the authorities have introduced the long-awaited Therapeutic Products Bill in parliament.
Food firms in Australia affected by recent poppy seed recalls after an outbreak of severe food poisonings say the situation was beyond their control, amid government warnings that non-food grade poppy seeds ‘incorrectly’ entered the supply chain.
China dairy firm Junlebao has launched a new milk powder targeted at supporting calcium absorption in middle and old-aged consumers, and hopes to rejuvenate the well-established category by improving bio-accessibility and bioavailability.
Precision fermentation specialist Perfect Day has completed its acquisition of Indian firm Sterling Biotech Limited (SBL) – which will double its production capability in the near-term - and secured the green light from the Food Safety and Standards Authority...
The South Korean authorities have conducted food safety checks on almost 2,000 kimchi and related ingredient manufacturers ahead of the peak production season, amid public concern about hygiene and adulteration issues.
Consumers are most concerned about sleep quality, cognitive and immune health when it comes to taking care of their wellbeing, a new survey from Fonterra’s health and wellbeing brand Nutiani has found.
Plant-based brands need to slash salt levels by adopting a similar ‘reduce and replace’ strategy used by the sugar-sweetened beverage sector in order to ensure that consumers can reap health benefits of the trend, according to a nutrition expert.
Swisse has launched its first set of sports nutrition products designed for the general public’s active lifestyle needs – a move that it sees as expanding the category largely catered to elite athletes.
Shock statistics showing that one in five adults in Indonesia is obese is a wake-up call that needs to be urgently addressed through public education via social media, argues the president of the Indonesian Nutrition Association (INA).
All production processes to make postbiotics products need to have consistency and quality control as crucial components during manufacturing, to ensure the resulting metabolite mixes are unique yet reproducible and safe for consumption.
Localisation strategies are crucial in order to achieve the ‘holy grail’ of food innovation in the Asia Pacific region, by combining health, taste and convenience, according to Olam outfit ofi.
The traditional botanical drink ayahuasca causes more than two thirds of the consumers negative physical symptoms, and over half of them acute mental health troubles, Australian and international researchers have reported.
Nutrition products for gut, liver, eye health and sports have recorded strong growth during this year’s Double 11 shopping festival, says China’s leading e-commerce platform JD Health.
Getting the taste right in sodium-reduced food products remains the biggest barrier to overcome in reformulation efforts, according to industry experts.
Supplement brands in Vietnam are increasingly demanding value-added concepts and ease the pressure of relying on commodity-based products at low prices.
Plant-based beverages must be able to still provide a creamy mouthfeel in order to successfully convert consumers over to healthier, low-sugar options for the long-term in Indonesia, especially when these are priced at a higher tier than traditional dairy...
Rising awareness amongst Thai consumers regarding the potential unhealthy connotations associated with long expiry dates is a key factor driving up the demand for clean label food ingredients in the country, according to leading industry experts.
The interest in cleaner and better-for-you snacks shown by big food and beverage brands, including Mondelez, Nestle and Vitasoy, is paving the way for a new specialised area of plant-based proteins to enter the market, namely the RuBisCo leaf protein.
The Japanese government has implemented tighter regulations for organic food imports, with firms required to appoint specific personnel and use standard organic certification labels to avoid being rejected.
Improvements in stunting have stagnated while the number of children overweight in India has increased over the last five years, in a reversal of improvements seen in the previous decade-and-a-half, new data reveals.
Emphasising the healthy benefit functions and innovating in a variety of formats is crucial for the success of probiotics, prebiotics and microbiome-related products, more so than promoting specific strains and ingredients, according to an expert panel.
The Philippines government has announced a ban on all prepackaged processed foods containing high trans-fats levels as part of its objective to completely eliminate their presence by 2023.
Water-soluble tomato concentrate made from fresh tomatoes could potentially play a role in the early prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease among middle-aged and elderly adults, according to the recent findings of a Chinese RCT.
