Food and nutrition firms in APAC have to contend with a diverse and at times contradictory regulatory landscape across the region, with rules and laws being amended or introduced all the time. And 2016 was no exception.
Swisse Wellness chief executive Radek Sali will step down on December 31 as Hong Kong-listed Biostime International takes full ownership of the Australian firm.
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy is linked to an increased risk of autism in children by the age of six, Australian researchers have found, who argue low cost supplementation for at-risk mothers is merited.
Probiotics consumption may have advantageous effects on mental health by lessening the psychological symptoms of perceived stress, depression and anxiety, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis.
From the liver benefits of fermented tea, to the anti-fatigue attributes of astaxanthin, these are the top five research stories that have gained the most traction with readers in 2016.
As 2016 draws to a close, we highlight the top seven most-read APAC food and nutrition trends stories, featuring exclusive market and consumer insights from Japan, South East Asia, India, Australia and China.
A recently developed “Singapore equation” is the most accurate basal metabolic rate (BMR) equation to predict energy requirements for Chinese adults, a new study has found.
There is an urgent need for more research on infant nutrition that is centred on South East Asia, with the vast majority of published studies focusing on the western world, a new paper states.
Only two countries out of the 19 being monitored in Asia-Pacific will meet the UN’s second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of achieving zero hunger by 2030 if prevalence of undernourishment rates (PoU) continue to reduce at 2010-15 rates.
A greater emphasis should be placed on enhancing the bioavailability of key nutrients in foods by focusing on synergies to help fight under nutrition, say researchers from the Indian Council of Medical Research.
Cow's milk containing only A2 protein has been shown to increase the antioxidant glutathione (GSH) that may help strengthen the body's disease-fighting power.
A novel combination of prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides could significantly improve absorption of certain minerals, according to new research in rats.
Water extracts of a fermented tea, known as Pu-erh tea, could help to reduce oxidative stress and protect the liver against damage caused by a high fat diet, research in rats has found.
The type of fat used as a carrier for phytosterol in fortified foods and drinks could have a major impact on the ability of the ingredient to lower cholesterol, according to a new meta-analysis of trials.
The sports nutrition market picking up the pace in Asia Pacific and can look forward to long-term growth, writes Allied Market Research analyst Ravi Chawat.
Nutrition has the power to make or break the vast majority of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – but not enough nutrition or food firms are pledging to help solve the problems of hunger, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
Two supplements have been banned from sale by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention after receiving advice from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
There is an urgent need to carry out more human studies with spices that have the potential to reduce glycemic response and potentially manage and treat diabetes, according to Singapore academics.
A new low-cost test to measure early-stage infant malnutrition that is suitable for use in areas with limited electricity and little health expertise has been developed by University of Sydney researchers.
Japanese nutraceutical firm AstaReal says its astaxanthin has been found to be simultaneously effective against both mental and physical fatigue in a new published study.
Australian nutraceutical firm BioCeuticals has picked up two awards, one for a new health portal, and another for its health and lifestyle brand IsoWhey.
More clinical trials are needed to build up a catalogue of evidence-based findings to enable Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to play a bigger role in Singapore’s healthcare system.
Net profits at Australian vitamin and supplement supplier Blackmores fell by 46.6% in the first quarter, with daigou sales – items bought by Chinese entrepreneurs in Australia to ship back to China – plummeting.
A joint venture between Blackmores and Bega Cheese to supply infant formula across APAC - and in particular China - has missed its sales targets, hitting Bega’s financial performance.
In the first instalment of NutraIngredients–Asia's Business Monitor, we keep tabs on the latest developments at the region’s leading nutrition and supplement firms, featuring Blackmores, Swisse Wellness and Ausnutria.
Australian researchers have developed a world-first optical sensor that can detect vitamin B12 in diluted human blood – something they believe is a first step towards a low-cost and portable, vitamin B12 deficiency test.
High consumption of vitamin and mineral-rich foods throughout early adulthood could help delay the biological process of ageing, according to new data from South Korea.
The sports nutrition potential of New Zealand blackcurrants, the superfood status of Canadian maple syrup and the functional benefits of Canadian barley – these were three of the high-profile pitches at the HI Japan tradeshow from international organisations seeking...
China will have 48.5m overweight children by 2025, the largest number in the world, after witnessing the eighth largest global increase in percentage terms over the period 2000-2013.
More than 400 foods have been approved under Japan’s 2015 Foods with Function Claims (FFC) regulation, with the market already estimated to be worth US$70bn.
The use of nutritional labelling schemes in South Korea has made it easier for consumers to make heathy choices, with their use associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, say researchers.
Interpol has teamed up with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to fight the trade in doping products like steroids, hormones and banned performance-enhancing protein peptides that are being purchased usually online by both elite and amateur sportspeople.
Consumption of the green tea compound EGCG could help to stop daytime overeating brought on by a high-fat diet, claims research backed by Abbott Nutrition.
The functional food ingredients market in Asia Pacific is being tipped to rise from $2.85bn at the end of 2016 to $5.04bn in 2026 with probiotics projected to be the fastest growing segment over the forecast period
In the first of a two-part interview, DuPont’s Asia president for health and nutrition Dr Li Yongjing discusses the initial turbulence created by the ongoing merger with Dow, and explains why he believes the new relationship will make the firm better...
A new study of classical Chinese medical texts has found almost 1500 references to age-related memory impairment similar to Alzheimer's disease, and to several plant-based ingredients that should be assessed further for their treatment potential...
There is concern about the considerable variance in the recommended consumption levels of infant formula and follow-on formula in Asia and questions over the amount of protein they are required to contain, an international conference has heard.
Asia’s functional foods and supplements industry needs to stop making unfounded health claims, while also better educating policy makers about the sound science behind its reputable products.
University of Sydney and Ramazzini Institute researchers are claiming widespread bias in industry-funded research into artificial sweeteners, arguing those financially backed by business are far more likely to have favourable results.
The food industry needs to stop looking at challenges such as obesity, malnutrition and waste as costly challenges and see them as the opportunities for creating “$2 trillion of added value” as it strives to increase global production by 70% before 2050.
Intake of green soybean extract could help reverse cognitive dysfunction and its associated accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain, say researchers.
