Japan Focus: Meiji, Coca-Cola, children dietary concerns and more feature in our round-up

Milk protein supplementation could relieve fatigue during menstruation – Meiji study​

The supplementation of milk protein, specifically alpha-lactalbumin, has shown to improve menstrual-related symptoms, including reducing fatigue, a crossover study by Meiji has shown.

The study involved researchers from Meiji’s R&D and new product development division, as well as Kayaba-cho Mental Health Care Clinic. Findings of the study were published in Japanese Pharmacology and Therapeutics (JPT).​

Demand planning: How Coca-Cola is utilising data, consumption patterns to slash food waste in Japan​

Coca-Cola has revealed how it is deploying data and striving to extend shelf life to help slash food waste in Japan.

Head of Digital at Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc., Khalil Maaouni, said the firm had made improvements in forecasting demand for its 250,000 outlets and 700,000 vending machines in Japan.

Compensating for poor diets? Japanese kids who take supplements eat less healthily – government-funded study​

Japanese children who consume dietary supplements were found to eat less healthily than non-users, consuming more oils and confectionary and lower amounts of fruits and vegetables.

The findings were presented in a paper titled “Food and nutrient intake in dietary supplement users: a nationwide school-based study in Japan” ​published in the Journal of Nutritional Science.

Japan’s functional foods dilemma: Just over one-third of approved FFC products successfully launched in FY21​

Only about one-third of approved Foods with Function Claims (FFC) made it on to the market in FY2021, with more than 60 per cent pending launch, exclusive new data has shown.

Between April 2021 and March this year, only 495 out of 1,445 FFC approved for sale were successfully launched in the market.

Plant power: Independent research supercharges probiotic tonics firm Akesi for APAC expansion​

Singapore bio-fermented tonics firm Akesi hopes new research on the polyphenol content of its products will be the catalyst for the firm’s growth in APAC over the next five years.

Armed with the independent research carried out by Australia’s Southern Cross Plant Science Analytical Research Laboratory, Akesi’s founders Victoria McKellar and Dr Elizabeth Biggs plan to enter new markets, such as Malaysia, other South East Asian nations and bigger markets like Japan from 2023 to 2027.