Chinese consumers are willing to pay more for the enhanced mandatory labelling of genetically modified (GM) soybean oil, according to new data funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
South Korea has launched a pilot application dubbed the ‘Imported Food Search Lens’ to enable consumers to check the food safety information of imported products by taking pictures of product labels, even if they are not part of any specific traceability...
Monitoring tests of Japan’s food products after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident showed that drinking water, milk and infant food were within the radioactivity concentration limits after five years, but some samples from the wild animal meat and agricultural...
More effective policies to prevent allergen cross contamination are needed in Australia’s food industry, while voluntary labelling needs to more accurately reflect the risk profile, said a lead investigator of HealthNuts, the world’s largest comprehensive...
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency (CCA) is warning general food and health food manufacturers against labelling their products as being effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, to avoid consumer misunderstanding and harming public health.
The spotlight has been focused on the topic of microplastic pollution risk in fishmeal this week as a recent study shows the ingredient, used most often in fish and pig feed diets, can be contaminated by the tiny plastic particles.
Almost half (49.7%) of Chinese consumers surveyed say they were willing to sample cell-based meats, but almost as many (47.2%) said they would not wish to eat it regularly.
Only 15 countries worldwide are still implementing import restrictions on food items from Japanese districts that were stricken by the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown disaster in 2011 – but progress with those that remain may be hard to achieve...
The Japanese government has found no sign of genetically modified (GM) soybean and rapeseed crops having any impact on surrounding biodiversity over 15 years of natural growth, further strengthening its argument for further GM-related approvals in the...
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has launched a nationwide investigation into a widespread local honey adulteration scandal and is mulling ‘better’ test methods – but researchers are calling for the agency to take more ‘stronger,...
About 20% of fish products in Taiwan are mislabelled, with snapper, cod and surimi products found to be the most vulnerable to fraudulent substitution.
The Chinese government has issued a series of warnings and directives on the consumption of fermented foods, counterfeit foods and beverages on the back of a deadly mass food poisoning event and the rapid rise of food fraud cases in the past year.
A study by researchers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and China has found that the levels of iron, chromium, cadmium and nickel in fish caught from the Red Sea exceeded the levels recommended by various authorities such as the EU, FAO, and WHO.
The South Korean government has laid out its food safety upgrade plans for the first half of 2021, with a great deal of focus centred on meat and meat product imports and processing, in response to consumer concerns.
The Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association (MADSA) says its brand members are being disadvantaged by ‘unauthorised’ online retailers selling their products at lower prices – and is calling on the government to clampdown on the situation.
Marine microalgae for functional foods, eco-friendly plastic discovery, plant essential oils as preservative and more in this edition of Science Shorts
The Chinese government has announced a new three-year strategy to further develop the local dairy industry, with emphasis on strengthening R&D as well as tighter governance to quell remaining food safety concerns and boost the sector’s reputation.
Singapore-based start-up ProfilePrint has cited growing interest in alternative proteins and specialty ingredients as potential areas to explore with its patented artificial intelligence food ingredient analysis technology.
A study commissioned by the New Zealand government has revealed that chicken remains the country’s top source of campylobacteriosis, which is in turn the most common foodborne illness in the country – despite national efforts to bring it under control...
Essential oils derived from plants have the potential to replace chemical preservatives in meat and meat products against bacterial contamination, according to latest findings.
More studies are emerging of food products as a potential carrier for SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus causing COVID-19, according to new review of the research, but there is no evidence of it leading to transmissions.
F&B firms and governments in Asia will need to step up and provide more reassurance regarding food product safety and supply chain transparency to local consumers, as recent studies have revealed a vast lack of confidence in several parts of the region.
Commercialisation of smart and active packaging is failing to fulfil its potential in the food and beverage sector, largely limited by regulations, cost, safety and accuracy issues.
China is looking to virtual ‘spot checks’ on incoming food imports and tightened cold chain management guidelines in an attempt to prevent a resurgence of COVID-19 in the country as winter arrives and increasing cases of virus have been found on frozen...
China is planning to revise safety standards governing multiple processed foods and nutritional ingredients in its latest initiative to battle food contamination and adulteration in the country.
In Africa, naturally fermented camel milk sold by farmers at local markets often contain disease-causing microorganisms. Now, researchers have isolated ‘new’ strains of lactic acid bacteria they say can make the milk safer.
Scientists have developed a novel active coating containing chitosan, tea and cinnamon extracts to improve the quality of fish fillets during refrigerated storage.
The New Zealand honey industry has refuted recent claims of its products being unsafe for consumption in the wake of reports that over 20% of retail packed honey contains glyphosate residues, saying that these findings have been ‘over-sensationalised’.
Chicken, pork and salmon samples contaminated with COVID-19 showed no decline in the virus level after 21 days in both refrigerated and frozen storage conditions.
Pakistani scientists have reiterated calls for better regulatory measures to control trans fatty acid (TFA) levels in local food and beverage products following findings that TFA was found to be very prevalent in the food supply, but rarely labelled correctly.
An Australian report by the New South Wales government has found both widespread Salmonella and Campylobacter bacteria presence in raw chicken obtained from local processing plants and retail outlets, with the latter a potential new source of food safety...
A new study on antibiotic misuse in the Indian dairy sector has cast new doubt on the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) continued assertions that the country’s dairy is ‘safe for consumption’.
Chinese e-commerce firm Pinduoduo (PDD) and Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI) are developing a cost-effective way of testing for contaminants such as pesticides in fresh produce – in an effort to boost consumer, retailer...
Regulatory inefficiencies in the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have again entered the spotlight after recent government correspondence revealed ‘rampant’ occurrences of margarine masquerading as butter within the F&B industry.
Probiotics, omega-3 DHA/EPA, and supplements containing the garcinia cambogia extract are linked to the majority cases of unwanted side effects linked to nutraceutical use in South Korea, health officials have reported.
Human bacterial pathogens, plastic, kerosene, paint, talc and even milk powders were some of the contaminants found in oysters collected in Myanmar, a new study reveals.
An inspection and review conducted by South Korea’s authorities found that most of the supplements of questionable quality being sold only were from US brands.
India’s food counterfeit incidents have risen at an ‘alarming rate’ between 2018 and 2019, numbers which will have significantly negative impacts on the country’s ‘Make in India’ campaign if more stringent measures are not taken to control these.
Fish caught from the seas surrounding Turkey have been found to be contaminated with heavy metals above the recommended maximum limit, in particular, lead and cadmium.
The government of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) has built of a new food safety and quality control centre with a Chinese partner, in the hope of providing a boost for the country’s economy and potentially graduating from its current ‘Less-Developed...
Radiation levels in Japan’s bottled water – which soared in popularity following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident – have been found to be in line with levels across the world.
Researchers in Australia have called for more stringent food allergen labelling regulations after recent data revealed that the lack of warning labels poses a bigger risk for consumers than cross-contamination during food processing.
Singapore harbours major ambitions in becoming more food self-sufficient with novel food technology as one of its key strategies, but a recent study has found that public attitudes towards such tech could seriously hinder the government’s plans.
A new light technology touted as a chemical-free ‘disruptor’ to the food preservation and disinfection has been created by a spin-off from the National University of Singapore (NUS).
China has revealed microbial contamination, excessive food additives and excessive drug residues to be the major food safety challenges that the country is facing, based on data from the government-administered 2019 National Food Safety Inspections.
India has repeatedly stressed that the country’s agricultural sector will emerge unscathed from and even achieve growth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, but injurious fearmongering and a severe locust threat seem to suggest otherwise.
