Experts claim to have successfully deployed artificial intelligence (AI) technology to predict consumer purchasing trends in Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, and found them to skew heavily towards foods and beverages that are related to immunity...
The use of insects as an alternative protein and food source has been consistently in the limelight in recent years with advocates citing sustainability and health benefits, leading to a plethora of start-ups focusing on the sector, but just how viable...
The Ministry of Economy in UAE has stated that it has enough food to meet the needs of its citizens for at least six months, amidst concerns of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak which is showing no signs of slowing in the region.
The annual Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2019 published by The Economist Intelligence Unit, has revealed Qatar to be the number one nation for food security among 15 Middle Eastern and North African countries.
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...
Japanese and Chinese retailers, Aeon, JD.com, and Seven & i were ranked as the top retailers in Asia, according to a new global report by Deloitte analysing 250 of the largest retailers worldwide.
Thailand’s food supply preparations to battle the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak have focused heavily on local food productivity, covering both agricultural products and processed foods.
The F&B manufacturing sector has been classified as an ‘essential service’ by many APAC countries in as COVID-19 lockdowns are imposed, enabling factories to continue producing food supplies – but this has not been seen in some places which need the...
New Zealand kiwifruit giant Zespri and dairy firm The A2 Milk Company have been highlighted as the two homegrown companies generating some of the highest growth for the nation’s F&B industry over the past two years, with both benefitting from strong...
Singapore-based palm oil company Musim Mas is hoping to achieve 100% traceability from its palm oil plantations and smallholders to its palm oil mills by the third quarter of 2020.
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...
The export slowdown of packaging materials from China in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak could exacerbate the shortage of products such as rice, flour, pasta, biscuits, and UHT in Australia caused by the current panic buying, according to the boss of...
A new Singapore study claims to have disproved the ‘urban myth’ that an Asian diet is healthier than a Western one, especially in terms of saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.
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,...
Thailand’s position as the largest exporter of rice from the South East Asian region is at risk as the country struggles to handle weather, economical and quality changes, whereas Vietnam looks to be going from strength to strength.
Japan’s Ise Foods, known for being the first firm to retail eggs with a food with function claim (FFC) has announced intentions to expand its business in Asia.
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 Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2019 listing crowned Singapore as the country with the highest food security score worldwide, but closer examination of the index data reveals several pressing concerns, not only for Singapore, but for other ASEAN...
The Philippines is looking to study virgin coconut oil (VCO) as a potential treatment for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which has since infected more than 80,000 people and killed more than 2,800 worldwide.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Economy has revealed a new initiative to reduce the prices of 5,000 food and supermarket goods with discounts ranging between 25% to 60% as the Ramadan month draws near.
TerViva has become the world’s first F&B firm to develop food products from the pongamia tree, opening the doors to a whole new source of plant-based protein and oils for the industry.
The Thai Intellectual Property (IP) Department aims to help the country generate some US$1bn in revenue yearly from indigenous products protected by Geographical Indication (GI) certification – most of them foods.
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.
The recent coronavirus outbreak (COVID-2019), which is believed to have originated from a seafood market in Wuhan, has heightened demand for fresh food imports into China.
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 Philippines is developing local reference standards to raise the quality control and monitoring of exported food products, and as such reduce the probability of these being rejected overseas and resulting in forced recalls.
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.
Researchers are pushing for India to focus on enhancing its production of crops other than rice, the country’s traditional staple, if it wishes to effectively address its triple threats of food security, climate change effects and malnutrition.
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.
Food and beverage companies in Indonesia have cited government regulations as the major factor for reformulation, in a country where 28% of the adult population is overweight, 22% is obese, and 35% of deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease.
There is currently a “mismatch” between the amount of halal food imported into Malaysia and the quantity it exports that needs to be addressed, according to Jamil Bidin, the recently retired chief executive of the agency charged with promoting the country’s...
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%.
China’s appetite for durians has been on the rise over the past few years, and its status as the top export destination for major durian-producing countries worldwide such as Malaysia and Thailand does not look likely to significantly waiver any time...
Nearly 75% of infant and children rice snack samples in Australia have been found to exceed the European Union (EU) maximum levels of inorganic arsenic levels.
Japanese specialty soy firm Yamaki Jozo is trying to promote health and wellness this Valentine’s Day by getting consumers to replace chocolates with its two special tofu products.
Bahrain is ramping up efforts to improve food security in the country after it dropped from 41st to 50th in the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) published by The Economist Intelligence Unit.
Plant-based products have recently come under fire for potential negative health and environmental effects, but much of this has so far gone more or less unnoticed and/or unmentioned by its proponents, it has been claimed.
China e-commerce giants JD say they have seen sales of fresh foods, especially vegetables, increase both online and offline during the Chinese New Year period and during the Wuhan Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak.
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.