Dietary supplements containing fucoidan from seaweed may amplify the immune response to seasonal influenza vaccinations in the elderly, a population known to have an inadequate immune response to ‘flu vaccines, says a new study from Japan.
Asian agribusiness major Wilmar has received the first Vitafoods Asia Nutrition Innovation Award at a ceremony in Hong Kong in recognition of its efforts to address the health issues of Chinese consumers.
India’s food production industry is being crushed under alarming post-harvest losses that may cross US$36bn in 2013-14, new research into the country’s agri-processing sector has revealed.
Boosting industry commitment to sustainable palm oil, the impact of upcoming EU regulation and improving certification credibility are among the topics on the agenda at the first European Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) summit.
Only 3% of Indians regard breakfast as an essential meal, nearly three-quarters do not eat an adequate breakfast each day and one in four skip it completely, according to a study sponsored by Kellogg’s.
British authorities have called a nationwide alert to warn of the increasing quantity of fake manuka honey finding its way onto the country’s retail shelves.
After a largely destroyed crop in 2012, cardamom planters have witnessed a bumper harvest this year. Yet while traders of other commodities normally cheer at higher market prices, those who deal with cardamom are now celebrating them going down.
A deluge of early monsoon rains is expected to help produce a bumper Asian rice crop this season, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation has predicted.
By Darrel Webber, secretary general of Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
Increasing global consumption of palm oil poses serious sustainability challenges and raises questions about leading consumer nations’ responsibility in managing the footprint of its global supply chain.
Through the complex acquisition of a majority stake through China’s Jiangsu Howbetter Food Co., Tate & Lyle can now boast a platform to boost its food systems business in the country.
The good news: Around 15% of global palm oil produced in the past year was certified by the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The bad news: Only half of it earned a premium, which doesn’t sound like a great recipe for inspiring more producers...
Asian agri giant and Kellogg’s joint venture partner Wilmar International has defended its palm oil operations and insisted it remains undaunted by the challenge of ensuring a sustainable supply chain.
The third largest palm oil producer in the world, Thailand has now joined a select group of nations that supply certified sustainable palm oil (SCPO), with a first consignment ready for export to Europe.
Only six months ago, Thai policymakers remained unruffled by their controversial populist policy, which had at the time just marked its first anniversary.
In a massive recruitment drive ahead of the enactment of the Food Security Law, the Food Corporation of India is in the process of appointing more than 11,000 new staff, including hundreds in managerial positions.
Australian food and grocery suppliers saw their profitability drop by 28% between 2010 and 2012, according to a report from he Australian Food and Grocery Council.
Private equity investor India Value Fund Advisors has revealed it will invest US$40m to finance the next phase of growth of a domestic food ingredients company – the latest in a line of QSR suppliers to catch the eye of buyout firms.
With a quarter of the world’s harvested wheat stockpiled, and much of it a candidate for wastage, India is now considering adding a further 2m tonnes of the crop for export.
New Zealand’s Economic Development Ministry has released a report that suggests the country is on the way to becoming a major fresh fruit supplier to new markets in Asia.
The future looks rosy for the Indian sugar sector following recent moves by the government to chop out-dated controls and introduce greater market freedom.
India’s National Food Security Bill is part of a conspiracy to impoverish farmers, according to the Samajwadi Party’s secretary general ahead of the government indicating it might convene a special parliamentary session to make the controversial plans...
China's Ministry of Land and Resources has announced plans to conduct a survey across the country to assess pollution levels as a means to ascertain the reasons behind excessive cadmium content in rice detected in some regions early this year.
Ruchi Soya, one of India's biggest food companies has entered into a joint-venture with J-Oil, Japan's leading edible oil business, and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, the global trading firm. The aim of the partnership is to develop and manufacture...
Australian canola producers can look forward to new market opportunities in the huge Chinese market after the first bulk shipments of the seed arrived in the country since it was banned.
China, the world’s biggest food and grocery market, is now valued at more than US$1tn per year and is forecast to grow by a further one-third by 2016, according to latest figures published by IGD.
A government panel has called for stringent checks for pesticides in fruit and vegetables brought into Delhi after discovering that most of the produce it tested contained dangerous chemical residues.
Woolworths has broken an apparent ceasefire in Australia’s so-called supermarket wars by launching a fresh salvo at bitter rival Coles in the form of discounts of up to 33%.
China’s rice production is proving to be a conundrum for analysts and food organisations the world over. The simple fact is, nobody knows with any degree of certainty what’s happening there, and what little that can be divined is nothing short of puzzling.
If you have been following all the big research and consulting companies’ reports, you will be well used to hearing the words “purchasing power”, “disposable income” and “larger grocery basket”, mostly in that order.
The number of wealthy Indians choosing organic food products has grown threefold over the last five years, according to a survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
The Food Corporation of India could potentially earn over Rs25,000 crore (US$4.5bn) by exporting wheat lying in open warehouses, according to an Assocham study.
In the wake of the European Commission’s announcement that it will adopt a proposal to restrict the use of three pesticides belonging to the neonicotinoid family, rice research guru Bas Bouman has called for Asia to take different approaches, including...
The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has has become the latest to outlaw edible tobacco. The order, revealed by the chief minister in the state assembly, is expected to be passed next week.
The recent rise of India as a rice exporter and of China—somewhat unexpectedly—as an importer is paving the way for increased uncertainty to the global market for the crop, according to one expert at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
Troubled Goulburn Valley cannery and Australian household name SPC Ardmona has urged the federal government to impose an emergency tax on imports of cheap tinned fruits and tomatoes.
Last week, we published a story revealing that India’s food consumption will double by 2030—a scary thought. But it’s all right, we are assured by the Confederation of Indian Industries that production is destined to increase to meet the demand as long...
Australia’s newly appointed representative on the board of the International Rice Research Institute said she would use her role to seek ways to grow rice as a means to combat world food shortages.
The growth of agro-based exports may be sustained with the opening up of new markets for sugar and bananas, according to the Philippines National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
In a bid to slow down China's corn production, state-owned BBCA Group will invest US$320m in the construction of a plant to process corn in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
A newly developed strain of rice tolerant to levels of salt found in seawater might become available to farmers in the next four to five years, and its impact on food security could be massive.
The charter of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Indian constitution is pretty consistent with the modern idea of liberal democracies. Much like elsewhere, an Indian citizen has the rights to free speech and equality, and the right to be free from...
Raising further concerns over China’s long-term food security, the production of corn in the country overtook that of rice for the first time last year, according to a report by the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences.
New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries is working with the kiwifruit industry and the supplier of a range of organically-certified citrus-based products following the unexpected discovery of very low residues of a chemical in some organic kiwifruit...
The United States Department of Agriculture has hit out at the Indian government for allowing the export of an additional 5m tonnes of wheat last month, calling it unviable unless the mandated floor price is brought down.
The Reserve Bank of India Governor D Subbarao has sparked outrage by saying that a rise in rural incomes has resulted in increasing food inflation in the country.
Wilmar and RiceBran Technologies have announced a series of licencing tie-ins to develop rice bran and its derivatives in China. The venture will seek to develop the human food ingredient and animal nutrition markets in the country.
