Adults in Saudi Arabia were consuming almost 11g of salt daily, more than double the recommended salt intake of 5g/day by WHO, according to a recent study.
Malaysian insect-protein firm Ento has opted to shift its food production focus from whole-insect snacks to a ‘proteinisation’ focus in the hope of increasing consumer acceptability and encouraging mass consumption.
APAC public health experts say they are optimistic that the UK’s recent moves to ban TV ‘junk food’ ads before 9pm will encourage governments in the region to adopt similar measures – but also want more comprehensive restrictions that cover digital media.
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.
The Asia Pacific savoury snack sector has undergone significant transformation over the past few years, with healthier, better-for-you options as well as localised flavours and ingredients gaining more momentum over traditional deep-fried and extruded...
Fortified, plant-based, and better-for-you packaged foods will continue to soar in APAC post-pandemic, with preventive health, wellness and nutrition now firmly ingrained in the conscience of consumers, an expert panel claims.
Japan has banned the use of the terms ‘artificial’ and ‘synthetic’ to describe food additives on all food and beverage labels after consumer research found they were causing consumers to shun such products.
The potato industry in Australia is now in a state of ‘high alert’ for any potential French fries dumping activity from the EU, highlighting its chief concerns as price plummeting and farmer welfare after a tough season.
Sugar taxation has remained the most effective for of food taxation when it comes to reducing diet-related diseases as compared to taxes on salt, saturated fat and junk food, according to a recent New Zealand study.
New Zealand nut butter specialist firm Fix & Fogg has opted to establish a local production facility in the United States so as to overcome quota challenges and facilitate further expansion in the country.
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.
India’s newest food tax saga stemming from Southern flatbreads being taxed higher than Northern ones has placed renewed focus on the country’s controversial GST system, provoking claims of ‘cultural racism’ from campaigners.
Bulla Dairy Foods’ decision to shift its popular ice cream Choc Tops from a cinema foodservice-style distribution format to a ‘shelf-ready’ product for Coles supermarkets during the COVID-19 lockdown in Australia enabled the brand to continue successful...
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has approved Lawson’s fried chicken (karaage kun) as a space food for astronauts after three years of testing.
Snacking has evolved from being a convenient and comforting experience before Covid-19 to a more food conscious and healthy activity during the pandemic, two market experts claim.
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.
The Philippines is considering implementing higher sugar taxes as well as new taxes on ‘junk food’ high in sodium and trans fat to offset the costs incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak this year.
Nestle Malaysia has expressed strong confidence in post-its COVID-19 recovery, with the firm accelerating its e-commerce drive at products with an ‘at-home’ focus.
Global fruit giant Del Monte says a combination of the digital transformation sweeping the Middle East, coupled with its might as a global brand, is helping drive e-commerce sales across the region.
The food industry is awash with uncertainty right now – but two factors are abundantly clear; consumer expectations around food safety and quality will be heightened.
Ayam Brand, a household name in Asia for its canned processed foods, is introducing its clean label processed peas, which now come in a light brown colour due to the removal of artificial colourings.
South Korea has made Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification mandatory for all foreign food facilities exporting into the country, in an effort to tighten its control over imported food safety hazards.
PepsiCo-owned Chinese snacks firm Baicaowei is targeting a ‘new era of meat’ with its plant-based sausage snack, claiming that this is unlike any other seen in the country before.
Salmonella is more frequently found in the Chinese pork production chain than in chicken, according to new research published by scientists in Chongqing.
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.
Local F&B companies in India such as Mother Dairy and Parle Products appear to have come out on top in terms of product healthiness in a new listing – but overall, just 16% of all companies’ products have been recognised as ‘healthy’ items in the...
Products from Nestle and Unilever in India have emerged at the top of a list of firms improving the nutritional quality of foods in the country based on criteria from the Health Star Rating (HSR) system used in Australia and New Zealand – but the highest...
Although the Australian snacking industry has seen a sharp rise in consumer preference for ‘healthy’ snacks across the past decade, savoury options such as potato chips still hold a substantial lead over all others.
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...
APAC’s chocolate market is forecast to achieve solid growth in the first half of this decade, with sustainability commitments, bean-to-bar production and taste innovation set to propel the sector, as we reveal in detail in our latest FNA Deep Dive multimedia...
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.
The popularity of ruby chocolate is skyrocketing amongst local and international confectionery and bakery companies alike in Japan, with a further boom expected ahead of Valentine’s Day .
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.
Almost US$100,000 worth of well-known spreads were confiscated by the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from two local Indian dairy firms for ‘zero cholesterol’ and ‘low cholesterol’ mislabelling violations.
Malaysian cocoa firm Vive Snack is banking on a strong local focus to further expand its reach in the domestic market, with an emphasis on its use of local ingredients and new product innovations.
South Korea has released a new 10-step nutrition labelling guidelines document to address challenges faced by food businesses in correctly labelling food and beverage items, in the hopes of increasing industry compliance to standards and regulations.
Allergen labelling in China for pre-packaged foods could soon become mandatory under new plans unveiled by the Chinese National Health Commission (NHC).
Nestle Australia’s Uncle Tobys muesli bars have launched a new range with a superfoods and nutritional health focus, targeting whole families and consumers looking for convenient snacking options.
DuPont’s food and beverage arm has just launched a snacking campaign focused on research into ASEAN consumer trends and has identified seven food and beverage concepts to zoom into within this.
South Korea plans to focus on five major sectors within the local food industry and give these a ‘vitality boost’ as part of its 2030 target to double the value of the sector.
Distilled coconut liquor spiked with methanol in the Philippines was responsible for 11 deaths and caused illness in 300 more, reported national newspaper Phil Star.
We take a look at the five top trends that look set to shape the Asia Pacific food and beverage industry in 2020, from fortification to cell-based development to sustainability and more.
Malaysian ready-to-eat manufacturer BioHaruan hopes its recent visit to the SIAL trade show in Jakarta will open the doors to the Indonesian market for its brands, including its innovative Rezza Hot 2 Go snack kits.
The Malaysian Ministry of Health (MOH) has insisted it will work with social media sites to block all food advertisements that make unvalidated nutritional or health claims, which are in direct violation of the country’s food act.
New research from Singapore has revealed significant rates of pork or lower-quality fish DNA in local seafood products, leading researchers to urge clearer food labelling guidelines and more stringent testing with better technology in the F&B industry.