Breaking News on Food and Beverage in Asia Pacific

Maternal folic acid, iron linked to better baby survival

Taking folic acid and iron supplements during pregnancy may reduce infant mortality up to age 7, suggests new research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

French help for Indian food processing sector

France has offered expertise and technology to help India develop its food processing sector and improve its food safety infrastructure.

Australians need simpler salt labelling scheme: Study

Many Australian consumers are aware of the risk of high blood pressure due to excess salt intake, but a new study indicates that many have trouble interpreting labelling info that lists sodium, rather than salt.

Soy isoflavones may slow bone loss for women

Supplementation with soy-germ derived isoflavones may reduce the loss of bone in postmenopausal women, according to results of a new study from the US.

Use sustainable palm oil or suffer consequences, warns WWF

Many manufacturers and retailers are not using sustainable palm oil as much as they should to stimulate supply and lead to long-term environmental benefits, says a damning report from the WWF.

Fonterra invests in growing Malaysian market

Fonterra has completed a NZ$12m plant expansion in Malaysia as the dairy market in the country grows in sophistication.

Tate & Lyle to sell stakes in Saudi and Egyptian sugar refineries

Tate & Lyle has reached an agreement to sell its minority stake in sugar refineries in Saudi Arabia and Egypt to Saudi-based sugar refiner Savola, the companies have said.

Pomegranate’s prostate protection potential grows

The anti-prostate cancer effects of pomegranate and its extracts may be related to stopping an enzyme in the liver which processes environmental carcinogens, says a new study.

Kirin to close two breweries in new profit focus

Kirin Holding plans to close two domestic breweries as part of a three year plan to increase operating income by around 50 per cent.

Vitamin D supplements show anti-diabetes potential

Supplements of the sunshine vitamin may improve insulin resistance and sensitivity, both of which are risk factors for diabetes, says a new study from New Zealand.

News in brief

Sanofi-Aventis enters China’s OTC market

Sanofi-Aventis has signed a joint venture agreement with Minsheng Pharmaceutical Group of Hangzhou to exploit the country’s booming OTC vitamin and mineral market.

Tate & Lyle backs Asian prebiotic in Europe

A new partnership with chemical group Solvay will enable the distribution of a low dosage prebiotic food ingredient with multiple food and drink applications within Europe, the Middle East and Africa, claims Tate & Lyle.

Weekly comment

Tackling E.coli – legislation or self-regulation?

Everybody wants food to be safe - but the recent slugging match over how best to protect US consumers from E.coli-tainted meat highlights whether legislation or self-regulation is the answer to mending the country's flawed safety system.

Amcor's global vision after Alcan merger

Plant closures, overhead reductions and improved procurement will be the major platforms for up to A$250m (€154.2m) of savings Amcor forecasts it will realise in the three years following its takeover of Alcan.

Cognis launches first sunflower oil-based whipping agent

Cognis claims to have hit on an industry first with a new whipping agent based on sunflower oil that promises a healthier fatty acid profile.

Beef import rule change threat to Australian meat industry

Australia has announced it is to reopen its borders to beef imports from countries that have previously reported incidents of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

News in brief

Why white wines work with fish

White wine makes a good accompaniment to fish dishes because it has low levels of iron, report Japanese scientists.

EFSA approval for food contact materials

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has given food contact approval for two new substances, both from Japanese companies, to be used in plastic packaging.

Food processing added to Australia’s carbon cutting scheme

Plans to include food processors in Australia’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) but with special support have been welcomed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC).

Profit remains elusive in heart health foods

Sales of some big heart health brands have yet to deliver “any real returns” once development and promotion costs have been accounted for, according to Leatherhead.

China packaging firm reaps rewards from food safety law

A specialist packaging company in China has said the newly implemented food safety law has boosted business as it announced it had secured a lucrative contract with the leading domestic meat processor.

Meat processors performing worst in sustainability stakes

Meat processors are lagging behind other industry sectors when it comes to sustainability, according to a report by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC).

Weekly comment

Branded Corn Flakes are great for branding

Will we all be waking up bleary-eyed to bowls of tattooed Corn Flakes any time soon? Probably not, but by suggesting that we could, Kellogg’s has hit on a winning marketing ploy.

Coca-Cola opens new $88m bottling plant in China

Coca-Cola has announced its single largest drinks investment in China with the opening of a RMB 600m ($88m) bottling plant.

Korea deal a massive opportunity for EU food

The signing of a free trade deal between the EU and Korea has been hailed by the food and beverage industry, as it will unlock new market access for the sector.

Cognis wins rare Chinese approval for CLA

Global CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) leader, Cognis, has won a category-first novel foods approval to use its weight management ingredient in Chinese functional foods and dietary supplements.

Report breaks down slowing global beer market

Growth in the global beer market is slowing as the economic downturn quickens the decline in Europe and North America, according to a new report.

Amaranth offers natural pigments for noodles: Study

Pigments from amaranth may boost the nutritional profile and colour of Asian noodles, without affecting the quality, says a new study from China.

China to invest US$1bn in Thai food processing plant

A $1bn food processing investment is being planned for Thailand by the Chinese venture management firm China Science and Merchants Investment Management Company.

CP Kelco innovation to give one-shot multi-layered desserts

A three layered dessert formulation from one processing stream that subsequently self-separates into layers has been developed by CP Kelco.

Chinese funding to cut specialist food packaging imports

A Chinese packaging company said it is to receive multi-million dollar government funding to expand its operations and reduce domestic reliance on specialist packing imports.

New organic-certified fucoidan for functional beverages

The first organic-certified fucoidan ingredient developed for the functional beverage market will be launched as Fucorich at Supply Side West next month, according to the Australian biotechnology company Marinova.

Green tea may ease mental distress: Study

Drinking five cups of green tea per day may reduce the incidence of psychological distress by 20 per cent, says a new study from Japan.

Thai truck drivers put brakes on energy drink growth

Out of work truck drivers in Thailand may partly explain a deceleration in the global market for energy drinks, suggests a new report.

Vegetarianism poses no bone health danger: Study

Consuming a vegetarian diet may result in slightly weaker bones, but not to a level that it becomes a clinical concern, says a new meta-analysis.

Over-fishing no threat to krill harvest, says industry

Krill harvesting in the Southern Ocean is sustainable, despite fears that super swarms of the tiny crustaceans could lead to over fishing, claim two companies which rely on krill to make omega-3 rich nutraceutical products.

World Food Week

Invest now for food security in 2050

The West may be grappling with recession, but now is the time for businesses and governments to invest in agriculture and processing facilities around the world to stave off a massive food security problem by 2050, says the FAO.

News in brief

Oz/NZ mandates iodine fortification

All Australian and New Zealand bread products must now be fortified with iodine after a much-debated ruling came into force last Friday.

Weekly comment

Soda tax: A lot of froth over freedom

Is taxing soda really an evil plan to curb your individual freedom? Conspiracy theories aside, perhaps it’s simply a sensible scheme to tackle obesity when personal choice has failed.

Scoular goes to China for cheaper, GM-free soy

Scoular has signed a distribution agreement with a Chinese manufacturer to secure a lower cost, non-GM supply of soy protein isolate for nutritional products and meats.

Freeze-dried strawberries may slash cholesterol levels

Supplements of a freeze-dried strawberry may improve cholesterol levels by about five per cent, according to a study with overweight women.

New multilayer food contact approved films claimed to be a breakthrough

More sustainable food packaging which delivers longer shelf life are the benefits claimed for the new multilayer films from resins supplier Cardia Bioplastics.

Indian PM calls for national food processing strategy

India urgently needs a national food processing policy which incorporates tax breaks for the sector, the nation’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told a conference of state food processing ministers this week.

Red meat again linked to cancer risk: Study

Increased intakes of red meat may increase the risk of prostate cancer, with the meat’s heme iron content one of the possible culprits, says a new study from the US.

Dispatches from IBA

Sustainability and energy reduction rewarded at IBA

The IBA show is widely regarded as one of the most important bakery expos in the world – and so unsurprisingly the 12 awards handed out in the IBA Trophy give a strong indication of the direction of innovation in the industry.

News in brief

Chinese market opens up to acrylamide enzyme

DSM has obtained approval for its Preventase acrylamide mitigating enzyme portfolio in the high potential chinese market.

New E.coli test gets AOAC-RI validation amid renewed safety warnings

Idaho Technology’s E.coli O157:H7 test used with the RAPID LT Food Security System (FSS), which delivers results within one hour, has been validated by the independent AOAC Research Institute.

News in brief

New boost for recycled PET

Plastic food packaging provider, Par-Pak plans to invest in a process that will decontaminate and purify recycled PET so that it can be re-used for food packaging.

Recession not driving ethical spending underground

Tighter purses are not turning consumers away from ethical shopping with interest in all things sustainable or humane thriving despite the recession, according to market researcher, Packaged Facts.

Weekly comment

Bad day at the EU health claims office

October 1 was not a good day for many in the functional foods and food supplements business in the European Union as the meaning of life under a highly restrictive health claims regime came more into focus.

Meta-analysis supports safety of soy, red clover

Phytoestrogens like soy and red clover isoflavones pose no safety issues with regards to heart health and breast cancer risk, according to a new meta-analysis from Austria.

Rice and pasta receive recession fillip

Higher prices in 2008 did not curb Brits’ appetite for rice and wheat-based pasta in 2008, despite the recession’s effects on shopping budgets, according to Mintel.

Spectrometers detect toxic trace metals in rice products

Highly accurate trace metal detection in rice products is possible thanks to Thermo Fisher Scientific’s iCE 3000 Series range of atomic absorption (AA) spectrometers, claims the company.

Food pasteurization boosts safety and cuts energy use

Healthier and safer food products produced with 10 per cent lower energy consumption are claimed for a new pasteurization technology produced by Raytheon Company.

Cash injection to help Indian food processors compete abroad

The Indian Government has backed a scheme to boost research and a promote a slew of internationally recognised food safety practices in a bid to help the processing sector compete abroad.

News in brief

Lead in bran probe launched by New Zealand

The New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) is to launch an investigation after tests revealed higher than expected levels of lead in samples of bran flakes