Meiji’s sales of functional yogurt in Japan have been declining due to the levelling of demand and an intensifying market competition, but sports nutrition is on the up, the firm has revealed.
Kirin Brewery and Kirin Beverage have announced their respective business strategy for the year ahead, with the former focusing on strengthening its craft beer sales, and the latter on growing its immune care pillar.
Almost nine-out-of-10 people surveyed online in Japan have not heard of Health Support Pharmacies (HSPs), a new category of pharmacies that provide consultations on diet, nutrition, health foods and nursing care, alongside prescription medication.
China’s probiotic market has been traditionally driven by products targeted at infants and kids, but global probiotic brand Culturelle believes that the adult market is set for “very strong growth momentum”.
A higher intake of vitamin A, B1, B3 has shown to reduce the risk of depression associated with heavy metal exposure, said a Korean national cohort study.
The intake of Mulberry (Mori ramulus) extract after a high fat and sucrose diet has shown to reduce post-meal blood glucose, according to a RCT conducted in South Korea.
Korea Ginseng Corp (KGC) continues to top the country’s health functional foods sales chart, while Korea Yakult has been pushed out of the top five, according to new data.
Building a distributor empire and maximising the ‘private domain management’ of flagship online stores are two of the methods BYHEALTH International is tapping to drive e-commerce sales in China.
Oral supplementation of astaxanthin was shown to improve the symptoms and signs of middle-aged and elderly patients with mild-to-moderate dry eye disease (DED) in China.
The combination of two beta-glucans produced by Aureobasidium Pullulans (AFO-202 and N-163) strains along with standard treatment was shown to reduce inflammatory biomarkers in COVID-19 patients, compared to just the standard treatment alone.
The quality of clinical trials behind products under Japan’s Foods with Function Claims (FFCs) is undermined by a lack of proper protocols, such as the absence of trial registration and transparent study designs, says a new study.
New Zealand deer milk producer Pāmu is developing a range of nutritional supplements for beauty and general health applications, with products expected to launch in Vietnam this March.
The supplementation of both berberine and probiotics has been shown to reduce post-meal lipid spike in Type II diabetes patients, according to a 12-week RCT from China.
Manufacturers of ‘solid beverages’ will need to follow a set of new rules, such as changing their product labels, to prevent consumers from confusing them as health foods or infant formula, said the Chinese authorities.
South Korea is re-evaluating the safety and functionality of co-enzyme Q10, squalene, and seven other ingredients’ use in health functional foods (HFFs) this year.
Health foods that claim to strengthen the immunity, aid memory improvement, alleviate physical fatigue etc may need to undergo scientific reassessment, such as redoing animal experiments or human trials, the Chinese authorities have proposed.
Diacylglycerol (DAG) oil can reduce body weight, body mass index, waist circumference and serum triacylglycerol (TAG) in people with glucose and lipid metabolism-related diseases, compared to those taking TAG oil, according to a meta-analysis of randomised...
The frequent consumption of processed foods leads to an increased risk for atopic dermatitis, according to a study conducted on adults living in China.
A total of 22 imported krill oil products – mostly from the United States – have failed the latest round of inspection by the South Korean authorities for mixing different oils in the products.
Probiotic specialist Culturelle is witnessing strong growth in China for its products targeted at women’s intimate health and weight management, alongside products for digestion.
Nagasaki University and Kirin Holdings are embarking on a joint clinical research to assess the effect of lactic acid bacteria on relieving symptoms in COVID-19 human subjects.
US-based Prolacta Bioscience, best known for its human milk-based nutritional fortifiers, is conducting a clinical trial assessing the effect of its products on the growth of premature infants in Japan.
This round-up features new innovations in the Indian market with a focus on botanicals and plant-based ingredients to address liver, lung, cognitive health issues, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as the growth potential of the hemp industry.
Consumption of turmeric extract for 12 weeks improved mental health and mood disturbance, as well as reducing inflammatory markers, in healthy but overweight participants.
There are a number of scientific reports which claim that there is a high rate of anaemia among the Indian population, but the latest guest of our NutraChampion podcast argues that this may not be the case and there may even be an “overdiagnosis” of anaemia...
Consuming coix seed was shown to increase the abundance of certain immune cells such as ‘killer T’ and ‘helper T’ in healthy adults, offering clues to its mechanism in skin infection.
South Korean regulator the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) is removing spirulina’s skin health functional claim and has also changed the requirements of eight other raw materials.
A new start-up from China, Ortu, has released a clean label skin health supplement on Tmall said to cater to all genders, ages and skin colours, and eschewing the traditional lightening claims.
Probiotics have boomed in China in recent years, accounting for almost half of Asia’s sales, but the nation’s infant nutrition market has begun slow, leading experts to call for more innovation and products with added functionality.
Astaxanthin combined with celecoxib, a drug used to treat pain and inflammation, can lower uric acid levels in people with gouty arthritis, more significantly than celecoxib alone.
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has developed a set of nutritional standards for specialised foods catered to the elderly and cancer patients.
See our 10 most-read regulatory stories of 2021, including Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) policies in India, South Korea’s monitoring of krill oil and probiotics, and new standards for fish oil in Thailand.
Australia’s complementary medicines industry is “in a good position” compared to many other countries when it comes to meeting China’s new customs regulations which will kick in next January, says a leading figure at the Therapeutic Goods Administration...
South Korea has introduced an ‘S mark’ certification for food products that have undergone review and been approved as elderly-friendly, with products for the ageing population being dubbed a ‘future food’ category for the country.
Read our top 10 most viewed Japan health and nutrition stories this year, featuring COVID-19 clinical trials, innovations in cognitive health, and the growing Food with Functional Claims industry.
Food and OTC supplements are the two most purchased categories when Chinese consumers buy products from Singapore, according to the latest data from Tmall Global.
The Japanese manufacturer of the popular Tenshi no RaRa brand of collagen drinks and soaps is aiming to increase sales by fivefold in Taiwan next year.
A high dose of DHA omega-3 supplementation has shown to improve symptoms of dry eye and oil glands dysfunction, according to findings from an eight-week RCT conducted in South Korea.
Yiling Pharmaceutical’s Lianhua Qingwen, NMN market boom, Nestle China’s ‘blue-hat’ certified health foods for seniors, and a2 milk market potential are some of the most popular China-related stories this year.
Japan’s Food with Functional Claims (FFC) system has recorded its highest number of notifications at 691 products in the first half of the current fiscal year from April 2021 to September 2021, compared to 496 products in the corresponding period last...
South Korea is allowing vitamins, minerals, and supplements (VMS) to be made into more types of dosage forms, with jelly, film, and disintegrating tablets added into the list of permitted formats for VMS.
New insights into HMO levels in the breast milk of Chinese mothers has been detailed in a study funded by Abbott, in what is believed to be the first to cover a prolonged study period of 400 days postpartum.
South Korea is going digital in its efforts to crackdown on imported kimchi and related products masquerading as being locally produced, after identifying a large leap in the imports of ingredients traditionally used to in the sector.
Hong Kong’s Govita is looking to expand its patent pending metabolic testing and personalised nutrition business into China, with talks underway with potential partners and investors.