“I think it’s really important for the field to understand what the baseline understanding and criteria are for these substances so that the whole scientific and commercial and regulatory world can coalesce around definitions that make the most sense,”...
The South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) appears to have succeeded in persuading the domestic dairy industry to engage with its plans for national reforms – but is the very public beef between both sides truly over?
Afghanistan continues to battle extreme stunting and maternal malnutrition, with a combination of economic, political and social factors creating a perfect storm that shows no signs of abating.
Thai researchers have urged the local government to implement better enforcement and consumer awareness initiatives to prevent its trans-fats elimination policy from fizzing out in failure, despite its promising start.
China will implement stricter food safety and quality regulations for non-alcoholic beverages and dairy products, citing strict standards and requirements over areas such as sensory characteristics and ‘real’ product content.
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has proposed to allow a blood pressure related claim in health functional foods (HFF) containing garlic.
The US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has refuted claims that it would be postponing all infant formula import applications under its expedited scheme.
China has relaxed entry rules for ‘low risk’ food and beverage imports that ‘test positive’ for COVID-19, citing the virus’ short survival time on packaging surfaces.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health is intending to regulate natural health products via a self-assessment / declaration process, a move welcomed by the local industry body.
The South Korean government has announced that it will no longer be working with one of the nation’s largest dairy industry associations, the Korea Dairy Beef Cattle Association, in its plans to reform the sector, citing a ‘lack of trust’ and ‘damaged...
China’s State Administration of Market Regulation (SAMR) is seeking to expand the current list of approved health claims and has convened a public consultation on potential new additions.
The Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore (HSIAS) has voiced its support for a newly introduced voluntary notification scheme, explaining that it could support the credential of locally made products in both domestic and overseas markets....
South Korean food and drug authority is planning to expand the current list of health claims under the health functional foods (HFF) system to include hair health.
China seeking new methods to test laxatives, beta-blockers in health foods, New Zealand industry body objecting government’s recommendations to schedule levomefolate, and India’s mandatory traceability policy on vegan products are some of the latest APAC...
Chinese regulator State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has sought public input for methods to detect the presence of laxatives and beta-blockers in health foods and general foods.
Trade body Natural Health Products New Zealand (NHPNZ) said it would object the government’s recommendation to schedule products containing over 500mcg of levomefolate as pharmacy-only products, explaining that this could hamper export opportunities.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has specified supply chain traceability up to the manufacturer level as a key criterion for food firms manufacturing vegan products to obtain the relevant regulatory permissions.
Australia’s Healthy Care and Canada’s Jamieson Laboratories were the few overseas firms to receive China’s health foods filing approval in the first seven months of 2022, according to a new report.
The Thai authorities have stressed that stringent control measures will be enforced as more food and beverage firm seeks to use cannabis-derived ingredients, amid claims that 30% of products contain higher than permitted tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels.
Danone New Zealand and Australia-based Bellamy’s Organic are the latest to receive the US FDA’s approval to supply infant formula to the country amid its shortage crisis.
Malaysia’s regulator is conducting a public consultation on how manufacturers of traditional medicines and health supplements could validate the amount of active ingredients claimed on the product label.
This round of regulatory review will look at the development in halal trade opportunities for nutraceuticals, Taiwan FDA’s policy drafts for the use of fish oil, red yeast rice and more.
Supplement companies must enact policies to fight and prevent modern slavery across their supply chains, ensure clear accountability and governance structures, and coordinate efforts to increase education on modern slavery among staff and suppliers.
The authors of a recent review assert that all diet-related chronic diseases are linked to the microbiome but there is limited consideration of these interactions in contemporary dietary guidelines.
The South Korean government has imposed tougher criteria on ready-to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) instant products that want to make healthier nutritional claims on pack, in an expansion of rules first placed on instant noodles earlier this year.
The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration is proposing warning statements to be printed on health foods containing fish oil and red yeast rice due to their potential interaction with certain medications.
The Australian regulator has updated guidance for supplement firms around testimonials and paid influencers, ahead of a new advertising code kicking in at the end of this month.
The Indian authorities have introduced new regulations on Ayurvedic products, including rules covering health claims and the addition of vitamins and minerals.
Food and beverage manufacturers in the Middle East have been urged to stop toeing the line in terms of making any off-pack claims for their products, given increasing awareness and warnings raised by governments in the region.
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) reported that synbiotics and lutein products made in the US and Germany have failed capsule disintegration tests in its latest inspection.
Nutra firms say they are reaping the rewards of the UK and Indian governments facilitating trade partnerships, with the UK’s OptiBiotix Health and India’s Apollo Hospitals Group, which also operates over 4,000 pharmacy outlets, two recent beneficiaries.
Chinese consumers have determined the traffic light labelling system as well as distinct warning labels highlighting ‘negative’ nutrients such as sugar, salt and saturated fat to be the most effective forms of front-of-pack labelling (FOPL), according...
China’s food regulator is seeking public consultation on the use of the human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL) in infant formula as well as in foods for toddlers and young children.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has revised the nutrient values for infant nutrition products, with the new requirements enforced from October.
This round-up will feature the latest regulatory developments in APAC, from New Zealand’s health benefit claims coverage to India’s new nutra policy that is said to be beneficial for new product development and imports.
Trade body Natural Health Products New Zealand (NHPNZ) said that being permitted to make health benefit claims “does not go far enough” to put locally produced natural health products (NHPs) on par with overseas competitors.
A set of new nutraceutical regulations operationalised by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) this month will make it easier for companies to innovate and import a broader range of supplements, although there are still some ‘bottlenecks’...
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has drafted new regulations for saw palmetto fruit and gingko leaf extract which are now open for public consultation until June 10.
Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration has announced new regulations on the use of aloe vera in foods and dietary supplements, which will kick in on January 1, 2023.
South Korea has cracked down on the use of butterfly pea flowers in foods and beverages, stating that consumption of the colourant is unsafe due to a lack of food safety data.
South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has taken action against websites that showed exaggerated advertisements for joint health supplements.
While consumers are clamouring for healthier beverages across APAC, spanning sugar reduction and the added functionality, the regulatory landscape still poses a significant challenge for brands.
China's 'blue-hat' labelling requirement, India's nutraceutical retail initiative involving over 8,000 stores, and Australia's implementation of new dosage restrictions for vitamin B6 will be covered in this regulatory round-up....
All newly listed supplements in Australia containing molluscs, vitamin B6, and artemisia will need to comply with new regulations immediately, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has announced.
The IPA Europe and the European Dairy Association (EDA) have jointly called for the term ‘probiotic’ to be reassessed and for foods containing probiotics to be included on the nutrition claims list.
The New Zealand government is starting to recognise the therapeutic benefits of natural health products, but the country is still a long way from making therapeutic claims product labelling a reality, says the country’s industry body.