Cannabis-based nutraceuticals and their APAC applications, probiotic innovations for mental and metabolic health, and the changing bone and joint health supplement sector make up our five most read stories on social media over the past month.
Read about China's ambitious food safety plans, India's proposal on infant food for special medical purposes, Nestlé Australia and NZ's bid to lower protein content in follow-on formula, and functional health claims in Japan and Korea.
China firm Hanyi Bio-tech has developed a technology to increase the water-solubility of cannabidiol (CBD), and aims to expand its application into a range of health food and supplement products.
India's Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has developed a novel nutraceutical product from seaweed that is said to be able to combat hypertension, and is now on the lookout for industry partners to help bring it to consumers.
Indian firm VLCC Wellness is preparing for domestic and international expansion with its first launch under its VLCC Wellscience banner – a new range of nutricosmetics.
Japanese pharmaceutical, chemical and IT group Teijin has outlined a long-term goal for expansion in Asia and Europe after establishing its nutraceutical F&B business, NOMON.
Taiwan's Bened Biomedical is expanding its psychobiotic business from APAC to Europe, with a new proprietary probiotic strain, as well as recent research on its established PS128 product, driving the firm's continued growth.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may be useful for patients of dry eye disease (DED) if they are not concurrently using other systematic or topical eye medications, according to a Taiwanese study.
Extensive investment in innovation to develop more sustainable products, as well as ambitious CO2 reduction targets directly linked to the company's bottom line, are two of the key strategies DSM is adopting as part of its sustainability efforts....
Australian supplements giants Blackmores' ongoing hunt for a new CEO in the wake of Richard Henfrey's resignation may soon come to an end, as owner Marcus Blackmore has confirmed that the firm is now looking at its final candidates.
Find out what researchers are saying about omega-6's impact on pregnancy, omega-3's effect on liver fat, the link between probiotics and anxiety, excessive BCAA intake and more in our science news round-up.
Pharmaceutical companies are showing increasing interest in the nutraceutical industry, believing it is a natural fit with their core businesses. But Responsible Nutrition Association of India founder Amit Srivastava wonders if this is a match made in...
Find out which Japanese firms will feature at this year's Healthy Ageing APAC Summit, which brands have benefited the most from the FFC system, and what new innovations have sprung up in Japan.
Italian probiotics firm Centro Sperimentale del Latte (CSL) is looking to drive further APAC growth and reinforce its presence in the region, having recently opened an office in Singapore.
Probiotics may not be as effective as non-probiotic methods of intestinal microbiota regulation when it comes to relieving anxiety symptoms, according to a Chinese systematic review.
Gencor Pacific is eyeing success in South East Asia and Taiwan with its proprietary ingredient Levagen, following positive results from a clinical trial assessing its effects on osteoarthritis.
There is just over one week left to enter the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2019, which will recognise the region's brightest and best nutrition, supplement and functional food firms.
Find out what's been happening in China's supplement and health food market, from overseas firms like Glanbia and Robertet expanding their China presence, to local businesses introducing protein and probiotic innovations.
FANCL, Nippon Suisan, and Ezaki Glico are three of the biggest beneficiaries of Japan's Food with Function Claims (FFC), which was introduced four years ago and gave firms more opportunities to make health claims without going through the more stringent...
Taiwan's health food market is dominated by lactobacillus products, followed by stout camphor fungus, enzymes and collagen, according to new findings from Taiwan's Food Industry Research and Development Institute (FIRDI).
Get the latest on what Blackmores is doing for pharmacists in APAC, OptiBiotix's Thai expansion, HealthKart's latest round of funding, ESI Nutrition's infant formula approval in China, and Evolve BioSystems' launch in Singapore and...
Carrying the official logo of the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) on Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificates for health food is crucial for smooth exports, the government unit said.
South Korean authorities will revise current regulations and introduce safety measures in the booming personalised nutrition industry, including strengthening the quality control of personalised functional health foods, regulating advertising, and assessing...
China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has published a list of fake or illegal product advertising cases covering health foods for the first time this year, with many carrying a raft of exaggerated claims.
The time is now for industry to voluntarily improve the transparency of probiotic product quality, even in the absence of regulatory requirements, says a recent review.
UK firm OptiBiotix is continuing its expansion in the Asia-Pacific region with the latest deal for its weight management product, SlimBiome — an exclusive three-year agreement with Thai national distributor Primo.
The New Zealand Blackcurrant Cooperative (NZBC) is targeting functional food and beverage growth in Japan, with the outfit hoping to gain momentum for the Rugby World Cup being held in the nation this year.
HealthKart — India's largest omni-channel nutrition platform — is planning further offline expansion and a more extensive in-house range of supplements, supported by a fresh round of financing to the tune of US$25m.
With the number of seniors in APAC set to double to 1.3bn by 2050, there will be vast opportunities for food and nutrition firms to secure sales success within this demographic…but only if they can effectively communicate with this growing audience.
Beauty from within could be 'the heart of market growth' in India's vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) industry, with physical appearance among the top three reasons for consuming VMS products.
Chinese start-up SMEAL Shanghai Biotechnology is competing for a slice of China’s diet replacement and weight control market by selling its products in an atypical format – by packaging powdered beverage in bottles instead of sachets or tins.
US-based microbiome firm Evolve BioSystems have entered the APAC market with its flagship consumer probiotic for newborns, Evivo, which has launched in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Supplements containing cannabidiol (CBD) and functional foods with hemp are among the biggest buzz categories in nutrition right now, but can they become mainstream commercial success stories in APAC?
Read about domestic and foreign supplements in China, how one organisation is driving nutraceutical growth in India, and how you can register for the second NutraIngredients-Asia Awards in our trends spotlight.
Personalised nutrition ‘is the future’ for dietary supplements, but there still needs to be major advances in testing, product formulation and consumer feedback before it can become a mainstream solution.
Excessive consumption of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) may reduce lifespan, negatively impact mood and lead to weight gain, according to new Australian research on mice.
Blackmores institute is expanding its supplements and complementary medicines training and educational programmes for pharmacists, with the launch of a more advanced course in Malaysia, and new developments in Pakistan, Thailand, Singapore and Australia.
The academic who pioneered the concept of vasoactive nutrients – which can boost blood flow in all tissues – will reveal how resveratrol can enhance cognitive performance and mood, and reduce pain perception at our second Healthy Ageing APAC Summit.
Australian nutraceutical firm Nutrafruit is fine-tuning its plum-derived formulations as it eyes expansion in East Asia, with continued scientific research lending credibility to its health claims.
South Korean confectionery company L-GA is venturing into the vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) space with its newest launch, a range of candy vitamins called MultiVita C365.
Cognitive health supplement firm Senescence Life Sciences has teamed up with US-based digital platform Savonix to work on clinical studies of its botanical cognitive health supplements.
Australian bio-pharmaceutical firm MGC Pharmaceuticals is eyeing expansion in East and South East Asia with its cannabis-based nutraceutical products, after having recently launched in China.
South Korean firm Xation is targeting South East Asia with its very first edible skincare and haircare brand, 241 Balance, prioritising Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand as its initial entry points in the region.
More than half (53.7%) of the Chinese consumers surveyed said they bought imported nutrition supplements, while only 7.9% preferred to buy local products, according to a white paper released by the Chinese Nutrition Society.
Nootropics in New Zealand, cordyceps in South Korea, and the impact of China's daigou clampdown on companies like Swisse owner H&H all feature among our five most read stories on social media this month.
The intake of omega-3 fatty acids may have cardio-protective effects against air pollution, according to an RCT conducted by researchers in China and the US.
Read about food fortification, illegal diet pills and an 11-year-old dairy ban in India, health claims under scrutiny in Singapore, and yet more infant formula controversy plaguing Nestlé in our news regulatory round-up.
India's recently formed Expert Nutraceutical Advocacy Council (ENAC) has launched its website and named its advocacy board members as it ramps up its mission to become an independent voice for the nutrition industry in the country.