Omega-3s & Nutritional oils

Multi-nutrient inadequacies in ANZ linked to diet-related disease calls for food-based interventions – a2 Milk-funded study

16-Apr-2024 By Hui Ling Dang

A study has found multi-nutrient inadequacies within the Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) populations, including nutrients associated with diet-related disease, highlighting the need for public policies and food-based recommendations to promote intake.

GALLERY: The 10 most-read APAC health and nutrition stories in March 2024

02-Apr-2024 By Tingmin Koe

From NMN supplements quality to new launches from Nestle China, Meiji, and FY23 results of Haleon and Bayer, here are the most-read stories on NutraIngredients-Asia in March 2024.

Novel omega-3 therapy for dyslipidaemia may improve patient compliance, convenience: South Korean study

02-Apr-2024 By Cheryl Marie Tay

A new fixed-dose combination (FDC) of omega-3 and atorvastatin — a medication to treat high blood cholesterol — could improve compliance and convenience among dyslipidaemia patients, according to researchers in South Korea.

Omega-3 could help achieve desirable levels of blood sugar among diabetics – China study

01-Apr-2024 By Audrey Yow

Daily intake of 0.4 grams of omega-3 could help more than 95% of diabetics achieve desirable blood sugar levels, according to a Chinese study based on population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PPK-PD) modelling.

Net gains: ASEAN industry body to study how supplement use can cut health care costs

25-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

The ASEAN Alliance of Health Supplement Associations (AAHSA) is planning to run a study that looks at the potential health care cost savings coming from the use of specific dietary supplements, such as omega-3, vitamin D, probiotics, and magnesium.

Science shorts: Latest findings on benefits of probiotics, extra virgin olive oil on obesity

22-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up looks at the latest health and nutrition research on the benefits of probiotics and extra virgin olive in overweight and obese individuals, including L. bulgaricus's effects in lowering blood triglyceride levels in overweight individuals,...

Instagram posts by nutrition brands under fire for lacking in quality and accuracy – Aussie researchers

18-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Instagram posts on nutrition are lacking in quality and accuracy, especially those that are posted by brands, says a group of researchers who undertook a study on Australian Instagram accounts.

VitamINSIGHTS

India market opportunities: Weight, beauty, sports driving growth, but more attention needed on FSMP, glucose control

12-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

India’s nutraceutical sector is rapidly expanding with start-ups, local players, and international brands entering the space, but the market is far from overcrowded and there is still growth space, according to insiders.

GALLERY: The 10 most-read APAC health and nutrition stories in February 2024

05-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

From India's nutraceutical regulations to consumer behaviour in Indonesia, and FY23 financial results from Kirin, Danone, and Otsuka Holdings, here are the most-read stories on NutraIngredients-Asia in February 2024.

Extra virgin olive oil lowers bad cholesterol, inflammatory marker in people with central obesity – 12-week RCT

05-Mar-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Consuming meals prepared using extra virgin olive oil for 12 weeks has showed benefits for cardiometabolic health in individuals with central obesity, such as a reduction in bad cholesterol and the inflammatory marker hs-CRP.

Nutrition and dry eye syndrome: Dietary interventions could play a role in managing condition – new data

04-Mar-2024 By Audrey Yow

The intake of specific dietary nutrients has been linked with a reduced risk of dry eye syndrome (DES) among Korean women aged 40 and above, according to a new study.

Behind the Big Story

Beyond ageing in Japan: Bayer on why market opportunities abound for maternal and infant nutrition - WATCH

27-Feb-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Japan may be an ageing society with a shrinking population, but with preconception care on the rise and a record number of babies born via in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) in recent years, companies such as Bayer Consumer Health are seeing growth opportunities...

7-Eleven Singapore adds Ocean Health’s gummies, fast melt powder to its supplement offerings

20-Feb-2024 By Tingmin Koe

Convenience chain 7-Eleven Singapore has included local dietary supplement brand Ocean Health’s products, including gummies and fast melt powder, into its offerings.

Study links higher omega-3 levels to decreased stroke risk

12-Feb-2024 By Asia Sherman

A new study published in the journal Stroke shows that people with the highest omega-3 levels have a lower risk of stroke. It also dispels correlations between omega-3s and increased risk of brain hemorrhaging.

GALLERY: The 10 most-read APAC health and nutrition stories in January 2024

06-Feb-2024 By Tingmin Koe

From Amway's regenerative agriculture initiative to our analyses on emerging nutrition markets in APAC and nutraceutical trends for this year, here are the most-read stories on NutraIngredients-Asia in January 2024.

Chinese appetite for fish oils growing: How to tap into the market

05-Feb-2024 By Nikki Hancocks

Chinese consumers have a huge and growing appetite for supplements and functional foods, leading many manufacturers to consider international expansion, but strict and confusing routes to market can make this an all too costly endeavour.

Science shorts: Benefits of synbiotics, plant-based diets and kale for obesity, GDM, and constipation

05-Jan-2024 By Tingmin Koe

This round-up looks at the latest health and nutrition research, including the role of L-carnitine and synbiotic supplementation in improving lipid and glycaemic indices in obese women, how early-life exposure to the Great Chinese Famine is linked to...

COVID-19 and omega-3: Meta-analysis suggests benefits, but urgent need for large-scale trials

20-Dec-2023 By Hazel Tang

A new meta-analysis suggests omega-3 supplementation may be beneficial for COVID-19 patients, but academics say there is an urgent need for large and rigorous trials to establish better data on timing, dosage and mechanism of action.

Supplements and PCOS: Eight products show promise, but clinical effects remain inconclusive – new review

14-Dec-2023 By Hazel Tang

Eight nutritional supplements show promise in enhancing endocrine function and glucolipid metabolism in Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients, but large-scale clinical trials are necessary to validate their effects, according to Chinese researchers.

VitamINSIGHTS

New Zealand’s natural health products sector brimming with science and research, but huge regulatory blow dampens mood

13-Dec-2023 By Tingmin Koe

New Zealand’s natural health products and functional foods sectors are brimming with science and research, however, yet another recent regulatory blow has again left the industry deeply frustrated.

Guest Article

Omega-3 Market Update: It’s All About the Supply

11-Dec-2023 By Ellen Schutt, Managing Director, GOED

To sum up the discussions about the EPA and DHA omega-3 market in 2023, only one word is required: “supply.” The focus of just about every conversation during the past year has been concern about the supply of fish oil, specifically from the Peruvian...

Increasing EPA, DHA dietary intake and supplementation could reduce risk of low birth weight babies in Japanese women – study

30-Nov-2023 By Hui Ling Dang

A lack of dietary intake and supplementation of EPA and DHA in pregnant Japanese women, especially during the second trimester, are risk factors for low birth weight (LBW) babies, say researchers.

China’s health food imports: Indonesia in the top five exporters as edible bird’s nest popularity spikes

27-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Indonesia was one of top five health food exporters of health foods to China last year, and has continued to surpass even Japan, with edible bird’s nest making up the bulk of the South East Asian country’s export.

Beyond herbal medicines: Standardised black seed oil approved for use in dietary supplements in Thailand

27-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Black seed oil from the firm TriNutra could now be set to feature in dietary supplements, with benefits across immune and cardiovascular health.

Nutrition Asia Video Series

From mass customisation to individualisation: How automation, supply chain management, 3D printing can drive personalised nutrition forward

22-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Personalised nutrition could progress from mass customisation to full personalisation as companies leverage on factory automation, supply chain management, and 3D printing to increase the efficiency of providing customised products.

Beauty-from-within Interactive Broadcast

Beauty-from-within space sees higher demand for multi-benefit products spanning gut and mental support – expert panel

15-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Asia-Pacific’s beauty-from-within category is seeing rising demand for products that address not only beauty concerns, but also those that provide multiple benefits spanning gut health and mental support, says a panel involving experts from Haleon, Blackmores,...

Regulatory review: Updates from FSSAI, Malaysia's NPRA, and HMOs approval in China

10-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

In our monthly nutra regulatory round-up, we take a closer look at India's nutraceutical regulatory approach through an interview with a former director from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Malaysia's advisory on oral aloe...

Trend tracker: Singapore nutra market, fish oil in China, beauty-from-within in the spotlight

03-Nov-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Here is the round-up of the latest nutraceutical trends in Asia-Pacific, featuring the top health and wellness concerns in Singapore and consumer behaviour, how the demand for high purity fish oil in China is set to grow, and emerging beauty-from-within...

NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2023

Aiming high: GNC China sees huge growth potential in demand for high purity fish oil as consumer education matures

31-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

GNC China says there is huge growth potential in the demand for high purity fish oil omega-3 products as consumers become more aware of its benefits, especially in regulating blood lipids level and supporting cardiovascular health.

Brand new: Swisse, Bayer, Heliocare in the spotlight

27-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

See the latest developments from health and nutrition brands across Asia-Pacific, including Swisse’s launching its first ‘assessed listed’ complementary medicine in Australia next year, Bayer Consumer Health Division’s approach to infant nutrition innovation,...

Peruvian anchovy fishing season authorised to commence

25-Oct-2023 By Nikki Hancocks

The Peruvian Ministry of Production has authorised the start of the second anchovy fishing season to commence at midnight (00.00 October 26 local time).

Nutrachampion podcast

‘Very much conservative’: How India’s regulatory approach can pose innovation problems – Ex-FSSAI director

25-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

India is still taking a “very conservative” approach in its regulations of nutraceuticals since it introduced the first set of policies seven years ago, which can pose problems for brands and suppliers seeking to introduce innovative new products.

‘Not all DHA is equal’: Concentration of specific sn-2 variant could play key role in infant formula efficacy – Junlebao

25-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

China dairy giant Junlebao believes that the concentration of a specific variant of DHA molecules – the sn-2 DHA – plays a crucial role in the absorption and efficacy of infant formulas, and has called for industry collaboration to increase understanding...

Holistic approach: New Singapore e-pharmacy aims to break the mould with strong supplement focus

24-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

A newly launched e-pharmacy, Glovida-Rx, is on a mission to provide holistic healthcare in Singapore, with pharmacists advising consumers on the use of both health supplements and pharmacy medications.

‘Quality science’: Swisse to launch its first ‘assessed listed’ complementary medicine in Australia next year

23-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Swisse is launching its first “assessed listed” complementary medicine – a krill oil product for individuals suffering from mild to moderate osteoarthritis – next year in the Australian market.

Double boost: Omega-3 supplementation positively affects CVD patients and could save costs - Korean data

23-Oct-2023 By Shali S

A study in Korea posits that a higher dosage and long-term use of omega-3 could positively affect cardiovascular disease management, and potentially save on healthcare costs.

Growth Asia Summit 2023

Healthy ageing in Asia: Metabolic health, cognition, mobility rank top for consumer need – expert panel

23-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Nutrition products designed for healthy ageing in Asia-Pacific would need to address the most pressing concerns surrounding metabolic health, cognition, and mobility, said an expert panel staged during our recent Growth Asia Summit.

Hemp for active nutrition: Regulatory support and debunking of myths ‘crucial’ to unlock potential

18-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Stronger government regulatory support and the ‘debunking’ of myths surrounding hemp are still at a ‘crucial’ stage in Asia, the success of which is key to unlocking its active nutrition potential.

Is personalised nutrition truly the future? Suntory on the challenging journey to ‘full personalisation’

16-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Global megabrand Suntory has highlighted consumer confusion and production time as some of the key challenges standing in the way of achieving ‘full personalisation’ in the nutrition and food manufacturing spaces.

Infant nutrition innovation: Focus on giving the best benefits, not just innovating with new ingredients – Bayer Consumer Health R&D chief

12-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

It is more important to focus on providing the best benefits, and not fall into the trap of innovating with new ingredients for the novelty factor, when developing new nutrition products for infants, says the global R&D head for VMS / Nutrition Health...

Growth Asia Summit 2023

‘It’s not too late’: Singapore Chinese Health Study lead investigator reveals protective impacts of diet on cognition

11-Oct-2023 By Pearly Neo

Data from the large-scale Singapore Chinese Health Study has shown that all consumers can reduce their risk of later cognitive impairment by switching to a healthier diet at any age, as revealed by the study’s principal investigator at the recent Growth...

Nutrition Asia Video Series / Vitafoods Asia 2023

Asia’s huge women’s health opportunity: Think holistic and cover all life stages to secure market gains - WATCH

11-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

The health and nutrition industry has a vast opportunity to meet women’s health needs beyond fertility and menopausal concerns, with experts believing there is still a huge gap in the range of products targeted at women’s wellbeing holistically.

Omega-3 opportunity: Australia’s BiomeMega taps on fermentation and AI to create probiotic-derived Omega-3

05-Oct-2023 By Si Ying Thian

Australia’s BiomeMega says its probiotic-derived Omega-3 comes with additional functional benefits, higher bioavailability, and can be produced at a large scale via precision fermentation.

GALLERY: The 10 most-read APAC health and nutrition stories in September 2023

03-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

From the announcement to the list of NutraIngredients-Asia 2023 winners to China's new function claims system and South Korea's health functional food import trends, here are the most-read stories in September 2023.

The best of both worlds: Eu Yan Sang on complementing TCM with health supplements and Western medicines

02-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) company Eu Yan Sang has introduced health supplements from the US to its offerings, as well as Western medical practices in its newly-launched One Wellness Medical clinics, as part of its efforts in "demystifying"...

‘Revive with exports’: Japanese associations gearing up for functional foods export opportunities

02-Oct-2023 By Tingmin Koe

Several Japan health foods associations are gearing up for export opportunities for Foods with Function Claims (FFC), such as providing export consultation services and establishing networks with regional dietary supplement associations.

Regulatory review: A closer look into Japan's FFC, South Korea's GM foods, and China's new function claims system

29-Sep-2023 By Tingmin Koe

In our monthly nutra regulatory round-up, we take a closer look at Japan’s Foods with Function Claims framework, South Korea’s new public consultation on genetically modified soybean, China’s new function claims system and more.

Vitafoods Asia 2023

Good opportunities: South East Asia poised for krill oil growth in next three years, says Aker BioMarine

27-Sep-2023 By Tingmin Koe

South East Asian countries, especially Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia present good opportunities for krill oil consumption growth in the next three to five years, says krill oil supplier Aker BioMarine.

And the winners are…Check out who took the top prizes at the NutraIngredients-Asia Awards 2023

26-Sep-2023 By Gary Scattergood

We have announced the winners of the 2023 NutraIngredients-Asia Awards, held to recognise the brightest and best products, ingredients and initiatives across the nutrition industry.

Vitafoods Asia 2023

Candy growth: dsm-firmenich eyes Japan, South Korea market expansion with exclusive deal

25-Sep-2023 By Tingmin Koe

dsm-firmenich is eyeing greater market share in Japan’s and South Korea’s functional food market by offering a new format known as "candy capsules" made by Taiwan firm Boncha Bio.