Daily consumption of flavanol-rich cocoa reduced arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women – therefore lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes, a study revealed.
Functional soups featuring botanical and herbal ingredients such as ginger, ginseng and cordyceps are ripe for new product development in Japan, with the ageing population a particularly lucrative target market.
Kyowa Hakko has launched a new amino acid blend called Setria Performance Blend to capitalize on the growth of the sports nutrition sector. The launch also coincides with a new emphasis on quality, the company says.
Poor social support, economic disadvantage and frailty have been identified as key factors for low dietary variation and therefore poor nutrition among elderly Japanese adults.
Omega-3 fish oil supplier SeaDragon overcame a raft of challenges to open the world's newest refinery, with the firm now hopeful it can start recouping some of its NZ$11m investment.
Large trials are desperately needed to understand if supplements and dietary interventions can play a positive role in the treatment of Crohn’s disease, according to academics in Japan.
Long-term supplementation with low-dose nobiletin can protect against high-fat diet induced inflammation, insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia and liver disease, despite not contributing to weight loss, a study by Korean and Japanese academics found.
How gut microbiota composition changes with age has been charted using state-of- the-art DNA sequencing in Japan, revealing which strains are most prevalent at different stages of life.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with a 26% increase in the risk of death from cancer in Asians, with people in the region also at greater risk of death from certain site-specific cancers than those in the West.
The nutraceutical and health benefits of Chinese artichoke have been emphasised by new research, which for the first time highlighted nine compounds with important biological activities.
The global nutraceuticals market is expected to reach a value of $302,306m by the year 2022, on the back of CAGR of 7.04%. But, according to new research, APAC is poised to outstrip the global growth average.
A clinical trial evaluating the effects of Sabinsa’s Boswellin Super supplement on knee pain reduction revealed improvements in pain management, a study funded by the company has found.
We pinpoint six of the must-know food, nutrition and consumer trends taking shape in Japan, from superfoods to sports nutrition, ahead of one of the country's biggest trade shows, FoodEx Japan, which takes place next month.
Omega-3 supplementation helped lessen chemotherapy-induced mucosal toxicities such as stomatitis and diarrhoea, and provided liver protection for oesophageal cancer patients, revealed a Japanese study.
The challenges in the battle to provide adequate infant nutrition across APAC are as diverse as the region itself, with severe micronutrient deficiencies, stunting and, on the other hand, soaring obesity levels being witnessed.
Probiotics manufacturer BioGaia has reported annual sales growth of 9%, excluding exchange rate effects, with managing director Axel Sjöblad highlighting growth in Asia as a key reason for continued confidence over the next 12 months.
Most Japanese women are not getting enough calcium and vitamin D, increasing the risks of osteoporotic fractures and other diseases, states a new review.
There is insufficient evidence of a link between fruit and vegetable consumption and a reduction in the number of overall cancer cases, according to a pooled analysis of large-scale cohort studies from Japan.
The traditional use of some mushroom species in Asia to boost cognitive function, along with papers purportedly showing their brain health benefits, mean they are worthy of scientific investigation to see if they can help people with Alzheimer's...
A patented L-citrulline/L-arginine ingredient is more effective in boosting plasma L-arginine levels than the individual amino acids alone, says a new study.
Despite Asia Pacific being a region with high incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), sales of cardiovascular health positioned foods and beverages are not high, writes Maria Mascaraque from Euromonitor International.
The status of green tea as a slimming ingredient in Japan should provide inspiration for companies elsewhere who are looking to use the product across the weight loss category, according to new market research.
Scientists in Japan have identified a sugar molecule that reduced the inflammatory response and progress of emphysema, a common component of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
The Asia-Pacific fish oil market is forecast to grow by 5% to 2020 helping the global total to hit US$1.5bn, with supplements and functional foods tipped to be the region’s fasting-growing industry segment.
Food and nutrition firms in APAC have to contend with a diverse and at times contradictory regulatory landscape across the region, with rules and laws being amended or introduced all the time. And 2016 was no exception.
Scientists in Japan have decode the genome of Chinese liquorice – a key ingredient in Traditional Chinese Medicine – raising hopes that it can be grown sustainably in the country for nutraceutical and medicinal use.
LGC has launched its sports nutrition supplements testing programme ‘Informed-Choice’ in Japan with the support of the brand DNS and auditing specialists Biohealth Research.
Underwater shockwave pre-treatment improves the antioxidant functionality of yuzu fruit juice, confirming its potential for use in a wide-range of food applications and leading to the possible establishment “of a new field of industrial technology,” a...
From the liver benefits of fermented tea, to the anti-fatigue attributes of astaxanthin, these are the top five research stories that have gained the most traction with readers in 2016.
As 2016 draws to a close, we highlight the top seven most-read APAC food and nutrition trends stories, featuring exclusive market and consumer insights from Japan, South East Asia, India, Australia and China.
A combination of low-frequency exercise and high-dose vitamin D supplementation could help reduce risk of falls in the elderly by more than 70%, a new trial suggests.
Japanese nutraceutical firm AstaReal says its astaxanthin has been found to be simultaneously effective against both mental and physical fatigue in a new published study.
Japan’s billion dollar nori industry, which produces 350,000 tonnes of edible and nutraceutical seaweed lauded for a multitude of beneficial health effects, could have a new competitor…Norway.
Several superfoods are now becoming mainstream in Japan because consumers are acutely aware of the “nutrient powerhouses” and their functional benefits.
The Japanese economy may be sluggish, but the country’s health food, nutrition and functional foods sectors are holding steady, with 10 key trends affecting the market.
The functional food ingredients market in Asia Pacific is being tipped to rise from $2.85bn at the end of 2016 to $5.04bn in 2026 with probiotics projected to be the fastest growing segment over the forecast period
Intake of green soybean extract could help reverse cognitive dysfunction and its associated accumulation of beta-amyloid proteins in the brain, say researchers.