A study conducted on young men with pneumonia has shown that probiotics, when administered with antibiotics, could shorter the duration of fever and improve stool consistency.
The Chinese government has announced a new three-year strategy to further develop the local dairy industry, with emphasis on strengthening R&D as well as tighter governance to quell remaining food safety concerns and boost the sector’s reputation.
Japanese health food and dietary supplement firms such as FANCL, Kirin, George & Oliver, Taisho Pharmaceutical, Eminet and Q’sai say its ‘business as usual’ despite certain prefectures coming under a second state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Korea Yakult has launched a fermented red ginseng, made with a patented technology, to relieve menopausal symptoms and improve the immune system in middle aged women.
Japan’s health food industry needs to better ensure that functional foods are advertised accurately and include validated efficacy information, according to a new report.
Major China infant formula brand Feihe’s patent application for a special medical use goat milk powder has been granted, with market observers now expecting the company to expand its range and retail channels.
South Korea has announced that general foods can make functional claims so long as there is sufficient scientific evidence backing the claims, but experts have said they do not believe that it will be to the detriment of the nation’s functional foods...
Consumption of a cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate was shown to reduce post-meal plasma glucose rise, according to a recent study funded by Meiji and undertaken by the University of Shizuoka in Japan.
China-based manufacturer Angel Yeast is set to open a new R&D centre in Yichang, Hubei Province this year to accelerate product innovation, with a particular focus on the plant-based sector and sports nutrition.
Thailand-based Sesamilk Foods is eyeing China and Taiwan as part of its global expansion strategy to increase export business from 30% to 80% in just two years.
FANCL has launched a new immune supplement that uses technology to protect tablets from premature disintegration during the production and storage process.
Problems with registration and ingredient compliance are some of the most common mistakes that nutraceutical firms have made when exporting their products to South Korea, according to a regulatory consultancy firm.
Singapore dietary supplement brands are seeing a number of key growth opportunities in China, including the demand for eye health products, while women and youths have been identified as the key consumer groups.
Sanofi-owner nutra brand Cenovis has launched a new hyaluronic acid drink exclusively for the South Korean market to cater to the needs of females in their 20s.
E-commerce giant JD has seen a boom in organic product sales in China after working with brand partners to establish the country’s first-ever organic alliance, with the firm saying demand has been boosted by consumers seeking 'safer and healthier'...
Nestlé is launching a milk product for adults, consisting of a unique combination of ingredients supporting what the company said are the three pillars of mobility: bone health, muscle strength and joint functionality.
Chocolate consumption in China still lags behind its neighbours in the confectionery category, but it is increasingly finding flavour through innovation in local cuisine – including steamed buns and even rice.
Japan’s Nissin Food Group has launched a psyllium-based powder that claim to suppress triglyceride, glucose and blood pressure levels post-meal – the first products under its new Triple Barrier brand.
China’s nutraceutical firm BY-HEALTH is funding new research that studies women’s and infant health, including the impact of probiotics on the gut microbiome and immune system in young children between one to three years old.
The supplementation of a multi-strain probiotics powder for at least eight weeks could reduce total cholesterol and triglycerides in diabetics, according to a meta-analysis by Chinese researchers.
GNC China has launched its first nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplement this month, after researching and developing the product for the past year.
Danone has launched Aptamama – a probiotic product for preventing lactation mastitis in breastfeeding mothers. The product is exclusively sold in China.
Japanese beverage giant Asahi is using an AI-powered design technology to design product packaging with a focus on ‘objectivity’ and ‘originality’, as opposed to going with the general industry flow of creating personalised designs.
Beauty supplements are the fastest growing category within the health and wellness space on Tmall, according to new insights from e-commerce giant Alibaba.
Nestle Health Science is pioneering the practitioner-recommended supplements market in China by partnering online doctors in recommending its brand Pure Encapsulations range as an adjuvant.
China has officially announced the addition of fish oil and four other raw materials into the Health Food Raw Material Directory, which will come into force from March 1 next year.
China protein bar ffit8 recorded its biggest sales yet in October, raking in RMB20m (US$3m) for its protein bars, just months after launching, thanks to considerable success on social media and e-commerce.
South Korean food and functional health food company Pulmuone has launched a health nutraceutical brand specifically targeted at the online and mass market retail channel – a move away from its traditional door-to-door retail method.
Australian supplement brand Nature’s Way says its toddler nutrition range Kids Smart has smashed new sales records and was the pivotal in the firm’s overall performance in this year’s Double 11 shopping event in China.
China’s increasing interest in nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), colloquially known as ‘the longevity pill’ in the country, has push sales to a new high for brands from the US brand Doctor’s Best, New Zealand’s EZZ, and Japan’s NADaltus.
A diet high in soy and soy isoflavones may slow down the rate of white matter lesions and thereby lower the risk of cognitive impairment in elderly Japanese.
Atlas Biomed has launched its home-based gut microbiome test in Japan as part of its personalised nutrition service – the first APAC venture for the company.
Kirin subsidiary Kyowa Hakko Bio will manufacture and supply three human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) at its new Thailand facility by 2022 – both for its parent company and the wider market.
ChromaDex has launched its nicotinamide riboside (NR) supplement, TRU NIAGEN, in stick packs in Hong Kong as it seeks to cater to the nutritional needs of active individuals, beyond its traditional healthy ageing customer base.
The combined supplementation of the botanical berberine and probiotics has been found to help reduce blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, more so than taking each product alone, says a 12-week RCT conducted in China.
The ever-changing China health foods industry is seeing new waves of trends, with a sudden interest in nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the prevalence of livestreaming in product marketing, and the potential for further e-commerce growth.
A dietary supplement made from the microalgae Euglena could improve sleep quality and work efficiency in stressed individuals, a 12-week human clinical study conducted in Japan has shown.
Singapore-based health supplement brand Kinohitmitsu says consumers’ spending on beauty supplement, especially collagen, remained high amid COVID-19 as it saw double digit growth across all catgeories.
Japan-based manufacturer and supplier of cosmetics and dietary supplements George & Oliver is hoping to launch its newest metabolism-boosting enzyme supplement in the Singapore and other South East Asian markets.
China’s homegrown nutraceutical brand BY-HEALTH smashed sales records under the health and nutrition category across Alibaba-owned Tmall and JD.com during the double 11 Singles’ Day annual shopping event.
Shanghai-based Bright Dairy has carved out plans for expansion of its probiotic portfolio, with a focus on developing new products providing functional benefits from weight management to cognition.
A series of COVID-19 related lockdowns and travel restrictions has weakened the daigou retail channel for several health and nutrition brands in Australia, with brands such as Swisse, Bubs, and Nuchev, reporting sales slumps from the once lucrative channel.