Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) supplementation during pregnancy and infancy enhances cognitive development in children at 12 months of age, according to recent research by NZMP.
Morinaga Milk's financial results for the last year saw a slight dip overall, with net sales falling 0.1% (¥530m) year-on-year to ¥592,087m, but the firm is targeting sales success with its higher-value functional products.
China's status as a sales powerhouse for major international infant nutrition firms has been underlined, with both Abbott and Danone reporting solid growth in the country.
Wattle Health Australia recently signed a distribution agreement with International Supplies and Distribution Company (ISDC), a Chinese firm specialising in premium food products.
The future of Japan's existing ban on liquid infant formula milk remains uncertain despite industry talk of a likely reversal, according to a local trade association.
Significant investment into Ausnutria by state-owned management fund has put the Chinese government's plans for the country's infant nutrition sector in the spotlight.
The development of guidelines and a harmonized framework for probiotics in Codex is necessary to ensure and sustain quality probiotic products on a global scale, says the International Probiotics Association (IPA).
Daily consumption of milk fermented with a specific probiotic could relieve gastric symptoms in otherwise healthy adults, according to researchers in Japan.
Australian infant nutrition firm Wattle Health has reported record sales on the back of an expanding product range and an increasing number of export markets.
New Zealand's supplement industry is deeply frustrated that long-awaited new regulations have been kicked into the long grass, but exports and innovation are continuing to thrive.
Danone Nutrition has unveiled its Precision Nutrition D-Lab in Singapore, showcasing some of the technology that will help the company create the next generation of infant nutrition products.
Multinational infant formula firms "recognise the importance of responsible marketing practices", insists Asia Pacific's trade body amid fresh allegations of unethical practices.
A study by Yakult has found that Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS) may alleviate some metabolic abnormalities in obese pre-diabetic individuals, although its effects on glycaemic control may be limited.
UK firm Kendal Nutricare has signed a US$118m five-year contract deal with import / export company Orient International Holding Shanghai Foreign Trading Co. to distribute its organic infant formula in China.
Researchers in Iran found that children with low vitamin D status had up to three times increased risk of anemia compared to children with sufficient vitamin D, independent of age, sex, or body mass index.
Yakult Danone India, a 50:50 joint venture between Yakult Honsha and Danone, has released the latest variant on its signature probiotic drink, called Yakult Light.
NutraIngredients-Asia and FoodNavigator-Asia are bringing together business leaders, policymakers and academics to debate how industry can meet the food and nutritional challenges brought about by Asia-Pacific's rapidly ageing population.
Danone has announced its intention to bow out of its dairy business in India, where it will then concentrate on enhancing its nutrition portfolio instead.
The probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri has the potential to provide some reduction in crying in exclusively breastfed babies less than three months old, new data reveals.
China’s new infant formula laws have finally come into force, 18 months after the proposals were unveiled sparking regulatory uncertainty, market volatility and a frantic dash to meet the more stringent regulatory requirements.
A controversial campaign that flies in the face of pro-breastfeeding organisations like UNICEF and the WHO is facing criticism in New Zealand for its ‘oversimplified’ approach to infant nutrition.
Malaysian authorities have clamped down on fake infant formula being sold in Johor Bahru, namely a counterfeit version of Enfagrow A+ Malaysia’s Enfalac A+ Step 1.
A proposal by the International Probiotics Association to work towards harmonizing probiotic guidelines for use in foods and dietary supplements has received the support of Argentina, and the country will lead the work.
Australian dairy manufacturer Burra Foods has announced an A$24.5m investment in a new infant formula blending and canning factory in Korumburra, South Gippsland, Victoria.
Singapore's consumers overwhelmingly favour global supplement and infant formula brands over local outfits, according to new research from Nielsen, though local food firms remain popular.
Australian supplement firm Blackmores has entered Singapore's increasingly competitive infant formula market, albeit with a more cautious approach in light of recently enforced government regulations.
Indian supplier VAV Life Sciences is targeting sales growth for its Lipova egg yolk powders for supplements, functional foods, infant formula and sports nutrition products, after moving to a new GMP-certified facility earlier this year.
Ambient dairy products and functional beverages offer the two best opportunities for the probiotic industry in Asia, alongside a niche but rapidly growing supplements sector.
Diabetes and other metabolic disorders are providing fertile ground for new probiotic research, says a DuPont expert who has highlighted new findings on supplementation and a reduced risk of gestational diabetes.
The demand for goat milk infant formula in soaring in Asia, according to Nuchev CEO Ben Dingle, who is targeting South East Asia market entry on the back of his company's success in China.
Parents in Hong Kong and China are the world's biggest spenders when it comes to infant formula, but consumer oragnisations have accused global manufacturers of 'exploiting parents concerns' around safety to charge premium prices.
An ingredient in cow's milk has been identified as a potential type 1 diabetes trigger in those with genetic risk factors, but researchers say they have been frustrated in efforts to make the findings available to the wider public.
Yogurt containing certain probiotic strains may reduce the risk and incidence of acute upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in the middle-aged and elderly, according to a Chinese RCT.
An Australian trial is recruiting 120 post-menopausal women — both lean and overweight — to investigate how a person's body composition influences the effect of calcium against bone loss.
More research is needed to assess the efficacy of multi-strain probiotic treatments, because current data shows that adding more strains doesn’t always lead to better outcomes for all illnesses.
Yakult is planning to investigate the effects of probiotic consumption on mental health conditions, following positive results from an initial trial in relation to physical stress.
NutraIngredients-Asia's first Probiota Asia summit kicks off in Singapore today, with findings from seven leading probiotic studies sharing the spotlight.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) proposal to introduce more fortified foods to combat malnutrition in the country has not received sufficient industry support with regard to some ingredients.
Chinese authorities may have introduced more stringent infant formula rules, but New Zealand exports are continuing to soar, with Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) economists forecasting they will soon top NZ$1bn for the first time.
DuPont in Japan says it is striving to spur innovation in the supplement and functional food space for the ageing population by launching 11 ‘smart ageing’ concepts at this week’s HI Japan show.
The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has issued a blanket ban on marketing and free sampling of infant formula in hospitals in Pakistan, following a meeting with Formula Milk Association office bearers on 26 September.
Singapore supermarket chain FairPrice has launched a house-brand low-cost infant formula range in the wake of consumer and government complaints about the rising cost of branded milk products.
French dairy ingredient supplier Epi Ingredients (the dry division of dairy cooperative Laïta) plans to expand in Asia, with infant nutrition growth among its top targets.
The ratio of serum iron to ferritin — a blood cell protein that stores iron — can accurately predict body composition and fatty liver risk in young adult women, but not middle-aged women.