OptiBiotix Health will start distributing its blood pressure and cholesterol lowering probiotic in Asia Pacific this year, with heart health concerns rising on the back of changing dietary and lifestyle patterns in the region.
Researchers are proposing to fortify food categories such as bread, biscuits, noodles, fat spreads, sauces and palm oil with plant sterols, as a measure to reduce risk factors associated with heart diseases among the Indonesian population.
See February's 10 most-read stories, including Malaysia's dietary supplement association plans in tackling unauthorised sales on third-party e-commerce sites, China's regulations on health foods filing, Blackmores financial performance...
Australian freeze-dried supplement company Vmores is gearing up to expand its offline reach in its home market as well as its online presence in China, after shifting 500,000 units in 2020.
Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) supplementation has no significant effect in lean mass preservation and insulin sensitivity in obese adults undergoing weight loss, said researchers from Singapore.
In this month’s Nutrition Asia, we hear from Ajinomoto and AstaReal – two companies which have been researching and developing nutrition products for improving muscle health among older adults.
High dose of vitamin D supplementation did not prevent the worsening of lung problems, including asthma and COPD, except withing patients already suffering from severe deficiency, according to a RCT conducted in New Zealand.
Austrian energy drink brand Dark Dog has established its Asia headquarters in Singapore as it looks to expand regional distribution of its organic product range.
India’s Ayurveda nutraceuticals and medicines industry players have welcomed efforts by ministers and the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicines, but has also urged for clearer regulatory guidelines.
New Zealand researchers are planning to conduct clinical trials on a kawakawa beverage with immune and metabolic health benefits, before refining the formulation and sell it in the export markets.
Malaysian tocotrienol supplier Excelvite is working with supplement brands to promote the use of tocotrienol-rich vitamin E to pharmacists and doctors treating patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), on the back of new clinical findings.
The timing of market entry, familiarity with regulations, and detailed consumer understanding are crucial for firms considering opportunities within Korea’s new General Foods with Function Claims policy, according to a regulatory expert in the country.
Four nutraceutical companies, including FIT-BioCeuticals and Integria Healthcare, have had their artemisia-containing products recalled by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), as they contain artemisia species associated with “unacceptable...
Medlab has embarked on clinical trials at varying stages for a number of its probiotics, including those targeted at alleviating depression, mucositis caused by cancer treatment, as well as addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Fortified snack firm Frontier Nutrition has detailed how it will expand its product range, increase distribution and build production facilities in the country as it strives to help tackle malnutrition in Bangladesh.
In this round-up, we look at new developments concerning health foods registration regulations and the NPD efforts companies are making in the area of beauty-from-within and probiotics.
Wolfberry, also known as Goji Berry or Fructus lycii, is being touted as a credible dietary supplement for maintaining eye health, particularly in preventing or delaying common retinal diseases among the ageing population.
Luxury hotel and resort group Aman has shifted focus to further develop its fragrance, skin care and dietary supplement range amid prolonged travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19.
South Korea’s import of health functional foods was up 23.4 per cent last year, higher than the three-year annual average of 21.4 per cent, with the US taking the top spot in product volumes.
The supplementation of melatonin, vitamin D, and amino acids such as L-theanine, have shown to significantly improve sleep, said researchers from Hong Kong who conducted a meta-analysis on 15 RCTs.
Consumption of fermented mare’s milk was found to increase 10 microbiome-derived metabolites such as linoleic acid, stearic acid, sphingosine associated with a lipid-lowering effect in people with hyperlipidaemia.
Kirin Beverage will focus on no-to-low sugar, low-calorie and products with health benefits across its non-alcohol range after seeing soft drink sales slip by 9% in 2020.
A meta-analysis of 28 RCTs shows that vitamin C supplementation could improve blood glucose and blood pressure in people with diabetes, but long-term, high quality trials involving a larger study population are needed to validate its role in clinical...
An increasingly stricter regulatory framework and surging demand for safer products from both elite sportsmen and everyday consumers is driving the appeal of professionally accredited sports nutrition ingredients, not only finished products.
South Korea will start the third phase of its mandatory traceability programme for special purpose foods, while international brands selling co-enzyme Q10, fish oil and melatonin into China for the first time will still need to enter the market via the...
New Zealand-based Vitality Wellness has seen domestic sales of its eye health supplement increase by around 30% in the last year, attributing this demand to the ageing population.
Supplement manufacturer Nano Japan is planning to distribute its first eye health supplement, Nano Optivue, to more South East Asian nations, following on from its domestic, Singapore and Malaysia launch in November.
India’s nutraceutical industry’s hopes of a reduced GST rate on supplements was squashed again when there was no mentioned of special grant for the sector during the recent budget announcement.
Researchers are recommending a multi-micronutrient supplementation beyond iron and folate for women of reproductive age, pregnant and lactating, according to an Asian study funded by Bayer South East Asia.
Children’s nutritional drink brand Healthy Height is building its e-commerce presence in China via influencer marketing, as part of its plan in growing both its online and offline retail.
South Korea’s third phase of its mandatory traceability program for special purpose foods, including infant formula and Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs), will begin in December this year.
India’s nutraceutical and functional foods firm for women &me has outlined plans to focus on three key areas this year, namely mental, menstrual, and sexual health needs.
Newly imported products containing co-enzyme Q10 and four other raw materials recently added to China’s Health Food Raw Material Directory entering China will still need to go through the registration route, while local products can go through the less...
Australia exchange ASX-listed company Jatcorp (previously known as Jatenergy) is to manufacture its probiotics-containing milk powder in-house from next month, with a launch date slated for April for its new products.
The supplementation of B-vitamins and omega-3, specifically EPA and DHA, could reduce cognitive decline in elderly, a meta-analysis of RCTs conducted in East Asia has shown.
New regulations in Australia is making research on the role of complementary medicine, including Chinese medicine, to manage chronic diseases more attractive, according to a prominent researcher who stars in the 15th episode of our NutraChampion podcast.
Supplementation of sulforaphane (SFN) – a compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli – has found to improve processing and working memory in a 12-week study conducted by Japanese firm Kagome Co Ltd.
Thailand-based Tera Food and Beverage Company Limited, which manufactures the curcumin drink QminC, has set a target of selling 20 million bottles this year, following its foray into the market in 2020.
China’s reduction of import tariffs, including supplement products such as fish oil soft gel capsules and Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs), will make both imports and local production more competitive, according to industry experts.
India-based start-up OZiva is planning to launch six to eight new supplements in the first quarter of this year, with the company reporting growing demand for ‘clean nutrition’ products, mostly driven by the plant-based trend.
Indian firm Enovate Bio says the current COVID-19 pandemic has presented growth opportunities for its plant-based nootropic ingredient – EnXtra – in the area of e-gaming.
See January's 10 most read stories, including new data on how the gut microbiome is linked to severity of COVID-19, Indian firm Windlas Biotech's launch of an artemisinin supplement as an adjunctive to COVID-19 treatment and more.
The Malaysian Dietary Supplement Association (MADSA) says its brand members are being disadvantaged by ‘unauthorised’ online retailers selling their products at lower prices – and is calling on the government to clampdown on the situation.
ALMOST 75% of healthy Australians aged over 70 have reported using supplements either daily or occasionally, with fish oil topping the list of popular products, according to research published today in the Medical Journal of Australia.
In this round-up, we shine the spotlight on new scientific findings from Abbott, Ajinomoto, Philippines' virgin coconut oil and COVID-19 human clinical trial, and more.