We reveal the top 10 most viewed regulation and policy stories from the food and beverage industry in 2023, featuring the EU Deforestation Regulation, Malaysia milk regulations, South Korea recycled PET approval and more.
Italy’s government has announced the passing of a bill banning the production and marketing of cultivated meat. The measures, which also restrict labelling for plant-based products, aim to protect Italy’s traditional food culture.
The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s heavy reliance on grain imports as a source of dietary calories and protein poses major risks to food security and nutrition level among its populations, say researchers.
The Chinese government has published guide for food firms trying to meet its new excessive packaging regulations, urging industry players to ensure they are fully compliant in the next six months.
The Dubai Municipality is doubling down on efforts to reduce food loss and waste by working with both local food companies and international organisations.
The sugar tax as implemented in the Philippines will lead to health and economic improvements, but to a lesser extent that if it had been enacted in its original form, new data suggests.
The Philippines Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has announced new changes to sodium content limits and how caloric values are to be displayed on the packaging of pre-packaged processed food products in the country.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) is attempting to balance plans for boost organic food exports with ongoing food safety concerns by mandating all state-authorised laboratories to adopt organic testing capabilities.
The South Korean government has opened three food safety reports on genetically modified soybean, corn and canola for public comment, with the caveat that all opinions submitted must be ‘based on science and logic’ or risk being ignored.
The cocoa and chocolates industry in Asia Pacific is concerned that the EU Deforestation Regulation could lead a two-tier market for cocoa beans, which could have far-ranging cost and pricing implications.
The New Zealand food trade body has welcomed the government’s new Grocery Code of Conduct, calling it a ‘long-awaited’ result – but stressed that a thorough examination of the details and industry education are now key to ensure it fulfils its purpose.
Singapore start-up Altimate Nutrition has developed a range of cricket-based products that are ready for mass manufacturing and distribution, except that it continues to be hindered by regulatory approval delays.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has stressed that existing local guidelines do not endorse the replacement of sugar with sweeteners for weight loss, while joining calls for more localised research to be conducted on its impacts.
New IP protection policies in China could help New Zealand kiwifruit powerhouse Zespri to pursue its fight against individuals growing and selling its golden kiwifruit.
Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration will be setting consumption limits and usage warnings on ashwagandha and seven other botanicals that are used as food ingredients.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is considering updating rules around voluntary nutrition claims for carbohydrates and sugar on alcoholic products, opening this to public comment until September.
EU Deforestation Regulation clarity, South Korea labelling guidelines, new Vietnam nutrition label rules and more feature in this edition of Policy Picks.
The APAC plant-based dairy industry believes that controversy surrounding the use of dairy terms for plant-based product labelling is unlikely to happen in this region despite contention in other markets, citing differences in local consumption drivers...
Thailand is the latest Asian market to establish a fully digitalised express customs processing service, which is hoped to greatly accelerate food and beverage import operations at its checkpoints in line with the national Thailand 4.0 strategy.
The palm oil industry in Malaysia is calling for the European Union (EU) to provide more clarity over how it will define ‘high-risk’ countries under its recently-approved Deforestation Regulation, stressing that current scientific data has already demonstrated...
One of the country's largest dairy processors has been penalized for various breaches of the industry code, including for featuring a mix of no-fault termination clauses in milk supply agreements.
The South Korean government has released a nutritional information guidance document in line with new labelling and reporting regulations to assist food and beverage manufacturers throughout the initial phase of transition.
The New Zealand food and grocery industry has urged for the swift establishment of its own local grocery code of conduct to hasten the improvement of competition and fair business conditions, whilst also lauding the appointment of industry veteran Pierre...
The South Korean government has implemented further refinements to its regulations governing imported food products an effort to speed up processing at customs, particularly for bulk imports. well as to boost its international trade.
Indonesia has recently launched the latest version of its master regulation governing food categories in the country with an increased focus on fermented beverages and the wider supply chain.
China health foods authorities are including soy protein isolate and whey protein to the country’s Health Food Raw Material Directory – Nutrition Supplement, which means that products containing these two ingredients could make specific health claims.
Vietnam has moved to implement regulations that will mandate the display of nutritional labelling according to national standards on all qualifying food and beverage products in the country, progressing from its previous voluntary labelling system.
South Korea is looking to standardise the regulations governing country-of-origin information mandatory to be displayed food and beverages both produced locally and imported into the country, in an attempt to ease high cost burdens highlighted by manufacturers.
The Malaysian Ministry of Health (KKM) has released a statement seeking public opinion to update the local statutes governing food safety and quality of milk products in the country, citing concerns of fraudulent or unsafe products falling through the...
The natural health products sector in New Zealand is hoping that lightning doesn’t strike twice and its lengthy campaign for an updated regulatory regime isn’t once again derailed by a forthcoming general election.
Philippines R&D foods guidelines, Singapore's Nutri-Grade analysis, Indonesia's food safety standards and more feature in this edition of Policy Picks.
The Philippines Food and Drug Administration is implementing new strict import guidelines for food and beverage items that manufacturers want to use for R&D.
South Korea is planning to remove the restrictions on methods in manufacturing protein Health Functional Food, as the sector sees a boom in new production techniques and types of raw materials used.
The Indonesian food safety authority has published a set of strict standards to govern the presence of microorganisms - including probiotics – in general processed foods and beverages such as yoghurt or kombucha.
A recent study conducted by Singaporean researchers on the government’s Nutri-Grade front-of-package (FOP) beverage labelling scheme has concluded that more work needs to be done for it to make a positive impact on consumer dietary and purchasing choices.
India has implemented new comprehensive food safety and quality standards for millets in the country in anticipation of a production and demand boom as the United Nations has designated 2023 as the International Year of Millets.
The food and grocery sector in New Zealand has acquiesced for the government to develop the first full version of the new Grocery Code of Conduct to speed up introduction, but has stressed that its administration will subsequently need to move out of...
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is implementing stringent new rules on the advertising of health foods, Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMPs), and medical devices from May this year.
The high rate of counterfeiting in India has resulted in far-reaching repercussions on public health and economic development, sparking an urgent need to educate consumers and for companies to adopt authentication solutions, says an Indian association.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has assured food firms dealing in ‘vegan by default’ products that they do not need to have the new national vegan logo displayed on their products and need not undergo the certification process...
Government and industry representatives from the palm oil and rubber sectors in Malaysia have urged the European Union (EU) to withdraw ‘highly demeaning’ clauses within its controversial deforestation regulation, punctuating this with a 500-strong protest...
India’s food safety authority has launched a set of formal standards for the premium Basmati rice variant in what appears to be a further step in its quest to establish it as intellectual property belonging to the country under the protection of Geographical...
Taiwan’s largest plant-based food manufacturers claim consumers are increasingly adopting vegetarian diets for sustainability and health reasons, as opposed to religious factors, and say that recent government policies are helping propel further growth.
