India has introduced a ban on the sales, advertisement and promotion of all foods high in saturated fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium (HFSS) in school grounds as well as within 50 metres from the premises.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has revealed plans to make fortification mandatory for edible oil and milk over the next few months, in addition to intensifying its focus on local staples such as rice, wheat and salt.
Pakistani scientists have reiterated calls for better regulatory measures to control trans fatty acid (TFA) levels in local food and beverage products following findings that TFA was found to be very prevalent in the food supply, but rarely labelled correctly.
A new study on antibiotic misuse in the Indian dairy sector has cast new doubt on the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) continued assertions that the country’s dairy is ‘safe for consumption’.
Regulatory inefficiencies in the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have again entered the spotlight after recent government correspondence revealed ‘rampant’ occurrences of margarine masquerading as butter within the F&B industry.
Indian trade association Federation of All India Vyapar Mandal (FAIVM) has called upon the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to completely waive license renewals for food businesses due to COVID-19, instead of just extending the renewal...
US-based Frontier Nutrition, a company manufacturing and marketing fortified snacks in Bangladesh, has secured a US$900,000 bridge financing led by DSM Venturing to expand its product line and distribution footprint in Bangladesh.
India’s food counterfeit incidents have risen at an ‘alarming rate’ between 2018 and 2019, numbers which will have significantly negative impacts on the country’s ‘Make in India’ campaign if more stringent measures are not taken to control these.
Palm oil trade between Malaysia and India has moved back on track with the latter running low on local stock and the former relaxing export tariffs as both countries move to repair a trade relationship wrecked by previous political clashing.
India has emerged as the top supporter of stronger alcohol policy implementation in a new study, where researchers also criticised labelling changes in Australia and New Zealand and called for stronger, more effective measures to be put in place.
Alternative protein firm TerViva is establishing the world’s first organic and Fair for Life pongamia bean supply chain in India as it strives to tap into consumer demands for plant-based and sustainable products.
Dark chocolate has emerged as a rising favourite for Indian consumers and one of the key drivers for new product development, along with other rising local trends such as sugar reduction, smaller packaging sizes and unique flavours.
India has moved to implement strict 0% ABV regulations for alcohol-free beer in the country as part of the country’s alcoholic beverages revision, while Thailand is mulling tax raises for the category - spelling tough times ahead for zero-alcohol beers...
Vietnam and India are competing for ASEAN rice trade post-COVID-19, with the former having gained advantage due to support from traditional partner Philippines, and the latter having come out ahead with Malaysia in terms of price.
India’s newest food tax saga stemming from Southern flatbreads being taxed higher than Northern ones has placed renewed focus on the country’s controversial GST system, provoking claims of ‘cultural racism’ from campaigners.
India’s Epigamia – which is backed by Danone among others - has launched the country’s first branded plant-based yoghurt made with coconut milk as it seeks to transform the Indian dairy industry.
The world’s largest lemon myrtle grower and harvester Australian Native Products has set its sights on large tea brands in India and Sri Lanka as it seeks to market lemon myrtle across the region.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an extension of free food ration distributions for the nation’s poor till November, but recent government data has also revealed that distributions till date have been ineffective in several major states.
The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak has led to at least one positive outcome in the digital transformation of the tea industry according to two industry giants – the staging of Colombo’s tea auction online after 20 years of negotiations.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has announced that it will be retaining just one of three major quality parameters used to test honey pureness authenticity that were previously removed, whilst also putting the onus on syrup importers...
India’s raw turmeric price this year is about 10% lower than last year partly because COVID-19 lockdowns and market closures have led to a surplus, said a major merchant association in India.
India’s edible oil industry has managed to survive the COVID-19 crisis by processing more crude oil to fulfil local demand, and now wants to strengthen its position by banning all refined palm oil imports into the country.
India has repeatedly stressed that the country’s agricultural sector will emerge unscathed from and even achieve growth amidst the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, but injurious fearmongering and a severe locust threat seem to suggest otherwise.
India’s national research institute, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), will conduct a clinical trial on a zinc supplement that it claims has a higher bioavailability to support recovery in COVID-19 patients.
The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has categorically denied all findings levelled against them by a government-led inquiry into the state of the nation’s sugar industry, which claimed they cheated both consumers and producers out of billions.
The local food industry in India has welcomed the government’s plans to reorganise the local food production sector using a cluster-based approach, believing that this will help to reduce food waste and drive long-term growth.
Singapore-based LVL Life and its plant-based superfood powder blends have seen sales surge during the COVID-19 outbreak with rising consumer demand and a resilient e-commerce strategy combining for its success.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, food and beverage adulteration has continued unhindered in Pakistan with authorities having had to seize and discard thousands of units of dairy, fruits, spices and other items despite continuing food supply fears...
Researchers in India have developed a new coating from oat and wheat to be used for various fruits that it says can extend shelf life and overcome the country’s cold chain challenges in a cheap and effective manner.
Yoghurt brands in India will need to step up creativity and innovation in varying flavours if they wish to curry favour amongst local consumers, in a market where homemade yoghurt is rapidly gaining ground.
India’s food safety regulatory body Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has insisted that the public need not be concerned about food safety in the country despite a lack of laboratory staff to do food safety testing due to COVID-19 lockdowns...
Almost 10% of grain-based foods labelled as ‘gluten-free’ and over 35% of those that do not contain gluten by nature in India have been found to be contaminated with it, some up to 90 times more than permitted levels.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has revamped the national food code system for all imported foods into the nation in an attempt to achieve more uniformity with the internationally used HS Code system.
The flour industry in Pakistan has requested the government to exempt or at least subsidise all flour mills from taxes that would normally have to be paid in light of the sector’s significant contributions to food stability throughout the COVID-19 pandemic...
India’s Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) is aiming to put a stop to false claims for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 by setting up a task force to evaluate products and practices.
Pakistan has enforced an import tax on sugar entering the country, adding another layer of complexity to the country’s ongoing war between sugar cane farmers and sugar mills.
India recently announced import tariff increases for many food and agricultural products in hopes of encouraging local trade, but the same move is likely to push it even further away from the possibility of entering free trade agreements within the APAC...
The FSSAI has allowed children’s complementary foods companies holding the proprietary license to renew their licenses for a further 12 months, in order to provide more time to meet new standards.
Indian beverage start-up GoliSoda is targeting 250% growth this year, and is banking on its ‘ancient wisdom’-inspired drink range, as well as diversification of its product portfolio to include traditional desserts for success.
In the wake of India’s nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19, Coca-Cola India, Nestle India and various other big MNCs in the country have called for F&B manufacturing to be made an ‘essential service’ in order to keep shelves stocked and avoid further...
Branded milk sold in the western Indian state of Maharashtra has seen a 5% increase in adulteration levels despite the implementation of stricter regulations, with 85% of all samples found to be tainted.
An Indian start-up specialising in making protein bread and cookies saw online sales go up by 15% in mid March, with the firm believing consumers are increasingly making more healthy food choices as COVID-19 continues to spread.
Pakistan’s Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has recently issued a set of COVID-19 guidelines aimed at the food industry in hopes of controlling the outbreak, amid rampant rumours and speculations about the virus in the country.
Coca-Cola has announced a US$200mn injection of funds into its Bangladeshi business to spur growth, after its local language labelling strategy and women-championing projects in the country have yielded positive results.
Thailand’s position as the largest exporter of rice from the South East Asian region is at risk as the country struggles to handle weather, economical and quality changes, whereas Vietnam looks to be going from strength to strength.
Indonesia has relaxed the quality requirements for sugar entering the country to allow Indian supply in, as part of a barter exchange to secure palm oil export access to the latter and to deal with dwindling local supply.
Local F&B companies in India such as Mother Dairy and Parle Products appear to have come out on top in terms of product healthiness in a new listing – but overall, just 16% of all companies’ products have been recognised as ‘healthy’ items in the...
Products from Nestle and Unilever in India have emerged at the top of a list of firms improving the nutritional quality of foods in the country based on criteria from the Health Star Rating (HSR) system used in Australia and New Zealand – but the highest...
The Pakistani government aims to reduce the skyrocketing prices of basic food items in the country by reducing taxes, amidst an unsuccessful bid to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce its tax collection target.
