Industry Trends

February 2023

See what has been happening in Asia’s food and beverage industries over the last weeks. What are experts and industry magazines talking about?

What has been happening?

The future of food sustainability, The world’s most sustainable beef burger, Ultra-processed foods may contribute to cognitive decline, and more. Find out what journals and industry experts have been discussing in the last four weeks.

Latest Industry Articles

The future of food sustainability
Daily Tribune

The leader of the World Packaging Organization has called on the stakeholders in the packaging and manufacturing industries to convince people to change their eating habits towards more environmentally sustainable food consumption to lessen the environmental footprint of packed food and help nature generate resources faster.
Say hello to the world’s most sustainable beef burger
Daily Tribune

Healthy burger restaurant chain Grill’d is rolling out a world-first sustainable, grass-fed beef Gamechanger, made from black angus cattle that produce up to two-thirds less methane emissions than regular cattle.
Ultra-Processed Foods May Contribute to Cognitive Decline
Food Manufacturing

Scientists have known for years that unhealthy diets – particularly those that are high in fat and sugar – may cause detrimental changes to the brain and lead to cognitive impairment. The early studies add a new layer to nutrition’s impact on brain health.
Food industry targets cuisine pairings for low- and no-alcohol beverages as low/no innovation accelerates
BeverageDaily

With low/no alcohol consumption set to rise a third by 2026, according to some estimates, Synergy Flavours has crafted flavour pairings for premium soft drinks and alcohol-free beverages that complement some of the UK’s favourite global cuisines, including Indian, Italian, Greek, British, Chinese, and Thai, to ‘optimise dining experiences’.
Green coffee collaboration leverages AI-tech to detect defects and unlock production insights
Food IngredientsFIrst

Sucafina, a Swiss-based coffee company, and ProfilePrint, a Singapore-based AI-driven predictive and prescriptive food ingredient profiler have jointly co-invested in Csmart, a Brazilian developer of AI-powered image recognition technologies for green coffee grading that can rapidly scan a sample of green coffee beans and accurately identify defect counts within minutes.
Scientists unveil new method that extracts antioxidant nutrients from corn processing waste

BakeryAndSnacks

Of the more than 120 million metric tonnes of corn starch produced each year, nearly 15 percent is discarded or fed to chickens and other animals. Swedish researchers have consequently successfully claimed to have developed a method to generate nutritional value from what they describe as “a huge side stream.

World food prices decline for ten consecutive months, cereal supplies forecast to tighten
Food IngredientsFIrst

For the tenth month in a row, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Food Price index – the benchmark index of food commodity prices – has dropped. The January decline was driven by drops in the price of vegetable oils, dairy and sugar, while cereals and meat prices remained largely stable. The index averaged 131.2 points in January, which was 0.8% lower than the prior month and 17.9% below its peak in March 2022.
Probiotics mitigate disruptions to gut microbiota during bacteria-eradication treatment – China RCT
FoodNavigator-Asia

Probiotics supplementation could reduce gastrointestinal side effects and restore alterations to the gut microbiota caused by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-eradication therapy, a new study reveals.
China focus: Food testing, tariff cuts, milk policy, plant-based innovation and more
FoodNavigator-Asia

China’s post-pandemic food testing policy, results of the ‘Excellent Milk’ project, Haofood’s peanut plant-based innovation, and more feature in this edition of China Focus.
Singapore reigns supreme on cultivated meat regulation as tech leaders edge toward commercialization
Food IngredientsFIrst

Singapore has hit another cultivated meat milestone by approving Good Meat’s use of serum-free media to produce lab-grown chicken for human consumption. The Singapore Food Agency’s (SFA) approval advances the country’s trailblazing support for cell-based meat and leaves the US and Europe playing catch up on the regulatory front.
Return to recycle: Singapore beverage firms supportive of government plans for beverage container return scheme
FoodNavigator-Asia

Beverage firms in Singapore have highlighted support for the local government’s proposed plans to implement a container return scheme in 2024, with supermarkets, convenience stores and residential common areas most likely to be the locations of collection.
Protenga exec talks insect-based protein following investment boost
Food IngredientsFIrst

Following a successful round of funding, Singapore-based start-up Protenga will receive additional investment in its insect protein technology platform from Yield Lab Asia Pacific, Seeds Capital and JBI Innovations. Protenga’s CEO and founder, Leo Wein, speaks with FoodIngredientsFirst about the investments and the potential of insect protein as feed, pet food, fertilizer, and possibly beyond, going into the food arena.
Agriculture program to boost PH onion industry launched
Manila Bulletin

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will soon launch the Optimization and Resiliency In the Onion Industry Network (ORION) Program in a bid to help the local onion industry improve its production and eventually lead to an ample supply of the agriculture product in the country. Onions (Mark Balmores/Manila Bulletin) In …
Coca-Cola Philippines continues to make strides in sustainability
Daily Tribune

As a beverage company that has refreshed Filipinos for 110 years, Coca-Cola Philippines recognizes its responsibility to help drive social change and positively impact people’s lives. Since it was launched locally in 2019, the company has made strong progress on its World Without Waste program.
Sugar import plan ‘acceptable’ for buffer stocking
Daily Tribune

Members of the country’s largest group of sugar industry stakeholders support the government’s plan to import almost half a million metric tons of sugar as it will bring in “an acceptable volume for buffer stocks” to stabilize local supply and prices.
PM asks Singapore PM: Make Malaysia a food production heartland to benefit both countries
NST Online

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim will ask Singapore to capitalise on Malaysia as a heartland to produce food for the benefit of both countries.
Would you buy 'ugly' food? Many Singapore consumers won't, businesses say
Channel NewsAsia

As Singapore works towards waste reduction targets, the rejection of imperfect food for cosmetic reasons remains a challenge. Ms Denise Wong was saddened when UglyFood, a local online grocer selling blemished and surplus produce, announced its closure earlier this month. “There isn’t a replacement (because) the whole concept is that we are saving food that would otherwise be discarded,” said Ms Wong.

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