December 2021

BakeryAndSnacks

Demand for healthy snacks is increasing ‘ and as it does the number of products trying to claim a health halo is also on the rise. But what happens when the nutrition doesn’t live up to claims being made?

Manila Bulletin | Latest Breaking News | News Philippines

Indoor farming was something I first encountered in Berlin back in 2017. As only the freshest regional ingredients—preferably foraged in a nearby forest—became the trend for most Michelin-starred joints in Europe, it was only a matter of time technology entered the picture. But Why leave it to circumstance and the whims of the atmosphere? What if you can grow your own produce and herbs without any risks and with climate that you can control?

Freeze-drying is bang on trend today, helping producers to stay ahead of the demand for guilt-free snacks as the process retains the nutrients, colour, shape and flavour of the primary ingredient. They are also 100% natural and contain no added sugar.

Dole Sunshine Company (Dole) has embarked on an innovative commercial partnership with Clarifruit, which has developed a next-gen quality control (QC) platform for fruits and vegetables, to achieve the Dole Promise of zero fruit loss by 2025 and to reinforce its commitment to sustainability.

In keeping with the sugar reduction market shift from sugar sweeteners to more natural sugar replacements, food-tech start-up B.T. Sweet has unveiled Cambya, a plant-based “botanical sugar” substitute.

Despite its obsession with dystopia, science fiction has not been far off the mark in its depiction of the future of cooking and eating. In fact, the future, as some of our sci-fi breakthroughs have predicted, is now and we’re helping ourselves to it.

Southeast Asia’s fast-growing population and rising food demand, coupled with escalating adverse weather and supply chain events, highlighted the region’s future food security challenges that could be a hindrance to the development of its sustainable growth ambitions.

China recorded yet another bumper grain harvest this year, with output up 2 percent to almost 683 billion kilograms, up 13.4 billion kg from last year, the National Bureau of Statistics said yesterday.This is the seventh consecutive year the country’s grain production has exceeded 650 billion kg.The bumper harvest comes despite extreme regional weather conditions, including record rainstorms in Henan Province and periodical droughts in the northwestern areas, said Wang Minghua, an NBS official.

The Chinese government has stepped up its anti-waste agenda with firms across the supply chain being required to prevent food waste and conserve food through its so-called ‘Food Conservation Action Plan’.

The Covid-19 pandemic and heightened climate concerns have accelerated demand for environmentally-friendly alternative protein, and mission-driven Southeast Asian impact entrepreneurs are increasingly eager to tap into the market, and take a slice of the region’s US$600 billion (S$811 billion) food spending. Indonesia’s Helga Angelina Tjahjadi is one of them.

A new report from Food Industry Asia (FIA) has revealed that although a majority of Filipinos (81%) believe that following a healthy, balanced diet is their own responsibility, they also want more support from industry. More specifically, they seek more visibility of reformulated F&B products, increased communications that outline the benefits of these products, and clearer nutrition labels.

Quick Greens, a new quick-service restaurant in Singapore is determined to make plant-based eating affordable, fun and delicious.

One of Thailand’s major fast food chains has been promoting its “Crazy Happy Pizza” this month, an under-the-radar product topped with a cannabis leaf. It’s legal but won’t get you high.

A recent report from online shopping platform Shopee said that Vietnamese had become more comfortable with buying food and groceries online, including items usually bought offline.