China’s indefinite suspension of all its activities under its Strategic Economic Dialogue with Australia is unlikely to affect the supplements industry, due to consumers’ preference for Australia-made products and the fact that a number of brands with...
South Korea has proposed a draft where additional labelling of origin of raw materials should be indicated for all imported agriculture, aqua and processed foods following Japan’s decision to release more than one million tonnes of treated radioactive...
Pre-packaged foods for infants, toddlers, and special medical purposes will now need to follow nutrition labelling standards applicable for all pre-packaged foods in Taiwan, the country’s regulator has ruled.
The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) has clarified the term ‘postbiotics’ in a statement that responds to the scientific groundswell and growing number of postbiotic applications.
The South Korean authorities have released a proposal on how oxidation should be measured in EPA and DHA products, in what is being seen as a move to bridge the gap between locally-made and imported products.
Health foods manufacturers wanting to make anti-fatigue claims in Taiwan can expect to spend a higher cost and a longer period of time registering products, after the local authorities banned animal testing on such items and insisted on human trials.
In this round-up of new regulatory developments, we look at hemp, CBD, and fish oil related regulatory changes in Thailand, as well as how South Korean and Chinese authorities are coping with non-compliant products.
The Australian beverages industry has expressed hopes that the government will reconsider its current stance on Health Star Ratings (HSR) for no added sugar juices after the sector emerged as the sole soft drinks growth category in the last quarter of...
Thai authorities have introduced new standards for fish oil based on the existing CODEX guidelines, where products will need to adhere to specific fatty acid compositions and production process.
South Korea has finally laid out the governance rules for ‘elderly-friendly foods’ based on main ingredient ratios, with experts believing that this will have a significant impacts on a number of categories.
A combination of probiotic strains could improve glycaemic control when taken by patients with diabetic nephropathy, a 12-week RCT conducted in China has shown.
China authorities have introduced new requirements on calories, protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrient levels permitted in infant and toddler formulas, sparking industry experts to recommend that all NPD quickly switches to the new protocols.
A number of Thai companies, including CP Foods and DOD Biotech, have stated their intentions in developing new food, supplement and beverages containing hemp, as new regulatory developments unfold in the country.
South Korea has published a list of almost 3,000 food and beverage products which are banned from being sold on school grounds for being too high in calories and low in nutritional value, or high in caffeine in the government’s latest attempt to ensure...
Australia-based Pharmako Biotechnologies is planning several new studies following the recent announcement of its Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)-approved manufacturing site, which allows it to produce pharma grade ingredients for use in clinical...
A total of 964 cases of public interest litigation have been filed against individuals and companies for the illegal production, marketing and sales of health foods in China in the last 15 months.
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an import alert and seized products from two firms that were deemed to be offering New Dietary Ingredients that have not gone through the notification process.
About 10 per cent of complementary medicines in Australia did not manage to transit to the new list of health indications permitted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and have been cancelled.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) is improving the recognition of foreign halal certification bodies by adding on-pack QR codes and new training, moves that come in the wake of a high-profile meat scandal.
Japan Consumer Affairs Agency (CCA) is warning general food and health food manufacturers against labelling their products as being effective in preventing or treating COVID-19, to avoid consumer misunderstanding and harming public health.
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.
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...
The Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) has launched a nationwide investigation into a widespread local honey adulteration scandal and is mulling ‘better’ test methods – but researchers are calling for the agency to take more ‘stronger,...
The South Korean regulator has said it will be issuing “Inspection Orders” on imported probiotics that have failed conformity tests three or more times in the past three years.
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...
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.
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.
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...
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.
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.
A study conducted on young men with pneumonia has shown that probiotics, when administered with antibiotics, could shorter the duration of fever and improve stool consistency.
Trade body Natural Health Products New Zealand is urging the government to prioritise the regulatory reforms concerning natural health products, amid fears that dated, 36-year-old current regulations could be extended by another five years.
Australian company Omni Innovation is shifting its focus to the prescription retail channel for its blood glucose control product, as it seals a new partnership deal with fellow Australian pharmaceutical firm Myopharm.
The Chinese government has announced a new three-year strategy to further develop the local dairy industry, with emphasis on strengthening R&D as well as tighter governance to quell remaining food safety concerns and boost the sector’s reputation.
Japan’s health food industry needs to better ensure that functional foods are advertised accurately and include validated efficacy information, according to a new report.
South Korea has announced that general foods can make functional claims so long as there is sufficient scientific evidence backing the claims, but experts have said they do not believe that it will be to the detriment of the nation’s functional foods...
A group of researchers has recommended a weekly supplementation of folic acid at 2.8mg in Malaysian women of child-bearing age, in order to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in their babies should they become pregnant.
Developing functional foods that deliver health benefits to support the population’s immune and nutrition status is important in the battle against COVID-19, says an ex-policy expert from the Philippines.
Regulatory authorities across APAC are primed to announce new directions or updates to monitor the dietary supplements industry in 2021…Here’s what you need to know.
Problems with registration and ingredient compliance are some of the most common mistakes that nutraceutical firms have made when exporting their products to South Korea, according to a regulatory consultancy firm.
The US Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer warning on December 17 about potentially dangerous drug ingredients in certain male enhancement or weight loss products sold through Amazon, eBay and other retailers.
A group of ready-to-use therapeutic foods manufacturers is rallying the Indian government to address acute malnutrition through commercial partnerships.
Companies advertising their dietary supplement products in New Zealand should avoid pitfalls such as making therapeutic claims, using imagery that implies therapeutic purposes, or overpromising a health outcome.
See our top 10 most read regulatory stories of 2020, including COVID-19 lockdown and essential business status, South Korea’s control on imported krill oil and more.
In this round-up of regulatory developments, we focus on China’s expansion of its health food raw material directory, ASEAN’s move to harmonise its supplement rules, and more.
Danone has launched Aptamama – a probiotic product for preventing lactation mastitis in breastfeeding mothers. The product is exclusively sold in China.
