FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal - July 2020 - healthy ingredients, innovative processing and packaging products, and more...

Interest in health ingredients for all kinds of food and beverage products, has been growing, more so during COVID-19 times. The past several issues of FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal (FPMJ) put more emphasis on the Health & Nutrition section because of this.    

Continuing developments both in business and research of probiotics are a boon to the manufacture of functional food and beverage. Earlier this year, the Southeast Asia Probiotic Scientific & Regulatory Experts Network initiated by DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences, together with the Food and Nutrition Society of Indonesia, the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, and the Indonesian Food and Beverage Association, held their first workshop to pave the way for the harmonisation of probiotics standards in Southeast Asia. While it seems typical for every country in Southeast Asia to have its own regulations for probiotics – or not have any at all – this has prevented brands from seizing market opportunities. The Network’s initiative is therefore good news for companies that can provide clinically tested probiotics.

FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal - July 2020

The area of human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) remains promising as well. Complex sugar molecules uniquely found in human breast milk, HMOs help nourish and boost the immunity and brain development of infants. While commonly associated with infant nutrition, HMOs can also enrich dairy for adults. The biotech company, Jennewein Biotechnologie uses a proprietary fermentation process for the mass production of its HMOs. The company will soon release its breakthrough 5 HMO blend – a combination of five HMOs in nature-identical concentrations – and being so, it is closer to natural breast milk. Jennewein has obtained approval for its 2’-FL HMO in Singapore, and is eyeing markets in Asia.

Still related to health and nutrition, developments in plant-based/alternative meats are also hard to ignore as the segment catches on fast in Asia. We've featured another group of Asia-based startups creating meat alternatives out of jackfruit, peas, shiitake mushrooms, and trying out new techniques as well.     

Aside from these, check out the July 2020 issue for technologies for processing, packaging, automating your business, and even ensuring improving food safety.