Food Bev Asia

  Vitamin and mineral supplements are taken not only to improve physical well-being, but to provide mental energy as well. I hardly took supplements as a young adult, thinking that a balanced diet would suffice. But that changed because it’s just impossible to maintain a balanced diet every day – and of course, it seems it’s not enough to fight fatigue, stress and all kinds of communicable diseases.     Certain vitamins can also enhance mood in most normal individuals. But, could their effect extend to people diagnosed with clinical depression? Last month, at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Annual Meeting & Food Expo®, Bonnie Kaplan, Ph.D., a professor in the faculty of medicine at the University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, spoke about how supplements can be used as alternative to psychiatric medicines for symptom relief of anxiety and depression. According to Dr Kaplan’s report, a study of adults diagnosed with mood disorders shows that supplements help

In the August issue of Food Manufacturing Journal – Middle East and Africa , we feature Kathryn O’Sullivan, a consultant nutritionist for Kellogg’s. She has over 20 years' experience in the food business and has written several articles online on health and nutrition. In most instances, she stresses the importance of a good hearty breakfast especially for school children. In the interview she says, "The prevalence of iron deficiency in countries of the Arab Gulf is 20% to 67% amongst pre-schoolers, 13% to 50% amongst school-aged children, and 23% to 54% in women of childbearing age. Other studies in the region have similarly shown the prevalence amongst pre-schoolers to be 17% to 70%, with it being lower in adolescents at 14% to 42%, and around 11% to 40% in pregnant women...” Kellogg’s has formulated its cereal to meet certain nutrient deficiencies, including iron and vitamin D. The company has also reduced sodium in snacks like Pringles.      Read our one

In the Philippines, 2013 is the National Year of Rice. It is targeting self-sufficiency by the end of the year. Halfway through the year, the Department of Agriculture says it is 98% on track. It’s ironic that for years since the 1960s, the country enjoyed rice abundance, thanks to new developments from the International Rice Research Institute. For a while, the Philippines was the expert, training neighboring countries on rice production. Weather seemed to be better back then. Needless to say, those were also the times when pesticides were freely used. Economically, the country was also doing well. But toward the 1980s, rice production started declining. Growing awareness on the harmful effects of certain insecticides, not to mention more frequent droughts and typhoon, led to lower rice output.  It's worth noting that during the administration of Gloria Arroyo, the government was accused of mismanaging millions of tons of rice, leaving these to rot in warehouses in

Last month, McDonald’s introduced its McSpicy chicken burger in the Philippines. I knew about it on TV, and you know how it is with McDonald’s advertisements – they can make a burger look so wholesome, and a sundae look so innocent. And I say that with great admiration. TV runs many fast-food and snack food advertisements because it is the fastest way to get anyone’s attention, especially for food, which requires visuals. Needless to say, a short TV ad will get more impact over a photo in a magazine or a radio commercial. And many food ads involve children to convey family togetherness. True, ads are partly to blame for our bad choices in food. Studies have said so. A recent one from the scientific journal Obesity Reviews says that junk food advertisements haven’t gone down despite the food industry’s vow to make changes. The report analysed children’s exposure to advertisements of food and drinks with high sugar or fat content. Based on independent surveys done in Europ

Established in Penang in the 1970s, Adventist Bakery is known as the only maker of sprouted-grain bread in Malaysia . While the bread itself is not an Adventist original, it is made from sprouts that are grown, ground and processed in-house. Sprouted grain is essentially vegetable rather than flour since it has grown into tiny plants before being harvested and processed into bread, and as such is easier to digest as well. Compared to wheat bread or white bread made of flour, sprouted-grain is higher in fibre and protein. Adventist likes to be known as a provider of healthy baked goods, with sprouted-grain bread as its signature product. The company is marketing its product to Singapore this year, and hopes to meet potential partners to bring its products to other countries. For more, read our interview with manager Robin Ong Khong Theng in this month’s issue of FoodPacific Manufacturing Journal .