Safety First: Indonesia packaging rules updates, APAC food allergy challenges, Japan anti-counterfeit facility and more feature in our round-up

Chemical concerns: Indonesia revising food packaging regulations in response to public apprehension​

The Indonesian government is revising food packaging regulations in response to consumer and academic concerns over the presence of dangerous chemicals entering the food supply chain.

Indonesia has conducted multiple revisions to local policies governing food packaging over the past decade, but as of 2023 no specific regulations were in place regarding certain harmful chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), more commonly known as the ‘Forever Chemicals’ due to their slow degradation rate.

A great deal of scientific evidence has already linked PFAS exposure to an array of health issues from cancer, cardiovascular disease, infertility, elevated blook pressure and more.

Food allergy fears: New survey reveals insufficient data, research, and management in most APAC countries​

There are vast unaddressed food allergy-related challenges in the Asia Pacific region, including the absence of reliable prevalence data, allergists, and adrenaline autoinjectors, with researchers arguing there is an urgent need to better prepare for food safety incidents.

A cross-sectional survey initiated by the Asia Pacific Association of Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology (APAAACI) set out to assess the current disease burden, resource availability, and management practices of food allergies among healthcare providers in the region.

The survey comprised a comprehensive questionnaire of 66 questions distributed to 16 member countries of APAAACI from June to September 2022. These questions delved into respondents’ demographics, regional prevalence of food allergies, availability of allergy services, and the management of food allergies, including the prescription of adrenaline.

Countering counterfeits: Japan establishes first physical facility to find fake food ‘exports’ in Thailand​

Japan has set up a physical anti-counterfeit consultation desk in Thailand to fight against a rising number of food and agriculture products claiming to be of Japanese origin.

This consultation desk is the first of its kind established by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and headed by its Export and International Bureau Intellectual Property Division.

This will be the first step in a new planned framework to be set up in collaboration with various ministries to combat counterfeit agriculture, fishery and food products found in overseas markets claiming to originate from Japan.

“Japanese food and agriculture products are highly regarded overseas, and [this has led to] many counterfeit products having been discovered in various markets, so MAFF is working to improve the quality and assurance of our export products in these markets in collaboration with the related ministries,”​ MAFF said via a formal statement.

Cultivated meat concerns: Cost, health impact and religious factors raised by Singaporeans​

The general public and experts in Singapore have raised several concerns over the consumption of cultivated meat, while also acknowledging it can play a crucial role in the City State’s food security efforts.

These views were detailed in a new study that aimed to investigate how both the public and experts perceive the risks and benefits of cultured meat on individual and societal levels. In addition, it sought to compare the mental models of the public and experts, identifying similarities and differences in their perceptions.

Researchers undertook four distinct online focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted between February and April 2022. Three FGDs involved participants from the general public, while the fourth included cultured meat experts. Each session, lasting approximately two hours, comprised nine to eleven participants.

Antibiotic misuse in Asian food animal production poses grave public health threat: Indian study​

The misuse of antibiotics in food animal production in Asia poses a serious danger to public health in the region, according to researchers in India.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a significant global threat, causing substantial economic losses and an estimated annual loss of 700,000 lives.

In a comprehensive study spanning the period of 2011 to 2020, researchers at the Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Punjab noted the alarming rise of antibiotic resistance and its potential transmission to humans through the food chain. They also shed light on the pervasive use of critically important antibiotics in food animal production across Asia, as well as how limited surveillance and regulatory controls had amplified concerns over antibiotic resistance.

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