From India to Japan: What’s happening in the functional protein space?
From India to Japan, protein is fast becoming a staple in functional food products, with consumer-packaged goods companies incorporating it into their products or investing in smaller outfits specializing in protein products.
In the health supplements space, protein is often used in sports nutrition and products supporting muscle health in seniors.
In recent years, however, there has been renewed interest in protein—not necessarily for hardcore sportsmen, but the public engaged in active lifestyles.
Growth Asia Summit 2026: Duke-NUS Medical School, Morinaga, Yeo’s to present kids’ nutrition
Growth Asia Summit 2026 takes place from July 8 to 10 at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, and childhood nutrition is one of the main themes to be covered on the first day of the summit.
Japan’s Morinaga Milk Industry will present insights on how evolving scientific understanding of gut health and immunity is reshaping infant and child nutrition strategies in Asia.
Register now for the three-day summit, and see the advance agenda here.
Females in focus: Health priorities reveal industry opportunities
The next generation of female consumers are demanding targeted solutions that can support their mental and physical well-being, but there are clear education opportunities when it comes to stress, sleep and hormonal balance.
This was a key message delivered by Ewa Hudson, Director of Insights at Lumina Intelligence, during a recent Nutritionists in Industry meeting held in London.
The data, derived from 6,000 consumers from across the globe (USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, South Korea), reveals that stress is also a top priority for women between the ages of 18 to 54, at which point longevity takes its place in top three spot, alongside sleep and weight.
Probiotics drink reduces loose stools tendency in healthy adults - Study
A study funded by Japanese firm Nomura Dairy Products reported that consumption of a probiotic drink for eight weeks could reduce loose stools tendency.
Writing in the Journal of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, researchers said that healthy adults prone to loose stools experienced a significant decrease in defecation frequency and the number of defecation days after taking the probiotic drink for eight weeks.
The probiotic strain used in the study was Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v (LP299V) supplied by Swedish probiotic firm Probi.
Beetroot juice may improve post-sprint agility in soccer players
Soccer players who consumed beetroot juice improved their choice response time and change-of-direction speed following high-intensity sprints, according to a study in Nutrients.
The researchers noted that the positive effects of beetroot juice supplementation “may be most apparent during reduced oxygenation that occurs immediately after high-intensity sprinting”, counteracting declines in agility and performance that can sometimes follow high-intensity sprints.
Beetroot juice has the potential to be an effective performance-enhancing tool for recreational soccer players and athletes, particularly in sports where agility is critical.
