Fi Asia-China 2009 addresses safety, TCM ingredients trends

Food ingredients Asia-China opened in Shanghai two days ago and it ran alongside Health ingredients (Hi) and Natural ingredients (Ni), as well as CPhI, P-MEC and ICSE.

Organiser United Business Media (UBM) says traditional Chinese medicinal ingredients (TCM) are being tested by major international corporations such as Unilever and research organizations such as Wageningen University for use as functional food ingredients.

It says China is already supplying herbal extracts such as artemisinin, solanesol, St. John’s wort and gingko extract, and is set to become a major source of “superfruits” like Goji and seabuckthorn berries which are gaining worldwide attention.

Fi/Hi/NI China event manager Vincent Brain says, “With concerns about health and obesity remaining high on the agenda, the co-location of Health ingredients China and Natural ingredients China will enable manufacturers to source ingredients that will make their products stand out to consumers.”

China has enjoyed a reputation as an international, low cost supplier of food ingredients; however safety scandals have recently rocked the food industry in China.

After years of development, China’s comprehensive new Food Law was put into effect on June 1, 2009.

The popular FiPSS (Food ingredients Processing Safety & Services) Pavilion provided a forum for Chinese food manufacturers to seek advice from providers of traceability, microbiology, processing and quality control products and services to ensure food safety standards and regulations are being met.

Says Brain, “Whilst the present economic climate has hit consumer confidence, the Chinese food industry is still expected to grow an additional 109% by 2013.”

“China’s new middle class remains a resilient market for international companies looking to protect their revenues as core markets mature”.