Health claims on food products in Southeast Asia: regulatory frameworks, barriers, and opportunities.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations aims to act as a single market and allow free movement of goods, services, and manpower. The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the current regulatory framework for health claims in Southeast Asia and to highlight the current barriers and opportunities in the regulatory frameworks in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. To date, 5 countries in Southeast Asia, i.e., Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, have regulations and guidelines to permit the use of health claims on food products. There are inconsistencies in the regulations and the types of evidence required for health claim applications in these countries. A clear understanding of the regulatory frameworks in these countries may help to increase trade in this fast-growing region and to provide direction for the food industry and the regulatory community to develop and market food products with better nutritional quality tailored to the needs of Southeast Asian consumers.
K.Y.M. Tan and M.Y. Chan are with the Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. E.M.v.d.Beek is with Nutricia Research, Danone-Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. X.J. Zhao is with Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Pudong, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. L. Stevenson is with the Nutrition & Health Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Aigburth, Liverpool, United Kingdom. k.tan@newcastle.ac.uk.
Karin Y M
KY
Tan
K.Y.M. Tan and M.Y. Chan are with the Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. E.M.v.d.Beek is with Nutricia Research, Danone-Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. X.J. Zhao is with Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Pudong, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. L. Stevenson is with the Nutrition & Health Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Aigburth, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Eline M
EM
van der Beek
K.Y.M. Tan and M.Y. Chan are with the Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. E.M.v.d.Beek is with Nutricia Research, Danone-Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. X.J. Zhao is with Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Pudong, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. L. Stevenson is with the Nutrition & Health Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Aigburth, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
M Y
MY
Chan
K.Y.M. Tan and M.Y. Chan are with the Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. E.M.v.d.Beek is with Nutricia Research, Danone-Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. X.J. Zhao is with Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Pudong, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. L. Stevenson is with the Nutrition & Health Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Aigburth, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Xuejun
X
Zhao
K.Y.M. Tan and M.Y. Chan are with the Human Nutrition Research Centre, Newcastle University, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. E.M.v.d.Beek is with Nutricia Research, Danone-Nutricia Early Life Nutrition, Singapore, Republic of Singapore. X.J. Zhao is with Nutricia Early Life Nutrition (Shanghai) Co., Ltd, Pudong, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. L. Stevenson is with the Nutrition & Health Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Aigburth, Liverpool, United Kingdom.
Leo
L
Stevenson
D000329:Advertising / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D001210:Asia, Southeastern; D018857:Food Packaging / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007214:Indonesia; D010679:Philippines; D013785:Thailand
Southeast Asia; food industry; food trade; health claims; regulatory frameworks