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Welcome to the November edition of AFICNews.

AFICNews is a free monthly e-bulletin, providing updates on current food safety, health and nutrition news trends around the Asia Pacific region. If you are not already subscribed, but would like your own monthly copy, please send a blank email to aficnews-subscribe@afic.org. If you do not wish to receive AFICNews, simply send a blank email to aficnews-unsubscribe@afic.org, and your name and address will be automatically removed from the list. In case of difficulties email info@afic.org with your request to subscribe or unsubscribe, and we can do the rest.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

NEW FROM AFIC

Food Facts Asia, November 2005 is now launched and distributed to subscribers. The html (English, Chinese and Thai) and. PDF (English only) versions are also available on AFIC's website. The topics included in this issue are:

Ø       Health Advice to Eat More!! The Case for More Fruit and Vegetables – English or ภาษาไทย or 中文

Ø       What’s That Doing in My Food? – English or ภาษาไทย or 中文

Ø       The Low-Down on Carbohydrate – English or ภาษาไทย or 中文

Ø       NewsBites – English or ภาษาไทย or 中文

Download the entire issue (English only) - (PDF)

For more information or journalist enquiries, email info@afic.org.

Most Frequently Reported Food Safety and Nutrition Topics
in Daily Press and Newswires Around the Asia Region

Note: These figures are based on simple counting method of topic headings and do not allow for differences in length or depth of feature articles.

COMMENTS ON MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED ISSUES AREAS

Zoonotic Disease & Animal Health (37%)

Avian flu continue to command more attention from the media, with most reports and public commentary addressing concerns related to the forecasted human influenza pandemic and measures to reduce probability and/or address outbreak.  Interest in BSE has declined somewhat, while the Streptococcus suis in pigs issue which resulted in a number of human deaths in China also stimulated significant media activity in August and September, but has since been given less attention. For more information the on Avian Influenza, please visit these links:

• Guiding statement from the International Food Safety Authority Network (INFOSANS) and World Health Organization (WHO) (http://www.who.int/foodsafety/fs_management/No_02_Avianinfluenza_Dec04_en.pdf)
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/1000104/index.html)
• European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) (http://www.efsa.eu.int/press_room/press_release/1193_en.html)

Healthy Lifestyles (10%) /Heart Disease/Cholesterol/Fats (5%)

Total number of media items tracked for these issues has increased quite markedly this quarter. Thus, the trend of increased interest in the prevention of non-communicable chronic disease continues. New developments of particular interest include WHO’s report on Prevention of Chronic Disease, the growing scientific concern on the high prevalence of insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome amongst Asian population, coverage following World Heart Day, and a recent spate of studies linking Alzheimer’s disease and dementia to overweight/obesity, sedentary lifestyles and dietary factors. Please click here to read AFIC’s article on ‘Health Advice to Eat More !! The Case for More Fruit and Vegetables’

Food Safety – Chemical (6%) & Microbial (5%)

A series of food safety concerns (chemical, microbiological and animal health related), following hot on the heels of the detection of illegal red dyes in foods has had dramatic impact on public confidence in food safety standards and regulatory agencies competence. These include, but are not limited to Malachite green in seafoods and fresh water fishes, lead and parasitic eggs in kimchi, and further discoveries of Sudan red dyes in foods. For more information on trace contaminants, please see ‘What’s That Doing in My Food?’

Biotechnology (5%)

Publication of complete rice genome in Nature this quarter provides opportunities to improve understanding of the sciences of genetics, molecular biology, and plant breeding. The announcement of substantial funding for staple crops’ biofortification research and development projects also provide positive opportunities to improve public understanding ands acceptance of modern biotechnology crops and food stuffs. Additionally, the reiteration of many Asian Governments on the push towards biotechnology has also generated some interest in this area. AFIC’s recent consumer survey conducted in three Asian countries indicated that a majority of consumers in Asia recognise that their daily diet almost certainly contains biotechnology-derived foods and report they take no action to avoid them.

Overweight/Obesity/Weight Control (5%)

The rapidly rising numbers of overweight and obesity in the 2 most populous countries in the world are becoming a frequent topic for both regional and international media. Elsewhere, the success of CSIRO’s Total Wellbeing Diet and others are supporting nascent interest in the role of glycaemic index of foods in weight management.  Please click here for ‘The Low-down on Carbohydrates’.