As Singapore transformed over the years to become Southeast Asia’s leading food hub, Food Navigator Asia speaks to Ralph Graichen from A*STAR, where he shares some of the key developments that has driven this growth, how it has become a home for food and agri-tech start-ups, as well as Singapore’s future objectives in food safety and security.

Food safety hazards are an increasingly global health problem, yet receive minimal policy attention and investment in developing countries. A recent report from the World Bank Group sheds light on the growing threats of unsafe food and outlines key strategies that low- and middle-income countries can adopt to avoid the burden of foodborne diseases.

Following the success of FIA’s inaugural Food for the Future Summit in 2018, the senior executive-focused industry conference will return on 25 April to address key topics across sustainability, wellness and convenience.

With the overconsumption of sugar becoming a growing concern for consumers and health authorities around the world, the food industry is working to develop low-calorie sugar alternatives like Low/Non-Calorie Sweeteners (LNCS). However, the reputation of LNCS has been constantly challenged with alleged associations to weight gain, cancers and more. FIA organised a seminar in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in Mumbai, India to debunk the myths associated with LNCS and its impact on diet and health.