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The first half of 2017 has passed. We are here to kick off the latter half with APBN July issue.
It may interest you to read "Future Foods for Health: Innovations in Dietary Modifications for Diabetes" written by Dr Liu Mei Hui and Ms Yang Dimeng in Features section. Understanding the glycaemic index (GI) would allow one to choose foods more appropriately to achieve optimal blood glucose control and reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes. In general, food with high fibre content are more likely to be low in GI. While in Singapore, the Health Promotion Board recommends people to opt for whole grains which are lower in GI and believed to help better regulate blood glucose levels than refined grains. Many food products in the market are now added with whole grains to decrease glycaemic response. In this article, the authors advised to cautiously consume the correct type of grain for health benefits. You can also learn from the article about the future food innovation introduced by the NUS Food Science and Technology programme such as anthocyanin-fortified bread (or purple bread) and proanthocyanidin-incorporated low GI noodles.
How does one distinguish a Halal certified food with non-Halal? Countries with Muslim populations such as Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia rely on certification from their national regulatory bodies to ensure that food to be consumed meets the Halal standard. (Refer to “Halal Certified Food: Processing, Technology and Regulations”)
There is also rising usage of natural and plant-based products such as plant extracts that are rich in phytochemicals and flavonoids as food ingredients to promote health. APBN also features Kosmode Health, a start-up from NUS that uses two core technologies: 1) extraction technology that involves Column-lessTM and Zero wasteTM processing methods; and 2) fermentation technologies. Their aim is to deliver high quality bioactive ingredients and draw out natural goodness from plants to meet the rising demands on functional foods and phytochemical-based supplements.
The burden of preventable medical errors is a stark reality in the global healthcare system today. Check out our interview with Dr Ujjwal Rao in the Spotlights section to understand how evidence-based information can save lives by reducing up to 81% of medication errors.
We also report on the novel technologies in food delivery (“Drones, Robots and Food”), and the latest developments in healthcare and biotechnology in the Asia Pacific region. We hope that reading the July issue will give you more insights on the updates in Food Technology and the science behind it. Bon appetit!
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