A healthy future for all? Improving food quality for Asia

Discussions of food security in Asia have often centred on the issue of supply, but now the emphasis is shifting from quantity to quality. The ability to address the issue of food quality is complicated by the increasing complexity of the food supply chain in Asia.

By Economist Intelligence Unit

Discussions of food security in Asia have often centred on the issue of supply, but now the emphasis is shifting from quantity to quality.

A succession of food safety crises has drawn the most attention but there are equal and growing concerns about rising obesity and the stubborn problem of under-nutrition. The ability to address the issue of food quality is complicated by the increasing complexity of the food supply chain in Asia.

In an effort to secure sufficient quantities of affordable food and cater for a greater diversity of diets, countries have integrated themselves into global systems for agricultural production and food processing, leading to the creation of longer, sprawling food supply chains that could span numerous countries. This structural shift requires that food quality be viewed as an issue that extends beyond national boundaries.¹

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