Health food, TCM show strong potential in HK
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-08-17 15:19

Health food and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) are increasingly popular among consumers who opt for natural ways of treating diseases and keeping good shape.

The wind of health swept through the Hong Kong Food Expo, which was held here from August 12 to 16, with exhibitors selling green, healthy and natural food products every where.

Green tea's value in health protection and anti-cancer has drawn the attention of more and more people. The high-quality green tea products from east China's Zhejiang Province attracted many buyers at the expo.

Yunnan Province's booth drew people's eyeball with decoration of green leaves and flowers. Tasting the fresh mushrooms cooked at the scene, visitors were told what nutrition each kind of mushroom contains, such as protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

"People are paying attention to the safety and nutrition of the food. Our products cater to the need of consumers. So far, the natural edible mushrooms from Yunnan have entered the markets of Hong Kong, Japan and Europe," said Hua Mei, director of the bio-resources innovative development office of Yunnan provincial government.

The exhibited items of Shanghai No 1 Medicine Company covered traditional Chinese medicine, health care products, medical facilities and health care services. General Manager of the company Shao Songqi said that the Mainland/Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) has strengthened the economic and trade ties between Shanghai and Hong Kong in the field of medicine and health products.

The company will introduce more overseas medicine and health products to Chinese mainland, and will also promote traditional Chinese medicine and health products to the international markets,said Shao.

A product developer of the Hong Kong E-Con Company Limited said that modernization and commercialization of traditional Chinese medicine and health products have gone from strength to strength in the last few years, bringing ample business opportunities to the industry.

The company's new health food products exhibited at the Expo were developed aiming at the fast-growing cardiovascular diseases and aging problem in Hong Kong.

Many products at the expo are featured as healthy than tasty. As the Chinese traditional mid-autumn festival is coming soon, some companies promoted "healthy moon cake" at the expo. The cakes contain less sugar and oil than usual moon cakes, and the stuffing is nutritious food like ginseng.

Instant noodles are always believed to contain much oil, preservative and monosodium glutamate. But a Hong Kong company has developed healthy instant noodles.

The market manager of the company said their noodles are air-dried instead of oil-fried, and contain little oil, and no preservative and monosodium glutamate. The company has invested about HK$3 million (US$385,000) to develop new products to gain a leading position in the field of healthy instant food.

Jerusa Maria Rafael, a buyer from Brazil, said "my objective is to source suitable Chinese health products for my company. There are a lot of interesting products here and I can easily find the right products for my company."

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