The 8th World Noodles Summit in Tianjin concluded with all those present agreeing that the global instant noodles industry needs to make constant innovations in terms of product varieties, product quality and manufacturing techniques to secure sustainable development. The summit, which ran from May 19-21, was attended by industry stakeholders and government figures from around the world.

Industrial experts stated that the industry should address concerns regarding the nutritional value and product safety of instant noodles in order to maintain a solid consumer base and attract new customers.

"Food safety and quality are two characteristics that cannot be ignored. All it takes for a company, whether they are a large enterprise or not, to suffer major losses is to make a small mistake," said Dr. V. Prakash, President of the Nutrition Society of India and former Director of the Central Food Technological Research Institute.

Prakash said that the industry should focus on details including proper packaging, to minimize food safety risks, and adequate labeling, to help consumers know what they have consumed in terms of sodium and other ingredients.

Prakash believes that innovation is a critical factor for enhancing the nutritional value of instant noodles. He said: "One way is to infuse instant noodles with medicinal benefits for consumers seeking their therapeutic effects."

Prakash suggested that the industry could customize noodle production based on the nutritional and health needs of a range of different consumers, including those with specific dietary needs, the elderly and diabetes sufferers.

Koki Ando, Chairman of the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA) and CEO of Nissin Foods Holding Company, reiterated the importance of ensuring food safety for consumers, and pledged to use capital from the WINA Food Safety Research Fund to help eliminate harmful substances.

Norio Sakurai, WINA's secretary-general, said that the rapidly-changing consumption habits in developing countries require that the noodles industry adjust its stance accordingly. "The industry needs to ensure further innovations to produce new products with fewer calories and less fat, as such specifications are popular now," he said. "It's also important to take nutritional balance into consideration, and increase the content of nutritional ingredients, such as vitamins, in the products."