At the exhibition booth of Nestle Purina, Sun JJ carefully explains the company's latest pet probiotic product to curious visitors at the third China International Import Expo (CIIE).

"The supplement not only improves the digestion of your pet dog, but also reduces its anxiety thanks to the bifidobacterium longum BL999 in it," said Sun, Nestle Purina's Scientific Communication Manager. "Many dogs have separation anxiety and some of them can display hostile behavior toward people, so the product helps in the booming pet market in China."

Nestle is also displaying some vitamins and probiotics with organic ingredients, which are gluten free and vegan.

"As one of the first batch of foreign-funded enterprises to enter the Chinese market, Nestle is looking forward to showcasing its innovation at the CIIE, bringing more and better nutrition and health solutions to Chinese consumers," said Rashid Qureshi, Chairman and CEO of Nestle Greater China Region.

Nestle's products are part of the high-tech imported food items on display at the CIIE being held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10.

U.S. agribusiness giant Cargill is showcasing a plant-based "meat" product.

"It has a texture like chicken and beef, but it's vegan," said one of Cargill's customers.

Cargill's introduction of the product to customers in April received a warm response, Liu Jun, president of Cargill China, said at the expo.

"Our surveys showed that about 80 percent of customers liked this product, and more than 60 percent said they would purchase it again," Liu said. "We noticed that many companies are beginning to invest in this area."

As the public's health requirements mount, there is a need for innovative products, Liu added.

French yeast manufacturer Lesaffre is introducing a product that can help bring low-salt food to the table and has a umami taste. According to Lesaffre, Chinese consumers are increasingly paying attention to food low in salt and their new product can decrease salt content by 30 percent while adding natural flavors.

Driving the fervor for high-tech food is rising health awareness.

From February to early May of this year, the proportion of Chinese consumers using vitamins and health supplements rose from 48 percent to 57 percent, according to market consultancy Mintel. About 90 percent of surveyed respondents said the COVID-19 epidemic led to an increase in their knowledge of immunity.

The demand for diversified food has also been felt. According to Mintel, some people started eating "artificial meat" because of COVID-19. As plant-based "meat" looks similar to animal meat and is equally nutritious, it can meet the rising demand and decrease the impact on environment.

"We hope that through the CIIE, we will continue to strengthen our communication with people," said Liu. "We will continue to make innovative products to meet the needs of Chinese consumers and help create a healthier future."

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