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Massey’s nutrition focus for National Science Challenge

Massey’s nutrition focus for National Science Challenge

Massey’s top scientists will work on developing vital food solutions, thanks to new research funding launched today in the National Science Challenge High-Value Nutrition.

The funds come from $10.9 million being invested into health research for one of the Government’s 11 big science challenges announced by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce last year.

The ultimate goal of the research is to increase the value of New Zealand’s raw materials and food exports by validating health claims for food and beverage products, in a bid to boost our economy by $1 billion by 2025.

High-Value Nutrition has allocated $600,000 to Massey University for a preliminary project to establish current knowledge on the food science of health foods. This is in addition to a $1.5m programme to support the design and development of food and beverages that maintain their health benefits through to the point of consumption.

The principal investigator is Distinguished Professor Harjinder Singh, with support from colleagues from the University of Otago, Lincoln University and AgResearch.

Professor Singh says the Science of Food team is uniquely placed to provide strategic scientific guidance and vital food solutions. He says this is vital “if High-Value Nutrition is to identify research avenues where there is freedom to operate, as well as high scientific and technological feasibility and ultimately the potential for economic impact.”

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Programme 1, Scanning the Horizon, will canvas food for health developments in the scientific, patent and regulatory realms. This programme runs from now until June 2016. Professor Singh says the goal is to provide a near-continuous stream of up-to-date, tailored intelligence on international practice in development of foods for health. The next step, Programme 2, Bioactive Food Systems, addresses this need, by translating nutrient delivery targets into model food products, using the insights from Programme 1.

As part of the High-Value Nutrition Challenge, Massey is a key player in undertaking research that underpins the food-for-health initiative in New Zealand and around the world. Massey is the host of the Riddet Institute Centre of Research Excellence that focuses on cutting edge, fundamental research in food science and nutrition. The Riddet Institute research findings and the greater Riddet Institute intelligence network feeds directly into the HVN programme.

In addition, Massey has recently established the Institute of Food Science and Technology, which represents the critical mass and the largest capability in food science and innovation in the Southern Hemisphere. Massey scientists are already helping New Zealand companies develop new foods and beverages that improve health at different stages of people’s lives, from pre-natal through baby, infant, childhood and ageing.

ENDS


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