Royal DSM, the Life Sciences and Materials Sciences Company, and the China Nutrition Society (CNS) recently announced that they are to fund eight projects through their joint nutrition funding initiative, the CNS Nutrition R&D Project Foundation. The eight infant nutrition and health R&D projects were chosen from a pool of 40 projects who bid for a grant.
The CNS Nutrition R&D Project Foundation was jointly established in May 2011 by CNS and DSM, with a fund of RMB1.5 million contributed by DSM, and will provide support and incentives for nutrition researchers and developers to exploit infant nutrition improvement solutions as part of their larger campaign of improving public nutrition and health. All eight winning projects aim to provide cutting-edge solutions with a clear focus and practical feasibility. They will develop scientific guidelines for infant formula that meets the needs of Chinese infants, and are also committed to innovation in infant formula production processes. They will offer a scientific benchmark for revising the dietary guidelines and dietary reference intakes for China’s infants, thereby improving their health.
Professor Cheng Yiyong, president of the China Nutrition Society, said, “Our initiative has received universal attention and response, and our managers and bid jurors are committed to fair, just, scientific and prudent project evaluation. They have selected eight projects to be funded, and we hope that all these projects will play a significant role in the improvement of Chinese infant nutrition. At the same time, we are profoundly grateful to DSM for its contribution to the foundation. We hope that the foundation will grow in size, last a long time, provide stronger support for nutritional improvement in China and further promote China’s research into infant nutrition and health.”
As the world’s leading supplier of nutrients, DSM has advanced infant formula production technologies and rich R&D experience, and is dedicated to partnership with local academic institutions in nutrition improvement. Chen Jiong, chief of the DSM R&D Centre China, said, “DSM advocates open innovation, and is committed to partnership with all relevant parties to achieve innovation. Leveraging our R&D strength in nutrition, especially in infant nutrition, DSM will provide consistent support for all such research projects. I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to all bid winners, and to call for even more nutrition developers, including individuals and businesses, to join us and create even more innovations.”
The eight winning projects:
1. Differences of Breast Milk n-6:n-3 PUFAs in Different Dietary Modes and their Effects on Infant Growth, by Professor Peng Yongmei, Children’s Hospital affiliated to Fudan University
2. Dynamic Change of the Composition of Breast Milk and its Relationship with Infant Growth, by Professor Ma Yuxia, Hebei University of Medicine
3. Studies on Estrogen Level and Fat in Breast Milk, Cow Milk and Dairy Products, by Liu Jing, Associate Research Fellow, Beijing Institute of Nutritional Resources
4. Study on the Nutritional Relationships of Fatty Acid in Breast Milk and Infants in China’s Coastal Regions and the Hinterland Regions, by Professor Wang Zhixu, Nanjing University of Medicine
5. Study on the Content of Sialic Acid in the Breast Milk of Term-birth Breast-feeding Mothers in Different Regions of China and its Effects, by Dr Wang Xiaoli, Second Military Medical University
6. Risks of Overfeeding Urban Infants Aged 0-18 Months and their Rapid Weight Growth, by Lai Jianqiang, Research Fellow, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, China Disease Prevention and Control Center
7. Tracking and Evaluating Study on the National Food Safety Standards for Infants and Young Children, by Han Junhua, Associate Research Fellow, Institute of Nutrition and Food Safety, China Disease Prevention and Control Center
8. Study on the Homogeneity of Nutrients in Dry-mix Infant Formula Powder, by Ren Guopu, Senior Engineer, Central South University of Forestry and Technology
