Ask-the-Expert: How is dsm-firmenich driving sustainable change this Earth Day 2024?
This Earth Day 2024, discover how dsm-firmenich is driving sustainable change, reducing its environmental impact and addressing global food system challenges.
It’s the underlying cause of almost half of all deaths in children under five.[1] Substantial evidence has shown that preterm birth and low birth weight (LBW), which are known to be affected by maternal nutrition, are associated with suboptimal child development outcomes.[2]
When healthy diets are out of reach and malnutrition threatens lives, nutrition programs and public health supplementation are cost-effective ways to reach vulnerable women and children with the essential nutrients they need from preconception through childhood.[3] Beyond providing calories, nutrient-dense solutions such as Ready-to-Use Supplementary Foods (RUSFs) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS), among others, have the potential to save and change lives by supporting adequate nutritional intake at these critical stages of development.
Widely used around the world as food aid by development and humanitarian agencies, fortified blended foods like Super Cereal and Super Cereal Plus are typically prepared as a porridge by cooking with water for 5 to 15 minuts.4 Made from cereals and grains and enriched with a micronutrient premix, these flour- or meal-type products may contain added vegetable oil, sugar, milk powder and protein-rich ingredients.
Combining heat treated oilseeds, pulses or cereals, sugar, milk powder, vegetable oils, vitamins and minerals, RUSFs like Plumpy’Nut are convenient energy-dense, micronutrient-enriched pastes that can be eaten straight from the sachet.1 Aimed at the prevention and treatment of moderate acute malnutrition, they have benefited many children during critical physical and intellectual growth periods.2
Designed to provide children aged 6 months and older with essential micronutrients, SQ-LNS can be directly consumed or mixed with foods prepared at home.1 Containing multiple micronutrients in a food base that provides energy, protein and essential fatty acids, these convenient supplements effectively improve nutritional and health outcomes.2,3,4
Scientifically proven to provide the nutrients that infants and children need for optimal growth and development, MNPs help correct nutritional deficiencies without affecting the taste, consistency or appearance of food.1 MNPs can be sprinkled over home-cooked or school meals, serving as a convenient and cost-effective food-based nutritional intervention that effectively addresses anemia, iron and other deficiencies.2 dsm-firmenich’s MNP packaging is fully compostable and reusable, which provides more sustainable product protection for the benefit of people and planet.3
Beyond strengthening antenatal care and health systems around the world, MMS in various formats from tablets to capsules have the potential to save lives – especially those of women and children. The WHO recommends MMS as one of eight proven antenatal care interventions that improve birth outcomes. With a combination of iron, folic acid and various vitamins and minerals, research shows that multiple micronutrient supplements effectively improve birth weight and reduce the risk of preterm birth and infant mortality.
Public health supplementation is a key strategy in meeting our commitment to help close the micronutrient gap for 800 million people by 2030. Drawing on decades of experience in nutrition across the lifespan, we bring our scientific insight, technical know-how and industry-leading solutions to help advance nutrition programs globally.
But with ongoing food system disruptions and persistent challenges around supply and delivery and educating target populations about nutritional solutions, global multistakeholder action remains critical to the success of these efforts. To collectively shape policies and scale up public health supplementation interventions worldwide, we call on all nutrition community stakeholders – including governments, donors, academia, businesses and civil society – to step up and join us today.
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Together with UNICEF, we’ve provided 2 million Nigerian children with vital micronutrients through a national micronutrient powder program that has helped save many lives across 17 different states.
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Our joint initiative with Africa Improved Foods (AIF) has fed over 1.6 million people in Rwanda with nutritional products like mineral and vitamin-rich porridge for pregnant and lactating mothers and children.
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As part of the public-private Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Accelerator, we aim to advance MMS programs to reach 17.5 million pregnant women and their newborns globally.1
With our support, the Sight and Life Foundation nutrition programs and builds viable social business model to benefit vulnerable individuals – especially woman and children – in Rwanda, South Africa, India and Bangladesh.
We’re working with World Vision International to strengthen the healthcare system in the Philippines by improving last-mile demand and supply of multiple micronutrient supplements.
Tailored to the specific needs of local communities in the developing world, our fully customizable solutions are safe, affordable and cost-effective in combating malnutrition and hidden hunger to improve their quality of life. In addition to our high-quality micronutrients, we dedicate our world-class scientific and technical support to co-create exceptional solutions with our partners.
dsm-firmenich has been providing MNPs since these nutritional interventions were first implemented and has a long track record of success which demonstrates our products’ efficacy and reliability. Since launching our first MNP product in 2008, millions of our MNPs have been distributed worldwide by agencies, governments and non-governmental organizations to supplement the diets of children aged from six months to five years.[1]
Carefully researched and calibrated blends of functional ingredients to support convenient and efficient food fortification with a single, homogenous product.
Let’s explore effective and efficient food fortification strategies that truly transform the global food system.
It all begins with good nutrition. Let’s unlock the potential in every individual and help drive a brighter future for all.
This Earth Day 2024, discover how dsm-firmenich is driving sustainable change, reducing its environmental impact and addressing global food system challenges.
Arlene Mitchell of GCNF shares insights on the impact and importance of school meal programs worldwide on International School Meals Day.
Explore key takeaways from the Micronutrient Forum 2023 Global Conference, including solutions to strengthen food systems and combat malnutrition.
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