Nutritional Science the Key to Health and Wellness

"Dairying, Health and Wellness" was the theme at the 2006 Spring Conference of the Society of Dairy Technology, held in Killarney recently. The conference reviewed the scientific and commercial opportunities for the dairy industry in the growing functional foods market.

Head of Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre, Dr Liam Donnelly, told the conference that approximately 1.1 billion adults throughout the world are obese, making obesity one of the most pressing public health problems today. He pointed out that in the United States there are 9 million children under the age of six obese.

"It is important that foods are developed that contribute to a decrease in energy intake and storage. Food choice can be influenced beneficially by food companies offering a range of products that are designed to deliver a more balanced diet and that help the consumer with weight management," he said.

Dr Donnelly's presentation focussed on the opportunities in functional food development and the technological developments related to food.

"To date there are many examples of functional foods on supermarket shelves of which the majority are aimed at gut health or vascular health but we are still at the threshold of this new frontier in nutritional science. The limiting factor will be the quality of the scientific and medical evidence that underpins health claims. The key to functional food development is the discovery and clinical validation of bioactive agents with positive health benefits for the consumer," he said.

Speakers from Ireland, the UK, Europe, and the USA addressed the conference. Dr Pat Dillon, Head of Teagasc Moorepark Production Research Centre, told the delegates that the Irish dairy industry has the potential to become a major player with increased scale, cost competitiveness and resources to compete successfully against major international competitors.