Vitafoods to present findings from EU funded studies
Key findings from major EU funded nutrition projects will be revealed at this year’s Vitafoods Europe Conference.
Taking place at Palexpo, Geneva, from 10-11 May 2016, the conference will present the results of four studies commissioned under the EU’s multi billion euro Horizon 2020 research and innovation initiative, which focus on weight management, heart disease and healthy ageing.
During a weight management session on 10 May, delegates will hear first from Professor Julian Mercer from the University of Aberdeen’s Rowett Institute of Nutrition & Health. He will outline findings from the EU funded Full4Health study, which has been looking into the psychology of eating habits.
Taking the stage immediately afterwards will be Dr Angela Bonnema, senior nutrition scientist at US based Cargill, with Soraya Shirazi-Beechey, who is Professor of Molecular Physiology & Biochemistry at the University of Liverpool. They will present results from Project Satin – SATiety INnovation, a study of nutrients and ingredients that promote satiety and could therefore help to curb obesity. The session will include a practical focus on how the findings of the research can be implemented by the nutraceutical industry.
Later that day, in a session covering heart health, Dr Paul Kroon, research leader at the UK’s Institute of Food Research, will reveal findings from BACCHUS, which investigates how the bioactives found in food could offer cardiovascular health benefits.
The fourth project to feature at the conference will be NU-AGE, a healthy ageing research initiative involving a consortium of 30 companies and organisations from 17 EU countries. A presentation on the findings of this will be delivered by project co-ordinator Professor Claudio Franceschi from the University of Bologna in Italy.
Day one of the conference will also feature sessions focusing on cognitive health, infant health and digestive health, while on day two, attention will switch to marketing strategies, product safety and regulatory issues.
Over the course of the two-day conference, delegates will be able to take their pick from a total of 44 presentations and expert panel discussions delivered by 45 speakers from 13 countries. As well as details of the four Horizon 2020 EU funded projects, delegates will also have the opportunity to attend no fewer than 14 clinical trial presentations.
Chris Lee, Vitafoods portfolio director at Informa Exhibitions, says, “For this year’s Vitafoods Europe Conference we assembled a panel of experts from both industry and academia to help us identify the best possible speakers for the event. The result of this new approach is an excellent line-up that is our strongest ever, with a clear focus on applied science, business growth strategies, quality assurance and regulation.
“In addition, the conference programme is now more focused, so it will be easier for delegates to navigate and find the sessions that interest them most. The conference will bridge the gap between science and industry, enabling the sharing of knowledge and the facilitation of new partnerships.”
To download the full Vitafoods Europe Conference 2016 programme, and to register for a delegate pass, visit www.vitafoods.eu.com.
