Fonterra brain food helps kids

A Fonterra dairy ingredient that supports the brain development of babies during pregnancy and into infancy is a finalist in international awards recognising innovations that change people’s lives.

The dairy co-operative’s ‘‘breakthrough’’ milk lipid ingredient is an Ingredient of the Year – Infant Nutrition finalist at the Nutraingredients Awards in Geneva.

The ingredient was developed for maternal and infant formula using New Zealand milk and is being credited for helping to support brain development during pregnancy and infancy.

Fonterra Nutrition general manager Angela Rowan said the innovation was a new offering in the challenging infant nutrition category. ’’It is well known that breastfeeding gives an infant the best start to life. Scientists at Fonterra have been focusing their research on the structure of lipids found in human breast milk and the associated benefits for the developing infant. The NZMP ingredient has been developed from cows’ milk to help deliver complex milk lipids in infant formula.’’

The awards celebrate innovations improving people’s lives, health and disease reduction. Judging is based on an innovation’s scientific merit, efficiency, innovation and commercialisation. Fonterra’s research programme of preclinical and clinical studies supported the new ingredient was ‘‘positioned’’ for cognitive development.

Rowan said making the awards’ final shortlist highlighted the cooperative’s dairy expertise and strength in innovation, research and development and ability to pass on dairy nutrition to consumers.