Germany to launch networking facility in bid to strengthen nutrition research and policy
10 Dec 2019 --- The German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, is instituting a networking office to pool and strengthen nutrition research in Germany. The office is set to support the German nutrition research landscape and facilitate communication throughout the country. To be located at the Max-Rubner-Institute (MRI) in Karlsruhe, Germany, the research hub is set to be in operation as of Fall 2020 and aims to act as an intermediary between nutrition research and nutrition policy.
“The new networking office primarily aims to intensify the networking of the nutrition research in Germany, which is frequently specialised and thematically broadly based. The main objective is a systematic, stable strengthening of the cooperation and professional exchange between government research, universities and nutritional associations,” a BMEL spokesperson tells NutritionInsight.
“Solid scientific evidence is the basis for making politically sound decisions,” Klöckner affirms. One specific example of such future research projects includes investigating particular eating behaviors effect on the development of dementia, she says.
Julia Klöckner has been the German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture since 2018.“By pooling and networking existing expertise from all over Germany, we are increasing our power of nutrition research – both nationally and internationally – which is crucial in promoting a healthy diet at every age level,” Klöckner adds.
The networking office will also supervise the creation of a digital nutrition research atlas for the clear presentation of national research activities in nutritional research. “The networking office addresses not only experienced scientists, but also young scientists. This approach is intended to effectively promote exchange and cooperation in the field and strengthen nutrition science in Germany,” the spokesperson explains.
Institutional research
Approximately 200 scientists specialize in consumer health protection in the nutrition sector at the MRI, which is an advisory body to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. At the Karlsruhe facility, there are five of the nine MRI departments, specializing in nutritional biochemistry, nutritional behavior, children’s nutrition, food technology, as well as fruits and vegetables’ safety and quality.
Last week, the MRI exhibited at the International Green Week 2020 in the German capital, showcasing its “virtual breakfast” concept. Using an app, event attendees could configure their own breakfast based on daily consumption rates of energy, sugar, fats and salt. This initiative is a move in the increasingly popular personalized nutrition trend. Technology is beginning to boom in this space, with innovations ranging from DNA-based phone apps to a B2B platform for nutrition experts.
More initiatives on comprehensive nutrition research include Nestlé’s global maternal and infant nutrition R&D center in Ireland and UK-based Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), which previously received EU funding to continue the institute’s support for by investing in innovative projects in the agrifood system. In a bid to harness personalized nutrition to curb poor diets in the US, five nutrition organizations have come together to form the American Nutrition Association (ANA).
Moreover, this summer, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) inaugurated the World Sustainable Urban Food Centre (CEMAS) to strengthen, advise and coordinate cities around the world in the management and exchange of knowledge on sustainable, local food systems.
By Anni Schleicher
