Companies, AU researchers, the region and various foundations meet on 13 April at AUH to strengthen joint efforts towards research-supported food development in Denmark.

2016.04.04 | Kirsten Olesen

What is the correlation between food and health?

What is the correlation between food and health? How can we exploit someone’s diet as medicine for people who are already ill?

And how can researchers help companies in the food industry towards a long-term goal of being able to deliver tailor-made food – personalised nutrition – to vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and hospital patients?

These are some of the questions that have for some time formed the basis for a growing collaboration between Aarhus University, Aarhus University Hospital, the Central Denmark Region and a number of companies in the food industry, and which have received financial support from Innovation Fund Denmark and others.

These questions will be clarified on Wednesday 13 April at an event being held at AUH with representatives from the industry, the region, research and foundations. A programme under Future Food Innovation called ‘Health vision’ is organising the event.

The aim is partly to show the industry that the knowledge society can support their product development. and partly to show the knowledge society that industry can provide the space needed for research.

"The event aims to identify the possibilities of developing closer cooperation between knowledge producers and industry. Research into food comprises three elements: Specific products, health aspects for the individual and importance for society – also in the form of jobs and growth", says one of the speakers at the event, Professor Kim Overvad from the Department of Public Health.

Danish companies have a special position

The purpose of the food research that is currently being carried out at Aarhus University, among other things as part of the interdisciplinary research network Food4Being under the AU Food Platform, is to benefit public health and, at the same time, to prepare the industry to develop and market better products and to create growth in the sector.

"At AU we have particular focus on the importance and significance of food products and diet in society, including the possibilities for preventing disease and illness and society's acceptance of enriched food products and similar. A collaboration between research and industry gives Danish companies in the food industry a special position that is necessary if the field is to be developed further, and if we are to attract additional funding from foundations for research," says Kim Overvad.

The event, which will be followed by specific collaborative meetings, will take place on 13 April at Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 6, 8200 Aarhus N.

•  See the full programme

Facts:

• The health vision provides support to food industry companies that require a researcher's knowledge about ingredients or the health value of products. The health vision offers food industry companies the opportunity to have a study carried out by a researcher from Aarhus University. Companies such as Hedegaard Foods, Agger Foods, the Danish Dairy Board and SEGES have already benefited from the health vision.
• Find out more about the Health vision
• Find out more about the AU Food Platform
• Find out more about Food4Being