With the advent of food being valued for its specific health benefits, New Zealand based dairy giant Fonterra has partnered with nutrition specialist VitaKey to develop timed nutrient release for its probiotic strains.
Specialising in an emerging area of research on the precise delivery of nutrition, VitaKey is pioneering the ability to deliver specific nutrients, in a controlled amount, to parts of the body at a certain time.
The company was co-founded by Dr Robert Langer and its technology stems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s biomedical engineering lab, where Langer oversees around 150 researchers. Langer has extensive experience in the commercialisation of scientific research having worked with more than 40 biotech companies on projects amounting to more than $250 billion.
Fonterra said its goal is to deliver fresher, more active and beneficial nutrients from its probiotics using VitaKey’s proprietary technology.
Fonterra Asia Pacific region CEO Judith Swales said the collaboration is a step towards the company’s end goal of being a leader in dairy innovation and nutrition science.
“Home to one of the largest dairy culture libraries in the world, our Research and Development Centre contains more than 40,000 strains.
“Two of these strains, LactoB 001 and BifidoB 019, address key health concerns such as digestive issues and immunity and are recognised as being in the top five global probiotics,” said Swales.
Stabilisation of Fonterra’s probiotics and delivering them to the digestive tract is the first step in the partnership.
Swales added that the technology also brings an opportunity to reduce food waste.
“Because the nutrients are encapsulated and highly targeted, it also means we can use less milk in our production,” she said.
Having already proven to preserve and enhance 11 different micronutrients including Vitamin D, A, B12, C along with folic acid, iron zinc and niacin, Fonterra will leverage this technology to deliver a range of micronutrients into its products.
Langer said the technology can be tailored for use across every step of the food supply chain.
“The pandemic has underscored the need for solutions to enhance health and wellness and boost the immunity of men, women and children at every stage of life. We believe that good nutritious food can help people of all ages lead healthier lives,” he said.
Langer added that the collaboration is an opportunity that “really can change the world”.
