International Dair y Federation Symposium Addresses Dair y’s Impact on Disease

The International Dairy Federation’s third annual Nutrition and Health Symposium – Beyond Nutrients: The Health Effects of Whole Foods featured key presentations from world-renowned experts on dair y ’ s impact on non-communicable diseases

Speakers explored the impact of the dairy matrix on colorectal, cancer, heart and bone health, as well as type 2 diabetes

Dr Nancy Aburto, deputy director, food and nutrition division at FAO, addressed a view of “ a world where all people are eating healthy diets from efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems ”

“When it comes to what we eat, the sum of the parts can be greater than the whole,” she said “Symposia like the one today and the evidence that will be shared, discussed and debated are vital to help inform the work we do at FAO We rely on robust scientific evidence like what will be shared today as an important contribution to our efforts ”

Hannah Holscher, associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, focused her presentation on how food matrixes affect nutrient bioaccessibility

“A growing body of research is demonstrating plausible biological mechanisms associated with matrix-specific health ef-

fects,” she said

“The role of fermented dairy consumption on health provides evidence for the food matrix effect in dairy foods, such as bioactive peptides that contribute to antihypertensive effects and the presence of ßgalactosidase contributing to lactose digestion,” Holscher said

University of Bologna associate professor Luigi Ricciardiello discussed the growing evidence about the relation between dair y, gut microbiota and cancer prevention Ricciardello’s presentation particularly focused on dairy’s preventive effects on colorectal cancer

“There is strong indication that fermented milk products act through modulation of the gut microbiota, which is critical in reducing inflammation and the risk of developing colorectal cancer, ” he said

Emma Feeney from University College Dublin studied the relationship between cheese consumption, cholesterol and stroke risks

“Cheese is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, and it was slightly protective for CHD,” she said “The biggest reductions in total and LDL cholesterol are seen when people consume fat from a whole food such as within the matrix of cheese ”