Fonterra has announced a deal with a US biotech company which will see it design dairy products that incorporate targeted and time-controlled release of specific nutrients.
Fonterra believes it's likely that many foods will be more valued for their specific health benefits in future. Photo: 123rf
VitaKey was founded by chemical engineer and billionare Dr Robert Langer, who also co-founded Covid-19 vaccine maker Moderna.
Fonterra wants to use VitaKey technology to direct dairy nutrients, initially in the form of probiotics, to specific parts of the body so they will be more active and beneficial.
Fonterra's Asia Pacific region chief executive, Judith Swales, said the terms of the deal were confidential, but the move was part of its long-term strategy to be a leader in dairy innovation and nutrition science.
Fonterra believed in the future it was likely that many foods will be more valued for their specific health benefits and it wanted to appeal to these consumers, Swales said.
It has one of the largest dairy culture libraries in the world, with its research and development centre containing more than 40,000 strains, she said.
"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," she said.
Langer said the the Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the need for solutions to enhance people's health and wellness.
"My feeling is that this is just the start of what, I hope, will be a revolution in nutrition, just like I'd like to think that's what we've done at Moderna and other places in terms of medicine."
