HEERLEN, The Netherlands—Royal DSM N.V., joined the Leadership Council of the New York Academy of Sciences’ Global Nutrition Science Research Initiative, which is designed to bring together the best scientific research and development competences available on nutrition to address global hidden hunger (micronutrient deficiency) around the world. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, the objective is for this body of research to be used to help donor countries, development organizations, and governments design and implement more effective nutrition programs.
DSM is the only food ingredient company to be among the more than 20 organizations coming from government, academia, nonprofit and private sectors that comprise the council.
Since 2007, DSM has maintained a strategic partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and is one of the founding members of the Amsterdam Initiative Against Malnutrition (AIM), amongst others.
DSM’s efforts have recently been recognized by the international community, which conferred on DSM the WFP World Business and Development Award and awarded DSM CEO Feike Sijbesma with the UN Association of New York Humanitarian of the Year Award.
“I am excited and honored to be part of such an ambitious and one-of-a-kind initiative and having the opportunity to work with such a prestigious group of experts," commented Manfred Eggersdorfer, senior vice president Nutrition Science and Advocacy, DSM Nutritional Products. “The design and implementation of successful nutrition programs requires serious research, and I hope that our work can help scientists, governments and organizations around the world tackle one of the most serious global health problems, which, until recently has been underappreciated and often misunderstood."
Hidden hunger is defined as micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiency in a person’s diet. It is not malnutrition as classically presented as the hungry or starving individual, but malnutrition from poor overall quality of nutrition. It means that the 2 billion who suffer from hidden hunger, may eat enough calories to live, but have a basic diet that fails to provide sufficient levels of crucial vitamins and minerals that allows them to be mentally and physically healthy.
DSM Nutritional Products supplies vitamins, carotenoids and other chemicals to the feed, food, pharmaceutical and personal care industries. The business has sales of more than EUR 2 billion.
