India,EU announce projects in food and nutrition research

New Delhi, Nov 4 : A day ahead of their 10th Summit here, India and the European Union (EU) today announced two new co-funded research projects in Food and Nutrition research.

The projects will bring together Indian and European research teams in areas of 'Development of functional foods and ingredients' and 'Valorisation of by-products in food processing'.

Both -- the European Commission (Research Directorate General) and Government of India (Department of Biotechnology) -- will invest three million euros each (Rs 17.5 crore each) on these projects which are expected to be completed in three years.

Ambassador Danièle Smadja, Head of the delegation of the European Commission to India, described it as another significant step in reinforcing the already strong science and technology cooperation as both sides consider cooperation in this area a priority.

''We need to put at work our joint research capacity. This is the best way to make progress,'' she said.

The two joint research projects are expected to increase the innovation potential and competitiveness of both the European and Indian food industry, in particular SMEs.

In addition, sound scientific validation for new functional foods will be provided, hence supporting the European policy on health and nutrition claims.

The projects will also engage in India-EU exchange of researchers, for mutually-beneficial capacity building.

The first project -- Development of functional foods and ingredients -- aims at making available foods or food ingredients which will be beneficial in prevention of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes type 2, seen as critical health disorders in the world. The second project -- Valorisation of by-products in food processing -- will focus on processing of by-products of fruit (citrus, mango, pomegranate) and cereal (wheat and rice bran) which offer new market opportunities.

The research will help in developing innovative and industry-relevant approaches for new products with improved nutritional properties.

In addition to intensifying current stimuli and policies to ensure the mutual interest, the event will also be an opportunity to present and discuss new qualitative changes to improve Science and Technology cooperation, such as through the 'New Indigo' project.

The 'New Indigo' Project brings together 12 research funding and performing agencies in the EU Member States and three from India (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Department of Biotechnology and the Department of Science and Technology) with the aim of promoting research cooperation between India and Europe.

It is being funded by the EU's seventh Research Framework Programme.

The 'New Indigo' project aims at building a stronger European partnership for international Science and Technology cooperation with India, particularly by strengthening coordination of EU Member States and the European Commission with India.

The project aims at helping pool human and financial resources and better achieve critical mass in major areas of progress in science and technology.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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