Mahidol University, CPF strike food innovation R&D deal
Mahidol University has signed a research and development pact with Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) to explore health-food innovations that respond to the needs of consumers of all ages for sustainable health of all Thais.
Suvatna Chulavatnatol, dean of Mahidol University’s Faculty of Pharmacy, said the R&D agreement built upon the two organisations’ joint health-food innovation is marked as an innovative food project for society.
Through cooperation with CPF, the university aims to create health foods for a better quality of life and sustainable social development with its accumulated knowledge, Suvatna said. A network to explore health food will also be established, to add value to products and boost economic growth in support of the government’s policy to achieve Thailand 4.0 through public-private cooperation.
Meanwhile, pharmaceutical knowledge will be applied in the development of food technology, paving the way for the development of nutraceuticals and the improvement of Thailand’s research capability and university-level education in the long term.
CPF executive vice president Sommai Tachasirinugune said the company has a strong commitment towards food R&D, under the “Sustainable Kitchen of the World” vision. CPF’s Food Research and Development Centre has collaborated with universities across the world on comprehensive research on nutraceuticals, to introduce food and beverages that address the changing demographics and the food industry’s demand as well as ensure good nutrition for consumers of all ages, Sommai said.
The company aims to support CPF’s social responsibility and sustainability goals that specify the need to boost its health food ratio by more than 30 per cent of the company’s new product development within 2020, in line with the United Nations’ health food development goal for the sustainability of all people’s health, Sommai added.
