food fortification

Nine out of 10 Aussies have low vitamin D intakes, but why do we need vitamin D and why aren’t we getting enough of it? 

In this episode, Sarah is joined by Dr Eleanor Dunlop to talk about the role vitamin D plays in our bodies and why some of us are vitamin D deficient. Dr Dunlop also discusses how her research could help inform nutrition policy in Australia and increase our intake of the ‘sunshine vitamin’. 

• Why Aussies are vitamin D deficient [04:17]
• Factors that impact vitamin D uptake [07:14]
• Australia’s first vitamin D database [08:40]
• Vitamin D-fortified foods [11:36]
• Vitamin D in Aboriginal populations [15:33]

Learn more

Nine out 10 Aussies have low vitamin D intakes, Curtin study shows

2021 Premier Science Awards

Bush tucker and vitamin D

Connect with our guest

Dr Eleanor Dunlop, Research Associate, Curtin School of Population Health.

Dr Eleanor Dunlop is an accredited practising dietitian and postdoctoral researcher focusing on vitamin D, food composition and the role of diet in the onset and progression of multiple sclerosis. 

Her PhD project, Investigating dietary vitamin D in Australia, was completed in 2022 and received the Curtin Chancellor’s commendation. Eleanor is an active research communicator and was a finalist in the 2021 Premier’s Science Awards.

Connect with Eleanor: 

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Staff profile

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Transcript

Read the transcript here.

Behind the scenes

Host: Sarah Taillier
Researcher, Recorder and Editor: Zoe Taylor
Executive Producers: Anita Shore and Jarrad Long
Assistant Producer: Alexandra Eftos
Social Media Coordinator: Amy Hosking

First Nations Acknowledgement

Curtin University acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which Curtin Perth is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation, and on Curtin Kalgoorlie, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields; and the First Nations peoples on all Curtin locations.

Music

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Curtin University supports academic freedom of speech. The views expressed in The Future Of podcast may not reflect those of Curtin University.

India has recently indicated its intention to mandate the national fortification of milk and edible oil and a draft regulation has been issued for public commentary in this regard. Not only is this a great step forward into improving the nutritional status of the Indian population, but it is even more important that this step has been taken during the COVID-19 pandemic. India has been making efforts to right-track its food systems, essentially with large investments to ensure access to basic micronutrient requirements to its large population through the fortification of staples. What benefits will these efforts yield?  

In this episode of Bite the Talk, we embark on a conversation around India's food system transformation with Pawan Agarwal, IAS, Special Secretary (Logistics), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India and Tarun Vij, GAIN India Country Director. With both guests, we navigate through India's successes and the "unfinished agenda" on the need to diversify at agricultural level, the need to identify ways to increase farmers’ income, and the need to understand how to leverage the SME culture more.

Tune in to Episode 06: Food Systems Transformation – India’s Journey to find out how India has been adapting their tactics regarding food systems through research.

* Podcast edit (min 15:48): "Foodborne diseases cause around 120.000 deaths per year in India" (source: World Health Organization)

Food systems are under increasing pressure. In this podcast, we discuss the innovations necessary to feed the future. During the past 15 years, food fortification has become a game-changer, but progress is slow and much still needs to be done. Who will drive innovation, and more importantly, who will foot the bill?  

Countries and the global community alike need to ensure that food fortification remains a priority throughout the coming decades. In this episode, we will discuss why food fortification matters, and why it is integral to contemporary food systems no matter where you live.

Featured guests include Dipika Matthias, Senior Program Officer, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, along with GAIN's Programme Lead on Large Scale Food Fortification Penjani Mkambula.