Arla Foods Ingredients has pledged its support to a new research program designed to tackle malnutrition among children in the developing world.
The study, which will take place in Malawi and will be run by U.S. food aid organization Project Peanut Butter, will investigate the potential benefits of using whey permeate and whey protein in ready-to-use food supplements for the treatment of children with moderately acute malnutrition.
Project Peanut Butter is aiming to help save the lives of two million children by 2015 by preventing malnutrition. Arla Foods Ingredients is a co-founder of the initiative alongside the Danish Dairy Research Foundation and the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and will donate the whey permeate and protein required to carry out the study.
“Food aid is often focused only on preventing starvation, but this approach can still leave children at risk from malnutrition and poor health,” said Charlotte Sørensen, Senior Project Manager at Arla Foods Ingredients. “The aim of the Malawi study is to investigate whether whey permeate, when used in conjunction with whey protein, can help children recover from the effects of malnutrition and grow up healthy.”
Whey permeate, a by-product of cheese making, is very high in lactose, which research suggests is good for immature digestive systems, promoting the absorption of minerals and stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut, leading to a stronger digestive and immune system.
