Leading nutrition expert opens international innovation centre

7 May 2024

When one of the world’s largest dairy companies wanted to celebrate, they asked for the Riddet Institute’s Fellow Laureate to be there.

Distinguished Professor Paul Moughan’s expertise in maternal and infant nutrition had him front and centre at the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Yili Innovation Center Europe (YICE) in April 2024.

Dist. Prof Moughan was invited by Yili Limited to officiate the opening of the upgraded YICE at Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands. The ceremony, with the theme “Connect Globally to Drive Innovation”, also marked the establishment of the Yili Maternal & Infant Nutrition Institute (YMINI) Global.

Yili Limited is one of the world’s largest dairy companies with subsidiary companies in New Zealand. Its headquarters are based in Mongolia.

Dist. Prof Moughan gave the invited address on the topic of future scientific opportunities to improve the nutritional quality of infant formulas. The invitation to speak recognised Dist. Prof Moughan’s international standing in the area of maternal and infant nutrition and the Riddet Institute’s work in over many years. 

Dist. Prof Moughan says the association that the Riddet Institute has with Yili is growing.

“Planned future research into the biology of human milk will continue to give Yili and the dairy industry very real opportunities to develop nutritionally superior high-value food.

“Bringing high-quality science to the development of specialist foods, functional foods and medical foods is essential if the New Zealand food industry is to remain a driving force of the NZ economy.”

Nearly 130 guests attended the event, including representatives from the International Dairy Federation, the German Academy of Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, the China Dairy Industry Association, the International Life Sciences Institute, the Springer Nature Group, the Royal Society of New Zealand, the Embassy of China in the Netherlands, University of Cambridge, and Dist. Prof Moughan on behalf of the Riddet Institute and Massey University.