Dried Fruit Industry players unite to host HCP Event

Key players in the UK dried fruit industry have united to host a pioneering event designed to educate health care professionals, researchers, public health advisors and health media on the potential contribution of traditional dried fruit to public health and establish priorities for further research.

Titled - ‘Dried fruit and public health: What does the evidence tell us?’ – the workshop will take place Thursday 7th June at The King’s Fund, London W1 and will be introduced by Simon Melik, Chairman, National Dried Fruit Trade Association and chaired by Professor Julie Lovegrove, Director of Hugh Sinclair Unit of Human Nutrition and Deputy Director of the Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research at the University of Reading. Professor Lovegrove will be introducing seven influential speakers who will each be discussing scientific research studies in relation to dried fruit. Speakers and topics to be covered include:

Sigrid Gibson, MA, MSc RNutr, Director Sig-Nurture Ltd: The composition and classification of dried fruit and contribution to intakes of fibre and sugars
Professor Kevin Whelan, Professor of Dietetics and Head of Department of Nutritional Sciences at King’s College London: Dried fruit and digestive health
Dr Michele Sadler, Director, Rank Nutrition Ltd: Dried fruit and dental health – what is the evidence?
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, BDS, LDS (RCS), CEO Oral Health Foundation and Chair of the Platform for Better Oral Health in Europe: What should dental advice be for snacking?
Professor Graham Finlayson, Chair in Psychobiology, School of Psychology, University of Leeds: Dried fruit and appetite (the psychology of snacking in relation to obesity
Professor Gary Williamson, Professor and Chair at the School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds: Antioxidants and phytonutrients in dried fruit and their potential to contribute to public health
Dr Marie Ann Ha, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Medical Science, Anglia Ruskin University and Director of East Anglia Food Link: Consistency of public health advice for fruit and dried fruit

Commenting on the event, NDFTA Chairman, Simon Melik says “This is the first-time researchers have come together to explore the research on traditional dried fruit and the potential contribution it makes to diet and health, through informative presentations and a roundtable discussion. We are delighted that so many high profile presenters have agreed to participate in the workshop, which is specifically designed to encourage healthy debate amongst the informed audience and agree the areas where further research may be required. The representatives of the UK dried fruit industry who are supporting this initiative are united in their commitment to working with health care professionals and recognise that unbiased, credible research findings to substantiate any nutritional / health claims is the only route to securing endorsement from this group of powerful opinion formers.”

For more information: ndfta.org