BASF India : Newtrition® Asia Research Grant winners announced at China Nutrition Science Congress

• Five researchers awarded grants for innovative proposals addressing consumers' health concerns in Asia Pacific
• Previous grant awardee presents findings from published study to show plant sterols benefit heart health among elderly in China
• BASF's satellite symposium at congress, 'Beyond Basic Nutrition: The role of functional foods in optimizing health', features international keynote speakers

Beijing, China - May 25, 2017 - BASF announced winners of its Newtrition Asia Research Grant during a satellite symposium held on May 23 at the 13 China Nutrition Science Congress, an international nutrition conference, in Beijing. Now into its fifth run, the grant program is an initiative established by BASF to recognize and support the work of researchers in Asia Pacific who are making scientific advancements specific to Asian diets in the areas of omega-3s and plant sterols.

Each year, proposals from the region are evaluated based on robust selection criteria which include a panel review by a team of health experts as well as BASF's scientific advisory committee. The five recipients of 2017's Newtrition Asia Research Grant, and their respective research topics, are as follows:

• Dr. Manohar Garg, University of Newcastle, Australia: Long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids for the prevention of gestational diabetes: A double-blind randomized controlled trial
• Dr. Manohar Garg, University of Newcastle, Australia: Complementary and/or synergistic effects of phytosterols and curcumin for reducing cardiovascular disease risk in hyperlipidaemic individuals
• Dr Mira Dewi, Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia: Associations of maternal dietary intake and blood level of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in pregnancy, and newborn body composition
• Dr Patel Kadamb, Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore: Effects of phytosterols on glycosylated haemoglobin and oxidative stress in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
  
• Dr Sudathip Sae-tan, Kasetsart University, Thailand: The effects of omega-3 and high intensity interval exercise on body composition, energy expenditure and delayed onset muscle soreness of overweight males

The satellite symposium also profiled past grant awardee Dr. Huan Ling Yu, Associate Professor at Capital Medical University, China, who presented findings from her intervention study showing that the use of plant sterols reduced cardiovascular risk factors in an elderly Chinese population. In addition, three international experts in human nutrition were invited to share insights into research involving Asian diets and functional foods. The three key experts were: Dr. Rob van Dam, Associate Professor, National University of Singapore, Dr. Graham Burdge, Professor, University of Southampton and Dr. Richard Ostlund, Professor, Washington University in St. Louis.

'Rapid nutritional transitions are taking place due to major economic, demographic and epidemiological shifts, especially in this part of the world. This grant program is one way in which BASF remains at the scientific forefront to continuously deliver on our commitment in providing the right nutrients to the right people at the right time' said Haibo Tian, Vice-Director, BASF Human Nutrition, Asia Pacific. 'This innovation platform is also a three-way collaboration between customers, academics and BASF to foster even closer collaboration on development projects,' he added.

Dong et al., 2016. Soy milk powder supplemented with phytosterol esters reduced serum cholesterol level in ypercholesterolemia independently of lipoprotein E genotype: a random clinical placebo-controlled trial. Nutr Res, 36(8), 879-884. doi:10.1016/j.nutres.2016.05.006

About BASF Nutrition & Health
BASF Nutrition & Health provides a comprehensive product and service portfolio for the human and animal nutrition, pharmaceutical and flavor & fragrance industries. With innovative solutions and modern technologies, we help our customers improve their business efficiency and the sustainability of their products. Our human nutrition solutions include vitamins and carotenoids, plant sterols, emulsifiers and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamins and carotenoids also form an important part of our animal nutrition portfolio, as do other feed additives such as trace elements, enzymes and organic acids. We provide the pharmaceutical industry with a broad range of excipients and selected large-volume active pharmaceutical ingredients such as ibuprofen and omega-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, we offer aroma ingredients such as citral, geraniol and L-menthol. BASF Nutrition & Health operates sites in Europe, North America, South America and in Asia-Pacific.

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.