The collaboration between our university and medical institutions is becoming increasingly close, taking on new forms, content, and resonance. Despite the differences in our fields of activity, both medical professionals and food industry specialists share the same goal—ensuring the health of every citizen and the Ukrainian nation as a whole.
We approach this goal from different perspectives: medical professionals treat illnesses, help in the prevention of diseases, and use the assortment of food products produced by the food industry as a key tool, particularly in the fields of gastroenterology, dietetics, and toxicology.
The foundation of our fruitful cooperation was laid in 2021, when, on the initiative of University Rector Oleksandr Shevchenko and the head of the Kyiv Scientific and Technical Society of the Food Industry, Yurii Zadniprianyi, a long-term project was conceptually substantiated and launched. It aimed to address the challenges of large-scale and multifaceted production of health-oriented food products. One way to implement this project was through the annual International Scientific and Practical Conference “Healthy Eating from Childhood to Longevity: Integrated Approach, Status, and Prospects.”
During this conference, the university hosted representatives of medical institutions from the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine and renowned specialists in various medical fields, both nationally and internationally, for three consecutive years. This year, however, our researchers were invited to participate on April 6 in the All-Ukrainian Symposium “Academy of Healthy Nutrition” as part of the XXVI National School of Gastroenterologists and Hepatologists of Ukraine titled “Modern Approaches to Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Digestive System Diseases and Related Pathologies.” The National University of Food Technologies (NUFT) was represented by Yurii Zadniprianyi and the head of the Department of Wellness Products Technology, Professor Halyna Simakhina.
Professor Halyna Simakhina presented a report titled “Nutritional Adjustment and Prevention of Nutritionally Induced Diseases,” which sparked great interest among the attendees. It became apparent that medical professionals are often unfamiliar with the specificities of the food industry and the development of new products. She emphasized that food technologists currently focus on designing, producing, and delivering to consumers products for health improvement, prevention, and treatment—a megatrend in the global market. The professor outlined the primary differences between health-oriented products and traditional ones, the new requirements for wellness nutrition, and convincingly argued that assessing the effectiveness of new products requires collaborative efforts from clinical doctors, dietitians, and food technology scientists.
Professor Simakhina also spoke with great respect about the food enterprises that have embraced the production of health-oriented products. A leading example is the dairy production enterprise “Favor,” led by CEO Raisa Mykhailova. For 30 years, this enterprise has specialized in high-quality products for children, made exclusively from natural raw materials without artificial additives. Their mission extends beyond dairy production, representing a crucial undertaking for the nation and every family. Notably, their slogan is “Healthy children—happy families.” The professor recommended that medical professionals and their patients consider Favor’s products.
Her report also highlighted recent advancements in food science, particularly nutrigenomics—a field studying the interaction between nutrition and the human body. She shared examples from international dietetic practice, where specially designed programs link a person’s nutrition to their genome. These innovations could, in the future, allow doctors to use diet to influence gene activity and create personalized nutrition plans for individual patients.
The presentation generated many theoretical and practical questions from the audience, to which Professor Simakhina provided well-reasoned answers.
Yurii Zadniprianyi announced the upcoming conference on healthy nutrition to be held at the university in October of this year, inviting representatives of various medical institutions to participate. It is anticipated that the conference on October 24-25 will attract even more supporters, further advancing the development, evaluation, and consumption of health-oriented products through joint efforts of manufacturers, scientists, and medical professionals. The share of such products, currently at 5-8% of total food production, is expected to double in the near future.
