Fibre February Webinar

Chair: Amy Glass, UK Diet and Health Policy Manager, Food and Drink Federation

Amy is a Registered Nutritionist and UK Diet and Health Policy Manager at the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). At FDF Amy is responsible for the development and promotion of industry policy in diet, health and nutrition, including product reformulation and the UK obesity strategies. This includes liaison with food companies to develop cross-industry policy positions and responding to consultations.  Amy advises FDF members on scientific, technological, regulatory and political developments in respect of these policies and promotes industry’s work to wider stakeholders, including government officials and NGOs.

Dr Katie Adolphus RNutr, Research Fellow, Human Appetite Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Leeds

Dr Katie Adolphus RNutr is a research fellow at the Human Appetite Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Leeds and is co-investigator on the H3 project: Healthy soil, Healthy food and Healthy people’. She is working on fibre reformulation with the food industry and its benefits to health in collaboration with researchers from Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol, Cambridge, Newcastle and City Universities. She has recently completed a Medical Research Council (MRC) Fellowship at King’s College London (Neurogenesis & Mental Health Laboratory) investigating dietary modulation of adult hippocampal neurogenesis (in vitro) via short-chain fatty acids and microbiota–gut–brain communication.

Her PhD research has involved systematic reviews, human dietary intervention studies, and epidemiological studies that have demonstrated effects of breakfast consumption on cognition, academic performance, and in-class behaviour in children and adolescents. She is also an AfN Registered nutritionist (two specialist areas of competence: Food Industry Nutritionist and Nutrition Scientist) and had previously worked in the food industry as a commercial nutritionist.

Dr Adolphus also has expertise on nutrition and health claims legislation and authorisation process in the context of nutrition and cognitive function, and has previously led the compilation of a dossier for submission to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) pursuant to a proprietary health claim under the EU Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation.

Fiyin Makinwa, ANutr, Diet and Health Executive, Food and Drink Federation

Fiyin is an Associate Registered Nutritionist and Diet and Health Executive at the Food and Drink Federation. Fiyin studied Nutrition and completed a master’s in Food Technology. Since January 2021, Fiyin has been working in the Diet and Health team at the FDF supporting on key areas such as UK obesity strategy, product reformulation and the launch of the FDF Action on Fibre initiative.

Louise Dye, Academic lead of the N8 Agrifood programme, University of Leeds

Louise is a Chartered Health Psychologist whose research focuses on the effects of nutrition (diet/food components) on cognitive function and decline, health and wellbeing. In her role as academic lead of the N8 Agrifood programme at University of Leeds, Louise has developed a strong interest in how to encourage and sustain dietary behaviour change at individual, organisational and societal levels, linking to global issues of food production/supply, inequality and health in vulnerable populations e.g. children, ageing and the food insecure. Louise leads the Diet and Health priority area of the Global Food and Environment Institute at the University of Leeds, which spans dietary and planetary aspects of human and animal health and links to mental and physical health.

She chairs the BBSRC Strategic Advisory Panel for Biosciences for an Integrated Understanding of Health, served on the BBSRC Diet and Health Research Industry Club (DRINC) Steering Group and chaired the BBSRC Working Group on Neuroscience and Mental Health. Louise is President of ILSI Europe, chairs its’ Scientific Advisory Board and is Co-Chair of ILSI Global and chair of the working group to establish the Global Scientific Agenda and Research program.

She is Associate Editor of Nutritional Neuroscience. She is leading a work package on increasing dietary fibre intake in low income consumers in the UKRI funded H3 project (www.h3.ac.uk) and is co-Chair of the health and wellbeing pillar of the Leeds Food Strategy.

Bianca Maria Vecchio, Nutrition, Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager Cereal Partners Worldwide EUR and UK&I

Bianca Maria has more than 16 years of experience at Nestlé and Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), undertaking roles in the fields of Nutrition Health & Wellness, as well as in Regulatory and Scientific Affairs. Bianca’s current role is the Nutrition, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs Manager at CPW, where she uses her passion for people and nutrition to ‘Make Breakfast Better’ through the coordination of compliance, nutrition and advocacy across continental Europe.

Dr Kavita Karnik, Global Head of Nutrition, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs, Tate and Lyle

Kavita Karnik, M.Med. Sci, PhD is the Global Head of Nutrition, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs at Tate & Lyle. In this capacity, she is responsible for the nutrition science function which provides evidence-based scientific support to the ingredient portfolio through a strategic nutrition science research and education program. She also leads the Regulatory and Scientific Affairs group which is responsible for global regulatory approvals and claims strategy for new and existing products.

Dr Karnik has previously held various global roles in the nutrition and health-related commercial environment for multinational corporations such as Unilever, Pfizer, and Nestle. She has been involved in academic research via various positions at the University of Surrey, UK; University of Derby, UK; Cranfield University, UK and Institute of Clinical Research, India. After completing a degree in Medicine from India, Dr Karnik received her master’s and PhD in Nutrition from the University of Sheffield, UK. Also, she holds a Diploma in Nutrition and Health Education.

Luise Kloster, Head of Nutrition, Premier Foods

Luise Kloster has over 20 years of experience as a leading nutritionist in industry.

Immediately after graduating from her master’s degree at the University of Copenhagen, Luise started her career at Roche Vitamins & Fine Chemicals, where she supported key customers in nutrition related innovation. There, Luise lead the development of the first launch of an omega-3- bread mix for Danish bakers, as well as Arla Foods’ fortification of hypoallergenic Infant formulae. From Roche Luise move on to Nordic Kellogg’s as PR communication nutrition manager with a focus on consumer communications and external stakeholder (KOL) management. 

During the last few years at Premier Foods, Luise’ focus has been supporting the ELT team in shaping the company’s ESG strategy - ‘Enriching Life through Foods’ - concerned with defining ambitious yet achievable goals, in the shift-toward more nutritious plant-based diets. For example, doubling sales of products classified as ‘non-HFSS and increasing revenue of plant-based products by £100M.

Read more about Premier Food's Talking Nutrition campaign.