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A*Star's Insights on Designing Nutrition for Healthy Ageing
Dr Sze Tan, Executive Director, A*STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (A*STAR SIFBI), A*STAR SIFBI, joined Conference Producer Theresa Flach ahead of the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit in Singapore (November 4-6) - to explore how science and innovation are driving new approaches to nutrition—particularly in support of healthy ageing across Asia-Pacific.
Dr. Tan emphasized the importance of a holistic and culturally sensitive approach to nutrition, especially for older populations. While emerging ingredients such as proteins and lipids are essential, their impact depends heavily on how they’re delivered. Taste, texture, and familiarity are key—particularly for elderly consumers who may be less receptive to unfamiliar formats, even if they are nutritionally optimized.
To address this, A*STAR is taking a multidisciplinary and systemic approach to food innovation. Dr. Tan shared several areas of active research:
- Food structure and formulation – improving digestibility, bioavailability, and sensory experience to encourage consumption.
- Microbiome-diet interaction studies – identifying regionally relevant ingredients that support gut health and overall wellbeing.
- Fermentation technologies – including algae biomass fermentation for protein-enriched beverages and local food applications.
Dr. Tan also highlighted that healthy ageing begins well before old age, often from the age of 40. It’s not just about diet, but also about awareness, education, and lifestyle. A*STAR is working to provide science-backed evidence that links nutrition and lifestyle choices to long-term health outcomes, including sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline.
With advanced tools like multi-omics now enabling deeper insights into the relationship between food and health, A*STAR’s work is helping to shape more targeted, accessible, and culturally relevant food solutions for the region.
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