New Zealand, Singapore in joint funding of healthy food studies

New Zealand and Singapore are to jointly invest in a series of collaborative research projects on the development of food products with proven health benefits, New Zealand Science and Health Minister Steven Joyce said Monday.
The New Zealand government would be an equal partner in an investment of about 3.5 million NZ dollars (3.06 million U.S. dollars) over two years in five projects to develop innovation in the food science and technology industry, Joyce said in a statement.
The projects include studies on digestive microbes and other agents that could improve the health of children, pregnant women and Asian population.
"Our small size means we contribute a very small proportion of the world's research and development activity. Therefore, sharing knowledge and working collaboratively with countries such as Singapore is a very important part of developing our own innovations," Joyce said