CNE Events
RediscoverDAIRY Evidence-based Nutrition Forum by the Consumer Education Project of Milk SA
Beyond Processing: Understanding Food, Health and Modern Nutrition
Evidence-based perspectives on ultra-processed foods, obesity, weight management and the Dairy Matrix
This one-day forum will explore some of the most important and topical issues shaping nutrition today, including the science behind ultra-processed foods and food processing, the implications for nutrition policy, the growing challenge of overweight and obesity, modern approaches to weight management, and the role of milk, dairy processing and the dairy matrix in health. The programme will bring together current scientific evidence with practical insights for dietitians and other healthcare professionals, while providing an opportunity to critically examine emerging nutrition research and its relevance to South African practice
Date: 2 October 2026
Venue: Future Africa Conference Centre, University of Pretoria (MAP please)
Time: 07:30– 16:00
Registration: 07:30 for 08:15
Cost: Free of charge
CPD accredited: Earn 5 clinical and 1 Ethical CPD points for attendance
Prof. Daniela Martini
Dr. Angela Murphy
Prof. Renée Blaauw
Prof Daniela Martini is currently an Associate Professor in Human Nutrition at the University of Milan. She is also a member of the Scientific Committee of the Italian Society of Human Nutrition (SINU).
She previously joined the Human Nutrition Department at the University of Parma (Italy) as a Postdoctoral Senior Research Fellow (2015-2019). She completed a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition at the University of Milan (2007) and a PhD in Food Science and Nutrition (2015) at the University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome.
Dr. Angela Murphy is a Specialist Physician with a strong focus on diabetes and obesity management. Her practice in Sunward Park, Boksburg is an accredited insulin pump centre and functions with a full multidisciplinary diabetes and obesity team.
Dr Murphy holds SCOPE (Strategic Centre for Obesity Professional Education) accreditation from the World Obesity Federation. She has worked as a bariatric physician since 2007 and continues to treat obesity with a holistic approach. Dr Murphy has been part of the committee which developed the first Clinical Practice Guideline for Treatment of Adult Obesity in South Africa.
Prof Renée Blaauw, PhD (Nutritional Sciences) is a Professor in Therapeutic Nutrition at the Division of Human Nutrition, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She is a Past Chairperson of the Professional Board for Dietetics in South Africa, a Past President of SASPEN and an honorary member of both SASPEN and ADSA. Prof Blaauw has been a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Consumer Education Project of Milk SA since 2013. She is actively involved in teaching and training in dietetics, with a passion for mentoring. She strives to fulfil her educational philosophy “To stimulate, create interest and empower others to help themselves”.
Dr. Sanja Nel
Nigel Sunley
Dr. Monique Piderit
Sanja Nel is a Registered Dietitian and South African Certified Lactation Consultant, and holds PhD in dietetics. Sanja qualified as a dietitian in 2009. An interest in infant feeding, coupled with the birth of her first child, led her to qualify as a South African Certified Lactation Consultant in 2013. In addition to her academic training, she has the hands-on experience of nearly six years of breastfeeding.
Nigel spent 32 years in R&D and manufacturing functions in the food industry, of which the period 1981-1997 was as deputy head of the National Brands central R&D laboratory in Durban. After subsequent periods with Pioneer Foods, Kraft Foods and Cadbury, he opened his own consultancy, Sunley Consulting, in 2007.
I am a registered dietitian with a PhD and more than a decade in private practice,
and I turn complex nutrition science into clear, practical guidance that people can
act on. I consult to leading food, healthcare and consumer brands across South
Africa, where I design and deliver evidence-based presentations, corporate
wellness programmes and technical nutrition services.
Overview of webinar objectives
Lactose Intolerance: Insights and Management Strategies
Speaker: Prof. Miranda Lomer, Professor of Dietetics in Gastroenterology, King’s College London.
Discussion on lactose intolerance prevalence, diagnosis, concepts and interrelationships with lactase persistence (LP) and lactase non-persistence (LNP). Prof Lomer will also discuss how symptoms of these overlap with IBS and share effective management strategies and dietary modifications for these conditions.
Lactose: Going Beyond Sweetness Speaker: Dr. Jan Geurts, Principal Scientist in the Expert Team Nutrition, FrieslandCampina, Netherlands
Exploration of the nutritional properties of lactose apart from sweetness, as well as the biological and nutritional benefits of lactose in LP and LNP, with special attention to its behaviour as prebiotic fibre in the gut.
CNE Dairy Day 2023/24: Staying stronger for longer
In November 2023 and February 2024, dietetics and nutrition professionals gathered for another continued nutrition education event hosted by the Consumer Education Project of Milk SA. And as in previous years, it was a day packed with valuable insights around the health and nutrition benefits of dairy. From the attendees’ attentive listening and enthusiastic questions and feedback, it was clear that the event is not to be missed on the nutrition education calendar.
In line with the day’s theme – ‘Staying stronger for longer’ – talks focused on the role of dairy throughout life – from before birth to old age.
Dr Sandra Iuliano joined the meeting remotely from the University of Melbourne to kick off the day. She shared findings from comprehensive research in Australia on the lifelong benefits of including dairy in the diet. She unpacked study results that show how the calcium and protein content of dairy not only contributes to bone accrual during the adolescent years but also protects against fracture risk in the later years and helps with maintaining muscle mass in the elderly. She also shared a thought-provoking analysis of the cost benefit associated with adding dairy to the diet of elderly consumers in retirement houses compared with that of treatment and rehabilitation of a hip fracture.
Dr Rivkeh Haryono of Dairy Australia followed on with a presentation on their campaign to share the results of this research beyond the academic space. Their tailoring innovative and targeted communication strategies based on scientific evidence culminated in policy change, with the importance of dairy in the elderly’s diet being taken into account in the update of the country’s new dietary guidelines.
The first two presentations set the scene for Dr Monique Piderit of Nutritional Solutions, who shared practical advice for communicating the health benefits of dairy through social media. She emphasised the importance of knowing and understanding the consumer audience, and subsequently sharing tailored and topic-focused information in a visually appealing way. However, she also stressed the value of keeping posts professional and evidence-based, and why nutrition professionals have a responsibility to stand up to miscommunication.
After a delicious buffet-style brunch tastefully presented on the veranda, Dr Liska Robb and Prof Corinna Walsh of the University of the Free State explained why adequate nutrition is important for optimal childhood development and how dairy contributes to improving the nutritional status of expecting mothers, young children and adults throughout life, especially in context of the new national dietary intake survey, completed in 2022 (publication pending).
Through their presentations, the pair explained why the unique nutritional composition of dairy, given the food matrix, is beneficial to health – from conception to old age. Choline, as found richly in milk and dairy, was highlighted as one of the most important nutrients needed for healthy child development, not only because of its role in healthy brain and neural function in the child but also because it contributes to good maternal health in order to support a healthy growing baby. The role of dairy in regulating blood glucose levels and maintaining bone health was again confirmed, emphasising the importance of adequate dairy intake throughout life.
The last presentation cycled back to the production side, talking about the importance of sustainable dairy farming. Environmental management – from protecting the soil and water resources to caring for animals – is central to ensuring the health of the dairy industry and continued nutritional benefit to the consumer. As the case study showed, sustainable dairy farming is an inextricable part of the cycle of healthy nutrition, to help consumers stay stronger for longerI
Recording of the presentations
2022 - Matrix Explained: Health benefits Beyond Individual Nutrients
Do you know what the food matrix is? Or that the physical and nutritional structure of food affects how it is digested and
used by the body? Learn more about the food matrix and how it works in dairy products by watching the recording of this webinar hosted by the Consumer Education Project of Milk SA on 9 November 2022.
An important insight from current research is that food is more than the sum of its nutrients. The concept of the food
matrix suggests that the nutritional and health effects of a food are due to both its structure and its nutrient composition
and, in turn, also their interaction. In the case of dairy products, the dairy matrix has been shown to have a positive effect
on overall health. For example, although dairy foods contain saturated fatty acids, the intake of dairy foods is not linked to cardiovascular disease and could even contribute to reducing cardiovascular disease in some cases.
In recent years, the focus of nutrition science has therefore shifted from nutrients to whole foods – because foods are
eaten as a whole and together with others. Consequently, dietary guidelines have also moved away from nutrient-based approaches in favour of advocating food-based dietary patterns.
In this webinar, Prof. Arne Astrup of the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Denmark, and Prof. Renée Blaauw of the Human
Nutrition Division, University of Stellenbosch, unpacks the science behind the food matrix as it applies to dairy and explain how it affects overall health.