Anastu Regita Nareswara

Anastu Regita Nareswara

Profile

Currently pursuing PhD at School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds with LPDP scholarship from Indonesia. My research project is about aflatoxin and zinc in various Indonesian food and through GI model with Caco-2 cell under supervision of Prof. Yun Yun Gong and Prof. Paul Sharp. I obtain both my bachelor and master degree of clinical nutrition, medical faculty, in Diponegoro University, Indonesia. I got JASSO scholarship for KUEST research exchange program at Kanazawa University, Japan. Registered clinical nutritionist with 9 years experience in conducting nutrition care process both in hospitals and through online platforms by providing teleconsultations. Sharing about maternal and children nutrition at instagram platform @gizianakbangsa and MSN Health Expert Community.

Aspired to teach since college and began teaching high school students through Ruangguru (an edu-tech platform), then became a lecturer and research assistant for the encapsulation of vitamin D research in Japan. Usually sharing about food and nutrition in webinars and seminars as a speaker and work as a nutrition lecturer at the Indonesian Health Ministry Polytechnic Jakarta II.

Research interests

My research focuses on the intricate relationships between micronutrient deficiencies, food safety, and toxin exposure within Southeast Asia’s rapidly changing food systems. I am particularly interested in how dietary toxins such as aflatoxins can impair the absorption and metabolism of essential micronutrients like zinc, thereby exacerbating malnutrition and growth impairment among vulnerable populations. Using in vitro gastrointestinal digestion models coupled with Caco-2 intestinal cell assays and ICP-OES/ICP-MS analysis, my current research aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which aflatoxin reduces zinc bioaccessibility and bioavailability in commonly consumed Indonesian foods under various cooking and processing conditions. This approach not only clarifies nutrient–toxin interactions at the cellular and molecular levels but also provides quantitative data that can inform public health nutrition policies.

My previous thesis, I was developing an interest in novel nutrient delivery systems, particularly encapsulation of Vitamin D using complex lipid–protein matrices, to enhance its stability, bioavailability, and controlled release in food applications. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread in Southeast Asia despite abundant sunlight, due to low dietary intake and cultural dietary patterns; therefore, improving its delivery through functional foods can represent a sustainable intervention. My future work aims to combine encapsulation technologies with micronutrient fortification strategies that consider real-world factors such as toxin presence, food processing, and local dietary behaviors.

Integrating these lines of inquiry, my broader goal is to bridge food science, nutrition, and toxicology to understand how environmental contaminants and food processing jointly affect nutrient status and health outcomes. I aim to generate evidence that can guide nutrition-sensitive food safety frameworks, particularly in countries where the double and triple burden of malnutrition coexist with increasing risks of mycotoxin contamination due to climate variability and post-harvest challenges. By linking laboratory-based findings with policy analysis and public health strategies, my research seeks to support the development of safe, nutrient-rich, and accessible food systems for Southeast Asian populations.

Qualifications

  • ​​​​​​B.Sc. Nutrition Science, Medical Faculty, Diponegoro University, Indonesia
  • M.Sc. Clinical Nutrition, Medical Faculty, Diponegoro University, Indonesia
  • Research Exchange in Science and Technology, Material Chemistry, Kanazawa University, Japan

Research groups and institutes

  • Food safety, food security and global health