New supplements for bread and juices
Iron deficiency, hypertension and metabolic diseases are growing health concerns for European populations. One way to address the problem is through functional foods — supplementing everyday foods with the nutrients and minerals required for good health. The project FOFIND (Development and human validation of new healthier food products using low-cost functional ingredients) was established to develop new affordable daily consumed functional foods like biscuits, breads and juices. Researchers investigated the use of innovative low-cost ingredients derived from milk and potato fibre to create new products. These were aimed at populations with specific nutritional needs that cause hypertension, hypercholesterol, osteoporosis, anaemia and bowel problems. Project partners studied the anti-proliferative effects of bread supplemented with potato fiber (Potex) on colon cancer cells using in vitro and in vivo models. Scientists also used the previously developed product Lowpept and casein phosphopeptides (CPPs) to supplement foods like bread and biscuits. Lowpept is a digested casein protein with anti-hypertension properties, and CPPs are by-products of the same process that yields Lowpept. Both Lowpept and CPPs bind iron salts, which makes them promising supplements for preventing anaemia. Researchers therefore developed an easy method to measure bound iron, and used it to test how well iron is trapped by these peptides. The initiative produced and tested a number of breads, biscuits and juice-based beverages using these supplements. Tasting panels were set up, which concluded that taste, smell and texture were not affected by supplementation. A market study was also conducted, which suggested that public reaction to these new products was positive. FOFIND results represent a step forward towards the acceptance of functional bread with anticancer properties. Once commercially available, the FOFIND products will help improve the overall health of European citizens.
Keywords
Supplements, functional foods, FOFIND, lowpept, casein phosphopeptides
