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IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF PROCESSED FOODS BY OPTIMAL USE OF FOOD ANTIOXIDANTS

Objective

The overall objective of this proposal is to improve the product quality, storage characteristics and nutritional value of processed foods vulnerable to oxidative changes by optimized utilisation of antioxidants naturally occurring in foods.

The project addresses a vital problem in the food industry : the adverse changes in taste, colour and storage stability occurring in processed foods due to oxidative processes. The rationale behind the project is that addition of food ingredients with a naturally high content of antioxidants will reduce this problem and at the same time improve the nutritional value to the consumer. Recent epidemiological and experimental findings suggest that intake of foods rich in antioxidants play a crucial role in the prevention of non-communicable diseases. Processed food products based on this concept are furthermore likely to have a positive appeal to the consumer.

The work consists of :

- basic investigations of antioxidant mechanisms of selected antioxidants
naturally occurring in foods, and of the synergistic effects of food antioxidants;
- development and evaluation of processes for extraction, concentration and
increased utilisation of food antioxidants;
- investigations of the quality and storage stability of selected processed
foods added naturally occurring antioxidants as components or ingredients;
- measurements of the bioavailability and in vivo antioxidative effects in
humans of food antioxidants in the processed foods.

The proposal is based on close cooperation between well established European scientists from the fields of food science, nutrition and biochemistry together with food industry.

Expected outcomes of the project are new strategies for the food industry to improve the quality and thereby the image of processed foods in general. In addition, the suggested concept could lead to an increased utilisation of plant foods and by-products from plant foods rich in antioxidants and available in abundance in EU and thereby be of economical relevance for the European community.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

THE ROYAL VETERINARY AND AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
EU contribution
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Address
ROLIGHEDSVEJ, 25
1958 FREDERIKSBERG C
Denmark

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Total cost
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Participants (5)