BioSyn - Bioactive components from by-products of food processing used in a synbiotic approach for improving human health and well-being
PROJECT IS COMPLETED
Project period: 2014 – 2017
The main objective of the project is to improve sustainability of food processing by delivering the novel bioactive components from food by-products and waste that alone or in combination with already acknowledged probiotic bacteria can be used to improve human health and wellbeing.
By-products and waste generated in fruits and vegetables processing, such as production of juices, pectin, starches, etc., have a significant nutritive value, containing fiber and bioactive substances. The project aims to improve utilization of the by-products and recovery of bioactive components by delivery of functional food formulations for human consumption. The by-products and waste of concern are peel, pulp and pectin from tropical fruits, besides, fiber and starches from potato processing. The by-products will be converted into multifunctional synbiotic carriers for colon-specific delivery of probiotic lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Prebiotic potential of the food by-products, such as supporting growth of probiotics, their adhesion to intestinal cells and host immunomodulation, will be investigated using in vitro mammalian cell models. The hypothesis that prebiotics and synbiotics can beneficially modulate the gut microbiota will be tested by gastrointestinal models using microbiota profiling techniques and the next generation DNA sequencing. Microbiota studies will focus primarily on the metabolic diseases. The bioactive carbohydrate epitopes related to prebiotic action and their dynamic in intestinal environment will be determined by chromatography and carbohydrate microarrays. The multivariate statistical models will be developed to link the bioactive structures in the synbiotic products with their functionality and prebiotic capacity for prediction of health benefits. Finally, BioSyn will develop and produce a synbiotic dietary formulation based on the food by-products. The outcome of BioSyn will include a new knowledge of combined potential of synbiotic ingredients for improvement of human health and the tools to generate novel synbiotic formulations from the food by-products.
The by-products and waste included in the project are peel and pulp from tropical fruits (i.e., orange and mango), pectins from fruit pulp, besides, fiber and starches from potato processing. The food by-products are generated and provided by the food processing factories and the project industrial partners, CP Kelco and KMC.
The specific objectives of BioSyn are (i) to characterize the bioactive components and molecular structures in food by-products; (ii) to investigate the synergistic effects of the bioactive components and the probiotic bacteria for further synbiotic use; (iii) to examine the effect of bioactive components and food by-products in synbiotic mixtures on the host by relevant in-vitro studies using functional mammalian cell models; (iv) to characterize the interactions between synbiotics, probiotics and the gut microbiota in vitro simulated gastrointestinal conditions and the potential of the synbiotic mixtures to modulate the gut microbiota in a beneficial way with the focus on metabolic diseases; (v) to develop a synbiotic food product with improved functional, sensory and nutritional properties, to characterize its prebiotic potential; and (vi) to ensure implementation of developed synbiotic product formulations to the food sector.
Core scientist team for BioSyn/Danmark:
Professor Lene JespersenProject Leader, Grant holder (Denmark)The Faculty of Science, Department of Food Science, Food Microbiology, University of Copenhagen (FOOD, KU)Tasks: Scientific project management, WP3-leader, WP4-leader Associate Professor Andreas BlennowThe Faculty of Science, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen (PLEN, KU)Tasks: Expertise for structural analysis of glycans and residual carbohydrates in WP1,WP2 and WP4. Co-supervisor of PhD1 PostDoc Nadja LarsenThe Faculty of Science, Department of Food Science, Food Microbiology, University of Copenhagen. Tasks: Employed as a postdoc for 30 months. Participates in all WPs.Core scientist team for BioSyn/Brazil:
Associate Professor Susana SaadGrant holder (Brazil)Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP)Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-Farmacêutica (USP)Tasks: WP2-leader, WP5-leader Professor Maria Inés GenoveseDepartment of Food Science end Experimental Nutrition, University of São Paulo (USP)Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição ExperimentalTasks: WP1-leader Dr. Raquel BedaniFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo (USP)Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-FarmacêuticaTasks: Development of symbiotic food formulations and evaluation of their effect on composition and metabolic activity of the intestinal microbiota (WP5) Dr. Katia SivieriFaculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of São Paulo State (UNESP)Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Araraquara, Departamento de Alimentos e NutriçãoTasks: facilities and expertise to in vitro gastrointestinal models, co-supervision of PhD students. Phd-student Antônio Diogo Silva VieiraUniversity of São PauloUniversidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Departamento de Tecnologia Bioquímico-FarmacêuticaMain supervisor: Professor Maria Inés GenoveseTasks: Participates in WP1, 2, 3 Phd-student 2University of São PauloMain supervisor: Associate Professor Susana SaadTasks: Participates in WP2, 4, 5
Funded by:
Biosyn has received a four year funding from The Danish Council for Strategic Research (now Innovation Fund Denmark)
Funding: DKK 3,354,358
Project: BioSyn - Bioactive components from by-products of food processing used in a synbiotic approach for improving human health and well-being
Period: 1 January 2014 – 31 December 2017
Contact
Lene Jespersen
Professor
Coordinator
Microbiology and Fermentation
Nadja Larsen
Academic Employee
Microbiology and Fermentation
Henriette Hansen
Senior Adviser
Administrative Coordinator
Food Administration