Brussels, Belgium
September 29, 2005
The EU-funded research project
HEALTHGRAIN is to
identify new sources of nutritionally enhanced grain, as well as
to develop methods for producing new, competitive, grain foods
that are good for health and more appealing to consumers.
The project is building on results from recent studies that have
revealed how wholegrain foods can have a protective effect
against heart disease, strokes and diabetes. But unfortunately,
bread is currently mostly baked from refined flour, devoid of
the nutrients and protective factors present in the outer layers
of grains. HEALTHGRAIN
is part of a strategy by the European Union to increase food
safety and quality, with the aim of improving well-being and
reducing the risk of metabolic syndrome related diseases in
Europe. This is to be done by increasing the average European
citizen's intake of protective wholegrains.
HEALTHGRAIN, which
stands for 'exploiting bioactivity of European cereal grains for
improved nutrition and health benefits', is an integrated
project (IP) under the food quality and safety priority of the
EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). Some 43 partner
organisations from 15 European countries and different
disciplines, coordinated by Professor Kaisa Poutanen from the
Finnish Technical Research Centre (VTT), will carry out the
research to establish the variation, process-induced changes and
human metabolism of bioactive compounds in the major European
bread grains, and to reveal the physiological mechanisms
underlying their significance in prevention of metabolic
syndrome and related diseases. HEALTHGRAIN, a five year project
that started in June 2005, has a total budget of 16 million euro
of which 10.8 million euro is provided by the FP6.
Professor Poutanen explains: 'We will be working on gaining a
better understanding of the various compound levels in grains
and their localisation. This will allow us to develop milling
techniques which remove only certain layers from the grain in
order to maintain the parts which carry the most health
benefits.'
HEALTHGRAIN will
examine the variation, process-induced changes and human
metabolism of bioactive compounds in wheat and rye, the two
major European bread grains. The project aims to reveal the
physiological mechanisms underlying the significance of
bioactive compounds in the prevention of metabolic syndrome and
related diseases. The target bioactive compounds are vitamins
(folate, tocols, choline, etc.), phytochemicals (lignans,
sterols, alkylresorcinols, phenolic acids) and indigestible
carbohydrates. Cereal food structure will be studied in relation
to digestibility.
Moreover, the project will also carry out consumer studies in
order to gain an understanding of consumer expectations
regarding healthy cereal foods. The project aims to produce new
nutritionally enhanced wheat and rye varieties with optimal
bioactive content: new sources of nutritionally enhanced grain
will be identified and generated by experts in plant
biotechnology, creating a toolbox of 'omics' technologies for
breeding.
The project partners also wish to develop processing
technologies using enzymes and starter cultures in order to
combat the coarser texture and hardness of wholegrain bread in
an attempt to make it more consumer-friendly. The
bioavailability of the bioactive compounds will be determined,
and their role together, with the glycemic response of food in
reducing metabolic risk factors, will be studied.
As for dissemination, a comprehensive technology transfer and
dissemination programme has been developed, including a full
programme of publications, conferences, workshops and training
courses. To foster interactive communication, the project has
also established an Industrial Platform and Nutrition
Information Network. The Industrial Platform, which already has
25 companies involved, ensures effective communication between
the HEALTHGRAIN project
and actors in the cereal food chain.
Europe produces about 36 per cent of the world's wheat and 94
per cent of its rye, but at a higher cost than many of its
competitors. According to the project coordinators, 'the project
will give European grain producers new technologies to develop
globally competitive, healthier grain traits.'
HEALTHGRAIN will allow
the processing industry, including a large number of
small-and-medium-sized enterprises, to develop new, competitive,
grain foods that are good for health, including foods for
individuals sensitive to particular cereal constituents, for
example, gluten-free products.
For further
information, please visit:
http://www.healthgrain.org |