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Design and development of realistic food models to allow a multidisciplinary and integrated approach to food quality and nutrition (DREAM)

Lead Research Organisation: QUADRAM INSTITUTE BIOSCIENCE
Department Name: UNLISTED

Abstract

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Technical Summary

DREAM is a trans-disciplinary partnership involving two multinationals and nine countries, which will develop realistic, physical and mathematical, food models for use as standards to be exploited across all major food categories to facilitate development of common approaches to risk/benefit assessment and nutritional quality in food research and industry. These models will enhance knowledge on process-structure-property relationships from the molecular to macroscopic level and facilitate creation of generic food matrices with functional and nutritional properties based on tailored microstructure. To address as wide a range of food products as possible, four generic structure groups will be used representing plant-based foods; meat; dairy and bakery products; for each, the most relevant types of products will be selected using criteria including structural characteristics and industrial and societal needs, ensuring that benefits/risks, economic importance and sustainability are taken into consideration. The model development will be conducted in close collaboration with food manufacturers through a specification-based approach. The objective of the mathematical approach is to realise a complete dynamic description of food processing using an innovative strategy exploiting most recent advances in cognitive and complex system sciences to allow the generalised methodologies to be extended to other food products. Models and protocols developed within DREAM will be disseminated by expert partners via existing channels (EFFoST, ETP and national platforms, CIAA and national federations, EFSA, national regulatory bodies) to be used by scientists, SMEs and multinationals to improve nutritional quality and benefit-risk management of the food chain.

Planned Impact

unavailable

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description A well characterized dairy food model was developed that has since been used as a model food when introducing specific compounds in experiments simulating gastrointestinal digestion. A mathematical description of the model was also developed in collaboration with INRA. This model allowed us to better understand and predict the behavior of dairy systems such as yoghurts and dairy desserts.
Exploitation Route The model foods developed in Dream formed part of a successful DRINC application
Sectors Agriculture

Food and Drink

 
Description The models from Dream have been used as a standard food system in house and related models from the workpackage on cereal based foods has been incorporated into a successful BBSRC DRINC project
First Year Of Impact 2013
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink
Impact Types Economic

 
Description Infogest 
Organisation French National Institute of Agricultural Research
Department INRA Rennes Centre
Country France 
Sector Public 
PI Contribution I was vice-chair of the Infogest Cost Action that is now the Infogest network. I have attended and organised meetings, including a meeting to be held in Leeds in April 2018. This involvement has resulted in engagement with numerous collaborators including companies.
Collaborator Contribution Chaired the COST Action and provided administration and financial contributions for the travel and meeting organisation.
Impact Numerous publications and collaborations with industry
Start Year 2011