Fruit polyphenols, maximising knowledge of their metabolic health benefits and practical applications

This project involves a consortium of a UK based healthcare company (GlaxoSmithKline), a UK based university (King's College London), and a European based fruit extract producer (BerryPharma). Strategic partners of GSK are also being consulted as part of this project. These include a UK based crop research institute (James Hutton Institute) and a European beverage development company (Doehler). The aim of this project is to develop novel fruit beverages with proven health benefits, by sharing plant breeding, food science and nutrition expertise held within the consortia. A number of animal studies have shown metabolic health benefits of polyphenols. This project will help deliver evidence of this effect in humans. Recent technological developments have enabled the extraction and solubilisation of fruit polyphenols, however technical challenges still exist with high acidity, bitterness and the need for integration in a high sugar base, when incorporating the current extracts into food products. A critical aim of this project will be to prove the health benefits of these fruit polyphenols in stable products that are acceptable from a sensorial and nutritional (low sugar) basis.