Unique tomato supplement for heart health

Lycopene is an antioxidant compound in the body that may help to maintain reduced levels of oxidative stress and may have a physiological role related to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancers such as prostate. Lycopene is derived solely from the diet, the main source in the UK diet being processed tomato products. It exists in different isomeric forms, the (all-E)-form being the most common in tomatoes and tomato products (85-97percent) in all tomato products and 95-97 percent in commonly consumed tomato products in the UK. It also exists in Z-isomeric forms, the most common Z-isomers in foods and in the body being 5Z-, 9Z- and 13Z-lycopene. Recent research suggests that these Z-isomers may have higher bioavailability (uptake in the gut) and higher antioxidant activities (over the all-E form) in the body and so may offer increased health benefits. Lycopene supplements are already available commercially, but consist of high all-E lycopene content (95 percent). This project aims to use a waste product from the tomato processing industry as a starting material, in combination with an environmentally friendly isomerisation process, to provide a unique and more affordable supplement with high-Z lycopene content (50 percent). The project also aims to test the bioavailabilty of the product and conduct a clinical trial in such a manner that a positive outcome would lead to a European health claim for the supplement.