New project develops innovative ingredients with anti-inflammatory properties
A European collaboration between Danish FermentationExperts, Danish Technological Institute, the Romanian Expergo and ICECHIM will develop a new anti-inflammatory ingredient for foods to aid public health.
Chronic inflammation is associated with the development of a range of diseases including type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, depression and some types of cancer. New foods that can lower chronic inflammation therefore have a great potential to help improve public health.
Fermented product with inflammatory characteristics
FermantationExperts has developed a new ingredient called ‘Fermbiotics’, which is a fermented product with anti-inflammatory properties. Fermbiotics has so far been tested on pigs that became less ill when eating the product. FermantationExperts has embarked on several clinical trials, which show an improvement in the general inflammatory condition and positive improvements in the given diseases. Experiments are now executed on patients with various intestinal disorders. The next step is to have the product developed into food ingredients.
The goal of the project is to make Fermbiotics available in various foods and supplements to reduce the development of inflammatory diseases and alleviate the symptoms.
The art of maintaining the effect in the food
It is important that the ingredient preserves the probiotic bacteria and the bioactive molecules formed during fermentation, to achieve the desired effect of Fermbiotics. This task is very complex due to the importance of maintaining the beneficial biological effect of the product, which involves protecting the active molecules in the product. Hence, the product must be designed for a specific food for instance liquid, frozen, etc. Many experiments will be carried out in the Danish Technological Institute’s laboratories, where the ingredient for the various food products is formulated.
Taste is everything
It is not enough to succeed in maintaining the good characteristics of Fermbiotics when added to food. The good taste must be kept, since it is not all products that are suitable for tasting fermented. A large part of the project will therefore deal with the design and testing of taste to avoid adding unwanted flavours to the products.
The project is funded by Innovation Fond Denmark through the Eurostars program.
Source: Danish Technological Institute (in Danish)