Wellington
Satiety is becoming a key trend in the world of nutrition.
In a western world of increasing obesity, feeling 'full', is one way of helping to stop peoplesnacking and over-eating, and
The merger two years ago of HortResearch and Crop & Food Research provided the opportunity torestrategise in the food innovation area says Dr Keiran Elborough, and one of the results is arecently begun co-investment programme to discover how plant foods reduce appetite and keep peoplefeeling fuller, longer.
As the general manager for food innovation at P&F, Elborough leads a team of 200 scientistsinvestigating food's parts and compounds which help people feel full for four hours or more.
The six-year programme is to receive $19.2 million from the Foundation for Research, Science andTechnology, as well as substantial financial backing from Zespri and Sanitarium. Hansells, Comvita,NZ Extracts, Simplot (an Australian company), Bell Tea & Coffee are also fronting up and Yarrowsis to have an advisory role.
Elborough says it is very early days in the research, but that anumber of parts and/or compounds of food will be investigated.
"We think that 'bitter' can some real effects on satiety," he says, "though obviously we'd haveto mask that."
"There's a taste receptor beyond the stomach that recognises bitter compounds,and that has a role potentially in response to how full the body feels."
A better understanding of how different carbohydrates inhibit the absorption of glucose isanother line of research, as is the role of bacteria in the stomach and beyond. Bacteria may have asignaling role that suggests to the body that it needs to stop eating for a short period of timeElborough says.
As well as food compounds producing a satiety feeling, there is some evidence that whole fruitsand vegetables may have similar effects.
One clinical trial that is going to be carried out is asking people to eat a lot of kiwifruit tofind its role in feeling full.
Planning for the programme is still being carried out, "though for our deliverables, it'simportant to be guided by industry and what they want."
"Because everything we will do is to be linked to New Zealand-owned plants, the benefits will goback to growers," Elborough says. "We're actually adding value to what growers' grow."
He also makes the point that the companies in the programme won't necessarily be using itsoutput, but with its strong collaboration emphasis, some of its participants are essentially thereto see what comes out of it.
"They'll possibly have some slight advantage in seeing earlierthan others what comes out of the programme," he says.
"The books aren't closed though. Others may wish to join, and we'd be happy to have them in."
He says the programme will have a much better story to tell in six months time, as it is onlyjust starting out.
"It's about getting relationships right, looking for further partners andgetting the planning right at this stage," he says.
Whatever does come out of the research, Elborough emphasises that people will really need to likewhat they eat.
Other Plant & Food research programmes are looking at the roles of proteins and fats insatiety, "but we're looking at plants; their carbohydrates, fibres and compounds," he says.