Award details

Optimizing the nutritional value of Horlicks

Reference	BBS/E/F/00041531
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr Elizabeth Lund
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	3,155
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2002
End date	30/09/2005
Duration	36 months

Abstract

The aim of this project is define how the ingredients used to make 'Horlicks' drink affect calcium bioavailability. In many third world countries Horlicks is supplemented with iron. It is known that the presence of high concentrations of a particular mineral in the gut lumen can modify, most frequently inhibit, the uptake of other minerals. Therefore it is important to address the question as to whether the presence of iron affects the absorption of calcium and visa versa. Interactions between other nutrients within the drink and these two minerals will also be evaluated. The project will involve the student visiting Glaxo Smith Kline to learn more about the formulation and manufacture of the drink. Different formulations will be tested using the Caco-2 cell transwell model with added radioactively labelled calcium or iron. The CaCo2 cell line when grown in culture can behave like the epithelial cells of the upper small intestine where nutrients such as iron are optimally absorbed. Therefore this model system can be used in combination with intestinal enzymes to simulate the process of digestion and absorption. The molecular basis of iron-calcium interactions will be studied at the cell level using a proteomic approach.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Agri-food (AF)
Research Topics	X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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