Award details

Impact of food processing on the blood cholesterol-lowering effect of cereal beta-glucan

Reference	BBS/E/F/00042735
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Peter Wilde
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	68,196
Status	Current
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/12/2014
End date	31/03/2018
Duration	39 months

Abstract

The effect of beta-glucan (BG), a water-soluble form of fibre, in lowering LDL cholesterol concentrations has been demonstrated by many research groups. This beneficial impact has been accepted as a valid health claim for BG, in non-processed or minimally processed forms of oats and barley, by EFSA. The mechanism(s) of action of BG are strongly linked to its capacity to generate high viscosity in the gastrointestinal tract and a subsequent decrease in bile reabsorption through decreases in rates of digestion, inhibition of lipolysis and/or transport of mixed micelles. The BG may also directly interact with lipase, bile salts and the mucus layer, leading to decreased bile recycling. However, the precise mechanisms are still not fully understood. Moreover, the cholesterol-lowering activity of BG varies significantly depending on food type, processing and storage conditions, mainly due to depolymerisation and poor solubility of BG. The main aims of this project therefore are to understand (a) the mechanism(s) by which BG lowers blood cholesterol and (b) how the processing of BG-containing foods attenuates this capacity of the polymer. A multidisciplinary approach involving a range of in vitro methods, biochemical (e.g. in vitro digestion, enzyme kinetics) and biophysical (e.g. rheology, fluorescence microscopy), will be used. Samples of purified BG and BG-containing cereals and real foods (porridge & biscuits) will be characterised (e.g. molecular weight, polymer dissolution), before and after food processing, and their behaviour during in vitro digestion and their interactions with BS and lipase(s), will be studied. These samples will be subjected to a range of sophisticated in vitro digestion models allowing viscosity and interactions to be determined during breakdown and transport. This work will provide new information on how BG can be processed and added to food matrices in a way that maintains optimal health effects.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Not funded via Committee
Research Topics	Diet and Health
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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