Award details

Using crop genetics to understand the importance of dietary resistant starches for maintaining healthy glucose homeostasis

Reference	BBS/E/F/00042736
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Professor Peter Wilde
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors	Professor Arjan Narbad
Institution	Quadram Institute Bioscience
Department	Quadram Institute Bioscience Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	79,244
Status	Current
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/10/2014
End date	30/09/2017
Duration	35 months

Abstract

Type 2 diabetes is a major health problem and is prevalent among the aging population. The risk increases with age partly due to a decline in the capacity of cells in the pancreas (beta-cells) to secrete insulin, which can be aggravated by a poor diet. Diets rich in resistant starch can have a positive impact on controlling of blood glucose levels, and reducing susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. Resistant starch, is not completely digested in the upper parts of the digestive tract, and so is fermented by bacteria in the colon. The products of fermentation, short-chain fatty acids, are thought to improve beta-cell function. UK diets are generally low in resistant starch, so increasing intake could reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes. However, very little is known about why particular types of starch are resistant to digestion and whether resistant starches from different food sources differ in their capacity to improve beta-cell function. We will determine the structures in starch that control resistance to digestion and improvements in beta cell function. We will also determine the effect of different types of food and processing. Our study will focus on peas, as there are a range of naturally occurring variants that contain different types of resistant starch. These will be digested in an artificial gut, to identify which features of the starch and the food are important for maximum fermentation in the colon. Selected types of peas will be fed to human volunteers to determine the digestibility of the starch in vivo, together with a range of short and medium term physiological responses relevant to beta-cell function and control of blood glucose. This project will provide insights into the relationship between resistant starch and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. It will also inform crop breeders about which genes in crop plants are associated with these types of starch, to allow the directed breeding of peas that provide maximal health benefits.

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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