Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
Funded under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3, Theme 10.
New food supplements ingredients for malnutrition treatment
Highlights
Coordinator
Identification and application of biomarkers of malnutrition (including inflammatory, metabolic, microbiological, genetic and epigenetic ones) and biochemical pathways associated with diet and age-related diseases/ syndromes for early malnutrition detection and quality of life restoration in target specific categories.
Identification of sustainable tailored multidimensional approach including nutritional strategies aimed at reducing malnutrition in target specific populations by exploiting the interactions between environment, food, genotype and phenotype: a) analysis of the positive and negative interactions between lifestyle, socioeconomic status, clinical condition, psychological distress, medical treatment and diet for the implementation of sustainable dietary patterns; b) malnutrition biomarker validation; c) draft of sustainable nutritional protocols (in connection with Spoke 1 and 4).
Development and application of in vitro, in vivo and in silico experimental models for the understanding of the mechanism of action in counteracting malnutrition of new sustainable bioactive molecules from different matrices (in connection with Spoke 2, 3 and 4).
Implementation of sustainable dietary patterns as nutritional treatment for target specific groups with malnutrition. The task includes the prototyping of foods, supplements, ingredients and nutraceuticals aimed at restoring resilience in specific targets with malnutrition (in connection with Spoke 4). In addition, it is implemented a friendly end user personalised web responsive application for remote promoting and monitoring of sustainable dietary patterns target specific.
Dissemination, communication and food policy (in connection with Spoke 7).
New biomarkers of malnutrition specific for diseases and age and related to diet (M24)
Identification of biochemical pathways interconnected with biomarkers of malnutrition and immunological responses (M36)
Report on lifestyle, socioeconomic status, clinical condition, psychological distress, medical treatment, diet, cultural and environmental determinants of malnutrition in target specific populations (M24)
Systematic reviews of sustainable bioactive molecules, and recognized effects on malnutrition (M6)
Identification of at least 7 sustainable bioactive molecules: a) 3 proven to directly impact nutritional status b) 2 proven to impact gut satiety hormones release c) 2 proven to reduce skeletal muscle mass decline in elderly populations with specific pathologies and/or nutritional impairments (M24)
New prototypes of functional foods, food supplements, ingredients and nutraceuticals for malnutrition and malnutrition related diseases (n=5) (M36)
Public engagement (M30)
In recent years, bad lifestyle and unhealthy food choices have resulted in the development of several malnutrition related diseases. This has led to increased attention about the use of bioactive molecules in the treatment of chronic diseases. Bioactive compounds are present in nature as carotenoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, phytosterols, limonoids, glucosinolates, etc. Most of these compounds have been reported to help in the maintenance of human health and treatment of several diseases by diverse properties.
Considering the market demand and the roles of secondary metabolites in the treatment of malnutrition related diseases, the aim of the project is to obtain different bioactive molecules and/or Phyto-complex from food and agricultural by-products for the treatment of malnutrition. The nutraceutical products will be developed especially taking into consideration elderly people, obese children, and inflammatory related diseases.
The research will involve different activities as reported below:
1) At the beginning a detailed study of recent literature will be carried out to select the starting matrices as plant, agricultural, food, and their by-products, to be used as a natural source of bioactive molecules or phytoextracts.
2) An overall evaluation of literature data will be carried out to select starting material (e.g. plant, foods, and their by-products) with interesting content of bioactive compounds with known healing properties on malnutrition disease.
3) Evaluation of Organoleptic aspects, cost and environmental impact, of the selected matrices to make the products obtained (extracts and/or molecules) palatable, cheap and environmentally friendly. Particular attention will be paid on the selection of extraction techniques used, to avoid the use of toxic organic solvents, making the functional food ingredients, drugs, or nutraceuticals safe for the consumer.
4) The compounds or phytoextracts obtained will be tested on advanced cellular models such as gut-brain axis under inflammatory conditions to investigate the anti-inflammatory power and understand the molecular mechanisms underlying their biological activity.
5) Development of new products such as novel food, supplements, and nutraceutical products (in connection with spoke 4).
1. Extraction and characterization of molecules and/or phytoextracts from different matrices.
2. Development of cellular and multicellular models for the study of inflammatory oxidative systems.
3. Identification of biochemical markers to be used in the study and diagnosis of malnutrition diseases.
4. Support in the formulation of new functional foods for the treatment of malnutrition. (In connection with spoke 4).
5. Promotion of shared communication strategies to inform fragile consumers about the importance of food supplementation to restore resilience and defeat malnutrition (in collaboration with spoke 7)
