Scientists at the Hull York Medical School and the University of Hull have started a series of large-scale clinical trials into the potential impact of “a commonly used food ingredient” on diabetes, obesity and cardio-vascular disease.
Hilary Hamer, industrial liaison manager for the project, worked with Halo Foods – a snack bar manufacturer – to develop a fruit-based snack bar containing the active ingredient, which Hamer declined to name.
Fruit bar
The researchers selected a fruit-bar because they wanted a diet product that did not require heating and could be eaten on-the-go as part of a normal daily diet. Consumers would have to eat two a day to gain benefit so the commercial potential is attractive, Hamer said.
“If the science stacks up – we’re running three trials with this product – we’re going to have an extremely interesting portfolio. In the longer term, we’ll look very seriously at a health claim and Halo would be first in line to produce a product from it.”
Although happy with the Halo Foods relationship, Hamer said she was surprised by the apparent lack of interest in functional ingredients shown by the food industry.
“We’re open to ideas if food companies want to come to us. But equally, we sometimes need to go to them. They may need us to test products but we need help [on projects] as well,” she said.
Niche products
“This product is quite novel and most manufacturers are trying to keep themselves afloat with margins being cut seemingly everyday by the retailers. There may be niche products that, in the longer term, might result in lucrative commercial products.”
Hamer praised Halo Foods for their cooperation and ability to deliver the specialised taste-testing, labelling and small batch production that is needed for a clinical trial. Not every manufacturer is flexible enough to cooperate with clinical studies and it’s a matter of talking to the right people, she added.
The trials – part of the Humber Obesity, Nutrition, Education and Innovation (HONEI) Project – are unusual in that they give the volunteers the active ingredient as part of a food. That contrasts with common medical trials which use a pill, suppository or cream.
During the trial Halo Foods was taken over by Raisio, makers of Benecol.