Milk is mined in bid to boost healthy ageing

The research consortium is composed of four of Ireland's research institutions and four dairy processors and ingredients firms. It has identified milk-derived components that can activate a sub-type of serotonin receptor, which helps to control appetite.

Researchers are hopeful their findings may contribute to the development of appetite-suppressing ingredients that would offer a sustained reduction in food cravings. In addition, FHI has identified parts of milk that boost levels of the gut satiety hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which can increase feelings of fullness. It claims a consumer product containing such ingredients could help reduce food intake over time.

Healthy ageing​

FHI is also investigating the effectiveness of a milk-derived nutrient supplement to promote healthy ageing and, in particular, to combat age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia. This is estimated to affect approximately 30% of people aged over 60 and more than 50% of those aged over 80.

"Although we are still in the preliminary stages of the study, we are very excited about the potential health benefits it could deliver,"​ said FHI chief executive Jens Bleiel. "Today's older consumers are taking a much more active, preventative approach to health and wellbeing than previous generations.​

"Despite this shift, there is currently a gap in the market for functional food and beverage products that offer nutritional support to an ageing population. FHI's nutrient formulation could offer a solution to manufacturers keen to meet that need."​

FHI is also investigating the use of three encapsulation approaches to deliver bioactives and functional ingredients in forms that can be absorbed by the body in sufficient quantities to be effective. These are: cold-set whey protein micro-bead encapsulation; emulsion-based systems and spray-drying. Such methods can also be used to mask undesirable flavours of bioactives.

Infant development​

Further areas for FHI study include early infant development; metabolic health and immunity and infection. The group's current study programme is due to finish in June 2013 and it is optimistic it will continue to receive funding after that to take ingredients closer to commercialisation. "We have the capacity to take ingredients from laboratory scale to pre-commercial scale,"​ FHI centre manager Amanda Forde told Food Manufacture at the Food Ingredients Europe show in Paris in December.

FHI comprises University College, Cork; University College Dublin; University of Limerick and Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark and food firms Carbery; Dairygold; Glanbia and Kerry.