Projects / Programmes
Integrated food technology and nutrition
January 1, 2013
- December 31, 2017
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 4.02.00 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Animal production |
|
| 4.03.00 |
Biotechnical sciences |
Plant production |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T430 |
Technological sciences |
Food and drink technology |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 4.02 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Animal and Dairy science |
| 4.01 |
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
Researchers (22)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
Research programme “Integrated food technology and nutrition” combines food processing technologies and human nutrition to provide food quality and safety. Researchers from the research group cover the interdisciplinary field of food processing and nutrition. Modern, up-to-date equipment is available for realization of research programme on a high scientific level. To maintain high scientific excellence the programme group cooperates with other programme groups and institutes from Slovenia and abroad. We also have strong connections established with the industry since we successfully apply research results in the industrial processes. The research group members are active also in socio-economic field.
Scientific background of the proposed programme for the coming period are focused on detecting and solving basic and developmental problems in producing and processing of safe food and nutrition of high quality. The goal of the research group is to find original solutions in providing healthy food. Research group structure, cooperation with other research institutions and equipment availability ensure reaching the set goals and publications of original scientific results in scientific journals with high impact factor.
In the field of food of animal origin we will continue with the research on heterocyclic amines (HCA), especially on adduct formation with macromolecules. Scope of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) will be expanded from previous starter studies to search for more suitable starter cultures, capable of efficient PCBs degradation, which is interesting from scientific and economic point of view. New research area will be study of PAHs in smoked or/and thermally treated foods. The scope of protected agricultural products will be expanded to study similar meat products from other countries. In the field of food oxidation research we will beside lipid oxidation, focus also on very actual filed of protein oxidation. In the research on honey and royal jelly we will focus on authenticity verification techniques.
In the field of food of plant origin we will work on developing methods to determine authenticity of organic food based on isotopic composition, dietary fibre characterisation and a current problem of buckwheat malt process and the use of malt in development of new products suitable for consumers suffering from celiac disease, cherry storage, wine aroma optimisation and minimisation of biogenic amine formation in wine.
In the field of nutrition, we will focus on determining nutrition status of population, use of modern techniques of packaging in preparation of products with higher nutritional value, sugar and salt contents in the food and diet will be re-evaluated and we will continue our work in the field formation of nutrition tables. Modern approaches in sensory and statistical analysis will be developed and used to add value to interpretation results in both a professional and scientific literature.
Significance for science
In order to maintain food safety, quality and functional properties of food, research based on overall consideration of the food chain from production through storage, processing of food and nutrition is urgently needed. Development and implementation of new technologies in all segments of the chain opens new questions, mostly related to maintaining high nutritional quality (e.g. active packaging, characterization of dietary fiber, use of buckwheat malt as a raw material for prebiotics, maintaining of phenolic and aromatic profiles of cherries and wine ...). New research tools allow deeper scientific insight into both - actual problems as well as the most recent scientific challenges (e.g. implementation of modern analytics, which allows the determination of analytes in the ppb and ppt). The integration of research on food and nutrition in the interest of scientific and general public as well as interdisciplinary connections with other scientific fields such as medicine, pharmacy and economy, shows the need for increased research in this area (e.g. testing HCA mutagenic rate, survey of target groups, ...).
Our program group research will take place primarily in the areas where the national knowledge base on food is deficient. By using the latest scientific approaches and sensory and instrumental methods, we will study the conservation of biologically active substances (e.g. addition of plant extracts, active packaging techniques, minimal processing ...) and the formation of toxic components (e.g. solving problems of HCA, PCB, PAH and biogenic amines, monitoring of the oxidation products of lipids and proteins, as well as markers of oxidative stress...). Through research of nutritional profiling we can scientifically define the level of nutritional adequacy of a particular food, which is essential for health prevention and planning food and nutrition policy. Concern for environment-friendly food processing will contribute to reducing the environmental burden.
The survey of some current issues of food processing and nutrition will include young researchers who will work under the supervision of our researchers to acquire new skills and knowledge and contribute to the development and implementation of scientific approaches in this field. Research results will be published in internationally recognized journals and at scientific meetings.
Significance for the country
The document on the new medium-and long-term nutrition policy in Slovenia is in preparatory phase. This important document provides guidance for all politicians and other stake-holders in nutrition field on important topics: how to ensure food supplies with a strong emphasis on self-sufficiency, how to ensure food quality and food safety for a healthy and balanced diet and the good health of all segments of the population. These goals can be quickly achieved with objective and more complete population notification on the correct and healthy diet and with evidence based information about health risk. The research team has vast experience in scientific research for optimal and original solutions to reduce the food-health risks in the food chain. Organic farming and environmental contaminants are still less explored areas and the program team will attempt to explain them and extract results, which can be applied to healthy and safe nutrition. In this topics we see the direct socio-economic and social importance of research for our society. Results will be also important for the development of agro-food field and engineering.
Since the Food Science and Technology is interdisciplinary science, which includes naturalistic, biological, physical and chemical sciences, as well as agricultural science, food engineering and medical sciences (nutrition, dietetics), will the research group "Integrated Food Science and Nutrition" explore mutual basics for all food industry branches. We will try to optimized in terms of quality and safety not only food production (plant, animal), but also and mainly processing technologies, preservation, marketing (distribution), evaluation of dietary components changes and the occurrence of harmful, even dangerous ingredients in food. Attention will also be given to food products with a protected designation of origin or name, which is characterized not only by geographical and technological specificity, but also with specific quality and nutritional value that consumers appreciate. Exploring the dietary habits of different segments of the Slovenian population will be one of the priorities of the research group.
The results of our group have already answered some of the questions we set ourselves at the set up of new national food policy strategies. Among them are the development and application of nutrients database, enhancement of university education at all levels and training related to healthy eating and the introduction of additional health nutrition education in undergraduate and postgraduate study programs. The research results will also contribute to the growth of quality and competitiveness of the food processing industry in Slovenia. In this area we were very successful, since 8 PhD. and 11 MSc. in the period 2007-2012 completed their studies (four of them were young researchers).
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2013,
2014,
2015,
final report
