BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS, NUTRITIONAL INTAKE AND STATUS OF FOLATE AND POLYSATURATE FATTY ACID (PUFA): IMPROVEMENT OF NUTRITION IN SERBIA

The overall project aim is to study the biological effects of folate and PUFA in order to improve nutrition in Serbia. The project integrates six multidisciplinary research groups with participants from the scientific community, the industry, and diverse stakeholders. It consists of more than 50 participants from Serbia and the Balkan region, the EU and North America, who will be working together on the following specialized research activities (RA): RA1: Who – Population: the identification of vulnerable population groups in Serbia through systematic literature review; RA2: What – Food: analytical analysis of folate and PUFA and the creation of a specialized national food databases; RA3: How – Biological Effects: studies the effects and molecular mechanisms of folate and PUFA activity in cell culture and in animal models; RA4: Folate/PUFA and Health: control nutritional intervention studies; RA5: Nutrition and Consumers: analyses the consumer market and presents health recommendations for folate and PUFA intake in a consumer friendly context; RA6: Integration, Capacity Development and Education: this RA is responsible for the maximum utilization of all project results. It integrates the project results of all RAs, communicates these results to the scientific community, the industry and the general public, with the goal of improving nutritional health. A wide international collaboration and project recognition will be achieved through partnership with EC FP6/7 projects.