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Since 1993 researchers from the University of Leeds (UoL) have devised robust and standardised experimental methodologies to study human appetite and food consumption objectively. Companies in the food and pharmaceutical sectors have used these procedures to develop functional foods and anti-obesity drugs. The validated methodologies also allowed global clinical research organisation Covance to establish its Human Appetite Laboratory to provide product evaluation for US and EU pharmaceutical companies. Food regulators have also recommended the Leeds approach for producing evidence to support appetite control claims for functional foodstuffs.
Research at the University of Reading into the origin of acrylamide, a neurotoxin and probable human carcinogen, in cooked cereal and potato products has provided crucial information for the food industry and government agencies. This has enabled important mitigation strategies to be developed. When acrylamide was unexpectedly discovered in food in 2002, there was no explanation for its origin. Pioneering research at Reading showed that it was formed during heating from naturally-occurring sugars and the amino acid asparagine. Because of this knowledge it was then possible to investigate factors affecting acrylamide formation and develop methods of mitigation. Subsequently investigations were undertaken worldwide, including work at Reading, to minimise the problem.
Prebiotics are dietary ingredients selectively fermented by populations of gut bacteria seen as beneficial to health. Following the development of the concept of prebiotics by Professors Glenn Gibson and Marcel Roberfroid, research at the University of Reading has developed, pilot- manufactured and tested in humans, a novel prebiotic that shows greater selectivity for beneficial gut bacteria. The prebiotic has been commercialised through formation of a new Small Medium Enterprise (SME) company, Clasado. A range of functional food product formulations of the prebiotic is available over the counter at a variety of supermarket and high street outlets in the UK, as well as products containing it as a branded ingredient in North America. Research on Bimuno conducted at Reading has therefore had impact on human health through alleviation, or attenuation, of symptoms of common gut disorders and on the economy through the formation of a new SME company.
Evershed and his research group in The School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, have pioneered a suite of novel molecular and stable isotope analytical chemical techniques for provenancing amorphous organic residues in archaeology, particularly for the elucidation of ancient diet and the origins of agriculture. Their on-going research continuously achieves impact worldwide at all levels. Impact has been actively enhanced via the involvement of Evershed and his entire team in hundreds of public engagement activities (art/science exhibitions and festivals, personal presentations, media interviews/articles/documentaries), school and college educational outreach activities (teacher/student conferences, items/articles in the educational literature and contributions to educational films/documentaries). Critically, their `fingerprinting' methods have found application in detecting food fraud in the vegetable oil trade, protecting the human population worldwide from consuming impure corn oil for ca. 15 years to the present day. Most poignantly, when called upon, their methods were pivotal in solving a murder case for the Metropolitan Police.
Research conducted at the University of Bristol between 2002 and 2006 directly influenced a significant commercial decision about use of a food additive to aid appetite control, which protected consumers from an ineffective product. Concerns about increasing levels of obesity worldwide and the toll this takes not only on human health but on health care costs, have led to the development of food ingredients that satisfy hunger for longer (enhance satiety). One such major new ingredient, Fabuless, which is owned by DSM (Dutch State Mines), a leading global manufacturer of food ingredients, was being considered by Unilever for inclusion in its range of diet foods. DSM and Unilever contacted Professor Peter Rogers, who is known for his novel methods for the experimental study of appetite control, to test the effectiveness of Fabuless. Rogers demonstrated no satiety effect of Fabuless when consumed in realistic products, which caused Unilever to abandon Fabuless as a potential food ingredient in 2009. Publication of the research also meant that other food manufacturing companies and regulatory authorities were informed about the ineffectiveness of Fabuless.
Novel research into the cardiovascular and other health benefits of consuming flavanol-containing foods at the University of Reading prompted a multi-national food and confectionary producer, Mars Incorporated, to invest over £1.1 million in research into the absorption, metabolism and health effects of cocoa-derived flavanols in humans. This research informed the development of a cocoa-extract supplement drink and supplement extract, both widely available in the US since 2010. This in turn sparked interest from other multinational corporations looking to market flavanol- and other flavonoid-containing health products, resulting in an additional £917K investment by industry. Mars' cocoa-extract supplements currently hold a 1% share of all food and drinks marketed on a cardiovascular health platform in the US; a market worth US$3.1 billion in 2012. Research by Reading and others has provided evidence that consumption of these products can improve memory and cognition, cardiovascular health and digestive health for consumers. These and other research findings have been widely disseminated to the general public by the Reading researchers.