Food Research Ireland - Department of Agriculture

lactoferrin, immunoglobulins, growth factors etc, manufactured using
membrane separation technology, ion exchange chromatography and
physical separation technologies. Funding in this area has significant
potential to add value to existing commodity type dairy ingredients and
products, on a scale sufficient to contribute to achieving the growth
projections put forward in the Food Harvest 2020 report. Also requiring
future investment is the study of the relationships between food
processing (using traditional and novel technologies), bioavailability and
bioactivity (e.g., the role of protein denaturation and aggregation on
digestibility and bioavailability).
Marine bioactive research is focused on the biological and chemical
characterisation of polyphenols, peptides, polysaccharides, amino acids,
lipids, protein hydrolysates and materials with antioxidant properties,
extracted from marine species and marine food processing waste.
The emphasis of phytochemicals research is on the role of agronomic
and post- harvest practices on phytochemical levels and on the use of
novel processing to retain phytochemical activity in food products with
a high level of consumer acceptance as well as improving our
understanding of the mechanisms of action of plant derived bioactives.
A number of related projects are examining botanicals and plant foods as
sources of novel and new molecules for inclusion in functional foods.
Linked to the discovery of new bioactives from natural resources is the
extraction of bioactives from existing resources. A key opportunity for
the food sector, particularly the meat, seafood, fresh cut produce and
horticulture sectors is the valorisation of processing waste. By
developing strategies for the recovery of biologically useful compounds
from processing waste streams, new revenue streams will be developed,
waste minimised and the impact of disposal on the environment reduced.
Research Objectives
■ The development of a national network of excellence on bioactive
development to maximise Ireland’s linkages to FP7/Horizon 2020 and
possibly any JPI initiative in this area;
■ Development of industrially relevant and cost effective processes for
the manufacture of efficacious, concentrated and shelf stable
bioactives;
■ Food formulation to enhance the delivery and sensory quality of
bioactives;
■ Further developments in model systems to predict the digestion,
absorption and bioavailability of bioactives;
■ Probabilistic exposure modelling for dietary intake of bioactives
under different scenarios;
■ Technological platforms for transfer of bioactive food components
from laboratory scale to pre-commercial;
■ Develop the knowledge base for production and stabilisation of food
ingredients and foods with functional and bioactive components;
■ Maximise Ireland’s marine biological and food sciences expertise to
identify marine materials, organisms and extracts with functional food
potential;
■ Development of a national database and repository of biologically
active compounds and extracts derived from terrestrial and marine
sources;
■ Integrated strategies for the recovery of bio-active components
from food waste;
■ Mining for and optimization of the use of natural preservatives.
Food Research Ireland
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