SHORT COURSE:
CARBOHYDRATES AND
FOOD STRUCTURE DESIGN
COLOFON
Redactie/productie:
TNO, Marketing & Communications
Ontwerp en opmaak:
Grafisch Ontwerp Pi&Q, Zeist
Druk:
De Swart, Den Haag
© TNO 2015
2
PROGRAM
Tuesday, November 10th
09.00 Coffee and reception
09.30 Opening: Introduction to the course
Dr. Stefano Renzetti, Prof. Bruce Hamaker
09.45Carbohydrate structure and starch modification:
chemical, physical and enzymatic
Dr. Yuan Yao (Whistler Center)
11.15 Coffee/tea break
11.45 Novel physical modification technologies
Dr. Jerome Diaz (TNO)
12.45Lunch
13.45 Lactobacillus Polysaccharides: Synthesis and Degradation
Prof. Lubbert Dijkhuizen
(University of Groningen/Carbohydrate Competence Center)
14.25 Carbohydrate digestion and sustainable energy
Prof. Bruce Hamaker (Whistler Center)
15.40 Coffee/tea break
16.00 Prebiotics: The Fall & Rise of Health Claims
Dr. Elaine Vaughan (Sensus)
16.30 Prebiotic modulation of the human gut microbiota
Dr. Frank Schuren (TNO)
19.00 Course dinner
Wednesday, November 11th
08.30 Coffee and reception
09.00 Welcome and introduction day 2
Dr. Stefano Renzetti, Prof. Bruce Hamaker
09.10 Physical and Rheological Properties of Biomaterials
Dr. Osvaldo Campanella (Whistler Center)
10.40 Coffee/tea break
11.10Biopolymers interactions
Dr. Owen Jones (Whistler Center)
12.40Lunch
13.30 Functionality of starch and starch derivatives in food
Dr. Piet Buwalda (Avebe/University of Wageningen)
14.15 Food structure and texture design: towards healthy formulations (part 1)
Albert Jurgens (TNO)
15.00 Coffee/tea break
15.15 Food structure and texture design: towards healthy formulations (part 2)
Albert Jurgens (TNO)
15.45Linking innovative food structure design with dietary guidelines,
consumer’s views and sustainability
Jan-Willem van der Kamp (TNO)
16.15 Closing remarks
3
Dr. Stefano Renzetti obtained a MSc in Food Sciences and Technology
from the University of Bologna, Italy, in 2000 and later specialized in Cereal
Sciences obtaining his PhD at the University College Cork, Ireland, in 2009.
His PhD research focused on the functionalization of gluten-free flour for
bread-making purposes with enzymatic treatments. Prior to undertaking a
PhD program, Stefano worked as a researcher in food microbiology at Unilever
Research Headquarters in the Netherlands (2000–2002) and as Quality
Assurance Manager for two well-established Italian companies (2002–2005).
Since 2009, Stefano is working at TNO as senior scientist within the e
­ xpertise
group Functional Ingredients. His current activities focus on reformulation of
bakery products and snacks for nutritional and clean label purposes, t­ exture
and structure design of food products, physical properties and p
­ hysical
­stability of food and moisture migration in food products. Stefano also
­participated in an open innovation network, i.e. the Top Institute of Food and
Nutrition (The Netherlands), where he was appointed as scientist for projects
regarding water migration in cellular solid food and powders, as well as fat
structuring.
4
←← Return to Program
CARBOHYDRATE STRUCTURE
AND STARCH MODIFICATION:
CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL
AND ENZYMATIC
Carbohydrates, such as starch, have broad and
important applications in the modern food i­ndustry.
In this 90-minute lecture, we will review some basic
concepts related to carbohydrate structure, in
­particular the structural properties of carbohydrate
polymers. For example, we will discuss carbohydrate
polymers based on their charges, molecular weights,
and shapes. The basic structural properties of these
biobased macromolecules have governing effects on
their functionalities and performances in food.
Specifically, we will use starches and their alphaD-glucan analogues to highlight the structure-­
function relationships of carbohydrate polymers.
Either as natural food components or as added
ingredients, starches and their derivatives affect the
nutritional value, textural characteristics, and shelf
life of food.
←← Return to Program
Dr. Yuan Yao is an Associate Professor in
the Department of Food Science of Purdue
University and affiliated with the Whistler Center
for Carbohydrate Research. He holds degrees
of Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, and
Food Science, as well as post-doc training in
plant molecular biology. He has years of industrial
­experience in the food ingredients industry and
joined Purdue University in 2005. At Purdue, his
primary researches focus on carbohydrate-­related
biomaterials and their applications in food,
­nutrition, and medical areas. Through genetic,
chemical, physical, and enzymatic ­modifications,
he has been developing new ­materials from
starches and their analogues, not only as
­functional food ­ingredients, but also as novel
pharmaceutical excipients. His researches have
been supported by NSF, USDA, and the industry.
To optimize the performances of starches, various
approaches have been used, including genetic,
­chemical, physical, and enzymatic modifications.
These modifications change the fine structure of
starch molecules or bring functional groups to affect
the behaviors of glucan molecules in various relevant
environments, such as in low-temperature storage
and high-temperature, high-shear food processing.
Through this lecture, the audiences are expected to
form an overall concept of structure-function relationship of carbohydrates, in particular starch. W
5
NOVEL
PHYSICAL MODIFICATION
TECHNOLOGIES
The rise in public awareness regarding the wholesomeness of the foods they consume have resulted
in a shift towards the use of natural and sustainable
ingredients by food producers and food product
developers. However, the functionality requirements
for many food product applications are not easily met
by existing natural ingredients.
In the past, chemical modification as a strategy
for conferring improved ingredient functionalities
have proven to be successful. For example, starch
­functionality have been extended by various chemical
modifications. Then again, consumer acceptance for
chemically modified ingredients have decreased. As
a response, the development of green, sustainable
modification technologies have grown.
6
Nowadays, food companies and product d
­ evelopers
will opt to use sustainable green ingredients over
those that are chemically modified. From this
viewpoint, the next generation of specialty food
­ingredients will come from the physical m
­ odification
of polysaccharides. These polysaccharides
include starches and hydrocolloids like pectins,
­mannans, and gums among others. They also
include h
­ emicellulose such as arabinoxylan, and
­x yloglucan among others. Novel physical ­modification
­technologies such as super-heated steam (SHS)
technology, among others is a good example of an
alternative process technology to achieve the desired
technological properties of polysaccharides without
the need for chemical modification.
This presentation will highlight specific cases of
­physical modification of various polysaccharides and
how their f­ unctionalities may be altered. W
Jerome Diaz is a scientist at TNO’s functional
ingredients group since 2010. His work focuses
mainly on elucidating carbohydrate structure
and function relationships with emphasis on
developing techno-functional carbohydrate based
ingredients. His current projects include clean
labelling, 3D food printing, among others. He is
also involved in TNO Early Research Programs on
developing technologies for early life development
and healthy aging. Jerome obtained his doctoral
degree in food science from the University of
California, Davis as a Fulbright fellow and served
as a postdoctoral scientist at the University of
Copenhagen before joining TNO.
←← Return to Program
Prof. dr. Lubbert Dijkhuizen is professor of
Microbiology at the University of Groningen.
He i­nitiated many research projects into life
­processes in micro-­organisms and r­ elevant
­industrial and other applications of this
­fundamental knowledge. The main focus in this
research is on the ability to use micro-organisms
and enzymes in bio­technological processes, in
particular in the conversion of carbohydrates.
He is Head of the Microbiological Physiology
group. Dijkhuizen is one of the initiators and
joint ­founders of the Carbohydrate Competence
Center (CCC), a public-private cooperation among
19 businesses and 6 knowledge institutions.
Research is being conducted in 24 projects on
carbohydrates that play an important role in
Nutrition and Health.
←← Return to Program
LACTOBACILLUS
POLYSACCHARIDES:
SYNTHESIS
AND DEGRADATION
The gastrointestinal tract of vertebrates is ­inhabited
by many bacteria that play an important role in
their physiology of these animals. Among these
­bacteria is Lactobacillus reuteri for which n
­ umerous
­beneficial effects have been reported against
­different g­ astrointestinal pathogens. L.reuteri has
gained GRAS status and is widely used in food
and feed industries. The outmost layer covering
these ­bacteria is composed of high molecular
weight α-glucans produced by glucansucrases.
These are large e
­ xtracellular enzymes (≈160 kDa),
which use a simple substrate such as sucrose
to synthesize the α-glucans and/or small oligosaccharides (if ­suitable acceptor molecules are
available). Dextran is the most well-known type of
alpha-glucan has been ­characterized in detail. It
has found a
­ pplication in various fields, most clearly
in pharmacy, in m
­ edicine, and in bakery. Due to
the vast p
­ otential industrial applications of the
large α-glucans p
­ roduced, g­ lucansucrases have
been extensively studied. To date, over 50 different
glucansucrases have been classified in Glycoside
Hydrolase family 70. Glucansucrase enzymes are
found extra­cellularly, only reported to occur in lactic
acid bacteria, ­members of the genera Lactobacillus,
Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, and Weissella.
Four different glucansucrase genes, gtf180, gtfML1,
gtfA and gtfO have been isolated from four different
Lactobacillus reuteri strains, LB 180, LB ML1, LB
121 and LB ATCC 55730. These genes encoded
a ­dextransucrase [dextran, α-(1→6) glucosidic
­linkages], a mutansucrase [mutan α-(1→3) glucosidic
linkages], a reuteransucrase containing 50%
α-(1→4) linkages and a reuteransucrase with
70% α-(1→4) linkages, respectively. These
­glucansucrase enzymes are highly similar at the
amino acid level (65% identity and 70% similarity)
but nevertheless synthesize very different α-glucan
products.
Clear understanding of the structural features in
glucansucrase enzymes that determine the nature
and ratio of glucosidic linkages synthesized is sought
from high resolution 3D structures and may allow
production of tailor-made poly- and oligosaccharide
products suitable for diverse (food) applications. In
this lecture the results of our glucansucrase enzyme
and product characterization will be reviewed. W
7
CARBOHYDRATE DIGESTION
AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Digestible carbohydrates provide direct energy to
the body through their digestion by the α-amylase
and α-glucosidase enzymes to release glucose,
fructose, and galactose. These include starch and
starch-based products, sucrose, lactose, and some
other less common α-linked oligoglucans. Their
rate of digestion affects blood glucose, or glycemic,
response profiles which has health implication.
Digestion rate also relates to location of sugar
release in the small intestine which may also be
important due to certain physiological feedback
­controls affecting the satiety center of the brain and
control of stomach emptying rate. There are various
factors, both extrinsic to the food itself and intrinsic
to the body, that influence carbohydrate digestion
rate. A current understanding of the field will be
­presented as well as strategies for extending carbohydrate digestion rate for sustainable energy. W
8
Bruce R. Hamaker is Distinguished Professor of Food Science at Purdue
University, West Lafayette, Indiana. He also holds the Roy L. Whistler Chair
and is Director of the Whistler Center of Carbohydrate Research. He obtained
his undergraduate degree in biological sciences from Indiana University;
his graduate studies were in human nutrition (M.S.) and food chemistry
(Ph.D.) from Purdue University, and post-doctoral study at the Instituto de
Investigacion Nutricional in Lima, Peru (supervisor, George Graham, Johns
Hopkins University). He was in the US Peace Corps in Liberia, West Africa
from 1977–1979. He has over 160 refereed journal publications in food
­science, human nutrition, biochemistry and broad spectrum journals, as well
as ­numerous book chapters. He has advised over 50 M.S and Ph.D. students
and nearly twenty post-doctoral scientists. Dr. Hamaker’s research is mainly
known in the area of food carbohydrates and proteins with applications related
to topics of health and wellness. In this regard, he has a number of clinical
and nutrition group collaborations. He has been and continues to be active in
­international research collaborations in Africa and Asia.
←← Return to Program
PREBIOTICS:
THE FALL
& RISE
OF HEALTH
CLAIMS
ß(2,1)-fructans, typically inulins, extracted from
roots of the chicory plant are at the basis of the term
‘prebiotic’—a concept that was introduced in 1995.
Prebiotics may be defined as ‘a selectively fermented
ingredient that results in specific changes in the
composition and/or activity of the gastrointestinal
microbiota, thus conferring benefit(s) upon host
health’, although the concept definition is ­continually
evolving1.
Fructans of varying chain length are widely used in
all food market segments for their techno­logical
and nutritional properties, including sugar/fat
­replacement, low caloric value, amongst others. They
modify the gut microbiota in infants to adults, notably
eliciting a bifidogenic effect with high short chain
fatty acid levels; more recent data show that other
gut species associated with anti-inflammation and
anti-obesity are also stimulated2,3.
←← Return to Program
Dr. Elaine E. Vaughan obtained her BSc honours in microbiology including nutrition, cell biology and
immunology, and received her PhD at University College Cork, Ireland in the field of dairy microbiology
and carbohydrate metabolism. She was awarded a Marie-Curie grant for post-doctoral research at NIZO
Food Research, the Netherlands, on molecular biology of dairy cultures and subsequently went to Nestle
Research Center, Switzerland, contributing to probiotic research. Upon return to the Netherlands, she
became assistant professor in Molecular Microbial Ecology at Wageningen University and senior scientist
at Top Institute Food & Nutrition managing a group with PhDs and post-docs in the field of gut microbiomics
including pro- and prebiotic research. She later joined Unilever R&D in various roles translating scientific
& technology developments into business needs and delivering food concepts; she also coordinated a
European Union project on polyphenols and the human microbiome. Elaine regularly reviews scientific work,
published extensively in journals, and edited the first book dedicated to Gastrointestinal Microbiology
(2006). In 2014 she joined Sensus B.V. (Royal Cosun) leading scientific and regulatory affairs; she
­especially defines scientific research to strengthen the beneficial effects of prebiotic chicory root fibre on
human health and building evidence to underpin health claims.
Today metagenomics is providing new insights in
gut microbiota functionality on human health but
this research is still in its infancy. Health claims on
foods require solid scientific support. In Europe,
novel ­regulation for nutrition and health claims
was i­ntroduced in 2006 which may be the strictest
­system globally; the process requires submission
of a dossier with scientific material supporting the
health claim to the European Food Safety Authority
and subsequent authorization by the European
Commission. While giving legal certainty, it has been
a significant adjustment for the food industry; the
majority of previously allowed health claims were
rejected due to insufficient ingredient characterisation or underpinning health evidence.
The food industry has used different strategies to
overcome this, and importantly scientific support
for health benefits following the guidance being
­developed by the EC is slowly supporting recovery
of health claims. As example, nutritional caloric and
fibre claims are used for inulin and oligo­fructose
fructans, and more recently positive opinions for
health claims of inulin/oligofructose have been
­published by EFSA for glycaemic response. W
References
1. Hutkins et al in press
2. Ramirez-Farias et al., 2009
3. Everard et al., 2013
9
PREBIOTIC
MODULATION
OF THE HUMAN GUT MICROBIOTA
The important role micro-organisms play in human
health has gained a lot of attention recently.
Microbiota composition has been related to many
different human diseases and modulation of these
bacterial populations has been recognized as a novel
health target. Our nutrition serves not just as an
energy supply for the human body but also for the
human microbiota.
Therefore nutritional intervention offers unique
­possibilities to influence microbiota composition and
functionality, especially in preventive approaches
and possibly in early stages of disease ­development.
Well-known examples of such interventions are
­probiotic bacteria and prebiotics, oligo­saccharides
which can selectively stimulate the growth of
Bifidobacteria, a group of bacteria considered to have
a positive effect on health.
Novel research shows that prebiotic activity can be
derived form many different nutritional; s
­ ources and
some results of our work in this area will;
be ­presented. A more challenging line of research
­focuses on influencing other groups of bacteria within
the microbiota, either through specific s
­ timulation
or through specific inhibition. Technologies which
­enable the selection of ingredients with such
­properties will be presented as well as results
obtained with these technologies. W
Frank Schuren received his PhD at Groningen University in 1987 on the
­molecular biological ­analysis of fungal development. After a postdoc on
­genetic transformation systems in filamentous fungi at the same University
and a postdoc at the ETH Zurich in Switzerland he joined TNO in 1996.
At TNO he started the implementation of micro­array technology in applied
­research which led to success­ful implementation in applied microbial
­research. These include novel diagnostic tools which enable the discrimination
between closely related bacterial strains (such as the Legionella chip) and the
analysis of complex microbial ­p opulations (such as the intestinal and vaginal
microbiota). Also tools for analyzing the ­immediate responses of microbes or
microbial populations towards multiple stressors have been developed.
These tools allow for generating p
­ redictive models of behaviour of microbes.
Currently Frank is lead scientist for the novel TNO research program on
Personalized Food for Health with a special e
­ mphasis on Early Life.
10
←← Return to Program
PHYSICAL
AND RHEOLOGICAL
PROPERTIES OF
BIOMATERIALS
This section will describe basic principles to measure
and calculate physicochemical properties of bio­
materials with emphasis in carbohydrates and other
food components. It will provide tools to identify
parameters associated to unit operations involved
in bioprocesses, as well as gain knowledge of main
factors that determine the values of these physical
chemical properties. The use of basic principles of
rheology to correlate mechanical properties with
quality parameters of biomaterials will be also
­discussed. W
←← Return to Program
Dr. Osvaldo H. Campanella is a Professor of
Food and Biological Engineering at the Biological
Engineering Department and the Whistler
Carbohydrate Research Center, Purdue University.
He has specialized in food extrusion, rheology of
complex fluids, and food and food and biological
processing engineering. At Purdue University
Osvaldo Campanella has focused his research on
Extrusion, Rheology, Heat Transfer Modeling, and
Modeling of Cereal Processes. He is also actively
involved in research related to new methods to
characterize the formation of complex compounds
using novel acoustic/ultrasound techniques.
Dr. Campanella has published more than 140
scientific articles related to rheology, e
­ xtrusion,
food engineering, thermal processing and
­characterization of biomaterials using acoustic
methods and has authored book on extrusion
technology. Dr. Campanella was awarded the
Best Engineering Teacher Award in Agricultural
and Biological Engineering in 2000–2001 and
2011–2012, and named Purdue University Faculty
Scholar in 2007 and best graduate student
­mentor in 2014–2015. He has been associate
editor of a number of specialized journals and has
written chapters in a number of books related to
food processing, rheology, extrusion.
11
BIOPOLYMERS
INTERACTIONS
Dr. Owen Griffith Jones, Ph.D., is an Assistant
Professor of Food Science at Purdue University
and a member of the Whistler Center for
Carbohydrate Research (WCCR). He received
his B.Sc. degree in Food Science with a minor in
Chemistry from the Ohio State University and his
doctorate from the University of Massachusetts
in the laboratory of Food Biopolymers and
Colloids Research. Dr. Jones then spent two
years at Eidgenössiche Technische Hochschule
in Zürich, Switzerland, as a post-doctoral
researcher in the laboratory of Food and Soft
Materials. He joined Purdue University and the
WCCR in 2011. Dr. Jones’ research focuses
on colloidal s
­ tructures formed from food-grade
biopolymers, interactions between biopolymers
in solution, protein-based emulsion systems,
and the d
­ evelopment of materials using c­ olloidal
assemblies.
12
Behaviour of biopolymer-based food systems
is related to the physical characteristics of the
­individual biopolymers and their tendency towards
interactions with other components in solutions,
whether that interaction is associative or repulsive.
The most important interaction of a biopolymer in
terms of its physical behaviour is with solvent, and so
the polymer attributes contributing towards s
­ olubility
and dispersion in solution will be discussed for
­theoretical and practical systems.
Interactions between biopolymers in ternary ­mixtures
will be ­further defined as either incompatible or
­associative, with discussion of the underlying
­mechanisms. Examples of representative phase
diagrams will be provided for both incompatible and
associative s
­ ystems, and impacts of such phase
­separations on the rheological and visual properties
of suspensions will be discussed. W
←← Return to Program
FUNCTIONALITY
OF
STARCH
AND
STARCH
DERIVATIVES
IN
FOOD
Starch is an abundant natural source of polymeric
material. It is produced by plants where it serves as
an energy storage medium. Mankind has used this
material for improving life, not only as part as the
energy supply to the body, but also to improve the
perception and appreciation of foods, to make paper,
to improve sizing of yarns, paste wallpaper. In short
improve life in a plethora of fields.
In this lecture the structure of starches,
the ­difference between different botanical sources
and the impact of modification will be discussed.
Two special cases will be discussed in detail:
Crosslinking of starch and starch gelling.
For Crosslinking a theoretical model will presented.
For gelling general principals will be discussed as
well as recent developments on strong gelling agents
based on starch. W
In order to understand the functionality of starches
in food applications and processes, under­standing
of starch and starch derivatives structure is key.
Moreover, how this structure works out for the
­functionality of the starch in a given application will
generate solutions for every day manufacturing.
Piet Buwalda studied at the University of Groningen where he earned a PhD in chemistry. He started
­working at AVEBE in 1989 doing basic research into etherification reactions of starch. Later on he started
working in numerous product developments in food and industrial applications. Soon after he was involved
in integrated chain approached ranging from potato growing through starch variation to amylomaltase
treated starch. After heading the Food Innovation center for 10 years, he became the Starch Technology
Manager for the AVEBE total. He has been involved in game changing innovations such as the ELIANE™
range and the Etenia™ gelling starches His special scientific interest is in enzyme m
­ odified starches and
crosslinking reactions of granular starch. He holds 21 independent patents and has published
25 publications. Recently, he has been appointed as an Associated Professor at the University of
Wageningen.
←← Return to Program
13
FOOD STRUCTURE
AND TEXTURE DESIGN:
TOWARDS HEALTHY FORMULATIONS
We enjoy our food, not only because of its taste,
but also due to its texture. A wide range of factors
­determine our preference for certain textures, and
the understanding of these is the intricate field
of psycho-perception. Whatever the reasons for
­enjoying foods may be, we can conclude that most
foods we like have complex structures on different
length scales and even multiple textures. As an
example the contrast between a crispy crust and a
soft inner core in snacks and also in bread is very
much liked.
Over the last years many consumers have become
aware that their choice of food and eating habits
have an impact on health. The increasing demand for
healthy products, which are still tasty and have good
textural quality, is the driving force for reformulation
towards reduced salt, sugar and fat contents and
increased levels of fibre.
Most food products are composed of combinations
of various carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and water.
Depending on their nature these components can
interact with each other in several ways to form
structures, either on short or long length scales.
Changing ingredients will cause changes in the final
structure, which in many cases has a negative effect
on perception.
14
Moreover, different ingredients can form m
­ ultiple
phases, such as e.g. sugars which may e
­ ither
­crystallize or form amorphous structures.
Understanding the physics behind the formation
of these structures in complex compositions and
the relations with the final texture leads the way to
find routes for the design of high quality, healthy
­formulations. By means of a number practical
­examples it will be shown what r­ outes can be
­followed in the case of reformulation.
Obtaining a full understanding of the interactions
­t aking place in complex compositions is hardly
­p ossible. Moreover, quality parameters of the
­products are frequently based on qualitative sensory
evaluations. It will be shown how statistics can be
of help to find the relevant physico-chemical factors
behind the key quality parameters.
Albert Jurgens followed his education in colloid
science and chemical thermodynamics at the
university of Utrecht. For a number of years he
worked as a scientist at Unilever Research in
Vlaardingen on the relationship between microstructure and rheology of structured liquids and
semi-solids. After applying his knowledge, at
Unilever, to formulating liquid detergents he joined
TNO in 1991 to work in the Cereals and Bakery
Institute as scientist in the area of food physics.
In the following years he widened his knowledge
of application of food physics towards different
foods areas such as oils and fats, meat products
and snacks. Today he is senior scientist in the
department of Functional Ingredients of TNO at
present working mainly on projects related to
reformulation.
The next step is to set up hypotheses for the
­formation of the food structure and the final t­ exture
characteristics based on physico-­chemical m
­ odels,
and find the relationships with the s
­ pecific i­ngredient
characteristics. Different physical m
­ ethods, such as
rheology, thermal- and structure analysis are of help
to deliver parameters fitting into such models. From
the relationships found guidelines can be set up in
the form of a ‘toolbox’ to be used by the industry for
the development of reformulated products. W
←← Return to Program
LINKING INNOVATIVE
FOOD STRUCTURE DESIGN
WITH DIETARY GUIDELINES,
SUSTAINABILITY
AND CONSUMER’S VIEWS
Dietary guidelines based on comprehensive scientific
reports are issues and updated regularly by ­countries
and groups of countries. Recent examples are the
Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines
Advisory Committee (USA, USDA, February 2015)
and the comprehensive (36MB) Carbohydrates and
Health report of the Scientific Advisory Committee on
Nutrition (England, July 2015).
Common elements in recent reports and
­recommendations are:
–Energy from intake of carbohydrates ~50% of total
energy intake.
–Reduced consumption of added mono- and
­disaccharides to preferably 5 % of total energy
intake.
–Increased intake of dietary fibre for adults to
~30g/day, preferably from natural sources and
not as added purified fibre, and highlighting the
benefits of cereal grain based fibres.
–No clear recommendations for foods with
low ­glycemic index or load. Note: the EU has
­authorized ‘reduction of post-prandial glycaemic
responses’ health claims for a range of fibres.
←← Return to Program
Current guidelines mention bacteria only in relation to
food spoilage, but new documents start to consider
potential health effects of pre-and probiotics, albeit
not yet with positive conclusions.
Interest in sustainability of food production and
­consumption has grown considerably In recent
­ roduct)
years. The carbon footprint (kg CO2 eq./kg p
of food products has now been calculated; l­evels of
­plant-based food products are much lower than of
animal products. The 2015 USDA report ­recommends
a shift in food patterns to a more p
­ lant-based diet
both for improving health and for sustainability
­reasons, whereas in earlier versions only health was
considered.
Jan Willem van der Kamp has over 35
years experience in cereal and food research,
­biotechnology, research management and
­communication. In addition to his R&D ­positions
in Unilever and since 1985 in TNO he served in
ICC as President and currently as Chair of the
ICC Academy, and in AACCI as International
Director. He managed and p
­ articipated
in a wide range of EU projects including
HEALTHGRAIN 2005–2010), as leader of the
­technology transfer and communication activities
and HealthBread (2012–2014), as coordinator.
His recent activities focus on food and health
related regulatory affairs, including issues related
to potential health effects of fibre-rich diets, pre
and probiotics and the differences in perception
by nutritionists and microbiologists.
Consumer’s views are increasingly influenced by
­soloist-‘experts’ with radical and unconventional
dietary recommendations such as minimizing starchy
carbohydrate intake (‘no part of primitive man’s
diet’). These new and straightforward messages
are eagerly communicated in all kinds of media,
although most of their views are not supported at all
by ­science. W
15
TNO.NL
15-7422 October 2015