Metabolic Navigator

Predicting functionality of fermenting microorganisms

A new software tool, called Metabolic Navigator, represents a significant breakthrough that will speed up the development of new fermented foods and ingredients. Metabolic Navigator predicts the functionalities of microorganisms on the basis of their genome sequence. Hence, less laboratory analysis, and no more trial and error experiments will be needed in the future development of food fermentation processes.

According to Dr. Eddy Smid (Top Institute Food and Nutrition and NIZO food research), the Metabolic Navigator will enable the food industry to benefit from the revolution in genome

Eddy Smid in front of roadmap

sequencing techniques. "It currently delivers entire genome sequences of microorganisms as routine analysis. This new tool is now ready for regular application in research on food fermentation and will accelerate development of starter cultures with new and improved functionality."

Food-grade bacteria facilitate development of bio-ingredients and are used to add flavor, texture and nutritional value. These functionalities are directly linked to the metabolic activity of the fermenting microorganisms. The metabolic functions of a specific microbe can be extracted from the genome using bio-informatics tools. All information about metabolic functions is integrated into the Metabolic Navigator by easily accessible metabolic roadmaps.

These customized roadmaps can be used for various purposes such as maximizing the production of bacterial biomass. For instance, CO₂ or nutrient limitation in a fermentation system can be easily identified, thus enabling selection of fermentation conditions that increase biomass yield or boost productivity. The Metabolic Navigator can be used to predict conditions for cultivating specific bacteria strains that result in the formation of specific flavors in the food product.

Contact Details:
For further information, please contact Eddy Smid, PhD, Project Leader, TI Food and Nutrition. Telephone: +31 317 485383; eddy.smid@nizo.nl or see the website of the Top Institute Food and Nutrition: www.tifn.nl

Breakthrough announced by Top Institute Food and Nutrition

Substantial salt reduction in food products now feasible without loss of taste

Scientists at Top Institute Food and Nutrition (TIFN) have announced new technology that enables up to 25% salt reduction in food products without loss of taste and without sodium substitutes, or taste or aroma additives. This new technology is an enormous breakthrough in the quest to reduce sodium intake in the general population.

"We believe our findings represent a significant breakthrough in the battle to reduce salt intake in the general population," says Prof. Rob Hamer, Scientific Director. "It is not an easy task for the food industry to reduce salt because there is no real alternative for salt as a tastant. This new technology will enable the food industry to lower the salt content of many products."

Smart salt distribution

This innovative technology is the result of new insights into how consumers perceive the salt taste. Developed by TIFN scientists in Wageningen, the Netherlands, this new technology is based on a smart salt distribution in a food product so that the taste of salt is boosted, allowing the amount of salt added to food products to be reduced. The smart salt distribution technology is particularly

Demonstrating salt reduction technology using bread: higher salt in colored layers, very low salt in the uncolored layers, resulting in a total slice of bread with 25% less salt then the original slice

suitable for food products such as bread, sausage, cheese and snacks. TIFN scientists have shown that the same technology can also be applied to reducing sugar content of food products without loss of taste.

Importance of reducing salt intake

Almost all food products contain salt, not only because of taste, but also because salt plays an important role in food texture and preservation. Foods consumed daily such as bread, meat and meat products, cheese, ready made meals and snacks contain high concentrations of salt and contribute up to 70% of daily salt intake. A high salt intake is a significant risk factor for developing high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. The average daily salt intake is estimated to be 10 to 12 grams (0.35-0.42 oz), whereas the WHO recommendation is less than 5 grams (0.18 oz) per day in order to prevent chronic diseases. A substantial reduction in salt intake would prevent 5.2 million incidents of cardiovascular disease a year, half of which are fatal, according to experts from World Action on Salt & Health.

TI Food and Nutrition

TIFN research focuses on gaining a deeper understanding of the processes and mechanisms that keep the human body functioning and the interaction between food nutrients and the body at the molecular level. A key area of research is to gain insight into changes in microstructures and effects on food structure and taste perception. This is directed at developing food ingredients and production processes designed to reduce salt and sugar content in food products, while maintaining consumer taste perceptions.

TI Food and Nutrition operates as a partnership of research institutes and food companies for research on food and nutrition.

Contact Details:
For further information, please contact Marieke Mol, PhD, PR & Communication Manager, TI Food and Nutrition. Telephone: +31 317 485383; mol@tifn.nl or see the TI Food and Nutrition website: www.tifn.nl

Tiny-TIM and TIM-Carbo

TNO extends its artificial gut platforms (TIM) to predict Plasma Glucose Response and Glycemic Index

TNO's articifial gut platform Tiny-TIM

The well known TIM systems, representing TNO's unparalleled platforms that simulate gastro-intestinal digestion conditions, have recently been extended with a down-scaled version (Tiny-TIM) and with a new application thereon, called TIM-Carbo. Both platforms were developed to meet increasing customer needs for screening the digestibility of macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) under dynamic digestion conditions, at affordable costs.

On top of these features, and based on the Tiny-TIM system, TIM-Carbo has been developed to study the digestibility and bioaccessibility of glucose and fructose. Using these results as input in kinetic modeling, the Plasma Glucose Response and Glycemic Index of food ingredients and meal matrices can be predicted. The accuracy has been demonstrated in validation studies with more than twenty different consumer food products.

The Glycemic Index is a standardized measure of the effect of 50g of carbohydrates on the blood glucose level after intake of 50g of carbohydrates in proportion to the effect of the intake of the same amount of glucose. It is normally determined using healthy human volunteers. For consumers with impaired glucose tolerance (prediabetics) and diabetic patients, external control of their blood glucose levels is of great importance. A balanced diet containing low GI food products contributes to maintaining glucose blood levels within physiological boundaries.

TIM-Carbo is not intended to circumvent a clinical assessment of the GI of food products, but is valuable at an early phase of product development to evaluate the effect of various raw material processing steps on the kinetic parameters of glucose release during digestion.

With TIM-Carbo, TNO has introduced an innovative platform for the food industry to study and compare new products without the need for human volunteers, and at low cost.

Contact Details:
For more information, please contact: Wim van Hartingsveldt. Telephone: +31 30 6944465
wim.vanhartingsveldt@tno.nl

OMVE BV CP121 Cold Plasma Demonstrator

Safeguarding our foods by expanding knowledge

Recent outbreaks of pathogens found on the surface of vegetables and peanuts have shown the urgent need for updating our strategies to control pathogens. Consumer expectations about safe foods, without the addition of preservatives, have challenged food scientists to explore innovative

Cold Plasma Demonstrator

solutions on disinfection. There is scientific evidence, and a common belief, that the disinfection of food surfaces by cold atmospheric plasma is an effective, economical means to meet the consumer demands while retaining initial food quality. However, lack of a reliable reference to control and manage gas plasma disinfection systems is keeping a large number of equipment manufacturers, food companies and legislative authorities from utilizing these systems.

OMVE Netherlands B.V. has taken the remarkable initiative of providing, maintaining and securing a traceable standard on cold plasma gases. The CP121 Cold Plasma Demonstrator is a versatile device that allows the controlled production and analysis of various plasma gases. This standard provides full control over critical processing conditions to ensure that microbial inactivation has taken place. The device is offered as open source hardware to allow unbiased comparison of results obtained by different laboratories. CP121 Cold Plasma Demonstrators are found in leading food microbiology laboratories around the world. It has boosted the learning curve of a new generation of food technologists, who have a responsibility in maintaining the high level of food safety.

The CP121 was developed in cooperation with Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Netherlands, within the scope of the NovelQ project. This is an integrated project, funded by the European Commission within the 6th Framework Program - priority Food Quality and Safety.

Contact Details:
For further information, please contact Govert van Oord, Managing Director OMVE Netherlands B.V. Telephone: +31 30 241 00 70; GvanOord@omve.com