Université Laval creates an innovative new prebiotics research chair in partnership with Diana Food Français
QUÉBEC CITY, Nov. 20, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - Thanks to a commitment by Diana Food Canada Inc. and funding from the National Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Université Laval has established the NSERC-Diana Food Industrial Research Chair on Prebiotic effects of fruit and vegetables polyphenols (PhenoBio) with a view to developing new functional ingredients with real benefits for human health.
The purpose of the PhenoBio Chair, directed by Yves Desjardins from the Plant Science Department at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, is to show that tannins in berries (cranberries, strawberries, and cloudberries) and tropical fruit (bananas, camu camu, and acerola), as well as certain polyphenols in vegetables (onions) have a specific prebiotic effect in that they can modulate the intestinal microbiome in a positive way.
"We will study the effect of tannin-rich extracts on the reciprocal interaction that arises between the intestinal microbiome and these molecules in order to improve our understanding of the physiological mechanisms behind their health effects," explained Yves Desjardins, also coordinator of international affairs at Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF).
Based on these findings, the Chair will develop new and effective natural polyphenol extracts. "For example, we'll be looking for ways to use coproducts such as banana peels from the Diana Food plant in Equador, as well as local northern berries like cloudberries and huckleberry," adds professor Yves Desjardins.
This ambitious five-year research program was initiated by Diana Food Canada Inc., a leading player in the sustainable production of natural fruit and vegetable extracts. Diana Food Canada Inc. is a subsidiary of Diana, the nutrition division of Symrise Group, which employs over 2,300 people, including 240 R&D specialists at 35 industrial sites in 25 countries.
Drawing on its expertise in fruit-and-vegetable–derived polyphenols and their health benefits, Diana will continue to explore the positive effects of its extracts, this time on gut flora. The company is an innovative player that invests in R&D. With more than 10% of its employees in R&D, it relies on innovation to drive growth.
"The PhenoBio Chair will help reinforce the scientific positioning of Diana, Symrise Group's nutrition division, as a world leader in the processing and valorization of fruits and vegetables, providing brands with food products based on natural ingredients to meet the growing needs of consumers," said Diana president Jean-Yves Parisot.
For Université Laval, the Chair will play an important role in developing a centre of excellence in human nutrition and health. "The Chair will serve as a strategic platform for developing knowledge and pooling know-how through cutting-edge studies in prebiotics," added Eugénie Brouillet, Vice-Rector of Research, Creation, and Innovation at Université Laval.
"NSERC is proud to support this Industrial Chair, which is a concrete result of the research and development partnership between Université Laval and Diana Food," said Marc Fortin, Vice President, Research Partnerships, at NSERC. "Diana hopes that research and innovation will have a tangible impact on the health of Canadians. The research findings from this project could lead to the development of food supplements and effective prebiotic functional foods that will help prevent chronic illnesses and obesity," he concluded.
SOURCE Université Laval
Andrée-Anne Stewart, Media Relations, Communications Department, Université Laval, T 418-656-3952, C 418-254-3141, [email protected]; Vanina Bordier, Communication & Sustainability Director, Diana-Symrise, C +33 (0)6 48 16 62 94, [email protected]
Share this article