WP6 - Model food applicability

 

Leader: Angelo Visconti

Contact details:

Activity type: RTD
Participants short name:INRA, ADRIA, CNR-ISPA, IFR, KEKI, SOREDAB
 

Objective:
To assess the performances of some experimental food models produced in WPs 2-5 in terms of bioavailability of nutrients, phytochemicals and toxicants, and microbial food safety and quality.
 

Role of participants and methodology:
CNR-ISPA (WP leader): will perform all activities described in tasks 6.4.1 and 6.4.2 with the exception of those performed by ADRIA, and all activities described in task 6.4.3 with the exception of the in vitro digestion experiments (performed by IFR who will deliver biofluids to CNR-ISPA for the analyses).
SOREDAB will perform research activities described in tasks 6.1 and 6.2.
IFR will perform in vitro digestion studies (task 6.3.1) and analyse selected biomarkers in biofluids.
INRA and KEKI will be involved in task 6.3.2 for: i) peptide identification in biofluids by mass spectrometry (INRA) and SDS-PAGE, 2D electrophoresis, immuno-blotting, HPLC, ELISA (KEKI); ii) in vivo studies on food model’s digestion on a rat model (KEKI), and evaluation of the potential absorption of selected biomarkers in a minipig model (INRA). INRA will also perform the human study (task 6.3.3), and could share with KEKI part of the specific marker analysis.
ADRIA will work on the: i) detection of Bacillus species (task 6.4.1); ii) PCR-TTGE on dairy products (task 6.4.2); and iii) implementation of already existing predictive microbiology and food model aided design tools (task 6.4.4).
 

Work breakdown:
Task T6.1: Validation of protocols (task leader: SOREDAB)
Task T6.2: Assessing food model characteristics using analytical methods and high-level structural studies (task leader: SOREDAB)
Task T6.3: Assessing nutrients and phytochemical bioavailability (task leader: INRA)
      Task T6.3.1: In vitro digestion (IFR)
      Task T6.3.2: In vivo digestion and absorption (KEKI, INRA)
      Task T6.3.3: Bioavailability in human (INRA)
Task T6.4: Food safety assessment and quality control of food processing (task leader: ADRIA)
      Task T6.4.1: Quantifying food model processing impact on specific bacterial species to assess microbial food safety and quality (via already existing methods) (CNR-ISPA, ADRIA)
      Task T6.4.2: Evaluation of processing impact on microbial population dynamics (CNR-ISPA, ADRIA)
      Task T6.4.3: Static and dynamic conditions evaluation on mycotoxins stability/degradation to assess the relevance of food model developed in WPs 2-5 (CNR-ISPA, IFR)
      Task T6.4.4: Implementation of already existing predictive microbiology and food model aided design tools (ADRIA)
 

Deliverables:
D6.1: Identification of cross-validation partners, models and conditions; common document for protocol definition. M18.
D6.2: Assessment of production and characterisation of food product models. M36.
D6.3: Methods to characterize and identify selected marker peptides. M24.
D6.4: Effect of food matrix on nutrient release and absorption. M36.
D6.5: Effect of chewing on food matrix disruption and nutrient bioavailability. M48.
D6.6: Methods to characterize and identify selected microorganisms, and mycotoxins and relevant derivatives or biomarkers. M24.
D6.7: Optimised and standardised protocols for assessing the model food applicability (analytical tools for microorganisms and mycotoxins determination). M36.
D6.8: Assessment of the model food applicability in terms of bioavailability of mycotoxins, and microbial food safety and quality. M48.
D6.9: Food model aided design tools to (i) optimise food model formulations, processes and storages according to microbial behaviour, (ii) improve risk assessment. M48.