Food engineering and society: A look into the mechanisms of food digestion

• Grant number: 24/00570-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Journalism
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Rosiane Lopes da Cunha
• Grantee: Cecília Midori Hosoda Henriques
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/27354-3 - Architecture of colloidal delivery systems: what is the role of structure on the digestibility?, AP.TEM

Abstract

The increased demand for healthier and more sustainable foods has driven the search for new ingredients that, depending on their composition and processing, can generate various structures. In this way, the incorporation of bioactives into micro and nanostructures brings additional health benefits, ultimately altering the flavor and texture of the product, while protecting the functional molecules from adverse physicochemical conditions that occur during storage or consumption/digestion. Given the growing interest in ingredient engineering, the investigation of the interactions between the components forming the structures (carriers and bioactives) is of great importance. While some research has been conducted on the ingredient-structure-bioactive axis, there is still a substantial lack of knowledge that would enable the optimized performance of bioactives during the digestion process. Therefore, it is necessary to produce knowledge that contributes to the rational choice of ingredients and structure for incorporating different classes of bioactives in order to optimize application, along with a deeper understanding of the digestive process of these components/structures. The main premise of this project is the scientific understanding of how different structures change as they go through the gastrointestinal tract, aiming to develop smart food systems that can meet the demand to promote health and well-being associated with food.