Contact:
Dr Nikolaus Wellner
T: +44 (0)1603 255012
E: wellner@ifr.ac.uk

Optimizing texture and nutrition of vegetable products

Epidemiological studies suggest that the consumption of high levels of fruit and vegetables may reduce the risk for chronic diseases, including cancer and arteriosclerosis, but few people manage to reach the recommended daily intake of 600 g. To achieve this, attractive, tasty and high quality ready-to-eat products are needed.

The main aim of this European Union-funded project is to improve nutritional and structural quality and safety of ready-to-eat food products with optimised health benefits for the consumer, through selection of raw materials and growth conditions and optimised food manufacturing processes. The specific objectives are

1. to improve the bioavailability of natural nutrients in fruit and vegetable for the consumer,
2. to design food textures only using natural raw materials,
3. to preserve the natural nutrient content through milder processing conditions, and
4. to ensure microbiological safety under these milder processing conditions.

Changes in the cell wall structure during storage and processing

but cooking them causes deesterification and solubilisation of pectin. This softens the tissue and changes the accessibility of nutrients during digestion.