IFR News Archive
News from 2010
- International collaboration to address food related health inequalities in Indian populations in the UK and India
26th November 2010
IFR is leading a new research collaboration to investigate food-related health inequalities in Indian populations in the UK and India. At the inaugural meeting of international scientists in Mysore, they identified issues of over- and under-nutrition as well as food allergies and asthma. - IFR and Nofima Agreement
25th November 2010
The Institute of Food Research and Nofima, the Norwegian Institute of Food Fisheries and Aquaculture Research, have entered into an agreement in principle. The purpose is to collaborate in developing research programmes, as well as exchanging common interests and advantages in food research. - ‘Missing’ bacteria in Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Ulcerative Colitis patients identified
16th November 2010
Scientists have identified some bacteria that are low in abundance in the gut of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and ulcerative colitis (UC) patients compared to healthy adults. This finding could be relevant to preventing or managing these conditions to maintain health. - IFR strengthens food safety research links with China
10th November 2010
IFR continues to develop links with scientists in China working in the vital field of food safety. - UK and Korean scientists forge links for food safety
9th November 2010
[LGC Press Release]
IFR recently took part in a workshop, hosted by LGC, that brought together UK and Korean experts to discuss current issues and challenges in the area of food safety. - Allergy poster prize
8th November 2010
Dr Thomas Aldick has won a poster prize at an International Symposium on Molecular Allergology for his poster, which describes the research t to assess how allergens are altered by other components in the food matrix during preparation and processing. - Broccoli study volunteers needed
October 2010
Volunteers to a scientific study will be asked to eat a new kind of broccoli that has been specially developed using conventional breeding to be enriched in a naturally-occurring compound called glucoraphanin. This compound is thought to be important in maintaining health and preventing diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. - International Workshop on Food and Gut Health held at IFR
October 2010
IFR has hosted a three day workshop on food and gut health that brought together three leading organisations from the UK, France and the Netherlands to identify opportunities and priorities for trans-national cooperation in research, training and sharing of infrastructures. - IFR to launch Knowledge Transfer Partnership
October 2010
The IFR’s world leading expertise in understanding emulsions in foods is now being applied to developing improved food emulsion products through a new project running in partnership with a food ingredient manufacturer. - Enzyme discoveries that will fuel the future
October 2010
IFR is a partner in a project, funded by the European Union, which is looking for new ways of turning renewable materials into bioethanol. The project aims to discover enzymes from microorganisms, and use them to develop a biotechnological method of producing renewable fuels on an industrial scale. - IFR develops new method for detecting Clostridium botulinum spores
September 2010
IFR has collaborated in the development of a new method for detecting spores of non-proteolytic Clostridium botulinum. This bacterium is the major health hazard associated with refrigerated convenience foods, and these developments give the food industry and regulators more quantitative information on which to base the procedures that ensure food safety. - Norfolk students get Inside Science
September 2010
A group of Norfolk school children aspiring to careers in science will get ‘Inside Science’ at the Institute of Food Researchand the John Innes Centre as they learn all about the world-leading science taking place at the institutes and elsewhere on the Norwich Research Park.
- A great big folic acid debate
September 2010
Dr Siân Astley from IFR and Laura Read OBE of the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, hosted a session at the annual British Science Festival in Birmingham in 2010 examining the issues surrounding potential mandatory fortification of UK bread flour and the benefits of folic acid in preventing neural tube defects (NTD) in pregnancy. - New research projects aimed at improving diet and health
15th September 2010
The Institute of Food Research is a partner in new projects aimed at uncovering links between diet and health and worth a total of £4M that have been announced by a public-private partnership of three research councils (BBSRC, EPSRC and MRC) and 13 food and drink companies. - IFR researchers have demonstrated a potential new way of preventing spoilage in cheese
24th August 2010
Late-blowing in cheese production is a significant problem, causing spoilage and losses that contribute to wastage and decrease efficiency. Funded by the BBSRC, researchers at IFR have identified and characterised a naturally occurring microorganism that specifically attacks C. tyrobutyricum, the organism behind late-blowing. - Delaying fat digestion to curb appetite
19th August 2010
Institute of Food Research scientists have discovered an unexpected synergy that helps break down fat. The discovery provides a focus to find ways to slow down fat digestion, and ultimately to create food structures that induce satiety. - Food Allergy scientists meet
28th July 2010
Scientists involved in developing better tests for food allergens gathered recently at LGC to share the latest developments in tackling the growing problem of food allergy. - Prize-winning allergy poster
16th July 2010
Dr Thomas Aldick won a prize for his poster at the 29th Congress of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI2010). - How does broccoli stop prostate cancer?
13th July 2010
Light has been cast on the interaction between broccoli consumption and reduced prostate cancer risk. Researchers at IFR have found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli, interacts with cells lacking a gene called PTEN to reduce the chances of prostate cancer developing. - IFR and FHN will help create the ‘World Food Network’
8th July 2010
The Institute of Food Research, and the IFR Food and Health Network, are set to play a part in the creation of the ‘World Food Network,’ an international capabilities network based around innovation in the food sector. - Understanding Complex Emulsions
2nd July 2010
New work from the Institute of Food Research has shown how sugar beet pectin acts as an efficient emulsifier, using a technique that could be used to unravel in the finest detail how such important food ingredients work. - Award for IFR Scientist
29 June 2010
IFR post-doctoral scientist Valeria Giosafatto has been awarded a prize for her work on the enzyme transglutaminase as a biotechnological tool for the production of edible films to be used in active packaging. - HRH The Duke of York visits the Norwich Research Park
June 2010
HRH The Duke of York will be visiting the Norwich Research Park on Friday 25th June. Scientists at the Institute of Food Research will be showing The Duke of York their 'Model Gut' - Norfolk scientists launch ground-breaking hayfever research
16 June 2010
Experts at IFR, the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, are investigating whether yoghurt type drinks can help bring relief to hay fever summer suffering. - Public Participation Can Strengthen Food Risk Studies
13 May 2010
The inclusion of activists and members of the general public on teams of technical experts can, in some cases, beneficially expand the focus of food risk reviews, according to a new study. - Biofilm production aids Campylobacter survival
24 March 2010
Scientists at the Institute of Food Research have found a way that the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter can survive in the environment. Campylobacter is the main cause of food poisoning in Europe and America
- Adults with learning difficulties getting to grips with the science of a healthy diet
3 February 2010
An innovative project has enabled people with learning difficulties to uncover some of the science behind a healthy diet and to produce resources to share their finding with their peers. - Clostridium difficile bacteriophage endolysin technology
22 January 2010
Sarum Biosciences Limited and PBL, the UK technology management company, today announced the signing of an exclusive worldwide licence agreement which enables Sarum to develop and exploit therapeutic and diagnostic applications of a bacteriophage endolysin protein for the treatment and detection of Clostridium difficile.
News from 2009
- A sticky solution for identifying effective probiotics
24 November 2009
Scientists have crystallised a protein that may help gut bacteria bind to the gastrointestinal tract. The protein could be used by probiotic producers to identify strains that are likely to be of real benefit to people. - Springer launches new journal of Food Digestion
13 November 2009
Springer is founding a new journal Food Digestion, dedicated to a quickly growing area of research – food science combined with the physiology of digestion. Dr Peter Wilde of the IFR is one of the editors-in-chief. - Handbook of waste management and co-product recovery in food processing (Volume 2)
11 November 2009
Prof Keith Waldron, head of the Sustainability of the Food Chain Exploitation Platform at IFR is the editor of a recently published handbook - Public sector and industry unite to attack obesity and heart disease
8 October 2009
The battle against obesity, heart disease and other diet related health problems has received a £4 Million boost with the announcement of seven new research projects. The projects, three of which involve IFR, are taking place in universities and research institutes across the UK, and are part of a partnership between two publicly-funded Research Councils and 15 companies. - National acclaim for IFR student poster
6 October 2009
Adam Elliston, a PhD student from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich, has been named a runner-up in the British Science Association Perspectives nationwide competition. - Fruit is even better for you than previously thought
27 August 2009
An international team of scientists has found that the polyphenol content of fruits has been underestimated. Polyphenol content in fruits usually refers to extractable polyphenols, but a Spanish scientist working at IFR found that nonextractable polyphenol content is up to five times higher than extractable compounds. - Genetically engineered bacteria are sweet success against IBD
21 August 2009
For the first time, scientists have used a genetically engineered “friendly” bacterium to deliver a therapy for bowel disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease. The bacterium activates a protein when exposed to a specific type of sugar, xylan. The therapy has been proven to work in animals with colitis, one of the major forms of inflammatory bowel disease. - New Discovery about Salmonella Gene Control
20 July 2009
Scientists from Ireland, the UK and Germany have discovered a new type of gene regulation in Salmonella that gives new insight into the causes of bacterial infection. The discovery of this new mechanism could eventually lead to the development of innovative therapies and reduce the levels of disease caused by Salmonella. - Institutes provide valuable experience for students
17 July 2009
Schoolchildren from across Norfolk have been gaining valuable work experience at the Norwich BioScience Institutes, giving them an idea of what it is like to work in at a leading science campus. - New national genome centre opens in Norwich
03 July 2009
A new national genome centre is being officially was opened on the Norwich Research Park. The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) will be officially opened by the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, following a keynote speech from Prof Sir John Sulston, a Nobel Prize winning scientist who had a key role in the Human Genome Project. - BBSRC institutes highlight food security to world’s science journalists
26 June 2009
BBSRC institutes highlighted the growing crisis in global food security – and how science can serve up solutions to prevent it – in a session at the World Conference of Science Journalists in Westminster on Wednesday 1st July. - Former IFR director honoured 15 June 2009
Professor David White, former director of the Institute of Food Research, has been awarded a CBE for services to biological science in the Queen's Birthday Honours List. Prof White was director at the IFR from 2004 until his retirement in March 2009. - First international workshop on the IFR Gel Cassette system 05 June 2009
The First International Workshop on the IFR Gel Cassette was held in Paris recently. The workshop attracted participants from seven countries, and heard from the different institutions around the world that are using the system in their research. - Fat to make you feel fuller 02 June 2009
Scientists have designed a fatty formulation that can make you feel fuller for longer. When the fat remains stable in the acid environment of the stomach, it empties into the small intestine more slowly and increases satiety. “This formulation could be used as an ingredient in new foods to make them more filling, which in turn could help reduce overconsumption of calories,” said IFR's Dr Martin Wickham. - Jungle yeast 21 May 2009
A new species of yeast has been discovered deep in the Amazon jungle. In a paper published on-line in FEMS Yeast Research, IFR scientists and colleagues from Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador describe the novel characteristics of Candida carvajalis sp. nov. - Salmonella's sweet tooth predicts its downfall 19-May-09
For the first time UK scientists have shown what the food poisoning bug Salmonella feeds on to survive as it causes infection: glucose. Their discovery of Salmonella’s weakness for sugar could provide a new way to vaccinate against it. The discovery could also lead to vaccine strains to protect against other disease-causing bacteria, including superbugs. - New IFR website launched April 2009
IFR is a world leader in research into harnessing food for health and preventing food-related diseases, based on the Norwich Research Park. Its new website was launch over the weekend of 25th/26th April. - Rhythmic genomics - the yeast metronome and the walk of life 7-Apr-09
New genome sequence information from the humble baker’s yeast has revealed surprising variation in a set of genes that can be thought of as nature’s oldest clock. In a paper published in Genome Research scientists show how ribosomal RNA genes that are essential to all Earth's organisms provide insight into how genomes maintain their integrity on their evolutionary journey. - New national Genome Centre to underpin food security & animal health 2-Apr-09
A new national centre to analyse plant, animal and microbial genomes has been announced by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) will be based on the Norwich Research Park and will provide genome sequencing to underpin advances to improve food security, to protect UK agriculture from exotic animal disease and exploit weaknesses in microbes to develop new ways to kill superbugs. - National Science and Engineering Week 4-Mar-09
March 6th sees the start of The British Science Association’s National Science and Engineering Week, and as part of this the Institute of Food Research and the John Innes Centre are hosting an interactive exhibition at The Forum in Norwich celebrating the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin. They will also be showcasing the work of their young scientists, giving the chance to hear about the latest work on topics such as antibiotics and how our gut protects us from invasion. - On the Origin of Subspecies 11-Feb-09
Scientists have sequenced over seventy strains of yeast, the greatest number of genomes for any species, helping to bring the small branches of Darwin’s ‘Tree of Life’ into focus. - Support for budding scientists 4-Feb-09
Over 200 pupils from fifteen Norfolk schools came to the Norwich Research Park recently to find out what it’s really like to work in science. Students heard talks from working scientists about the highs and lows of their chosen careers, as well as getting hands-on experience. - Impact of IFR's scientists revealed 15-Jan-09
The Institute of Food Research has been ranked second in the world for the impact of its research in the area of agricultural and food sciences, according to an independent survey of published research papers over the last ten years. - New person at helm of Institute of Food Research 8-Jan-09
David Boxer, Dundee University's Vice-Principal for Research and Enterprise and Professor of Microbial Biochemistry, has been appointed as the next Director of the Institute of Food Research and Professor of Microbial Metabolism at the University of East Anglia.
News from 2008
- Scholarship award for IFR student - A PhD student from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich has received an award from the British Poultry Council for his work on understanding dysbacteriosis, a disease of growing importance in the poultry industry.
- Food physics in action -
IFR has teamed up with the Institute of Physics to produce a funky range of beer mats and sandwich bags.
They feature questions such as ‘How does lipstick affect your beer drinking?’ or ‘How do you make the perfect cuppa?’. If you go to find the answer online, you will be rewarded with pub tricks such as how to turn a full pint glass upside-down without making a mess, and the lowdown on why a packet of Mentos can send a bottle of Coke sky-high.
- Funding for novel 'Superfoods explained' project in Norfolk - A partnership of three Norfolk organisations has gained a prestigious People Award from the Wellcome Trust, worth nearly £30,000. The Garden Science Trust and People First of Norfolk will be working with scientists from the IFR on a year long project to enable adults with learning difficulties to discuss and learn about the potential health benefits of ‘superfoods’.
- Scientists developing food allergy treatment - A team of scientists from across Europe are embarking on new research to develop a treatment for food allergy.
Attempted treatment with allergen-specific immunotherapy, where a patient receives monthly injections with an allergen, fails because it causes anaphylaxis as a side effect. In the FAST project, scientists will use modified variants of allergic proteins that are hypoallergenic and therefore safer.
- Incrops initiative boosts low carbon economy - The Institute of Food Research is a partner in a new multi-million pound scheme based at the University of East Anglia that will develop novel uses for crops to reduce our dependency on man-made products in a bid to tackle climate change.
- Pectin Power -
Scientists from the Institute of Food Research have found a new possible explanation for why people who eat more fruit and vegetables may gain protection against the spread of cancers.They have shown that a fragment released from pectin, found in all fruits and vegetables, binds to and is believed to inhibit galectin 3 (Gal3), a protein that plays a role in all stages of cancer progression.
- New Chief Executive joins UK’s leading bioscience funder - Professor Douglas Kell has today started as the new Chief Executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the UK's leading funding agency for academic research and training in the non-clinical life sciences.
- Designer diet for prostate cancer - Eating one or more portions of broccoli every week can reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and the risk of localised cancer becoming more aggressive. For the first time, a research group at the Institute of Food Research led by Professor Richard Mithen has provided an explanation of how eating broccoli might reduce cancer risk based upon studies in men.
- Prebiotic potential of almonds - Recently published work by the Institute of Food Research has identified potential prebiotic properties of almonds that could help improve our digestive health by increasing levels of beneficial gut bacteria.
- Network science for eternal happiness and good business - Norwich scientists are hosting this year’s annual Network Science conference, an international event that brings together the world’s top experts on this exciting and growing subject.
- Providing food science solutions - fast! - The Institute of Food Research in Norwich is internationally recognised for its strategic and applied research on food, diet and health issues. Responding to repeated demand, they have now made their expertise available in the form of rapid contract research services to companies in the food and allied sectors via a new subsidiary, ‘IFR Extra’.
- 'Addicted' cells provide early cancer diagnosis -
IFR scientists
have detected subtle changes that may make the bowel more vulnerable to the development of tumours.
With support from the Food Standards Agency and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council they are investigating whether diet could control these changes and delay or reverse the onset of cancer.
- Hayfever hope - IFR scientists have found that a daily dose of probiotic can change the immune status of people with hay fever. In the first human study of its kind, scientists at the Institute of Food Research found that probiotic bacteria in a daily drink can modify the immune system’s response to grass pollen, a common cause of seasonal hay fever.
- Fish fat find -
A fatty acid from fish may help prevent a pre-cancerous condition from developing further. A high consumption of fish is associated in some studies with a reduced risk of oesophageal cancer. The n-3 fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) inhibits an enzyme that is associated with the cancer.
- Popular apple variety harbours unusual cell growth - An IFR scientist has discovered clumps of previously-unreported callus hairs growing in the flesh of mature apples of Fuji and closely-related varieties, which may have storage implications for commercial growers.
News from 2007
- Scientists QUESTION folic acid fortification - 30 October 2007
Scientists at IFR have highlighted possible consequences of fortifying flour with folic acid due to new evidence of how it is absorbed by the body. - Low dose of flavonoid in food lowers heart disease risk - 30 October 2007
IFR Scientists have found that compounds present in the blood after eating a flavonoid rich meal reduce some early signs of heart disease. - Animal food allergens unmasked - 15 October 2007
The relatedness of an animal food protein to a human protein determines whether it can cause allergy, according to new research by scientists from the Institute of Food Research in Norwich and the Medical University of Vienna. In theory all proteins have the potential to become allergens, but the study found that in practice the ability of animal food proteins to act as allergens depends on their evolutionary distance from a human equivalent. - New centre to tackle £20 billion cost of diet-related diseases - 3 October 2007
A new Centre for Preventive Medicine is launched in Norwich to tackle diet related diseases that are costing the NHS up to a quarter of its budget. The Centre brings together basic research from two internationally renowned research institutes, medical research by university scientists and clinical research conducted in a hospital environment. - New research into plant colours sheds light on antioxidants - 2 October 2007
Scientists have made an important advance in understanding the genetic processes that give flowers, leaves and plants their bright colours. The research is highlighted in the new issue of Business from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) - Genome sequence of stable Campylobacter strain deciphered - 17 September 2007
Scientists at the Institute of Food Research and their collaborators at the veterinary pharmaceutical company Intervet have deciphered and published the complete genome sequence of a strain of Campylobacter jejuni. C. jejuni is one of the major causes of gastroenteritis in humans. The sequenced strain was selected because of its previously reported genomic stability over time. The reported sequence will provide useful information for Campylobacter researchers worldwide, and is predicted to be a valuable resource for the research community. - Allergy molecule identified - 2 July 2007
A vital molecule for resistance to food allergy has been identified and offers a potential target for therapy. There is currently no way to treat food allergy and the only way for sufferers to manage the problem is to avoid certain foods and make sure they have injectable adrenaline at hand. Scientists led by Dr Claudio Nicoletti at the Institute of Food Research in Norwich have found that a molecule called Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is absent during allergic responses. Dr Nicoletti suggests that by delivering an allergen in the presence of IL-12, allergic reactions could be brought back under control. - Botulism bug has few genome wrinkles - 23 May 2007
The genome of the organism that produces the world’s most lethal toxin is revealed today. This toxin is the one real weapon in the genome of Clostridium botulinum and less than 2 kg – the weight of two bags of sugar – is enough to kill every person on the planet. - Report on
IFR Science & Governance - 4 May 2007
The Institute of Food Research welcomes the report on its science and future governance published on 4th May 2007 by its parent research council, the BBSRC. - SseL, a Salmonella deubiquitinase required for macrophage killing and virulence - 26 February 2007
IFR scientists have identified all the genes controlled by the important SsrAB virulence gene regulator in Salmonella. This has led to the publication of the discovery of a new type of Salmonella protein.
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