Driving innovative solutions to improve health and nutrition

Innovate UK and BBSRC announce £2.5 million investment for 13 projects to drive the design and development of innovative food and beverage products.

The early-stage feasibility projects will use the funding to assess and test new ideas, determining their viability before committing to larger-scale projects.

These projects have the potential to enhance the nutritional quality of food and beverage products consumed by the UK population, ultimately supporting health and wellbeing at any point across the life course.

Unhealthy diets and strained food system

Unhealthy diets are a key driver of global health issues, including obesity and malnutrition. In the UK, most people fall short of dietary guidelines for key nutrients and food groups, like fruits, vegetables, and fibre, which are all part of a healthy lifestyle.

Simultaneously, our food systems are challenging the health of the planet and causing environmental damage.

As the global population grows, the pressure to produce enough nutritious food will only intensify, while the UK faces the added challenge of producing and promoting the uptake of healthier, more nutritious food products.

Transforming diets for health and sustainability

This investment will support collaborative and innovative solutions related to these diet, health and sustainability challenges.

The projects focus on areas such as:

  • novel and functional foods to support healthy ageing
  • creating probiotics and prebiotics to improve gut health
  • enhancing food nutrition by increasing vitamins and minerals directly in crops as they grow

Innovative approaches to enhancing gut health

Many of the projects are focused on improving gut health through innovative uses of probiotics and prebiotics.

A project led by SPG Innovation Ltd, in collaboration with the University of Leeds, is investigating the digestibility and gut health benefits of plant-based ingredients.

NCIMB Ltd and the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen are working on a microbial cocktail aimed at restoring the gut microbiome in the elderly, who often experience a loss of microbial diversity with age.

Sustainable innovations

Our failing food system threatens both our planet’s health and the ability to produce enough nourishing food for nearly eight billion people. To tackle this challenge , projects were also tasked with prioritising sustainability.

This includes:

  • considering the impacts of climate change, resource scarcity
  • finding ways to reduce pollution, food loss, and waste

Cambridge Glycoscience Ltd and the University of Glasgow are looking to develop a novel sugar replacement from agricultural by-products to enhance gut health and support food sustainability.

Xampla Ltd, working with Quadrum Institute Bioscience, is exploring the microencapsulation of probiotic strains to enhance the effectiveness of probiotic products.

Xampla Ltd is committed to harnessing the potential of natural plant polymers to benefit both people and the planet.

With a core focus on sustainability, they have been developing plastic-free alternatives, particularly in areas where reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic isn’t viable, such as microplastic encapsulation for fragrances and sustainable coatings for packaging.

Healthy planet, healthy people

Dr Andy Cureton, Director of AgriFood Systems at Innovate UK said:

Access to an affordable, sustainable, and healthy diet is essential for the wellbeing of both people and the planet. We drive business growth by inspiring and unlocking innovations that make life better, while ensuring these innovations are accessible to everyone.

Collaboration between academia and industry is crucial for advancing nutrition research and turning discoveries into healthier, more sustainable food products. Together, we can drive innovation, improve public health, and address challenges like obesity.

Diet and Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC)

The Diet and Health OIRC was established in 2022 by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) with support from Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Innovate UK and the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Coordinated by the British Nutrition Foundation, the OIRC is investing in high-quality and effective collaboration between academia and industry in the food and drink sector.

This collaboration is key to ensuring the translation of research advances into healthier and more sustainable food and drink products, and ultimately improved nutrition and health of the nation.

Six innovation hubs were created to bring together leading academics in nutrition, food and behaviour science with experts in the food industry.

The 13 funded projects will collaborate with one or more of the OIRC hubs.

Revolutionise the way we think about food

Dr Lee Beniston FRSB, Associate Director for Industry Partnerships and Collaborative Research and Development at BBSRC, said:

This investment in the Diet & Health Open Innovation Research Club (OIRC) provides a platform for researchers, businesses, and wider stakeholders to work together to revolutionise the way we think about food, nutrition and health. The 13 projects, supported through the BBSRC – Innovate UK strategic partnership, underscore our dedication to transforming our food systems for the better.

This early-stage feasibility research will enable outstanding translational research to enhance the nutritional content of what we consume whilst also addressing critical sustainability challenges.

This approach, in collaboration with Innovate UK, Defra and MRC, will drive business-led innovation to bring more nutritious, novel foods closer to market in the UK and globally.

Further information

Funded projects

Nettle (Urtica dioica L.): drying, processing and encapsulation to preserve organoleptic characteristics and health benefits

Industry partners: Cleobury Project Management Ltd and Phytoquest Ltd

Academic partner: Swansea University

OIRC hubs: Biofortification, Consumer Lab and RIPEN

Superior synbiotics for healthy ageing

Industry partner: NCIMB Ltd

Academic partner: Rowett Institute and University of Aberdeen

OIRC hub: INFORM

Milk-free production of recombinant osteopontin to enable supplementation in baby, elderly, and sports nutrition

Industry partner: Better Dairy Ltd

Academic partner: Biorenewables Development Centre and University of York

OIRC hub: INFORM

BiomeBakery

Industry partners: Myota Ltd, Puratos Ltd and Thriva Ltd

Academic partner: University of Reading

OIRC hub: INFORM

INNOSEA: innovative seaweed extraction and application

Industry partner: BioMara Ltd

Academic partner: Aberystwyth University

OIRC hubs: Biofortification, Consumer Lab, STAR and RIPEN

SweetFiber: a novel sugar replacement from agricultural by-products for improved gut health and food sustainability

Industry partner: Cambridge Glycoscience Ltd

Academic partner: Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre

OIRC hub: RIPEN

FORTYEAST

Industry partner: BioPower Technologies Ltd and AgriFOOD X Ltd

Academic partner: University of Leeds

OIRC hub: Biofortification

Microencapsulation of probiotic strains to improve the performance of probiotic products, therefore their impact on human health

Industry partner: Xampla Ltd

Academic partner: Quadram Institute Bioscience

OIRC hubs: Biofortification and INFORM

Digestibility and gut health of plant-based food ingredients

Industry partner: SPG Innovation Ltd

Academic partner: University of Leeds

OIRC hub: INFORM

Smarter Food: the development of a biofortified functional and accessible convenience bar for improved metabolic health

Industry partner: The Smarter Food Company Ltd

Academic partner: Norwich University of the Arts

OIRC hub: Biofortification

SPINLife: sustainable polyphenols for improved nutrition across the lifespan

Industry partner: AgriFOOD X Ltd and BioPower Technologies Ltd

Academic partner: University of Leeds

OIRC hubs: Biofortification, INFORM and RIPEN

Feasibility study to determine the potential for a food fortification platform to provide population scale mitigation of heart disease risk

Industry partner: Iona Therapeutics Ltd

Academic partner: Queen Mary University of London

OIRC hubs: Biofortification and i-Nutri Life

SeaFibre: development of high-fibre food products with gut health benefits using innovative seaweed fibre ingredient

Industry partner Oceanium Ltd

Academic partner: University of Reading

OIRC hubs: Biofortification and i-Nutri Life

Top image:  Credit: Drs Producoes, E+ via Getty Images

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