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Whole grain and health: new evidence • NutrInsight
Appendix 1: The HEALTHGRAIN Integrated Project
The HEALTHGRAIN Integrated Project (www.healthgrain.org) was funded for a five year period beginning mid 2005 as part of the EC 6th Framework food research programme.
It aimed to improve the well-being and to reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome related diseases in the European population by providing a scientific basis for increasing the intake of protective compounds in grains or their fractions as part of processed foods. HEALTHGRAIN was an integrated, multi-disciplinary effort establishing the variation, process-induced changes, and human metabolism of bioactive compounds in the major European bread grains wheat and rye. It revealed physiological mechanisms by which cereal foods may contribute to prevention of metabolic syndrome related diseases. The work included studies on consumer expectations and attitudes, on grain improvement, on technology and processing, and on nutrition. HEALTHGRAIN had a strong dissemination and technology transfer component, which is evident from its large network of about 120 different organisations.
Current product development of healthy cereal grain based products is focussing on whole grain and high bran products. HEALTHGRAIN also paid attention to the concentration, structure and effects relevant for health of bioactive components in sub-fractions of the bran (the inner bran layer, aleurone, and the outer layers, inner- and outer pericarp) and in the inner- and more outer parts of the endosperm. In this way a scientific basis was established for a new generation of healthy products beyond just whole grain and high bran.
HEALTHGRAIN PROJECT STRUCTURE
Integrated project - “from fork to farm” - 5 Modules CONSUMER
GRAIN IMPROVEMENT AND BIOTECHNOLOGY TOOLKIT
Tools for molecular breeding
RESEARCH
Consumer expectations
TECHNOLOGY AND NUTRITION AND PROCESSING METABOLISM
Technology for new Physiological responses products and ingredients and health benefits
DISSEMINATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER Web-pages, e-learning, courses, newsletters, workshops
Breeders, food industry, trade, consumer organisations, authorities
Figure 6: HEALTHGRAIN project structure
Source: HEALTHGRAIN
NUTRITION INFORMATION NETWORK
CONSUMER COMMUNICATION PANEL
INDUSTRIAL PLATFORM
HEALTHGRAIN includes a comprehensive intellectual property rights, technology transfer and dissemination program with dedicated workshops, contributions to conferences and publications at international and national/regional levels. It is also responsible for an Industrial Platform of companies of different sizes and representing all parts of the cereal production chain as a core target group for technology transfer, dissemination and training. Furthermore, a Nutrition Information Network of nutrition and health professionals throughout Europe has been formed for dissemination, training and exchange of views as well as a highly interactive web page (see www.healthgrain.org), and training possibilities at the PhD and post-doc levels as well as for industrial researchers.
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