PROPEPHEALTH Blocks of activity

Block 1.  Native proteins from by-products and pelagic fish (0-54)

There is a growing pressure on full and improved utilisation of food resources for human consumption. The cost of waste disposal is growing. Waste generation is increasingly penalised. The policy in the utilisation of natural resources is focussed on protection, sustainable utilisation and reducing environmental pollution.  Most of the by-products of operation like fish filleting goes in animal feed or is discarded. Most of the pelagic fish goes into fishmeal. Alkaline/acid extraction of native fish proteins from by-products is a promising up-grading method. This block involves laboratory trials and scale up of an alkaline/acid process for the extraction of native proteins (Hultin process) as well as the testing of post-extraction concentration methods like ultrafiltration/nanofiltration.  It also includes the testing of the functional sensory properties of the products and use of the product as an ingredient in ready consumer fish products or as a raw material for enzyme hydrolysis. The scientific team includes 9.IFL, 3.IFREMER, 17.IPIMAR and 40.PROGEBIO.

 

Block 2.  Fish protein hydrolysates and bioactive peptides (0-54)

Fish protein hydrolysates may have a potential as bioactive components in functional foods or nutraceuticals. There is growing scientific evidence that peptides produced by enzyme hydrolysis may have certain bioactive properties. Fish protein hydrolysates have mainly been used for production of animal and aquaculture feed, fish proteins as food ingredients with limited functional properties and for the production of seafood flavours. Systematic processing of hydrolysates for the production of bioactive peptides and testing of their influence on the regulation of gut function, glychemia, blood pressure, and immune function can yield promising new compounds (fractions) that can be used in functional foods. 

This block deal with the development of enzyme hydrolysis/ultra-filtration processes to yield protein/peptide fractions of different molecular weights and also a lipid phase. It also includes the testing of their bioactive, physical and sensory properties. The testing is followed by the selection and testing of promising samples in functional food products and the scale up of processes at the SMEs. The results of all the tests are used to evaluate and choose the most promising products to be tested for the use in functional foods by project 4.4 CONSUMERPRODUCTS. A team consisting of two seafood research institutes (partners 9.IFL, 3.IFREMER), four universities (partners 56.ULR, 55.MNHN, 47.UWB, 40.PROGEBIO) and two innovative RTD SMEs (54.CTPP and 63.Marinova) will be involved.

 

Block 3.  Development of functional foods and intervention studies. (19-54)

A claim of the functionality or activity of a food ingredient or component and its safety should be proven scientifically. However, first a ‘functional’ products that appeals to the consumer must be developed and its activity must be proven by well-designed and properly executed intervention studies in humans.  The work  in this block integrates project 4.1 Propephealth, 4.2. CONSUMERPRODUCTS as well as Pillar 1. Seafood and human nutrition.