Zopresso – leveraging scientifically-proven effects of konjac fibre as ready-to-drink beverages

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**In 2019, 64% of adults in England were overweight, with 28% obese, and 3% morbidly so**. Some of the major risks of obesity include Type 2 Diabetes, coronary heart disease, many types of cancer, stroke and depression. Just over 1 million hospital admissions were recorded in England 2019/20 where obesity was a factor (a 17% increase on 2018/19).The Zopresso project targets the development of a range of naturally **appetite-supressing beverage products** to enable people to lose and control weight safely and cost-effectively. This project is particularly innovative as it focuses on the use of _konjac_, an FDA-approved and EFSA endorsed plant fibre that has been scientifically proven to contribute significantly to weight loss. Although it is already used widely in drugs, foods and food additives as a thickening agent, there are no konjac-containing beverages on the market in the UK, Europe, USA or MENA.The Ziro team have successfully developed pilot samples of konjac-infused plant-based beverages and proved the fibre can be incorporated into flavoursome and palatable drinks at small scale. We have still to overcome technical challenges around processing konjac-containing formulations, whilst retaining excellent palatability and flavour.As an early stage start-up, Zopresso is critical to Ziro's plans for growth. Our 15-month industrial research-based project has a budget of £487,088 and we request a grant of £340,962\.