MAFFIN - MicroAlgae based Food Formulations for Improved Nutrition

炎症是对损伤、感染或组织损伤的一种自然反应，然而，慢性炎症也可能导致与年龄相关的疾病的发展，包括心血管疾病(CVD)、阿尔茨海默病、2型糖尿病、关节炎和一些癌症。这些慢性疾病造成了巨大的医疗和经济负担；英国心脏基金会估计，仅心血管疾病一项就花费了英国经济190亿GB/年，其中90亿GB是直接医疗成本，其余的间接成本，如生产力损失。类胡萝卜素已被证明具有抗炎特性，有助于控制或预防炎症。类胡萝卜素存在于许多水果和蔬菜中，并以其抗氧化性能而闻名。摄入高类胡萝卜素饮食与减少炎症和降低患慢性疾病(如心血管疾病、糖尿病和某些癌症)的风险有关。有益的类胡萝卜素包括β-胡萝卜素、虾青素、玉米黄素和叶黄素；后者与预防老年性失明有关。与年轻人相比，老年人饮食中的类胡萝卜素水平通常较低，包括那些具有抗炎和抗氧化活性的类胡萝卜素。这是由于各种因素造成的，例如饮食习惯的改变、食欲下降和获取营养丰富的食物的机会有限。由于消化系统的变化，包括消化酶的产生减少和肠道运动减慢，类胡萝卜素的吸收和摄取也会随着年龄的增长而下降。其他因素包括药物、慢性疾病(例如糖尿病、炎症性肠病)、不良饮食习惯、因健康状况而限制饮食和食欲下降。补充经常食用的食物中的类胡萝卜素，以创造出功能食品，将有助于解决这些问题。挑战是可持续地生产功能性食品，使其为消费者所接受。在确保类胡萝卜素的生物可获得性和易被吸收的同时，小球藻等绿色微藻可以潜在地提供一种可持续的类胡萝卜素来源，与传统农业相比，对环境的影响和土地利用更低，但在城市环境中有生产的余地，但它们可能具有强烈而独特的味道，一些人认为这种味道令人不快。该项目旨在通过以下方式应对这一挑战：*选择具有较少异味的高产微藻，并有效地生产富含胡萝卜素的生物体和提取物，以添加到食品中。*鉴定异味成分，并制定提取物和功能性食品的配方，以包括掩盖不可接受气味的天然成分，以确保消费者接受。*评估类胡萝卜素的生物可获得性。作为这项可行性研究的一部分，还将评估生产食品补充剂的技术的可持续性和经济性以及市场适销性。

Inflammation is a natural response to injury, infection, or tissue damage, however, chronic inflammation can also contribute to the development of age-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), Alzheimer's disease, type-2 diabetes, arthritis, and some cancers. These chronic diseases present a significant healthcare and economic burden; The British Heart Foundation estimates that CVD alone costs the UK economy \>£19 billion/year, of which £9 billion are direct healthcare costs and the remainder indirect costs e.g., productivity losses.Carotenoids have been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and help control or prevent inflammation. Carotenoids occur in many fruits and vegetables and are known for their antioxidant properties. Consuming a high carotenoid diet is associated with reduced inflammation and a lower risk of chronic diseases such as CVD, diabetes and some cancers. Beneficial carotenoids include beta-carotene, astaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein; the latter associated with prevention of age-related blindness.Elderly people often have lower levels of carotenoids, including those with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, in their diets compared to younger adults. This is due to various factors e.g., changes in dietary habits, reduced appetite and limited access to nutrient-rich foods. The absorption and uptake of carotenoids also declines with age due to digestive system changes, including reduced production of digestive enzymes and slower intestinal motility. Other factors include medication, chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease), poor dietary habits, restricted diets due to health conditions and decreased appetite.Supplementation of frequently consumed foods with carotenoids to create functional foods will help address these issues. The challenge is to sustainably produce the functional foods so that they are acceptable to consumers. whilst ensuring the carotenoids are bio-accessible and readily absorbed.Green microalgae such as Chlorella can potentially provide a sustainable source of carotenoids with lower environmental impact and land usage compared to traditional agriculture, with scope for production in urban environments, however, they can have a strong and distinctive flavour that some people find unpleasant. This project aims to address the challenge through:* Selection of high yielding microalgae with reduced off-flavours and efficient production of carotenoid-enriched biomass and extracts for addition to food.* Identification of off-flavours components and formulation of extracts and functional foods to include natural ingredients that mask unacceptable flavours to ensure consumer acceptance.* Evaluation of carotenoid bio-accessibility.As part of this feasibility study, the sustainability and economics of the technologies employed to produce the food supplements and marketability will also be assessed.