The growing prevalence of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other disorders related to the metabolic syndrome constitute a worldwide public health challenge. The AFC research program aims to generate knowledge about food features for development of preventive novel food concept.

Insulin resistance, oxidative stress and low grade systemic inflammation are major components in the metabolic syndrome. Recently impaired cognitive function and neurodegeneration of the brain have been associated with systemic inflammation.

AFC focuses on food mechanisms that may attenuate sub-clinical inflammation. This includes food concepts that;

facilitate weight regulation,
lower the glycaemic impact,
lower the oxidative-inflammatory cascade,
reduce the inflammatory component of the gut microbiota,
lower formation of pro-inflammatory components during food processing.

The research program also explores technologies for targeted delivery of bioactive food components, minimal processing to reduce process-induced formation of pro-inflammatory components as well as enzymatic or microbial production of indigestible carbohydrates with prebiotic or other metabolic effects.

The research programme focuses on the exploitation of a variety of food factors and properties that may prevent obesity and IRS-related disorders by reducing inflammatory tonus and improving appetite regulation. Quality characteristics of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins are exploited. Emphasis is put on the possibilities to modulate the gut ecosystem by food composition and/or food design for benefits on IRS risk markers. A variety of food ingredients and raw materials are included, such as cereals, fruits and berries, tubers, legumes, milk. Further, more recently acknowledged manifestations of IRS, such as impaired cognitive performance, are taken into account in food optimisation. In addition, features of meals and multi-functional food combinations are studied.