It is important to focus on developing solutions, such as improved dietary habits including increased consumption of foods containing bioactive substances that have been shown to be beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Creme Global (Creme) is a partner in a new EU project, ‘Beneficial effects of dietary bioactive peptides and polyphenols on cardiovascular health in humans’ (BACCHUS), that aims to develop robust and exploitable scientific evidence that supports a cause-and-effect relationship between consumption of bioactive peptides and polyphenols, and beneficial physiological effects related to cardiovascular health in humans (e.g. reducing high blood pressure). BACCHUS will also support European SMEs creating new food products, which boost cardiovascular health, with scientific evidence and tools essential for health claims dossiers seeking a favourable opinion from EFSA.
To achieve this, BACCHUS has brought together 16 SMEs that are involved in developing food products and pursuing health claims, and 12 leading research organisations with expertise in food and health research, and health claims legislation. BACCHUS is focusing on the action of bioactive substances found in foods that are common in European diets including apple, chokeberry, sweet oranges, pomegranate, cured pork products and wheat.
Creme will be using its expertise to assess the current intake levels of bioactive compounds for EU consumers, using existing and newly generated bioactive data in foods. Creme will apply new models to estimate the impact of food fortifications, food reformulations or the introduction of new foods to the European diet, in order to assess the impact on cardiovascular health. This information will be of great benefit to food manufacturers and other SMEs, who will be able to assess the health impact of developing new foods rich in bioactive compounds for the European market.
Creme will also be part of the Health Claims Advisory Board within the BACCHUS consortium. This board will aim to create best practice for preparing health claims dossiers resulting from the research in BACCHUS, to submit to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Notes for Editors
About Creme
Creme Global is an Irish SME specialising in exposure and intake modelling in the area of food safety, nutrition and cosmetics. Creme provides data, consultancy and high performance cloud computing services to industry, government agencies and researchers around the world, to enable them to understand food intake, nutrition and exposure levels in consumers.
About BACCHUS
BACCHUS is a collaborative project under the 7th Framework Program of the European Commission, funded by Specific Programme ‘Cooperation’ – Research Theme: ‘Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology’, funded within the FP7-KBBE-2012-6-single-stage, under Grant Agreement no 312090. The €6M accessibility research and development effort funding brings together 28 Beneficiaries, led by the Institute of Food Research (UK). The 28 beneficiaries of BACCHUS are: Institute of Food Research (UK), University of Leeds (UK), Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TR), Agencia estatal consejo superior de investigaciones (ES), NOFIMA (Norway), University College Cork (IE), Institut za Medicinska Istra Ivanja (Serbia), Universita di Bologna (IT), Universiteit Gent (BE), Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek NV (BE), LGC Ltd. (UK), Helsingin Yliopisto (FI), British Nutrition Foundation (UK), EuroFIR AISBL (BE), Pamida International SRO (SK), Creme Global (IE), Valdycomer SA (ES), Industrias Carnicas VAQUERO (ES), Wagralim ASBL (BE), Critical Processes Ltd. (UK), Coressence Ltd. (UK), Laboratorios Admira sl. (ES), Bioaesis srl. (IT), Kamut Enterprises of Europe BVBA (BE), Bioactor BV (NL), Prodigest (BE), Nutrika doo (Serbia) and Fundacion Universitaria San Antonio de Cartagena (ES)
Project coordinator: Institute of Food Research
Lead researchers: Paul Kroon and Paul Finglas
European cardiovascular disease statistics 2012: http://www.ehnheart.org/cvd-statistics.html
CVD causes 47% of deaths in Europe and 40% in the European UnionOverall, CVD is estimated to cost the EU economy €195 billion a year (ca. £157 bn)
Of the total cost, 54% are direct medical care, 24% productivity losses (e.g. days off work, medical retirement) and 22% informal care (e.g. relatives and friends caring for patients, transport costs to hospital)
