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Media release, 27 May 2004 |
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Research into nutrigenomics opens opportunities for new high-value foods Research which could revolutionize the ability of the food industry to customize food for an individual's genetic needs has recently won $19.2 million of new funding from the government's Foundation for Research, Science and Technology. The funding is confirmed in today's budget (27 May). The new funding is for the emerging discipline of nutritional genomics (or nutrigenomics), which uses information about human genes to assess the effects of nutrients on health, performance and disease management. The research is being undertaken by a new collaborative partnership, called the New Zealand Nutrigenomics Centre of Excellence, involving the University of Auckland and the three crown research institutes, Crop & Food Research, AgResearch and HortResearch. It is the first nutrigenomics centre in New Zealand and joins centres recently set up in Europe and the USA. It has its own website, www.nutrigenomics.org.nz. The science programme leader, Professor Lynnette Ferguson from the University of Auckland, is enthusiastic about the potential of diet to make a real difference to genetically-linked diseases. "We know that a small number of genes may play a disproportionate role in disease development, and that they may be particularly responsive to manipulation by diet. "If we can understand the interactions between diet and genes, this will not only help manage disease, but could help us optimise physical and mental performance, slow the effects of aging and reduce health care costs." An initial focus will be on diseases, such as Crohn's disease, where foods are known to play a role in triggering the genes which cause disease. Later research might focus on the development of foods for use in preventing or managing conditions such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease, or on optimising human performance. Dr Andrew Shelling from the University of Auckland is involved in turning knowledge of the defective genes involved in a disease like Crohn's disease into high-throughput screening systems. "With a rapid screening assay we can examine a whole library of food components to identify the most likely beneficial compounds for alleviating the disease. Understanding the way food components interact with the genes involved in Crohn's disease paves the way for the development of functional foods and an improved quality of life." Dr Julian Heyes of Crop & Food Research says nutrigenomics has the potential to create new market opportunities for customised food products which are enhanced with specific nutrients. "It also creates the opportunity for the development of food products customised for the health needs of an individual. Such developments would increase the value of all parts of the chain from consumer products right down to growers of agricultural and horticultural crops." "New Zealand's advantage in this area of research is our access to raw food ingredients which are either unique to this country, or we have a competitive advantage in producing them. This includes such things as novel fruit varieties, protected arable cultivars, dairy and deer products and seafood." AgResearch and HortResearch both have a background in animal and plant genomics and bioinformatics, which uses computer models to solve information problems in the biological sciences. "One of the major outcomes from this programme will be a tool to link studies of the human genome with the action of defined foods on the way an individual's genetic make-up is expressed," Dr Warren McNabb of AgResearch says. Dr Jimmy Suttie, Science Leader of Food Science within AgResearch, points out "Nutrigenomics gives a way of aligning future focussed discovery health science with the food and production sectors , to reach for a long term vision for healthier added value foods. The challenge will be to take the food production industries as a whole on the journey with this team." "Eventually we expect that people with known genetic predispositions to diseases would be able to take a food-based approach to staying well. This would have huge benefit to health in New Zealand." Dr Denis Lauren of HortResearch says there is a real need both in New Zealand and overseas for food products which promote digestive health. "Understanding the relationship between food components and an individual's genes related to gut health is a key target for us and will enable us to develop and substantiate novel food concepts that improve gut health." Poor gut health is linked to a group of diseases including Crohn's disease, premature aging and depression, increased risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The research will initially focus on Crohn's disease as a 'proof of concept'. Once the concept is proven for this disease the research will broaden to investigate links with the other health states and diseases. Professor Ferguson says future application of nutrigenomics could benefit cardiovascular disease patients. "It's a disease where several genes are known to be associated with increased risk and studies are beginning to show that the kinds of foods eaten, together with other environmental factors, alter the susceptibility of people to the disease. "The implication for the food industry is that certain groups of people may be more likely than others to respond to changes in the amount or type of fat intake. "If a scientifically validated genetic test were available for the genes involved, a doctor or nutrition expert could then use the information to recommend increasing or decreasing a specific food in the diet." Strategic advice on the programme will be provided by a science advisory group, made up of both science and industry representatives, and include independent advisors on regulatory and ethical issues. "The industry leaders will help ensure research findings link closely into the needs of the food industry", Dr McNabb says. "Ethical issues, such as those surrounding access to an individual's genetic information, also need to be carefully worked through and are an important consideration in this programme," adds Dr Shelling. For more information contact:
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