Flipping attitudes to processed foods with science

Researchers at Charles Sturt University are proving that there are health benefits to processed food and are praising the efforts of scientists during National Science Week, which runs from 13 to 21 August 2022.

Chris Blanchard, Professor of Food Science in the Charles Sturt School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, is leading research measuring the impact of processing on the bioavailability of natural compounds in food.

The research combines lab experiments to extract natural compounds and characterise them, before determining how natural compounds interact with cells, with human feeding trials to assess the impact of natural compounds on biomarkers in our bodies. There has been previous research investigating the impact of compounds found in a variety of food sources; however, these studies focused on analysing compounds extracted from raw food.

And the results might surprise you. The study has shattered the misconception that all processed food is bad for you.

“For example, cooking and fermentation can release important antioxidant compounds and make them more available for absorption into the body,” Blanchard said.

Blanchard’s research has demonstrated that processing can improve the potential health benefits. He is completing this project, which is affiliated with the Gulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment, with the help of two PhD candidates in Biomedical Science, Aduba Jok and Borkwei Ed Nignpense.

As the population grows and scientists strive to develop new and sustainable ways to feed the growing population, Blanchard was inspired to add another element to his research.

Bioactive compounds are natural compounds found in food which can have a positive impact on health when consumed. But Blanchard has discovered that a lot of the bioactive compounds can be found in parts of food we discard.

The study is also showing the potential benefits of waste product rice bran, which occurs when brown rice is polished into white rice. Blanchard said this leftover product has previously been fed to animals but may prove beneficial to humans.

“What we’ve discovered is that in rice bran, that’s where a lot of the really nutritious compounds have been found,” he said.

“What we’ve been doing is trying to measure the health benefits of some of the compounds there and then think about how we can preserve those and turn that waste product into a high-valued food ingredient.”

Blanchard said scientists should be recognised for the role they are playing in feeding the world as the population continues to grow.

“Much of the food we eat is processed in some way, so to develop a clear understanding of how healthy the food we eat is, we need to study the impact of processing,” he said.

“By understanding the impact of processing on food composition, we can design better ways to process food to maximise health benefits.”

Image credit: iStock.com/S_Bachstroem