2008 Woodie Awards
Making food more healthful
UMass leads the way in enhancing beneficial nutrients in common food
Dan Terk, Collegian Correspondent
Issue date: 12/5/08 Section: Features
Which of these food products do you think is the healthiest?
A) Salmon
B) Fruit Juice
C) Ice Cream
D) Margarine
You may think this question is a no-brainer, but if you've been paying attention while at the supermarket, you may be looking for another answer choice - E) All of the above.
In this age of food science, there's more to some foods than meets the eye. For example, all the foods listed above are now made with omega-3 fatty acids. This long chain of carbon atoms, purported as the silver bullet of nutrients, is naturally found in leafy greens, nuts and fish. Omega-3 is just one of the growing health-promoting food additives that have invaded grocery stores.
Many say that additives like these create a nutrient-centric view of food and has resulted in Americans eating more food-like products, and less and less food. For the University of Massachusetts student, this is not just confined to the supermarket - technologies to make such food additives are being developed right here on campus.
The food science department at UMass has recently begun to raise funds to benefit the Center for Health and Wellness, which will explore these types of nutrients and their addition to foods. The center's goal will be to improve the nutritional quality of food by adding nutrients believed to have health benefits that do not naturally contain them.
The newly appointed head of the food science department, Eric Decker, said there are two major aspects to the effectiveness of this type of research - biological activity, and what he calls "compliance." This means that not only must a nutrient have health benefits, but also people to actually eat it.
"The real challenge," explained Decker, "is to figure out ways to take these bioactive compounds and put them in the foods so that it still tastes good, looks the same, behaves the same, but more importantly, costs the same."
The new center is currently in the planning and funding stage. Funding for the $4 million project is coming from the University, and private gifts and grants from companies like ConAgra, Ocean Spray and General Mills. Decker notes that all these gifts come with "no strings attached." More money will be needed for operational costs, which typically comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Institute of Health.
A) Salmon
B) Fruit Juice
C) Ice Cream
D) Margarine
You may think this question is a no-brainer, but if you've been paying attention while at the supermarket, you may be looking for another answer choice - E) All of the above.
In this age of food science, there's more to some foods than meets the eye. For example, all the foods listed above are now made with omega-3 fatty acids. This long chain of carbon atoms, purported as the silver bullet of nutrients, is naturally found in leafy greens, nuts and fish. Omega-3 is just one of the growing health-promoting food additives that have invaded grocery stores.
Many say that additives like these create a nutrient-centric view of food and has resulted in Americans eating more food-like products, and less and less food. For the University of Massachusetts student, this is not just confined to the supermarket - technologies to make such food additives are being developed right here on campus.
The food science department at UMass has recently begun to raise funds to benefit the Center for Health and Wellness, which will explore these types of nutrients and their addition to foods. The center's goal will be to improve the nutritional quality of food by adding nutrients believed to have health benefits that do not naturally contain them.
The newly appointed head of the food science department, Eric Decker, said there are two major aspects to the effectiveness of this type of research - biological activity, and what he calls "compliance." This means that not only must a nutrient have health benefits, but also people to actually eat it.
"The real challenge," explained Decker, "is to figure out ways to take these bioactive compounds and put them in the foods so that it still tastes good, looks the same, behaves the same, but more importantly, costs the same."
The new center is currently in the planning and funding stage. Funding for the $4 million project is coming from the University, and private gifts and grants from companies like ConAgra, Ocean Spray and General Mills. Decker notes that all these gifts come with "no strings attached." More money will be needed for operational costs, which typically comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and National Institute of Health.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Dan the Omega Man
posted 12/05/08 @ 9:17 AM EST
Good Article,
This is a tough issue. I am all for the general public getting more healthy by increasing their omega 3 intake. I am not sure how I feel about slapping some omega 3 in Twinkies and telling kids and Mom's it' snow healthy. (Continued…)
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