Understanding the impact of food reformulation strategies on blood glucose and short-term well-being

Contemporary consumers are increasingly aware and interested in nutrition and health. However, current dietary guidelines are fixated on the long-term effects, whereas the motivation of consumers to eat healthy is often driven by short-term health, perceived well-being, and taste. To accommodate these interests, we need a new research model, characterized by a stronger focus on the individual and the short-term effects of foods. Cereal based products have great potential in supporting a dietary shift towards sustainable, healthy diets when they are formulated with an enhanced inclusion of plant-based, nutrient-rich raw materials. Such challenging formulation goals can be achieved when the underlying mechanisms behind food structuring processes (i.e. physical transformation of biopolymer ingredients during processing) are used as scientific principles to practically guide formulation & process choices. By adopting such approach, bakery products with substantial enrichment in plant proteins and dietary fibres and a reduction in digestible carbohydrate content can be developed. However, the impact on personal health and short term well-being of these reformulated food has not yet been assessed. In this talk, examples will be given of how structuring principles leading to nutrient dense food will be adopted in a newly designed human intervention study to determine the effects of food composition and food structure on blood glucose responses. Such an entirely novel approach will determine how people feel and respond, both physically and mentally, after consuming food products and will make it possible to link these outcomes to blood sugar responses.