Public Funding for Brunel Healthcare Manufacturing Limited

Lycopene is an antioxidant compound in the body that may help to maintain reduced levels of oxidative stress and may have a physiological role related to a reduced risk of heart disease and cancers such as prostate. Lycopene is derived solely from the diet, the main source in the UK diet being processed tomato products. It exists in different isomeric forms, the (all-E)-form being the most common in tomatoes and tomato products (85-97percent) in all tomato products and 95-97 percent in commonly consumed tomato products in the UK. It also exists in Z-isomeric forms, the most common Z-isomers in foods and in the body being 5Z-, 9Z- and 13Z-lycopene. Recent research suggests that these Z-isomers may have higher bioavailability (uptake in the gut) and higher antioxidant activities (over the all-E form) in the body and so may offer increased health benefits. Lycopene supplements are already available commercially, but consist of high all-E lycopene content (95 percent). This project aims to use a waste product from the tomato processing industry as a starting material, in combination with an environmentally friendly isomerisation process, to provide a unique and more affordable supplement with high-Z lycopene content (50 percent). The project also aims to test the bioavailabilty of the product and conduct a clinical trial in such a manner that a positive outcome would lead to a European health claim for the supplement.

Plant polyphenols have been associated with reducing indices of cardiovascular disease such as oxidative stress, insulin resistance and blood pressure. In-vitro assessment of polyphenol rich mixtures from plant based foods will reveal the mechanisms of their vascular activity. Candidate mixtures will then be assessed for human pharmacokinetics of target components with and without the use of a novel encapsulation technology. This prelimanary work will then be used to undertake a double blind placebo controlled clinical trial to determine the modulatory activity of the chosen polyphenol preparation on clinical parameters of cardiovascular risk; in-particular endothelial function, blood pressure control, insulin resistance parameters and inflammation. The economic benefit for this technology will be undertaken at the same time to ascertain the feasibility of application to the European Food Safety Authorities for Article 13.5 or Article 14 functional food claim. A successful EFSA claim would increase demand for manufacturing and employment across Europe from 2013.