Report of conference on scientific outcome of NTU’s Food Science and Technology initiative (iFOOD) Research Grant

1. Jointly organised by NTU Food Technology Centre (NAFTEC) and NTU APEC Centre for Sustainable Development in Agriculture & Fishery Sectors
iFOOD 2017Food for the future: quality, safety and sustainability
S I N G A P O R E , 6 A N D 7 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

2. Food for the Future:
quality, safety and sustainability
Report of conference on scientific outcome of
NTU’s Food Science and Technology initiative (iFOOD)
Research Grant
6-7 September 2017
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Joergen Schlundt, Shi Jiahua, Kelyn Seow Lee Ghee
Jointly organized by
NTU Food Technology Centre (NAFTEC)
and
NTU APEC Centre for Sustainable Development in Agriculture & Fishery Sectors

3. Published in 2018 by NTU Food Technology Centre (NAFTEC)
Nanyang Technological University
62, Nanyang Drive,
Singapore 637459
http://coe.ntu.edu.sg/Research/naftec
Joergen Schlundt
Director, Nanyang Technological University Food Technology Centre (NAFTEC)
Michael Fam Chair Professor, Food Science and Technology, College of Engineering, Nanyang
Technology University
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this report do not imply the expression of
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been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by NAFTEC in preference
to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this report are those of the
presenters and participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views of NAFTEC.
ISBN: 978-981-11-7149-9
© Text 2018 Nanyang Technological University
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Printed in Singapore

4. ii
Contents
Acknowledgments………………………………………………….… iv
Acronyms……………………………………… ……………………... v
Conference agenda………….….………………………………...…... 1
1. Introduction………………………………………………………... 3
1.1 Conference background
1.2 Conference composition
1.3 Opening remarks
1.4 Conference objectives
2. Keynote lectures………………………………...…………………. 5
2.1 Impacts of palatable foods on behaviour - the brain-gut-microbiome axis
2.2 Food for the future: gentle processing for better health and sustainability
3. Platform 1: Food safety………………………………….…............7
3.1 The revolutionizing impact of Next Generation Sequencing in food safety and One Health
3.2 Environmental impact assessment of antimicrobials on fish aquaculture for food safety
3.3 Food safety: detection of bacterial toxins and contaminants in complex food matrices
4. Platform 2: Production and processing…………………...…….. 10
4.1 Microfluidic device based on opto-acoustics for particle concentration and detection
4.2 On-site multiplex screening for food contaminants
4.3 Starchy food on becoming modern humans and consequences for contemporary diseases of
civilisation
4.4 Understanding and alleviating membrane fouling in highly concentrated emulsion based
separations in food processing applications
4.5 Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids from food sources through winterization and
interesterification
4.6 Capacitive deionization for water regeneration and biodecontamination
4.7 Lipotoxic interaction between dietary lipids and polyphenols: relevancy to fatty liver disease
progression
4.8 Comparative genomic analysis of local Salmonella isolates
5. Platform 3: Sustainability……………………………………...…. 17
5.1 Better but is it good enough? Absolute sustainability requirements and how they challenge the
food sector
5.2 Sustainability assessment in food production system
6. Platform 4: Nutrition and health……………………...………..... 19
6.1 Carcinogenic dietary proteins in instant food products discovered by top-down proteomics
6.2 The effect of usage of antibiotics for raising livestock on resistance in human health care

5. iii
6.3 The prebiotic properties of Australian honeys: a possible dietary intervention for healthy
ageing
6.4 Immunmodulation by Lactobacillus fermentum and potential for reducing adverse outcomes
in pregnancy
6.5 You are what you eat: dietary nutrients as signaling molecules
6.6 Functional links between POPX2 phosphatase and cancer metabolism
7. Discussion and outcome....……………………………………...… 24

6. iv
Acknowledgements
The Nanyang Technological University Food Technology Centre (NAFTEC) and NTU APEC Centre for
Sustainable Development in Agriculture & Fishery Sectors wish to express our sincere gratitude to all
those who contributed to the success of this conference. In particular, we wish to extend our gratitude to
the presenters who are principle investigators under NTU’s Food Science and Technology initiative
(iFOOD) Research Grant to report and share their outcomes. We appreciate the contributions and
cooperation of all the presenters and participants during the conference.

7. v
Acronyms
ADM School of Art, Design and Media
AGEs Advanced glycation end products
AMR Antimicrobial resistance
BMHs Behaviourally modern humans
BoNTA Botulinium neurotoxin A
CFV Cross-flow velocity
COMSOL Complete numerical modelling
CT Cholera toxin
DHA Docosahexaenoic acid
DOTM Direct Observation Through the Membrane
EEE School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
ELISA Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay
EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid
FMMF Flow-field mitigation of membrane fouling
GC-MS Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
GDM Gestational diabetes mellitus
GTE Green tea polyphenol extracts
I-CDID Inverted capacitive deionization disinfection
IFB Inverse fluidized bed
iFOOD NTU’s Food Science and Technology initiative
LCA Life cycle assessment
MFDS Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
MSE School of Materials Science and Engineering
NAFTEC NTU Food Technology Centre
NGS Next Generation Sequencing
NMR Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy
NTU Nanyang Technological University
NVWA Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
PPARs Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
PTMs Post-translational modifications
PUFA Polyunsaturated fatty acids
SAW Surface acoustic wave
SBS School of Biological Sciences

8. vi
SCBE School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
SEA Staphylococcal enterotoxin A
SPMS School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
UN United Nations
WGS Whole genome sequence
WUR Wageningen University

9. 1
Day 1: Wednesday 6th
September 2017
08:30-09:00 Registration
09:00-09:15 Opening ceremony and welcome remarks Professor Timothy John White
Associate Chair (Research), MSE,
NTU, Singapore
Research Director of Engineering,
Physical and Biomedical/Life
Science, President's Office
Keynote lectures
09:15-09:55 Keynote lecture:
Impacts of palatable foods on behaviour - the
brain-gut-microbiome axis
Professor Margaret Morris
University of New South Wales,
Australia
09:55-10:35 Keynote lecture:
Food for the future: gentle processing for better
health and sustainability
Professor Remko Boom
Wageningen University, the
Netherlands
10:35-11:00 Tea break
Platform 1: Food safety
11:00-11:30 The revolutionizing impact of Next Generation
Sequencing in food safety and One Health
Professor Joergen Schlundt
NAFTEC, NTU, Singapore
11:30-12:00 Environmental impact assessment of
antimicrobials on fish aquaculture for food
safety
Dr. Jin-Wook Kwon
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
(MFDS), Korea
12:00-12:30 Food safety: detection of bacterial toxins and
contaminants in complex food matrices
Professor Bo Gunnar Liedberg
MSE, NTU, Singapore
12:30-13:30 Lunch
Platform 2: Production and processing
13:30-14:00 Microfluidic device based on opto-acoustics for
particle concentration and detection
Asst Professor Yuanjin Zheng
EEE, NTU, Singapore
14:00-14:30 On-site multiplex screening for food
contaminants
Dr Willem Haasnoot
Wageningen University, the
Netherlands
14:30-15:00 Starchy food on becoming modern humans and
consequences for contemporary diseases of
civilisation
Assoc Professor Laura Longo
ADM, NTU, Singapore
15:00-15:30 Tea break
15:30-16:00 Understanding and alleviating membrane
fouling in highly concentrated emulsion based
separations in food processing applications
Asst Professor Jia Wei Chew
SCBE, NTU, Singapore
16:00-16:30 Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids from food
sources through winterization and
interesterification
Assoc Professor Tianhu Li
SPMS, NTU, Singapore
16:30-17:00 Discussion and conclusion of Day 1
17:00-18:00 Networking session with refreshments

10. 2
Day 2: Thursday 7th
September 2017
08:30-09:00 Registration
Platform 2: Production and processing (continued)
09:00-09:30 Capacitive deionization for water regeneration
and biodecontamination
Professor Mary Chan-Park
SCBE, NTU, Singapore
09:30-10:00 Lipotoxic interaction between dietary lipids and
polyphenols: relevancy to fatty liver disease
progression
Professor Oren Tirosh
The Hebrew University of
Jerusalem, Israel
10:00-10:30 Comparative genomic analysis of local
Salmonella isolates
Asst Professor Liang Yang
SBS, NTU, Singapore
10:30-11:00 Tea break
Platform 3: Sustainability
11:00-11:30 Better but is it good enough? Absolute
sustainability requirements and how they
challenge the food sector
Professor Michael Zwicky
Hauschild
Technical University of Denmark,
Denmark
11:30-12:00 Sustainability assessment in food production
system
Dr Chengcheng Hu
NAFTEC, NTU, Singapore
Platform 4: Nutrition and health
12:00-12:30 Carcinogenic dietary proteins in instant food
products discovered by top-down proteomics
Assoc Professor Siu Kwan Sze,
Newman
SBS, NTU, Singapore
12:30-13:30 Lunch
13:30-14:00 The effect of usage of antibiotics for raising
livestock on resistance in human health care
Professor Benno H. ter Kuile
Netherlands Food and Consumer
Product Safety Authority, the
Netherlands
14:00-14:30 The prebiotic properties of Australian honeys: a
possible dietary intervention for healthy ageing
Professor Patricia Conway
NAFTEC, NTU, Singapore
14:30-15:00 Immunmodulation by Lactobacillus fermentum
and potential for reducing adverse outcomes in
pregnancy
Dr Meera Esvaran
University of New South Wales,
Australia
15:00-15:30 Tea break
15:30-16:00 You are what you eat: dietary nutrients as
signaling molecules
Professor Sander Kersten
Wageningen University, the
Netherlands
16:00-16:30 Functional links between POPX2 phosphatase
and cancer metabolism
Assoc Professor Cheng Gee Koh
SBS, NTU, Singapore
16:30-17:00 Discussion and conclusion of Day 2

11. 3
1. Introduction
1.1 Conference background
Food is an essential component to the life and growth of all living organisms. The quality and safety of
food are important food manufacturing requirements. While we are witnessing an increasingly demanding
market saturated with health conscious consumers in all regions of the world, we are still encountering a
high (and increasing) level of disease from hazards in food or from poor food and diet choices. At the
same time, some are voicing concern of our capacity to produce enough food and ensure food security
across the globe for now and the future. These challenge are all linked together. The real problem is not
the ability to produce enough food, instead, the ability to produce food in a sustainable manner which will
enable a reduction in our very significant food related disease burden.
The scientific and technological advancements in the food industry can be used to drive more sustainable
food production with greater confidence in microbiological and chemical safety, as well as value added
nutritious food products in the form of food functionality and convenience. A continued effort in food
research is imperative to ensure society has access to safe, efficiently produced, high quality food. The
focus on science based decision support for food industries and society is imperative in this development,
such as the integration of risk and sustainability assessment as the basis for evaluating and guiding the
development of new food technology.
With the aforementioned details in mind, the NTU Food Technology Centre (NAFTEC) and NTU APEC
Centre for Sustainable Development in Agriculture & Fishery Sectors organized this iFOOD 2017
conference to discuss important areas within food research and innovation. The conference mainly focused
on food safety, high quality food production and processing efficiency, quantitative sustainability
assessment and food related health benefits. The conference also offered opportunities to present and
discuss scientific outcome of NTU’s Food Science and Technology initiative (iFOOD) Research Grant,
which had been active 2014-2017.
1.2 Conference composition
Prominent plenary speakers from world renowned institutions and industries in the United States, Europe,
Australia and Asia Pacific were featured. Principal investigators from NTU under iFOOD grant also presented.
A total of 117 participants had registered for the conference and regulatory, academic and laboratory sectors
were all represented.
1.3 Opening remarks
Professor Timothy John White, Associate Chair (Research), MSE, NTU, Singapore; Research Director
of Engineering, Physical and Biomedical/Life Science, President's Office

12. 4
Professor Timothy John White opened this conference with a warm welcome to all the presenters and
participants. He indicated the aim of the conference - addressing a key issue which is important to
everyone-our food and the way to produce it. Professor White introduced the focus of the conference
which was discussion of food research and innovation covering food safety, high quality food production,
processing efficiency and sustainability assessment.
Professor White indicated the importance of involvement of research into these issues. He also introduced
the history of food science initiatives in NTU which started with the creation of the Food Science and
Technology bachelor programme in collaboration with Wageningen University (WUR) in the Netherlands.
NTU has also set up a joint NTU-WUR PhD programme and is presently setting up a second master
programme, focusing on the application of science in support of our societal needs in Singapore and
globally. These efforts further led to the launch of NTU's Food Science and Technology initiative (iFOOD)
Research Grants and the first iFood Conference in 2014, a kick-start of food research at NTU.
Professor White introduced the main organizer of this iFOOD Conference 2017, NTU Food Technology
Centre (NAFTEC) which was officially established in November 2016 and conducts research to develop
innovative solutions for promoting efficient, safe and sustainable food production in Singapore and South-
east Asia. NAFTEC also aims to develop in Singapore and in the region the capability and expertise in
providing risk, benefit and sustainability assessment to support industry and regulatory agencies.
Professor White concluded his remarks by indicating that we can promote innovative and practical
solutions in food science and technology through the exchange of ideas and insights of presenters from
various fields. At the iFOOD Conference 2017 these fields included nanomaterials, quantitative
sustainability, bio-sensing, food packaging, functional foods, nutrition and health and many others all with
a purpose of enabling good decisions by regulators and industry in support of public health and
environmental sustainability.
1.4 Conference objectives
The conference had three objectives:
 Present and discuss scientific outcome of NTU's Food Science and Technology initiative (iFOOD)
Research Grant, which has been active 2014-17.
 Provide a platform for participants to interact and communicate with leading experts in the food
science and engineering fields.
 Contribute to providing a broader scientific basis for a safer and more sustainable food production in
the region and the world.

13. 5
2. Keynote lectures
2.1 Impacts of palatable foods on behaviour – the brain-gut-microbiome axis
Professor Margaret Morris, University of New South Wales, Australia
The current obesity epidemic appears to be linked to increasing availability of highly palatable, energy-dense
foods. Studies in animals and humans demonstrate that exposure to diets rich in either fat and sugar, or sugar
alone, can have detrimental effects on cognition. The hippocampus appears particularly sensitive to dietary
insult, specifically hippocampal-dependent place recognition memory, for instance people who report greater
consumption of fats and sugars showed more marked loss of hippocampal volume. While the ‘western’ diet
is known to have detrimental effects on cognition and affect the diversity of the gut microbiota, few studies
have investigated how these may be related. Our laboratory examines the relationship between diet-related
changes in gut microbiota, hippocampal gene expression and behavioural deficits using Sprague Dawley rats.
Exposure to a cafeteria diet rich in fat and simple sugars impairs hippocampal dependent spatial learning
within 1 week, prior to significant body weight changes. Purified diets that were enriched in saturated fats or
simple sugars had a similar impact, with changes in microbiota composition in the absence of altered body
weight. We next examined whether probiotic administration could prevent diet-induced memory deficits. Rats
were pre-exposed to vehicle, low or high doses of the probiotic VSL#3 daily for 2 weeks before half were
switched from chow to a cafeteria diet for 25 days; VSL#3 treatment continued throughout. Cafeteria fed rats
were heavier with greater fat mass than those consuming chow, and the probiotic had no impact on these
measures. Gut microbial diversity was dramatically decreased by cafeteria diet and here, VSL#3 was able to
increase the abundance of some taxa contained in the probiotic such as Streptococcus and Lactobacillus. In
the hippocampus, the cafeteria diet increased expression of many genes related to neuroplasticity and
serotonin receptor (5HT) 1A, which was normalised in cafeteria rats on high dose VSL#3. Neuroplasticity
genes in the perirhinal cortex were also affected by diet. Object memory performance was correlated with
perirhinal 5HT2C expression. These results show that probiotics can be beneficial in situations of gut
dysbiosis where memory deficits are evident. One interpretation of these findings is that probiotics may be
detrimental in healthy subjects; however this requires further investigation.
Main messages
 Palatability drives intake
 Clear evidence of impact of HF chow AND Caf diet on gut biota
 Alternating between cafeteria and chow diets sufficient to shift gut microbiota towards an obese
phenotype
 Microbiota changes correlated with fat mass and weight gain
 Cafeteria diet lowered abundance of microbial species capable of biosynthesis of flavonoids
 Probiotic had mixed effects on cognitive deficits induced by diet
 Minocycline may be protective against cognitive deficits
 Manipulating gut microbial communities may be a useful approach in obesity

14. 6
2.2 Food for the future: Gentle processing for better health and sustainability
Professor Remko Boom, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
With around 10 billion people on our planet in a few decades, there is an impending shortage of many of
our resources. At the same time, the imbalance in our diets causes health problems, which we need to
address to maintain people’s quality of life over their every growing life times, and to control the costs of
health care. In addition, we are faced in Europe and elsewhere with a crisis in the trust that consumers
have in the production of our foods. Consumers want ‘pure’ foods without any additives, which should
still provide the same, or even superior taste, safety and stability.
Our current production processes use copious amounts of water and energy, to produce highly refined
ingredients. During this process, a large part of the raw materials is lost as waste. And then, in formulating
products from ingredients, we mix all these pure, refined ingredients again. Is it then necessary to create
pure ingredients in the first place? If the final products are mixtures, then we also might create enriched
fractions, which can be combined into very similar products compared to the current ones.
These fractions can be prepared with radically less water and energy, and may lead to much better use of
the raw materials, when we make use of the internal structure of the raw material. In some cases, one can
separate components with only very small amounts of water, or even without using any water. The
enriched fractions obtained have quite interesting properties, comparable or in some respects even better
than those of conventional ingredients.
This allows us to combine the best of three worlds: while the production process is radically more efficient
in the use of water, energy and raw materials, excellent products may be formulated without requiring
additives thus allowing clean labelling, and the relatively unrefined ingredients fit into diets that will allow
us to live healthier, long lives.
Main messages
 Quality
• Less refined, more diverse, authenticity
• Less or no E-numbers required; natural stability and functionality
• Taste, sensory perception
 Safety
• Dry processing
• Preservation, stability
• Residues, toxins, contaminants
 Sustainability
• More complete use of raw materials
• Less or no water, much less energy required
• Very suitable for local production

15. 7
3. Platform 1: Food safety
3.1 The revolutionizing impact of Next Generation Sequencing in food safety and One Health
Professor Joergen Schlundt, NAFTEC, NTU, Singapore
As Next Generation (DNA) Sequence technology spreads globally fast, there is an obvious potential to
develop a global microbial WGS (Whole Genome Sequence) database to aggregate, share, mine and use
microbiological genomic data. In the not so distant future such data collections will be used as diagnostic
and surveillance tools, much like an international database of microbial fingerprints. In the end, all
microbial species and strains will be in the database, enabling any laboratory to upload its (WGS) sequence
and seek the correct answer, meaning species, type (clone) and antimicrobial resistance of any isolate. It
is important to note that such databases will provide the basis for a One Health platform for NGS
investigations of all microorganisms, including pathogens as well as microorganisms used in food
production, such as probiotics and other industrial strains. In fact, a WGS database will enable genetic
clone-level comparison and potential linkage of all types of microorganisms from environment, animals,
food and humans. If the system is set up in an ‘open access’ format it would likely enable comprehensive
utility of NGS in developing countries, since the development of open databases and relevant algorithm
platforms at the global level would enable immediate translation of sequence data to microbial identity
and antimicrobial resistance pattern. A global system would benefit those tackling individual problems at
the frontline (clinicians, veterinarian, food-control officials etc.) as well as other stakeholders (i.e. policy-
makers, regulators, industry, etc.).
Main messages
WGS Influenced Outbreak Investigations in the following aspects
 Faster, better identification of all microorganisms
 Increase confidence in the link between human and food isolates
 Solve – and prevent – foodborne outbreaks much earlier
 Follow and monitor all animal and human infectious diseases globally
 Link historical cases to a current outbreak investigation
 Characterize the ecology of long-term pathogen reservoirs in the food chain
 Increase capacity to investigate and utilize positive microbiology in food and environment
3.2 Environmental impact assessment of antimicrobials on fish aquaculture for food safety
Dr. Jin-Wook Kwon, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Korea
Fish is an important component in people’s diets, contributing more than 60 % of the world supply of
protein, especially in the developing countries. Global aquaculture production has been increasing
dramatically with the large quantity of antimicrobial application to prevent and treat diseases and to

16. 8
promote growth. Aquaculture, like terrestrial animal farming, is an important source for passage of large
amounts of a variety of antimicrobials into the environment. Antimicrobials used in aquaculture goes
through mainly hydrolysis, photolysis, adsorption and desorption at the aquatic environment, potentially
affect free-ranging fish, shellfish and other animals in proximity to aquaculture sites. Due to the unique
environment for aquaculture, antimicrobials to aquatic animals are more of a challenge than it is to
terrestrial animals, depending on the culturing species and the rearing system. To minimize environmental
contamination by the effective use of drugs for aquatic animals, understanding the aquaculture system
which includes the life cycle of the aquatic animal, feed, disease and the environment is required.
This study presents the environmental exposure assessment through monitoring of antimicrobials from the
various aquaculture systems, laboratory test method to establish the environmental fate study of
antimicrobials with modification of OECD guideline at the aquaculture system and relationship between
environmental safety and food safety. Currently, antimicrobial use is inevitable for aquaculture but
manageable for sustainable aquaculture through stringent regulations and correct use.
Main messages:
 Encourage better strategies to prudent use of and limit unnecessary exposure to antimicrobials for
food producing animals/in the environment by identifying the actual state and providing
assessment tools
 No reliable quantitative data of global and national antimicrobial consumption by livestock and
aquatic animal
 Low bioavailability of drug leads to overuse and unnecessary use
3.3 Food safety: detection of bacterial toxins and contaminants in complex food matrices
Professor Bo Gunnar Liedberg, School of Materials Science and Engineering, NTU, Singapore
This contribution focuses on recent developments of nanoplasmonic assays for detction of food
contaminants. The first part of the talk is devoted to colorimetric and fluorimetric assay development for
catalytic detection of botulinium neurotoxin A (BoNTA) produced by Clostridium botulinum. We focus
primarily on the catalytic portion of the toxin which is referred to as the light chain (BoLcA). The BoLcA
catalytically cleaves so-called SNARE peptides present on synaptic vecisles. This cleavage prevents the
fusion of the vesicles with the synaptic membrane and subsequent release of encapulated neutotransmitters
(acetylcholine) into the synaptic cleft. The lack of released neurotransmitters causes muscle paralysis.
BoNTA is extremely neurotoxic with a lethal dose of about 3-10 ng/kg when inhaled. A biomimetic
approach based on synthetic peptides is employed in combination plasmonic nanoparticles for colorimetric
detection of BoLcA down to a limit of detection of approximately 5 ng/mL (0.1 nM) at an overall assay
time of 4 hours. The sensitivity can be substantially improved to about 1 pM (~ 2 hours assay time) by
using a FRET-based assay. An affinity binding, immunosensing, appraoch is also discussed for detection

17. 9
of Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) produced by certain strains of strains of Staphylococcus aureus.
Direct and competitive assay formats were evaluated and a limit of detection of 5ng/mL (0.2 nM) was
obtained. This assay displayed excellent robustness (shelf life) even after storage of nanoparticle
conjugates at 4C for one year. We furthermore demonstrate detection of SEA spiked in milk samples.
Main messages:
 From industrial and environmental sensing to advanced biomedical diagnostics
 Functional protease assays:
• Matrix metalloproteinases: potential cancer biomarker
• Membrane proteases: potential target in bacterial assays
• Bacterial toxin (protease): potential food contaminant and bioterror weapon

18. 10
4. Platform 2: Production and processing
4.1 Microfluidic device based on opto-acoustics for particle concentration and detection
Asst Professor Yuanjin Zheng, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, NTU, Singapore
The project’s aim is to develop a fully integrated microfluidic device with sample input, sample
preparation and sensing in a single substrate, towards food related pathogen detection. Towards this, we
focussed on the development of individual sub-systems for the lab-on-chip device. We first developed a
reusable mixing platform using the acoustic streaming effect of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device
and did a complete analysis of the system regarding improving the mixing efficiency. Then we proposed
a novel optomechanical sensor combining surface acoustic wave and photoacoustics (SAW-PA sensor).
The initial prototype was developed and characterised against standard food dye solutions and plasmonic
nanoparticles. A complete numerical modelling (COMSOL) of the system was performed to investigate
the response mechanism of the sensor. Recently we have developed an integrated microfluidic system
capable of size-dependent separation, concentration, and quantitative detection of polystyrene
microparticles on a single piezoelectric (128◦ YX LiNbO3) substrate using surface acoustic wave (SAW)
and photoacoustic (PA) technique. The sensor presented a reliable (R2 = 0.98) detection of the 10-μm
particles down to 7 particles in 10 μL of the sample volume in 15 min. Furthermore, to cater the sensor
towards practical applications we are currently working on optimising the sensor to target detection at
low concentration (lower than 1nM) at reduced response times (a min) by incorporating novel IDT design
(coherent SAW) and nanostructure patterns on the piezoelectric substrate to enhance the sensitivity of the
sensor. Using the sensor, we currently target the detection of low concentration dye solutions and
nanoparticles and subsequently apply for the detection of pathogens.
Main messages:
Proposed novel applications of SAW in microfluidics
 SAW as an actuator: Performed experimental and theoretical work related to the SAW energy
transmission to the fluid in a microchannel
 SAW as a sensor: Proposed and demonstrated using experimental and numerical studies a novel
SAW-PA sensor
 Integrated microfluidic platform using SAW: Proposed and demonstrated a novel integrated
microfluidic platform encompassing separation, concentration and detection on a single
piezoelectric substrate
4.2 On-site multiplex screening for food contaminants
Dr Willem Haasnoot, Wageningen University, the Netherlands

19. 11
RIKILT is part of Wageningen University & Research and carries out independent research into the safety
and reliability of food. RIKILT is specialised in measuring substances and the examination of their
composition and effects on our body and proves food fraud and conducts forensic research. RIKILTs
knowledge of food production chains and processes enables to identify dangers (new and existing) and
trends quickly and effectively and also advises government agencies and companies and provides training.
In the Netherlands, companies that make food, are responsible for safe and reliable food. The Dutch
government must ensure that they comply with the rules. Regarding that, RIKILT plays an important role.
A large part of our work we carry out for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Netherlands Food and
Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA). On behalf of the Dutch government we carry out Statutory
Research tasks (WOT). These tasks are there to control law and regulations. Furthermore, we advise on
food emergencies and, if desired, perform analysis. In crisis we are available 24/7 but only for the Ministry
of Economic Affairs and the NVWA.
To reduce the amount of samples to be analysed by expensive official methods and for on-site testing
(bringing the lab to the sample), screening tests are developed and applied. Examples will be presented for
the detection of: fraudulent additions, allergens, mycotoxins, plant toxins, antibiotics and pesticides using
technologies such as: ELISAs, strip tests and multiplex biosensors.
Main messages:
 Bring the lab to the sample (efficiency)
 ELISAs and strip tests most commonly used
 Less suitable for multiplex
 MAGPIX is best suited for multiplex screening (50-plex)
 Other interesting multiplex formats under development
 Effect-based assays (e.g. receptors) become more popular
 Coupling screening to confirmation
• SPE for small molecules
• IAC for big molecules at low levels
4.3 Starchy food on becoming modern humans and consequences for contemporary diseases of
civilization
Assoc Professor Laura Longo, School of Art, Design and Media, NTU, Singapore
The technological and cultural changes that occurred since the behaviourally modern humans (BMHs)
colonized Eurasia – 60 to 40.000 years ago - are biologically supported by our gene pool and
technologically manifested by the appearance of grinding stones tools. The paper is presenting lines of

20. 12
evidence for the role played by starchy food in the successful colonization of Eurasia by modern humans,
and to track its consequences on contemporary society by analysing stone tools under microscopes.
The emergence of AMY gene cluster and its successive coupling (CNV) - encoding for salivary amylases,
the enzyme necessary to start carbohydrates breakdown - generated the conditions to digest starchy food
for modern humans. During the MIS4/MIS3 climatic downturn, modern humans exploited starchy plants
as complementary to fauna shortening. By using mechanical and thermal processing of tubers and roots -
rich in polysaccharides and bulky fibrous - to provide brain-selective nutrients, individuals carrying the
AMY 1 gene and capabilities to share the knowledge of processing and preparing starchy plant foods might
have positively selected, increasing demographic fitness of BMHs compare to archaic humans (Denisovans
and Neandertals). Agriculture then, brought in the exploitation of different starchy plants like cereals.
Today’s technologically processed foods represent how humans respond culturally to migrations and to
environmental adaptation. Resources trading and shipping nutritional resources are not anymore in balance
with the “old fashioned” biological return capacity and this mismatch may contribute to consequences
related to the so-called diseases of civilization (Diabetes, ACD, several cancers).
Main messages:
 The processing of food along our ancestry provides a microscopic window into our legacy.
 Cereals’ different digestibility profiles provide hints to investigate the origins of today’s complex
degenerative diseases.
 Starchy food complex processing had and still has an impact on social dynamics and on
demography of modern humans.
4.4 Understanding and alleviating membrane fouling in highly concentrated emulsion based
separations in food processing applications
Asst Professor Jia Wei Chew, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, NTU, Singapore
Microfiltration is an attractive means for treating oily wastewater, especially when the size of the oil
droplets are micrometer-sized since the conventional techniques become deficient. A systematic study on
the critical flux of oil-in-water emulsion, which behaves differently from other colloidal foulants with
regards to deformation, coalescence and splitting, has not been carried out to date. This was the goal of the
current study, which employed the Direct Observation Through the Membrane (DOTM) technique to
characterize the critical flux of oil-in-water emulsions. Five observations can be highlighted here. Firstly,
the oil droplets with a mean droplet diameter of approximately 5 μm exbited critical fluxes equal to or
greater than latex particles of 10 μm. This is likely due to the twin effects of membrane oleophobicity
promoting back-transport of the oil foulant from the membrane and the presence of a droplet size
distribution with larger drops that can enhance the shear-induced diffusion of the average drops. Secondly,
the critical flux values did not agree with the model that is valid for the size range the mean droplet diameter

21. 13
falls in, but instead agreed with the model adapted for smaller particulate foulants. Thirdly, the increase in
the critical flux with cross-flow velocity (CFV) was more significant for the lower oil concentration.
Fourthly, a striping phenomenon was observed at higher oil concentrations and lower CFV values. Striping
was not observed for latex particles. Fifthly, the critical flux decreased with salt concentration. These
findings highlight the unique fouling behavior of oil-in-water emulsions in microfiltration.
Main messages:
 Motivation: Membrane filtration is an efficient separation means, but membrane fouling is
inevitable
 Understanding membrane fouling: Oil Emulsions are unique particulate foulants
• Critical Flux
• Internal Pore Fouling
 Mitigating membrane fouling: Membrane fouling by oil emulsions has to be effectively controlled
• Flow-field mitigation of membrane fouling (FMMF)
• Inverse Fluidized Bed (IFB)
 Systematic understanding of membrane fouling by oil emulsions
 Novel means of energy-efficiently mitigating membrane fouling
4.5 Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids from food sources through winterization and
interesterification
Assoc Professor Tianhu Li, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, NTU, Singapore
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 omega-3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 omega-3) are the most
common omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). They have been proved to be nutritionally
important to the human body by reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, cognitive
decline and cancers, and by regulating inflammation, blood pressure and thickness, hormone production
and the activities of the immune and central nervous systems. Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids in cod
liver oil via alternate operation of solvent winterization and enzymatic interesterification was attempted.
Variables including separation method, solvent, oil concentration, time and temperature were optimized
for the winterization. Meanwhile, Novozyme 435, Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM were screened
for interesterification efficiency under different system air condition, time and temperature. In optimized
method, alternate winterization (0.1 g/mL oil/acetone, 24 h, -80 0C, precooled Büchner filtration) and
interesterification (Lipozyme TL IM, N2 flow, 2.5 h, 40 0C) successfully doubled the omega-3 fatty acid
content to 43.20 mol%. 1H NMR was used to determine omega-3 fatty acid content, and GC–MS to
characterize oil product, which mainly contained DHA (15.81 mol%) and EPA (20.23 mol%). The
proposed method offers considerable efficiency and reduce production cost drastically. Oil produced
thereof is with high quality and of particular importance for the development of omega-3 based active
pharmaceutical ingredients.

22. 14
Main messages:
 There are more than 10 types of omega-3 fatty acids while only three of them are nutritionally
important (ALA, EPA and DHA)
 Fish itself does not synthesize EPA and DHA while the EPA and DHA in fish are from the algae
that it consumes
 Enrichment of omega-3 fatty acids use the combination of interesterification and winterization
 Offers considerable efficiency and reduce production cost drastically
4.6 Capacitive deionization for water regeneration and biodecontamination
Professor Mary Chan-Park, School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, NTU, Singapore
We introduced a novel cationic hydrogel coating nanohybrid electrode for high-performance inverted
capacitive deionization disinfection (I-CDID). Cationic hydrogel coated electrode materials showed
uniformly coated without blocking the pores of the Ac electrode. Hydrogel coated AC demonstrated a
remarkable increase in electrochemical performance and decrease the concentration polarization of the
electrode. Our AMH-QP/AC electrode can achieve at least 99.99% killing (i.e., 3 log reduction) of
Escherichia coli in water flowing continuously through the inverted CDID cell. The introduced cationic
hydrogel coating electrode provided excellent surface wettability behavior compared to naked AC
electrode which lead to improve the cycling stability and regeneration performance. Herein, the inverted
CDID process consists of alternating cycles of water disinfection under 0 V followed by electrode
regeneration under applied 2V, each a few minutes duration, so that this water disinfection process can be
continuous and it only needs a small electrode voltage (2 V) for regeneration step. The proposed I-CDID
process provides an energy efficient method, in situ disinfection and ecofriendly technique for bacteria
removal from bio-contaminated water.
Main messages:
 Novel cationic hydrogel coating nanohybrid electrode
 No blocking the pores of the Ac electrode
 More than 99.99% killing (i.e., 3 log reduction) of Escherichia coli in water flowing continuously
 Excellent surface wettability behavior which improves the cycling stability and regeneration
performance
 Energy efficient, in situ disinfection and ecofriendly technique
4.7 Lipotoxic interaction between dietary lipids and polyphenols: relevancy to fatty liver disease
progression
Professor Oren Tirosh, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

23. 15
Green tea polyphenol extracts (GTE) are sold commercially as cholesterol-reducing agents and for weight
reduction however, they have also been reported to be hepatotoxic. Our results from both in vitro and in
vivo studies indicate that green tea polyphenols can potentiate liver injury after and during treatment with
high cholesterol diet to induce experimental NASH.
Eight week old male C57BL mice (n=32) were fed for 6 weeks with one of the following diets: Control
diet (Con); Con +1% w/w polyphenols from green tea extract (Con+GTE); High cholesterol diet, Con+ 1%
cholesterol+ 0.5% cholate w/w (HCD); HCD + 1 % polyphenols w/w (HCD+GTE). Hepatic steatosis,
oxidative and inflammatory markers and bile acid synthesis pathways were measured.
GTE enhanced hepatic steatosis but only in animals exposed to the high cholesterol diet. In HCD treated
animals GTE elevated blood levels of liver enzymes SGOT, SGPT, and bile acids. Inflammatory and
oxidative markers in the liver were also significantly increased including liver mRNA expression of TNF-
alpha, IL-6, SAA1, SAA2, iNOS and levels of 4-hydroxynonenal protein adducts. The mechanism of
action for GTE/cholesterol hepatotoxicity was found to be related to alteration in bile acids synthesis
pathways. This study shows that liver injury in the presence of lipids could be the reason for weight loss
by high dose of polyphenols.
Main messages:
 Prolonged dietary supplementation of polyphenol-rich green tea extracts in mice subjected to a
HCD and/or hypercholesterolemia, dramatically increased hepatic oxidative stress, inflammation
and liver injury.
 Green tea extract can induce changes in pathways of bile acid synthesis and cholesterol clearance.
4.8 Comparative genomic analysis of local Salmonella isolates
Asst Professor Liang Yang, School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore
Foodborne illnesses are increasingly recognized as an important public health issue in both developed and
developing countries due to the changes in global food production, processing, distribution and preparation.
The Ministry of Health, Singapore estimates that about 100,000 people seek medical care due to acute
diarrheal illnesses annually and up to 90% of these illnesses are caused by pathogenic foodborne microbial
agents such as Salmonella in Singapore. Non-typhoidal salmonellosis is one of the most common bacterial
foodborne diseases in Singapore (incidence rate at 32.1 cases per 100,000) however the transmission pattern
of Salmonella in Singapore remains unclear. Understanding these patterns, including attribution to food
sources, will greatly facilitate the control of Salmonella contamination in food and reduce the disease
burden of salmonellosis. In this study, we assessed the genome contents of 64 Salmonella strains isolated
from various sources (food-45, human-7, unknown-12) in Singapore using WGS. rMLST analysis
identified the presence of following Salmonella enterica Serovars: Saintpaul (19), Brancaster (8),

24. 16
Typhimurium (7), Albany (5), Enteritidis (5), Stanley (5), Gaminara (3), Michigan (3), Newport (3), Agona
(2), Bovismorbificans (1), Heidelberg (1), Mbandaka (1) and Weltevreden (1). Additionally, we determined
the complete genome sequences 5 most abundant serovars using the Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) system.
Our analysis show that many isolates have aquired various antibiotic resisance genes such as: alpha(4)-la,
aadA1, aac(3)-IVa; blaTEM-1B; QnrS1; mph(A); floR. PacBio analysis also revealed a novel mosaic
plasmid pSGB23 from S.enterica serovar Saintpaul. Furthermore, we tested the capacity of an in-house
designed microarray based on the NanoString's nCounter technology for detecting varies Salmonella
enterica Serovars.
Main messages:
 Understanding the transmission pattern can greatly facilitate the control of Salmonella
contamination in food and reduce the disease burden of salmonellosis.
 Genome contents of 64 Salmonella strains isolated from various sources were assessed.
 Complete genome sequences 5 most abundant serovars were determined.

25. 17
5. Platform 3: Sustainability
5.1 Better but is it good enough? Absolute sustainability requirements and how they challenge the
food sector
Professor Michael Zwicky Hauschild, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
In a world with a rapidly growing population, increasing standards of living and pressing needs to reduce
human impacts on environment and climate UN’s member states have agreed on a global sustainable
development agenda towards 2030. A sustainable development calls for vast improvements in the eco-
efficiency of our food production systems (more people fed with considerably less environmental impact),
and Life cycle assessment (LCA) is introduced as a tool to measure eco-efficiency and help gauge the
environmental dimension of sustainability. The presentation goes on to question the relative sustainability
perspective inherent in eco-efficiency and argues that an absolute perspective is needed to ensure that
future food production will occur within the planetary boundaries that define a safe operating space for our
civilization. The challenge that this poses to the food sector is analysed and examples of novel food
production technologies are presented, and their potential role in a future sustainable food production is
discussed based on environmental sustainability analyses.
Main messages:
 Feeding growing population and growing middle class with dramatically less impact
 Eco-efficiency must increase 4-20 times to stay within the planet’s limits
 Vegetables, reduced food waste, less processed food
 Quantitative sustainability assessment methods help us
• Assess whether novel food production techniques are more sustainable
• Identify hotspots in the life cycle
• Choose between alternatives
• Handle tradeoffs between impact categories
5.2 Sustainability assessment in food production system
Dr Chengcheng Hu, NAFTEC, NTU, Singapore
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains two key concepts: the concept of 'needs',
in particular the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and the
idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability
to meet present and future needs. Thus the goals of economic and social development must be defined in
terms of sustainability in all countries - developed or developing, market-oriented or centrally planned.

26. 18
Interpretations will vary, but must share certain general features and must flow from a consensus on the
basic concept of sustainable development and on a broad strategic framework for achieving it.
Aquaculture refers to the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animals and plants in water environments. It
serves many purposes, such as producing seafood for human consumption; enhancing wild fish, shellfish,
and plant stocks for harvest and producing nutritional and industrial compounds, etc. Seafood production
is paramount among these purposes. Increasing global population coupled with increased per capita seafood
consumption result in constant, growing demand for seafood. The food fish supply increases at an average
annual rate of 3.2 percent, outpacing world population growth at 1.6 percent. Being a small nation with
limited land resource and large seafood consumption, Singapore needs to emphasize the assessment of the
safety and sustainability of our aquaculture production.
Main messages:
 Aquaculture farming is moving from sea to land
 Aquaculture in Singapore and the region represents an increasingly important food production
system
 Agriculture sustainability assessment can be used in combination with risk assessment

27. 19
6. Platform 4: Nutrition and health
6.1 Carcinogenic dietary proteins in instant food products discovered by top-down proteomics
Assoc Professor Siu Kwan Sze, Newman, School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore
Nutraceuticals have been proposed to exert positive effects on human health and confer protection against
many chronic diseases. A major bioactive component of soy-based foods is lunasin peptide, which has
potential to exert a major impact on the health of human consumers worldwide, but the biochemical
features of dietary lunasin still remain poorly characterized. In this study, lunasin was purified from a soy-
based food product via strong anion exchange solid phase extraction and then subjected to top-down mass
spectrometry analysis that revealed in detail the molecular diversity of lunasin in processed soybean foods.
We detected multiple glycated proteoforms together with potentially toxic advanced glycation end
products (AGEs) derived from lunasin. In both cases, modification sites were Lys24 and Lys29 located at
the helical region that shows structural homology with a conserved region of chromatin-binding proteins.
The identified post-translational modifications may have an important repercussion on lunasin epigenetic
regulatory capacity. Taking together, our results demonstrate the importance of proper chemical
characterization of commercial processed food products to assess their impact on consumer’s health and
risk of chronic diseases.
Main messages:
 Diet is the main environmental factor influencing our health
 Consumption trends are directly affecting the prevalence of chronic diseases
 Toxic products generated in food processing
 Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) changes protein structure and function
 Lunasin is a 43-44 amino acid peptide presence in soybean and many cereals
 Top-down LC-MS/MS characterization of post-translationally modified lunasin
 The use of the top-down proteomic platform allows further in the characterization of AGEs derived
from lunasin providing modification site information as well as CEL/ CML identification.
6.2 The effect of usage of antibiotics for raising livestock on resistance in human health care
Professor Benno H. ter Kuile, Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, the
Netherlands
The use of antimicrobials for raising livestock causes development and selection of antimicrobial resistance
(AMR). The AMR originally selected for by veterinary usage of antibiotics contributes to resistance
problems in human health care. Therefore, it is crucial to design dosing protocols for veterinary
applications of antimicrobials that achieve the therapeutic goals with minimal development or selection of

28. 20
AMR. Laboratory experiments show that exposure to non-lethal concentrations of antimicrobials initially
causes rapid adaptation through changes in gene expression levels that increase the MIC between 4 and 16
fold. These are followed after some time by mutations that cause a further increase that is also more
permanent. In parallel plasmids coding for AMR genes are also selected for and increase in abundance. In
this case as well, the for susceptible strains non-lethal concentrations of antibiotics cause most plasmid
transfer. So both for de novo and for plasmid mediated AMR exposure to levels that some of the target
microbes survive is a prominent risk factor for development and spread of AMR. Hence, the present
understanding of AMR development and spreading suggest that the best treatment protocols from an AMR
point of view are those that combine the highest safe doze with a short treatment time. In addition
combination therapy or alternating therapy may further optimize the outcome. These strategies will have
to be explored further before they can be adopted for general veterinary practice.
Main messages:
 The greatest risk for both de novo development and for transfer of resistance is due to exposure to
low concentrations of antibiotics
 Short treatment at high doses is better than longer therapy at low doses
6.3 The prebiotic properties of Australian honeys: a possible dietary intervention for healthy ageing
Professor Patricia Conway, NAFTEC, NTU, Singapore
The gut microbiota contributes to health and well-being. It has been shown that certain undesirable profiles
of the microbiota are associated with auto-immune diseases as well as metabolic and neurological disorders,
and play a significant role in ensuring healthy ageing. Consequently, manipulation of the gut microbiota
could assist in reducing risk or severity of an enormous range of conditions, including obesity and
inflammation associated conditions. Dietary intervention to regulate the microbiota is a very promising
approach and there are many studies showing that dosage of live bacterial preparations, probiotics, can be
of benefit. Another approach is to use complex carbohydrates, prebiotics, to selectively promote the growth
of the beneficial bacteria in the intestine. Since honey can contain complex carbohydrates, we have
investigated the prebiotic properties of some Australian eucalyptus honeys.
Studies have focused on the potential of the honeys to preferentially promote the growth of beneficial
bacteria, as opposed to the antimicrobial activity of manuka honeys which have been shown to have no
impact on the gut microbiota. A diverse range of Eucalyptus honeys were tested using pure cultures and
also an ex-vivo intestinal microcosm system which simulates the intestinal conditions. Both whole honey
and honey that was pre-treated to simulate digestion in the body were tested for their capacity to promote
the growth of the beneficial bacteria. Some honeys were shown to have favourable effects on the
microbiota and this correlated with oligosaccharide content of the honey. Selected honeys have been
trialled in a clinical study with promising results. It was proposed that certain Australian eucalyptus honeys

29. 21
can boost digestive health by enhancing the potentially beneficial bacteria, and therefore hold potential for
assisting healthy ageing.
Main messages:
 Change in major bacteria groups in the elderly can induce an inflammatory response
 Transition in microbiota composition across residence location is mirrored by changes in health
indices
 Prebiotics are digestion resistant saccharides
 Honeys can preferentially promote the growth of beneficial bacteria
 Certain Australian eucalyptus honeys can boost digestive health and hold potential for assisting
healthy ageing
6.4 Immunmodulation by Lactobacillus fermentum and potential for reducing adverse outcomes in
pregnancy
Dr Meera Esvaran, University of New South Wales, Australia
Pregnancy is a time of dramatic immunological changes. Different immune responses are elicited at
different stages of pregnancy to ensure a healthy outcome. It is generally accepted that a Th2-type immune
milieu prevails in the second trimester while inflammation is present in the early and late stages of
pregnancy. This wave of immune responses is believed to be crucial for implantation success as well as
fetal growth and development. Elevated pro-inflammatory cytokine responses throughout pregnancy have
been implicated in miscarriage, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes and pre-term birth. It is therefore of
interest to investigate whether dietary intervention could reduce the risk of development of some of these
outcomes.
Low-grade inflammation in the gut is well recognized as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism in
pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Human studies of probiotic
supplementation in pregnancy have shown reduced incidence of GDM and risk of preeclampsia. Gut
inflammation is usually caused by lipopolysaccharide from intestinal bacteria. Probiotic strain
Lactobacillus fermentum can attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation. Oral administration of L.
fermentum can also elicit systemic immune responses. In addition, L. fermentum can redirect a Th2 response
polarized by cholera toxin (CT) to a Th1 response, and maintain a mixed Th1/Th2 response upon
subsequent boosting with CT. Therefore, selected probiotic strains that can redirect immune responses may
be valuable dietary adjuncts in pregnancy.
Main messages:
 L. fermentum PC1

30. 22
• enhance humoral and cell-mediated immune responses
• dosage important for Th1/Th2 bias of response
• attenuate gut and systemic inflammation
 Adverse outcomes in pregnancy caused by aberrant immune responses and changed microbiota
 Pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes have gut and systemic inflammation & changed gut
microbiota
 L. fermentum PC1 has therapeutic value in preventing some of the adverse outcomes in pregnancy
6.5 You are what you eat: dietary nutrients as signaling molecules
Professor Sander Kersten, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
Dietary fat represents the most energy dense nutrient, providing 9 Kcal per gram. On average, about 30-
40% of our daily energy intake is derived from dietary fat. Excess intake of fat and energy is stored in the
adipose tissue as body fat, creating a buffer against periods of low energy intake. Nowadays, many people
carry too much body fat, giving rise to a global epidemic of obesity.
While the importance of fatty acids as an energy source has been known for a long time, more recently it
has become evident that fatty acids also serve as crucial signaling molecules and—through this property—
regulate numerous biological processes.
Probably the most important signaling property of fatty acids is their ability to regulate the expression of
genes by activating DNA transcription. Fatty acids regulate DNA transcription by serving as agonists of a
group of nuclear receptors named the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs). By activating
PPARs, fatty acids regulate numerous processes, including fatty acid uptake, fatty acid oxidation, and fatty
acid storage, thus determining their own metabolic fate.
Importantly, the ability to regulate cellular signaling pathways is not limited to lipids but also applies to
carbohydrates and amino acids. Indeed, both monosaccharides and amino acids are able to activate specific
cellular sensors, and thereby govern their own metabolic fate.
Overall, insight into the signaling properties of fatty acids and other nutrients provides a molecular
framework for improving our understanding on the relation between nutrition and health.
Main messages:
 Fatty acids can be energy source and serve as crucial signalling molecules
 Fatty acids regulate DNA transcription and numerous biological processes
 Investigation of fatty acids signaling properties can improve understanding on the relation of
nutrition and health

31. 23
6.6 Functional links between POPX2 phosphatase and cancer metabolism
Assoc Professor Cheng Gee Koh, School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore
Nutrient availability exerts great impact on cancer cell proliferation. This is not limited to the availability
of glucose. Certain amino acids have become essential for the growth of some cancer cell types. One prime
example is glutamine. Absence of glutamine can limit the survival of certain cancer cell lines. It is thought
that glutamine regulates the activity of mTORC1, which is also known as the master regulator of protein
translation and cell growth. In our preliminary study, we found that invasive breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-
231, with POPX2 phosphatase-knockdown become less sensitive to reduction of amino acids in the growth
media. In order to understand possible roles of POPX2 in the regulation of cancer cell metabolism, we
utilize proteomics and secretomics approaches for our investigation. Understanding the underlying controls
on metabolism could lead to possible therapeutic intervention of cancer progression through diet control.
Main messages:
 Knocking down POPX2 in breast cancer cells (MB-MDA-231) resulted in reduced migration
 POPX2 overexpression leads to increased migration and exosome release
 Silencing POPX2 affects lung colonization in early experimental metastasis
 POPX2 knockdown cells are less sensitive to amino acid restriction
 POPX2 knockdown induces morbidity in experimental metastasis and more surface nodules in
experimental lung metastasis
 Conditioned media from POPX2 knockdown cells contribute towards angiogenesis

32. 24
7. Discussion and outcome
In the discussion section for Day 1, presenters and participants exchanged their opinions about the real life
challenges in food safety monitoring. They also discussed about food sustainability and its connection and
combination with risk assessment. One presenter gave an example of synthetic meat to better illustrate this
discussion. Some participants also raised interest about the advanced food processing technology discussed
and the feasibility of the application of these technologies to industry. There was an interesting and
enthusiastic debate about how to deal with the gap between researchers, industry and policy makers relative
to new technologies/new methodologies. The aspects including confidentiality, data sharing and
transparency were discussed. Through the experience shared by several participants, it came to a conclusion
that everyone should work with an open mind. The industries have responsibility to the society that they
cannot merely focus on benefit and keep things to themselves, but also the timely communication with
researchers and better feedback to the public. The government shall improve the transparency of research
data and results to the public, who has the right to understand and comprehend what is happening in their
everyday life.
In the discussion for Day 2, there was questions about the value of sustainability assessment which brought
a lively discussion about the assessment of urban farming/food production in land-limited areas like
Singapore. The participants from an industry background were more concerned about the requirements of
sustainability assessment before a product/process is generated. Experts in this area illustrated the current
situation of sustainability assessment versus benefit and also research interest versus. industry interest. The
comparison of ’natural’ food and processed food and science-based guidance to the public about these
issues as well as the issue of optimized food selection was also debated. There was also debate about
antibiotics and the alternatives of antibiotics which may bring risk in.
The discussion section included active participation of most of the presenters and many participants.
Experience, ideas and perspectives were exchanged openly and led to deeper and more innovative questions
apart from those mentioned above. It is hoped that such debate will contribute to providing a broader
scientific basis for a safer and more sustainable food production in the region and the world.