This document contains information about 4 projects funded by the Diet and Health Research Industry Club (DRINC). The first project showed that supplements fed to cows could decrease saturated fatty acids and increase unsaturated fatty acids in milk, providing evidence for potentially healthier dairy products. The second project found that polyphenols from certain foods reduced inflammatory cytokines in cells, and planned dietary studies involving older adults. The third project developed a toolbox to study portion size decisions and found dieters and non-dieters respond differently to foods. The final section provides an overview of DRINC's second phase of funding additional projects aligned with designing healthy foods, processing and nutrition, and food choice.

2. 2
Reducing saturated fatty acids in the food
chain through alteration of milk fat
composition
• In the UK, milk and dairy products are the single biggest contributor
food group to saturated fatty acid (SFA) consumption.
• Can we replace some of the SFA in milk fat to give ‘healthier’ dairy
products in a commercially sustainable way?
• This project showed that oilseed-based supplements, when fed to
cows at commercially practical inclusion levels, decreased total SFA
and increased unsaturated fatty acid concentrations in milk fat.
• Inclusion of a novel calcium salt of fatty acids in the diet of 4 dairy
cows decreased milk fat SFA concentration.
J. L. Lovegrove, A. S. Grandison, and D. I. Givens
Impact
• The DRINC project has provided evidence which led to an MRC
grant to look at the effects of reduced SFA dairy products on
human vascular health.
C. K. Reynolds, K. E. Kliem, D. J. Humphries,
© Thinkstock

3. 3
Dietary polyphenols as modulators of
redox signalling pathways to reduce
chronic inflammation in the elderly
• Pro-inflammatory cytokines are thought to be elevated in the
blood plasma of older people, giving rise to chronic
inflammation.
• This project used in vitro studies to show that, in some cells,
polyphenols from red grapes, apples and onions, and turmeric
effectively reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine release.
• Dietary intervention studies are now planned to study the
effects of polyphenol supplements on cytokine levels in the
blood of older people. The trial will include products from
industry collaborator CocoMojo.
Impact
• The DRINC funded project has led to a CASE Studentship with
Unilever, a collaboration with the Department of Haematology
at the University of Liverpool, and a collaboration with the
School of Chemistry at the University of Glasgow.
Malcolm Jackson, Chris Ford and Melanie Sinclair
© Thinkstock

4. 4
Understanding decisions about portion
size: The key to acceptable foods that
reduce energy intake?
Jeff Brunstrom, Vanessa Herbert and Rose Oldham-Cooper
• Aimed to show how an understanding of portion-size decisions can
help us to identify palatable foods that promote lower energy intake.
• During the project a 'Consumer Expectations Toolbox’ was developed,
comprising a range of software that can be used to quantify various
expectations, including maximum and ideal portion sizes.
• Using the toolbox the researchers found that dieters and non-dieters
responded to high and low energy-dense foods in different ways.
Impact
• The 'Consumer Expectations Toolbox’ developed during the
DRINC project is being used in further research projects,
including other DRINC projects, as well as by several food
manufacturers.
• The findings of the DRINC project led to a LINK grant which aims
to investigate relationships between eating patterns and satiety in
collaboration with Nestlé
© Tim Gander

5. Diet and Health Research
Industry Club (DRINC) – Phase 2
A second phase of the Club began in 2012 (DRINC2). The Research
Councils and Industry will continue to work together to fund a further
£10M of projects.
DRINC2 will accept outline applications in Spring 2013, 2014, 2015.
Within the overarching theme of “improving our understanding of
the relationship between diet and health”, DRINC will fund projects
aligned with three research challenges:
• Designing Foods to maintain and improve health
• Understanding the relationship between processing and nutrition
• Understanding food choice to improve health through diet

6. DRINC has now begun its second phase with a further
£10M. The Research Councils and Industry will continue
to work together to fund new research from 2013 - 2015.
• DRINC will accept outline applications in Spring 2014
• £3M to be allocated through a two stage process
• Funding from BBSRC and potentially ESRC, EPSRC and MRC
• Proposals must be multidisciplinary, pre-competitive and industrially relevant
Visit the ‘Apply for Funding’ page at: www.bbsrc.ac.uk/drinc
Contact: Jennifer.Postles@bbsrc.ac.uk, 01793 413366
Improving our understanding of diet and health
Designing foods to
maintain &
improve health
Understanding the
relationship between
processing & nutrition
Understanding food
choice to improve health
through diet
Diet and Health Research Industry Club