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Functional Foods, Bioactives and Human Health

Co-Chairs: Howard Sesso, Associate Epidemiologist, Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Brigham and Women's Hospital; Montaña Cámara, Professor of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid.

The goal of the study group on Functional Foods, Bioactives and Human Health is to foster original and innovative research on new food and food ingredients developments with special incidence in those focuses on human health promotion. Our holistic sight of foods comprises the study of food composition (nutrients and bioactive compounds) and the evaluation of its health properties; the new developments (as biotechnology and others); and the social aspects of foods (including regulation, food habits and consumer studies).

Its main fields of application are:

  • The understanding of the international framework of novel food and functional food regulation.
  • The identification and quantification of nutrients and bioactive compounds present in food, food ingredients and food supplements with special incidence in human health.
  • The study of dietary factors such as nutrients and bioactive compounds (vitamins, minerals, carotenoids, polyphenols among others) on the prevention of non- communicable diseases (CVD, hypertension and obesity) as well as the enhancement of immune system.
  • To evaluate consumer acceptance of these new food products including neophobic and sensory studies.
  • To perform research and training activities concerning food safety and human nutrition problems.

 

Upcoming events: 

  • ICPH. 11th International Conference on Polyphenols and Health. Date: October 16-19th, 2024. Location: Boston, MA.

 

Past events: 

 

Fellows:

​​​​​​Selected publications:

  •  Design and baseline characteristics of participants in the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS). Contemporary Clinical Trials, Volume 116, 2022, 106728.
  • Effect of cocoa flavanol supplementation for the prevention of cardiovascular disease events: the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2022;, nqac055.
  • Wild sweet cherry, strawberry and bilberry as underestimated sources of natural colorants and bioactive compounds with functional properties. Food Chemistry, Volume 414, 2023, 135669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.135669.
  • Extracts rich in nutrients as Novel Food Ingredients to be used in Food Supplements: a proposal classification. Nutrients, 2022 Aug 4;14(15):3194. doi: 10.3390/nu14153194.
  • Scientific Evidence of the Beneficial Effects of Tomato Products on Cardiovascular Disease and Platelet Aggregation. Front. Nutr. 9:849841.https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.8498
  • A review of the role of micronutrients and bioactive compounds on immune system improvement to fight against the COVID-19 disease. Foods 2021, 10, 1088.
  • Food-Based Dietary Guidelines around the World: A Comparative Analysis to Update AESAN Scientific Committee Dietary Recommendations. Nutrients, 13(9), 3131.
  • An international regulatory review of food health-related claims in functional food products labeling. Journal of Functional Foods, 68, 103896.