Food firms get aid for brain claims

03-Oct-2013 - Last updated on 19-Aug-2020 at 08:35 GMT

Related tags Mind

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Leatherhead Food Research (LFR) is working on a project to support food and drink processors seeking to make cognitive performance claims for their products.

Some studies have suggested that certain ingredients, such as omega-3 fish oil and caffeine, improve brain function. But manufacturers have to negotiate the stringent standards for evidence set by the European Food Safety Authority in order to substantiate such claims.

However, LFR’s new knowledge transfer partnership project with Sussex University would determine and document which tests would be scientifically appropriate for which claims, LFR nutrition research manager Dr Roberta Re told FoodManufacture.co.uk.

LFR aims to complete the endeavour, which will consolidate and catalogue the battery of tests currently developed for cognitive performance, at the end of 2014.

“We will be knocking on the door of all the experts trying to get to the bottom of this story,” said Re.

Speaking at LFR’s Feeding The Mind symposium, Re explains in this exclusive podcast that it was also looking into developing a smartphone app to support its findings.