Fibre-Protein Combinations and Their Effects on Satiety

Tofu and soya beans

Leatherhead Food Research (Leatherhead) is launching an exciting new collaborative research project which will look at the effects of different combinations of different types of proteins and fibres and their use as satiating ingredients when incorporated into a prepared baked snack-food.

Background

The Nutrition Research team at Leatherhead Food Research is launching a new collaborative initiative which will offer companies the opportunity to look at the effects of specific combinations of proteins and fibres on various measures of satiety.

Treatment of obesity and obesity-related complications has become a major burden on the National Health Service and the World Health Organisation currently describes it as the greatest threat to human health. As such, it is now more important than ever before for scientists to gain a greater understanding of the satiety-inducing effects of certain ingredients.

Protein is widely accepted to be the most satiating macronutrient, and previous research, completed in November 2007 here at Leatherhead Food Research, showed that certain proteins elicited a greater satiety response than others, highlighting that some proteins have greater efficacy with regards to their satiety inducing properties.

In addition, there is emerging evidence that dietary supplementation with fibre, in particular viscous fibre, can decrease feelings of hunger by increasing satiation and satiety and decreasing energy intake at subsequent meals.

Many products now utilise a combination of specific proteins and fibres and with an increasing number of foods formulated to reduce appetite reaching the market it is important for product developers and food manufacturers to gain some insight as to which combinations of these active ingredients have the greatest degree of efficacy when it comes to helping the consumer feel fuller for longer.

Aims

The objectives of this project are to perform a comparative study looking at the effects of different combinations of different types of proteins and fibres and their use as satiating ingredients when incorporated into a prepared baked snack-food. The satiating effects of the selected ingredients in healthy human subjects upon consumption will be measured using both subjective measures of appetites and using an assessment of ad libitum energy intake at subsequent mealtimes.

Results permitting, future work could address:
i) a detailed assessment of their effects on changes in a wide range of physiological measures of hunger and satiety during the postprandial period thus providing some greater insight as to the mechanisms behind their satiating properties (effects on gastric emptying and gut hormone secretion); and
ii) the effects of those combinations having the greatest efficacy on the above outcome measures on weight loss in overweight people in longer-term, large-scale intervention studies.

Experimental Approach

Participants can submit any one of the ingredients to be investigated (whey, soya or pea protein and inulin, oligofructose, beta-glucan or guar) for analysis of their individual effects, and combinations thereof on satiety.

A model system using a baked snack (cereal bar) containing the added protein and/or fibre combinations based on the preferences of the participating companies will be used. Following selection and mutual agreement of two different types of protein (A and B) and two different types of fibre (X and Y), satiety testing to determine the effects of the chosen ingredients on acute changes in satiety will then take place.

Benefits to Participants

Study collaborators will develop a greater understanding of the mechanisms through which a range of dietary proteins and fibres affect appetite and satiety using normal healthy subjects. The scientific data produced will assist in the development of “anti-obesity” foods and also facilitate the promotion of these ingredients for usage in food and drink products.

Participating in this collaborative study will provide access to research, which will not only provide further scientific understanding but also offer data that can be utilised immediately, in the development of products aimed to increase satiety.

This research will be of value to producers of protein and fibre ingredients, and to food companies with an interest in developing foods designed to control appetite.