Biosearch : METASIN project ends with product launches for metabolic syndrome

The METASIN project: 'Research, development and innovation in new multifunctional foods for metabolic syndrome', was closed in Granada last June. The project, created in the Food and Health work group of the Food for Life Spain Platform (PTF4LS), was approved in the 2015 call of the CIEN strategic programme managed by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI). Its main objective was to research and develop active ingredients, foods and multifunctional food supplements capable of influencing the pathologies and risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome, in order to comprehensively improve the quality of life of this sector of the population.

8 companies in the biotechnology and agri-food sector decided to join forces to address the problem from the nutritional point of view, developing food solutions which, included into the usual diet, would provide functionalities that could help reduce risk and improve pathologies related to metabolic syndrome. The METASIN project consortium was formed by: BIOSEARCH, S.A., ACEITES DEL SUR-COOSUR, S.A., ALGAENERGY, S.A., CREACIONES AROMÁTICAS INDUSTRIALES, S.A. (CARINSA), FEIRACO LÁCTEOS, S.L., GO FRUSELVA, S.L., MAHOU, S.A., and VIDA (VÉRTICE DE INNOVACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE ALIMENTOS, S.A.), a company belonging to Galletas Gullón, S.A.

The balance of the project has been very positive. New products have already been launched with beneficial effects such as a light sauce with fibre and quinoa, oat, rice and microalgae pancakes, juices with healthy ingredients such as microalgae, omega-3 and antioxidants, butter with a healthier fat profile, thanks to special feeding of cows, omega 3 oil from algae, extract rich in D-chiroinositol that improves the pregnancy rate in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, related to insulin resistance. Furthermore, prototypes of foods such as bread, muffins, juices and fruit drinks enriched with active compounds, yogurts, soy sauces and mortadella, chewing gum and food supplements with different functional ingredients have been developed. With regards to the microbiota, new probiotic strains have been studied which, in animal models, have been shown to have very positive effects on obesity and glucose metabolism.