Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences

Journal of Nutrition & Food Sciences
Open Access

ISSN: 2155-9600

+32 25889658

Finding NEMO: The search for novel emerging modulators in the ocean


17th International Conference on Food & Nutrition

May 22-24, 2017 Las Vegas, USA

Kim M Connick, Christine E Loscher, Richard J Fitzgerald, Padraigin Harnedy and Aurelien Le Gouic

Dublin City University, Ireland
University of Limerick, Ireland

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nutr Food Sci

Abstract :

Irish waters are teeming with marine life and have been used as a rich source of food for thousands of years. Food has evolved over this time to become something more than just a survival requirement. We now recognize food�s importance in not only survival but also in our overall health and wellbeing. Functional food is a market which has experienced massive growth in recent years due to an ever expanding health conscious population. This has created a demand both nationally and internationally for new novel functional foods or food ingredients. And once again we are looking to Irish waters as a source of these to meet this demand. The seaweed dulse, commonly found on the west and north coasts of Ireland and the north Atlantic fish, boarfish and blue whiting have been identified as potential sources of functional ingredients or NEMOs. Protein hydrolysates generated from these sources are being screened to assess their ability to modulate the immune response, particularly that of three key consumers; infants with food allergies, elderly people suffering from inflammation and immunosuppressed high performance athletes. Our aim was to identify protein hydrolysates from these marine sources which can be easily added to the diets of these sufferers to prime their immune systems back to a more so called normal state. This is being achieved through a multi analysis ex vivo and in vivo based approach. Hydrolysates are screened on both dendritic cells and T cells, ensuring both the innate and adaptive immune systems are represented before potential candidates are brought into in vivo murine models. Through this method protein hydrolysates are being identified which can be developed as functional ingredients with proven benefits.

Biography :

Kim M Connick is a PhD Scholar, currently working under Professor Christine Loscher in the Immunomodulation Research Group, School of Biotechnology, Dublin City University, Ireland. Her PhD project is funded by the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and is in collaboration with Professor Dick Fitzgerald and the Protein Group in the University of Limerick.

Email: kim.connick2@mail.dcu.ie

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