Food producers look to those with diabetes
The number of food companies producing items for those with diabetes and other specialist dietary requirements is increasing, but experts in the disease are urging more research into the impact of certain ingredients on the condition, as well as other health problems.
Halo Foods, working with academics at the University of Hull and the Hull York Medical School, has created a new food product which aims to test what effect a new and as yet unnamed ingredient has on consumers with diabetes, as well as other conditions that can be affected by diet such as heart disease and weight problems.
If the results of a current trial are positive, then Halo Foods could end up benefiting from its involvement with the academic study, something which Hilary Hamer, one of the project’s leaders, was quick to point out.
Hamer was surprised that few food manufacturers are showing an interest in developing new ingredients that could help existing medical conditions, when so many people in the country suffer with problems such as obesity and diabetes. The product itself has been designed specially to be easy to eat on the move and consumers would need to have two of the fruit bars a day if they want to get the full health benefits of the mystery ingredient.
The decision taken by Halo Foods to join forces with the University of Hull could end up being very lucrative for the food company if the trials are successful and the newly-developed product actually goes on sale.
The research is part of a larger scheme called the Humber Obesity, Nutrition, Education and Innovation (HONEI) Project which is looking into diet and health across the region. This particular study is rather novel in that the item being used is a marketable food item containing the ingredient under investigation, rather than the usual format in academic studies which involves test groups being administered a new product in tablet form.
