Danisco a fan of fish oil
research into incorporating heart healthy fish oil into food
products.
A Danish scientist has received an award for her research into incorporating heart healthy fish oil into food products.
Charlotte Jacobsen, senior scientist at the Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, received DK250,000 (€33,600) from leading ingredients company Danisco for her knowledge on rancidification processes in fish oil. The Danisco Award is given in recognition of improvements to industrially produced food.
Fish oil is gaining major attention for its omega-3 fatty acids, thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and also help joint health. Increasing people's fish oil consumption by adding it to food would bring major health benefits but so far this has constituted a problem because food quickly becomes rancid when fish oil is added. Charlotte Jacobsen is now close to solving this problem, according to Danisco.
"Healthy food has no effect until it's eaten. Nutritionally balanced and healthy food that's also tasty and appetising can become an important factor in improving the general health of the population. This was a major argument when we decided who should receive the Danisco Award this year," said Danisco CEO Alf Duch-Pedersen at the award ceremony yesterday.
"The Danisco Award is a major recognition and it will hopefully help highlight the use of fish oil in food so we can get even further," said Charlotte Jacobsen. She added that she is hoping that her research will see actual food products on the supermarket shelves within five to six years.
