FUNCTIONAL FOOD DEVELOPMENT BY MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Identify food-grade lactic fermentation and probiotic microorganisms that produce unique bioactive peptides and proteins with potential applications as functional food ingredients. 1a. Identify natural antimicrobial products of food grade microbes to protect foods against spoilage and hazardous microorganisms. 1b. Identify antimicrobial products of food grade bacteria useful in functional food applications to reduce the risk of dental caries (caused by streptococci) and bacterial skin infections (caused by propionibacteria). 1c. Identify and develop food-grade microbes for the production of bioactive components of natural proteins of animal and plant origin to reduce the risk of chronic health problems (obesity/cancer) and to enhance immune responses to infections. 1d. Modify and adapt available gene technologies and production parameters to maximize output of bioactive peptides and proteins. Develop microbial technologies to produce or co-produce unique bioactive peptides and proteins to improve food functionality and for use in functional foods. 2a. Develop microbial technologies for the production and co-production of compatible bioprotective (pathogen control), antitumor (cancer cell control) and health promoting (oral hygiene, stomach ulcers, skin infections) gene products in food fermentation and probiotic microbes. 2b. Develop microbial technologies for the transfer of capacity for functional food ingredient production to other bacteria used as essential starter cultures by dairy food industries. 2c. Develop, modify and adapt strategies to assure culture survival and retain efficacy of bioactive ingredients in functional foods and non-food products (oral hygiene, and skin health). Develop plant cell wall oligosaccharide-based prebiotics from agricultural processing residues rich in pectins and hemicelluloses and test the hypothesis that prebiotics can selectively promote the growth of gut bacteria associated with lean tissue growth to potentially control obesity. 3a. Conduct in vivo analysis of candidate prebiotics. 3b. Discover new pectic and hemicellulosic prebiotics. 3c. Determine if prebiotics can alter the colonic microflora to potentially control obesity. Screen plant cell wall oligosaccharides for biological activity (anti-adhesion of pathogenic bacteria, immunomodulation, induction of apoptosis).