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FQH Publications and research projects
Research projects, reports and publications from FQH members, covering the topics of food quality and health, can be nominated as FQH research projects or FQH publications, if the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) approves to this. The SAC assesses content and presentation. Criteria like scientific soundness, reliable techniques and results, just conclusions, and a balanced and readable presentation are taken into account. The SAC formulates an advise and the board decides about FQH approval. FQH publications carry the FQH-logo, next to the institutes characteristic presentation. Until now four FQH publications are available, all from the Louis Bolk Institute, where FQH originated.). Likewise designs of researchprojects are assessed.
Organic, More Healthy? A search for biomarkers of potential health effects induced by organic products, investigated in a chicken model
© Louis Bolk Instituut; M.Huber (overall editor); 2007. FQH Publication number: FQH 05, (price € 35,- without postage, or download by the link above) ISBN 978-90-74021-56-2
Organic feed leads to a more alert immune system. Chicken, fed with organic feed, showed a lower weight and a stronger recovery of their weight gain after an immunological challenge. These remarkable differences are the main findings in the study “Organic, More Healthy? A search for biomarkers of potential health effects induced by organic products, investigated in a chicken model”. On December 13th the final report of the study was presented to the Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. The research was conducted by the Louis Bolk Institute in cooperation with Wageningen UR, RIKILT Institute for food safety and TNO, in dialogue with the International Research Association for Organic Food Quality and Health, FQH. The final report is approved by the FQH-board as a FQH report, with the FQH logo on the cover.
Growth & Differentiation
© Louis Bolk Instituut; J.Bloksma, M.Huber; 2002.
FQH Publication number: FQH 02 (price € 6,- without postage)
This small and colourful booklet describes and illustrates two basic life processes
in nature: growth and differentiation.
It uses the examples of apples, carrots
and wheat to illustrate how growers can recognise these processes and can take
practical measures to correct the balance between them in order to optimise the
quality of their products.
Thinking in terms of growth and differentiation has
proved valuable in the support that is offered to growers by the Louis Bolk Instituut.
It also speculates about the possible significance of these processes for human
health.
Parameters for Apple Quality, Part1-report, Part
2-Annexes
© Louis Bolk Instituut; J.Bloksma, M.Northolt, M.Huber; 2001.
FQH Publication number: FQH 01 (price € 30,- for both parts, without postage)
ISBN 90-74021-22-0
This research has formed the basis for a provisional definition of the concept
of the ‘Vita Quality’, later renamed as 'Inner Quality' of apples.
The concept represents the interrelation of growth and differentiation processes
and the properties of the harvested product. The researchdesign was to study
different levels of growth and differentiation. Various conventional and experimental
quality parameters were used to study the most fruitful quality papameters.
The correlation between the different parameter measurements was studied for
overlaps.
Parameters for Apple Quality-2
© Louis Bolk Instituut; J.Bloksma, M.Northolt, M.Huber, P.Jansonius, M.Zanen;
2004.
FQH Publication number: FQH 03 (price € 15,- without postage)
ISBN 90-74021-33-6
This report summarises research on controlled crops of apples done throughout
the years 2001-2003. The aim of the work was to further develop parameters for
the ‘Inner Quality’ concept and gain reference material of extreme
growth- and differentiation-examples and of the integration of these. Levels
and types of fertilisation were studied, as well as the use of biodynamic preparations.
The concept of ‘Inner Quality’ (see Apple Quality, 2001) is refined
and crop management is added to the processes growth and differentiation and
the corresponding properties.
Effects of organically and conventionally produced feed on biomarkers of health in a chicken model
Abstract
Consumers expect organic products to be healthier. However, limited research has been performed to study the effect of organic food on health. The present study aimed to identify biomarkers of health to enable future studies in human subjects. A feeding experiment was performed in two generations of three groups of chickens differing in immune responsiveness, which were fed identically composed feeds from either organic or conventional produce. The animals of the second generation were exposed to an immune challenge and sacrificed at 13 weeks of age. Feed and ingredients were analysed on macro- and micronutrients, i.e. vitamins, minerals, trace elements, heavy metals and microbes. The chickens were studied by general health and immune parameters, metabolomics, genomics and post-mortem evaluation. The organic and conventional feeds were comparable with respect to metabolisable energy. On average, the conventionally produced feeds had a 10 % higher protein content and some differences in micronutrients were observed. Although animals on both feeds were healthy, differences between the groups were found. The random control group of chickens fed conventional feed showed overall a higher weight gain during life span than the group on organic feed, although feed intake was mostly comparable. The animals on organic feed showed an enhanced immune reactivity, a stronger reaction to the immune challenge as well as a slightly stronger ‘catch-up growth’ after the challenge. Biomarkers for future research were identified in the parameters feed intake, body weight and growth rate, and in immunological, physiological and metabolic parameters, several of these differing most pronounced after the challenge.
Connected to this paper was an Editorial stating that, however nutritional research is complex and however the topic of organic and health effects is much under debate, this papers shows that good research brings the topic further.
Paper and editorial available:
Huber et al., British Journal of Nutrition (2010), 103:663-676 Cambridge University Press doi:10.1017/S0007114509992236
Niewold T.A., Invited Commentary, British Journal of Nutrition (2010), 103:627-628
Organic Food Claims in Europe
Abstract
Better regulatory guidelines, improved testing methods, and additional research into pro-duct quality criteria are needed to further develop the European organic food market.
Paper available:
Kahl et al., Food Technology Magazine March 2010, Volume 64, No.3
http://orgprints.org/16968/1/kahl-etal-2010-foodtechnology_0310feat_organic.pdf
Conjugated linoleic acid isomer concentrations in milk from high- and low-input management dairy systems
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Different conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers are known to have contrasting physiology or health effects and there is growing evidence that the profile of natural isomers in milk is influenced by the production system. This survey is the first to compare feeding regimes and concentrations of 14 CLA isomers inmilk from three production systems in the UK.
RESULTS: Total CLA and seven isomers (including C18 : 2 c9t11 which comprised >80% of total) were significantly higher in milk from both organically certified and non certified low input (LI) systems compared with milk from conventional high input farms. Sampling date also affected concentrations of total CLA and nine isomers; being lowest in March and highest in August. Seasonal differences were greater in milk from LI herds, thought to be due to changes in herbage and/or stage of lactation. Multivariate analysis showed a strong positive relationship between several CLA isomers and increasing levels of fresh forage in the diet.
CONCLUSIONS: These results add to the evidence on how management adjustment may improve the profile of CLA isomers in milk fat, although animal or human intervention studies are required to identify the effects of consuming milk with different CLA levels and isomer profiles on human health.
Paper available:
http://orgprints.org/16012/
The added value of organic farming for environment and health: facts and consumer perceptions
Abstract
The added value of organic farming for environment and health: facts and consumer perceptions. This paper introduces the articles in the Special Issue on Organic Food and Farming. cf. the related links to get access to each of the individual articles
Paper available:
http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-821742
Feeding trials in organic food quality and health research
Abstract
Feeding experiments comparing organically and conventionally produced food are performed to assess the overall impact on the animals' health as a model for the effects experienced by the human consumers. These experiments are based on systems research and characterized by their focus on production methods, whole food testing and procedures in accordance with the terms of organic farming. A short review of such experiments shows that the majority of these tests revealed effects of the organically produced feed on health parameters such as reproductive performance and immune responses. Systems research is not just about simple cause-effect chains, but rather about the pluralism of interactions in biological networks; therefore, the interpretation of the outcome of whole food experiments is difficult. Furthermore, the test diets of organic and conventional origin can be constituted in different ways, compensating for or maintaining existing differences in nutrient and energy contents. The science-based results suggest positive influences from organic feeds, but there is still a need for confirmation in animals and, finally, in humans. For this purpose animal feeding trials with feed from different production systems should be conducted, with the aims to define health indicators and to establish biomarkers as a basis for future dietary intervention studies in humans.
Paper available:
Velimirov et al., J Sci Food Agric. 2010 Jan 30;90(2):175-82.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20355028
