Food is central to every aspect of our lives. It provides not only nourishment but also influences our social interactions, health and well-being. Today we are living longer than ever before, and the importance of healthy ageing is increasingly recognised.
The Protein for Life project is a collaboration between the Rowett Institute and other UK Universities including Bristol, Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle. The aim of the project is to identify and develop guidelines for protein products for healthy ageing that are cost-effective, sustainable and enjoyable.
The collaboration is assessing factors related to protein intake at three different stages of life using different approaches to develop and share guidelines with the food industry for the formulation of palatable higher-protein foods. Discussions with industry partners resulted in key findings in relation to developing high-protein foods for healthy ageing. These findings include:
- Cost is the main limiting factor for product development and is significantly impacted by ingredient cost.
- The food industry perceives protein quantity to be of greater value than protein quality for the consumer, due to a lack of consumer awareness about the role of protein in age-related muscle loss.
- Lack of consumer awareness is currently a significant barrier to the development of age-related high protein products.
Would you like to read more? Our full case study was originally posted here
This work was conducted by Professor Alex Johnstone
Research funded by the Scottish Government as part of the Strategic Research Programme
