Imperial researchers offer food solutions at the World Economic Forum

Three researchers from Imperial College London offered solutions to address world food crises to global leaders at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos.

This year, the focus of the conference was ‘Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World’. The World Economic Forum invited the academics to share their innovations on nutrition and food production.

Malnutrition and gut microbiota

The head of Imperial’s Nutrition and Food Network Gary Frost presented a talk on ‘Food solution to the double burden of malnutrition’, focusing on the ability of gut microbiota to combat malnutrition and excessive eating.

The traditional approach to combating malnutrition is to feed intestinal microbiota milk-based products. This is ineffective however, as milk-based products are absorbed further up the digestive system.

Frost suggests instead eating legumes, which can fuel and diversify gut microbiota and reach the colon.  An original study in Kenya demonstrated that legumes had positive effects on gut microbiota when fed to malnourished children, including reduced risks of sepsis.

“Over and undernutrition are the biggest public health problem facing humanity right now. Although both problems are complex our work on legumes-inspired systems holds the potential solution to both over and under nutrition,” said Professor Frost.

Personality and diets

Associate professor in health economics Dr Marisa Miraldo presented her research, which suggested common links between an individual’s personality and eating habits, investigating the healthy eating decisions of ‘risk takers and more cautious people’.

The study revealed that individuals who enjoy taking risks tend to have poorer nutritional balance while individuals identified as more cautious are generally healthier with their food choices. The research concluded that a personalised diet would help to improve an individual’s healthy eating choices.

“A better understanding of individual behaviours can improve our health and the economy. To make this happen we need to measure risk and self-control. In the future I would like to see GPs and public health workers measuring them alongside with sugar levels and provide personalised and effective prevention and advice,” said Dr Miraldo.

Enhancing photosynthesis in grain crops

Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Natural Sciences Dr Laura Barter spoke about enhancing photosynthesis to increase crop yields.

She argued that photosynthesis is a very inefficient process as plants only typically convert light energy into biomass at about 1-2%. This is due to an inefficient enzyme RuBisCo, which is involved in the capturing of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

By increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide near RuBisCO, the process can be accelerated. While some plants have already evolved to complete this process automatically, grain crops such as rice and wheat are unable to naturally increase the concentration.

The research team, headed by Dr Barter, is currently developing a chemical that could imitate enzymes in more efficient plants and be applied to grain crops in the same way that a fertiliser is applied.

“By 2050, agricultural production will need to increase by an estimated 70% globally and by 100% in developing countries,” commented Dr Barter, “If we are to meet this demand, crop productivity must increase in a sustainable way. This work has a real potential to make a significant impact.”