Planting the seeds
As the human body ages, our dietary requirements shift. The SO-PLANTS project at Teagasc Moorepark’s Food Research Centre is studying the benefits of plant-based foods to help this transition.
Photo credit: bhofack2/istockphoto.com
In 2022, there were 768,900 people over the age of 65 living in Ireland. This population is predicted to double to 1.6 million by 2051. As humans grow older, our body’s nutritional requirements change: the ability to digest food changes, and muscles lose both mass and strength.
According to the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, older people should increase their daily protein intake to 1.0–1.5g of protein per kg bodyweight. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein; there are 20 in total, nine of which cannot be produced by the body and are considered essential in the diet.
Based at the Food Research Centre at Teagasc Moorepark, the SO-PLANTS project is seeking to address this dietary gap. The research is looking at possibilities for producing protein beverages containing all essential amino acids, by using Irish-grown crops such as oats, fava beans, peas and quinoa.
Yueyue Chen, a Teagasc Walsh Scholar working on the project, explains that Ireland has strong potential to increase its production of cereals – such as oats and quinoa – and legumes – such as fava beans and peas.
“By growing and processing these crops domestically, we can lower transport costs, reduce reliance on imports, improve soil health, and cut carbon emissions in our food system,” Yueyue notes.
This approach also supports Ireland’s contribution to the European Green Deal target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050.
9 of 20 – The human body cannot produce nine of 20 amino acids, rendering their presence in our diet essential.
Modelling digestion
The SO-PLANTS research combines joint expertise from Munster Technological University (MTU), University College Cork (UCC) and Teagasc. In the first phase, MTU will examine existing nutrition survey data to assess how much protein older adults in Ireland currently consume: What types of protein do they eat? How much of each essential amino acid is in their diet?
Next, UCC will analyse the protein profiles of oats, quinoa, peas, and fava beans. These ingredients will be blended to ensure the presence of all nine essential amino acids. UCC will then develop five prototype beverages designed to maximise protein content and nutritional value.
At Teagasc, researchers will use laboratory models to study how these beverages are digested in the ageing digestive system, tracking the breakdown of proteins into amino acids as the beverages move through the stomach and small intestine.
Yueyue explains further: “To examine how well the body absorbs these nutrients, the team will build a laboratory model of the older adult gut using human intestinal cells. These cells will be matured in the lab over 21 days to form a realistic gut barrier, and then aged to reflect features of the older gut, such as increased inflammation, oxidative stress, and reduced integrity.”
Teagasc will also develop a model of aged muscle cells to test whether the beverages can help support muscle strength and reduce the risk of frailty. To evaluate real-world appeal, the project will include a consumer study with over 50 women aged 65 and older. Women are the primary food shoppers in Irish households, more concerned about sustainability, more prone to taste new foods, more inclined to have food rejections and live longer than men. Feedback from this group will guide improvements to the formulations, ensuring good taste and texture without compromising nutritional value.
Finally, researchers will assess the environmental footprint of the beverages, from seed to supermarket shelf, to evaluate the sustainability of producing these plant-based products in Ireland.
65 and older – Older adults will take part in consumer testing to ensure the new plant-protein drinks are both nutritious and appealing.
Laying foundations
The SO-PLANTS project will establish a comprehensive scientific foundation for developing foods tailored to older adults. This includes analysing national nutrition survey data, building models of digestion and nutrient absorption in the ageing gut, studying muscle decline, and conducting acceptability trials with older consumers.
The project will provide up-to-date estimates of protein and essential amino acid intake in older Irish adults, a valuable resource for researchers, dietitians, and health professionals. By creating cell models that simulate the ageing gut and muscle, SO-PLANTS will also advance scientific understanding of this life stage.
“Ultimately, the project will support the development of nutritious, locally produced plant-based beverages,” concludes Yueyue. “These could be commercialised by food companies, helping to expand the range of protein-rich plant foods available to support healthy ageing.”
Funding
This project is funded by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with project number of 2023RP920.
Contributors
Linda Giblin, Principal Research Officer, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark.
linda.giblin[at]teagasc.ie
Yueyue Chen, Walsh Scholar, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark/Munster Technological University.