Public Summary

Principal investigator: Dr Dulantha Ulluwishewa, AgResearch
Industry partner: Quantec
High-Value Nutrition funding: $60,000

Investigating the digestive health benefits of a novel NZ dairy protein formulation

Bovine milk and milk products have long been used for human nutrition because they are a rich source of lipids, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. However we now know that milk also contains a range of bioactive components that confer health-promoting benefits beyond simple nutrition, for example by modulating gastrointestinal function, immune function, or the activity of beneficial bacteria. Several of these bioactive milk components are now being exploited for use in pharmaceuticals and high-value food formulations. Immune Defense Proteins, or IDP®, is one such example: a unique blend of milk proteins with demonstrated health benefits, discovered by Kiwi scientists, and patented and commercialised by the Waikato-based Quantec Ltd.

IDP® for digestive health is an AgResearch-led research project funded by High-Value Nutrition and Quantec. The project is designed to investigate the potential of developing a novel IDP®-based food product for improved digestive health.

IDP® is currently used as a core-ingredient in milk powder sachets and protein drinks sold in China and other parts of Asia. However, a novel IDP®-based product with validated gut health claims would help boost the exports of this New Zealand product by allowing Quantec to enter China’s ageing gut health market, currently worth over USD$ 3 billion per annum, and growing at double digit percentages year-on-year.

The project brings together AgResearch scientists with expertise in microbiology, immunology, cell biology, and molecular biology. The team will utilise in vitro cell based model systems to help understand what effects consuming IDP® can have on the intestinal barrier. They will also investigate whether IDP® in combination with probiotic bacteria can provide synergistic health benefits.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome have been linked to an impaired intestinal barrier, so foods which help improve this barrier may help alleviate symptoms of gut discomfort.

The HVN research priority area of Healthy Digestion has a focus on functional gut disorders, because these conditions are recognised by some regulators in the context of health claims to allow extrapolation of clinical studies to the general population. If the findings of the project can demonstrate digestive health benefits of IDP®, Quantec will develop prototype products, followed by human studies to establish proof-of-principle.

The project team at AgResearch will work closely with Quantec’s research and development team and their innovation director to ensure that the what the project delivers is aligned to their business growth strategies and consumer needs.

The project can help Quantec achieve over NZD 5 million in export revenue within two years of product launch. Consumers in the Chinese gut health market are looking for products that support digestive and immune health while also being ‘natural’. This project is a first-step towards the development natural milk-derived food product with validated health benefits.

Research Team