Fortiphy
Develop protein fortified meal recipes for elderly people
The FORTIPHY project develops solutions for meals and physical activity that counteract undernutrition in the elderly.
Start
01. Apr 2021
End
31. Mar 2024
Funded by
RCN - The Research Council of Norway
Cooperation
INRAE (France), University of Reading (UK), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium)
Project Manager(s):
Other Participants:
Update, May 2023
During the third period, the project processed the results from the testing of recipes at home. The recipes were well received in Norway. According to the feedback, the dishes were tasty, easy to prepare and provided inspiration for the possibilities of enriching the food by using natural ingredients.
The respondents were somewhat more sceptical towards using protein powder. For Norwegian conditions, few adjustments are needed for the recipes. A couple of the recipes have been further developed for use in intervention studies in the UK and France, where bioactivity and physical activity will be measured.
The MOOC training being developed in the project is well underway. Although the training offered is tailored to British conditions, the concept can be adjusted to be applied in Norway as well.
Update, November 2022
Fortiphy has in the first reporting period compiled a data base and collected data on commercially available protein ingredients. The ingredients are categorised, and 5-10 ingredients selected for testing in food matrices that are commonly used by older people.
Selection of food matrices will be performed based on results from a survey among representatives of the target group of home-living older adults 70 years and older. The questionnaire Is completed.
Further information on older adults` food preparation abilities and challenges that may impact on development of the food matrices, will be collected in focus group discussions. The interview guide is completed.
During the next period, 20 older adults (70+) living at home answered a questionnaire about eating habits. Together with similar research in England and France, this has laid the basis for choosing common food dishes that can be developed and enriched with protein. In addition, two focus groups have been conducted to examine challenges and opportunities in connection with cooking at home.
Together with answers from corresponding groups in England and France, preparation methods were chosen which are possible to carry out in the three countries and which were the starting point for choosing recipes.
Eight dishes that are commonly used in all the countries were selected for further development. Two commercially available protein powders were chosen for enrichment in the recipes developed.
The recipes are based on common dishes and embrace different food matrices: sweet/savory, hot/cold, liquid/solid. They are enriched to contain more protein and energy than the original recipes and optimized for taste and use.
51 home-living older adults (70+) in each country have been sent a box of ingredients as well as questionnaires to make and evaluate the recipes. The results are not yet available. The prerequisite for the optimization of the recipes is that they must be able to be prepared at home by the older adult.
During the period, the foundations were also laid for developing MOOCs that deal with food, cooking and nutritional needs intended for the elderly.
Background
Poor appetite is a major determinant of undernutrition in the elderly population. Contrary to popular belief, nutritional needs decrease little with age and may even increase.
Fortification consists of adding ingredients with a high protein and/or high energy content in regular drinks and foods.
FORTIPHY will develop new solutions allowing older people (= 70 years old living at home) to fortify their regular meals, whether they are made from scratch, based on semi-finished or ready-made food. In addition, FORTIPHY will evaluate the added value of physical activity in combination with meal solutions.
To ensure high adoption and compliance levels for FORTIPHY solutions, end users (elderly people and caregivers) from France, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Norway will be associated in the project through co-creation and participatory research.
Goal
The FORTIPHY project develops solutions for meals and physical activity that counteract undernutrition in the elderly.
How we work
A first work package will map available high-protein ingredients and their technological and functional properties, as well as eating habits in elderly people living at home.
Based on these inputs, another work package will develop and test fortified recipes in preference tests. The bioavailability of amino acids in fortified dishes and the potential impact of these dishes on satiety and biological markers of appetite will be measured.
A third work package will assess the efficiency of meal fortification and the added value of physical activity to prevent the risk of undernutrition in older small eaters living at home (randomized controlled field trial).
A fourth work package will disseminate the results in a massive open on-line course (MOOC) and a Summer School, contributing to raise stakeholder awareness of the problem and the solutions to prevent malnutrition.