CRC-3p
Processed foods and colorectal cancer: Effect of protein source, processing and dietary patterns
The goal of the CRC-3p-project is to trace the carcinogenic potential of red meat and plant-based meat alternatives to reveal the significance of the protein source and the degree of processing (unprocessed, processed, ultra-processed) on colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Additionally, CRC-3p aims to elucidate how dietary patterns may influence the carcinogenic potential of the different processed foods.
Start
01. Dec 2023
End
30. Nov 2027
Funded by
Norwegian Research Council
Cooperation
Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) - project leader, University of Oslo, Norway, Norwegian Veterinary Institute, Animalia, Nortura, Grilstad, Kjøtt- og fjørfebransjens Landsforbund
Project Manager(s):
Other Participants:
Background
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has categorized processed meat as a group 1 carcinogen for CRC; however, the associations are mainly drawn from epidemiological studies in populations that have a Western diet characterized by high intake of energy-dense and processed foods. Furthermore, the cause-and-effect relationships and the key carcinogenic drivers have yet to be documented.
In its third expert report, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) states that it seems increasingly unlikely that single factors in our diets themselves may be important for cancer prevention or causation; rather, it may be the overall diet pattern that is important for health.
This underlines the importance of unravelling whether protein source, processing procedures or interactions with other dietary risk or protective factors may influence CRC risk.
CRC-3p is based on new knowledge and new research questions that have emerged from previous and ongoing studies of partners in the CRC-3p consortium group, including:
- “Identification of the healthiest beef meat (Sunnere storfe)” project (2013-2017, NFR 224794)
- “Norwegian processed foods in the prevention of colorectal cancer (VegMeatCRC)” project (2018-2021, NFR 280667)
- “Effects of lipids’ composition and structure in meat and dairy foods on digestibility and low-grade inflammation in cells, animals and humans (LipidInflammaGenes)” project (2018-2022, NFR 281207).
CRC-3p will also benefit from preliminary results gathered in:
Goal
The objective of CRC-3p is to evaluate the associations between human diet (protein source, processing, and dietary patterns) and colorectal cancer (CRC) and increase the mechanistic insight to secure healthy and sustainable protein-rich food for the Norwegian population.
What we do
This is a collaborative project where researchers and industrial partners are involved throughout the project period.
- Trace the carcinogenic potential of test diets in the the A/J mouse models to determine the significance of protein source, processing, and dietary pattern on CRC, and examine host-diet-microbiota interactions using inflammatory biomarkers, immunological parameters, plasma metabolomics and intestinal tissue proteomics.
- Verify causal relationships between diet-induced gut dysbiosis and CRC by fecal transplants from mice with diet-induced dysbiosis to A/J mice.
- Apply data from established Norwegian prospective epidemiological studies and collect new data from a CRC screening study to determine CRC risk of intake of processed proteins (meat and plant-based), in a healthy or unhealthy diet.