PAN Olsztyn

Our research is focused on qualitative and quantitative changes in biologically-active  compounds of plant origin and the total antioxidative  capacity of food in technological processes.  Investigations cover phenolic compounds (phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins), plant  biopolymers (starch, proteins/lipids) of different botanic/plant origin, sulphur compounds (glutation, glucosinolates),  inositol phosphates (IP-6 to IP-3), oligosaccharides (alfa galactosides), betalain  pigments and antioxidative vitamins.  Determinations are conducted for their potential  activity in  human prophylaxis and modelling rheological food qualities. Studies on  gluten-free  products involve analyses of gluten-free  formulas  with buckwheat flour  supplemented with  components improving  their nutritive value and  sensory attributes. Antioxidative properties of the above-mentioned compounds are studied in vitro and ex vivo, both following their  isolation from  the food product matrix as well as  in the presence of other  substances naturally co-occurring in food.  We also investigate the effect of  complex  biopolymer systems  on metabolic changes  in the  alimentary ecosystem and their potential  bifidogenic  functions.  We also conduct  studies on animals  and in non-clinical medical trials  on volunteers that address the bioavailability  of biologically-active compounds in respect of  changes proceeding in  the food matrix upon technological processing.