At Nofima Mat we have built up competence in how useful plant substances can be safeguarded during fresh distribution, processing and storage. We focus on plant substances in the groups polyphenols, glucosinolates, carotinoids, tocols and phytosterols. These have shown promising health properties.
Antioxidants have become a well known concept both among consumers and in the industry. New products and raw materials with a high antioxidant content have been developed. They have helped direct focus towards increased consumption of fruit, berries and vegetables and products made from them, for the sake of health. We are currently one of Norway's leading research centres in the field of antioxidants.
Vitamins
The word vitamin is derived from "vita", which means life. This means that vitamins are essential for life and they must be taken up into the body from the food we eat, because we cannot make them ourselves. Vitamins and minerals help to consume the energy giving substances like protein, fat and carbohydrates. There are fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K and water soluble vitamins like B and C. The vitamin content of food is affected by a number of factors, such as variety/species, growing/feeding, harvesting/slaughtering, storage, processing and preparation.
After food has been eaten, the way the body takes up the vitamins is affected by a number of factors before they can have a health effect. Some vitamins also have antioxidant activity. At Nofima Mat we focus on vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin A (carotinoids) and vitamin E (tocopherols) in fruit, berries, vegetables, spices, potatoes and cereals throughout the value chain - from raw materials to storage, processing and preparation - as well as in cell and human studies.
