SCOTTISH CROP Research Institute scientists have grabbed a £2.5 million share of European Union funding to lead a project exploring how to make healthy food even healthier.

The team of experts are meeting for the first time today at Invergowrie to discuss how they will investigate ways of boosting the nutritional value of crops.

Called the Develonutri project and involving a consortium of European scientists and companies, it will be led by the SCRI’s Dr Derek Stewart.

He said research would focus on plant metabolites, small, natural compounds found in grains, fruits and vegetables that play a key role in human well-being.

Dr Stewart said scientists would be looking at foodstuffs from their embryonic stage through the entire processing procedure.

“For many foods the journey from the farm gate to the dinner plate is often accompanied by large reductions in the level of the natural compounds that we know are beneficial to health,” he said.

“This can lead to chemicals having to be added back into the food to supplement these losses.

“As part of this project we will look at the natural variation in the health beneficial compounds and micro- nutrients in three main staple food crops—potatoes, wheat and tomatoes.

“We will follow them through many post-harvest processing and transportation chains to establish to what extent, and where, the nutrients are being lost.”

SCRI is also to investigate the health benefits of oats.

Prof Peter Gregory said a research team would be looking at how to enhance its nutritional value.

“We are particularly keen to find out how the natural compounds in oats could impact on illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.”