Food and Drink is a hugely important sector for Scotland and the UK economy, generating a turnover of £14.4 billion and £5.3 billion of GVA (gross value added) for the Scottish economy in 2014 alone. This sector not only has an impact on Scotland’s economy but food production can also has a significant influence on our environment, health and society and these are all areas that SEFARI research aims to a make a difference.
It has been reported that the UK exiting of the European Union (Brexit) has affected salmon industry. Both the volume and value of salmon exported to the EU, which still is the main market for Scottish Salmon, have been impacted.
The eco-labels "Farmed Responsibly ASC Certified" and "Certified Carbon Neutral" can potentially enhance the desirability of Scottish salmon among UK consumers. Additionally, labelling Scottish salmon as “High in Omega-3” could further increase its value. However, it is important to note that while eco-labels and nutritional claims play a role, they are secondary factors influencing UK consumers' preferences for salmon.
Frank Thies is a senior scientist whose research interests mainly relate to the influence of various dietary components on cardiovascular function and cardiovascular risk, with particular emphasis being placed on the role of inflammatory processes. He is particularly interested in the mechanisms by which dietary fibres and other dietary components such as lipids and carotenoids can modulate markers for cardiovascular risk such as blood pressure and cholesterol metabolism.
My research focuses on healthy psychology and around processes of behaviour change within individuals. This work generally involves relatively intensive monitoring of behaviour and behavioural determinants using various digital devices and paper-based diaries, looking to detect the timing of (short-lived or sustained) behaviour, and whether its determinants are similar or different across individuals.
My research is concerned with the dietary and social determinants of health across the life-course. The links between poor diet and health in the most deprived sectors of society are poorly understood and my work is designed to provide the knowledge to underpin the development of new ways to improve diet and break the persistence of disadvantage across the generations through the study of diet and epigenetics.
I am a microbiologist at the Rowett Institute and my research interests include anaerobic microbiology and metabolite profiling of gut microbial communities, including studies on controlled human dietary intervention studies to gain information on the dynamics of the gut microbiota, inter-individual colonic microbial variability and the responsiveness of the gut microbiota to dietary shifts.
The Rowett Institute,
Ashgrove Road West,
Aberdeen
AB25 2ZD
Vanessa is a principal investigator and registered nutritionist. Her research interest is in how bioactive components from the diet may help improve health, using a combination of clinical and dietary intervention trials, and experimental models of health and disease. Vanessa’s current research focuses on how polyphenol-rich foods may improve heart health, in collaboration with the NHS.
Rowett Institute (Room 5.044)
Forresterhill Campus
Aberdeen
AB25 2ZD
I am a Principal Investigator at the Rowett Institute, University of Aberdeen in the Gut Microbiology group. My research interests include understanding how diet impacts the structure and function of the microbial community in the human large intestine, and establishing how bacterial gene expression responds to diet and interactions with other bacteria. Another key research interest is understanding the evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance genes.
I am a microbiologist at the Rowett Institute. My research investigates how the diet that we eat influences the microbes that live in our intestines, and in turn what impacts these diet-microbe interactions might have on our health. Work carried out at The Rowett has identified many of the key gut bacteria that respond to specific components of our diet, and we are now working to better understand the roles that these diet-responsive gut bacteria might play in the human body, for example by protecting us from invading pathogens that can cause disease.