8th April 1998

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A pizza a day could help prevent prostate cancer.

Research into the beneficial effects of tomato juice and related products like baked beans and tomato sauce are just part of the exciting diet and health research projects under way at the University of Ulster's exciting new Northern Ireland Centre for Diet and Health which has its official opening tomorrow (Thursday at 11.00am) at the Octagon Balcony, University of Ulster's Coleraine campus.

Other NICHE studies include a joint project with St Brendan's Cream Liqueur Company is investigating ways of enhancing their product range by refinements of ingredients and processes.

Mums-to-be could also benefit from NICHE research into the properties of folic acid. Folic acid intake is important in early pregnancy to prevent spina bifida.

And NICHE researchers believe the vitamin has additional benefits in the prevention of heart disease. This is of particular importance since the island of Ireland has one of the highest rates of heart disease in Europe.

The Centre is also carrying out important work on the protective effects of Vitamin A consumption against infection in infants, and on the prevention of transmission of the HIV virus from mothers to babies through breast milk.

Private sector partnerships are an important part of NICHE's work. Mr Chris Gibson, UK Director of Golden Vale plc, has already worked with the centre's staff on a number of projects. He said:

"The work being done in the Centre is a tremendous asset to the local food industry. Nutritional issues are becoming increasingly important as our awareness of the causes of disease and illness grows. We have found it very helpful to be able to call on the expertise available within the University in developing new products and we will continue to do so. Increasingly I think food manufacturers will make use of the facility as its reputation spreads in the sector. We all need to be aware of the link between what we eat and our general health."

The establishment of the Centre builds on the internationally recognised research conducted in the University into the effects of diet and health. The University's work in this area was recognised as being the best in the UK in the 1996 Research Assessment Exercise.

The Director of the Centre, Professor Ian Rowland, said:

"The Centre represents an exciting development for the local food industry in Northern Ireland. We see ourselves as a scientific and technical resource that food producers can use when they are developing new products and testing new foodstuffs.

"There are important issues to be addressed in product development such as assessing whether the produce contains beneficial elements or whether the food is potentially causing the consumer any harm.

"We have already seen that there are benefits associated with adding nutrients to food and there are many opportunities to develop this work. Our research into some of the nutritional factors that may contribute to heart disease, ageing and cancer is of great importance. Diet and health are strongly interlinked and this is a message we must get across to producers and consumers."

Notes to editors

NICHE has received £0.75 million under the European Union's Technology Development Programme and has attracted a further £2 million in other grants.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk