Unlocking the bioactive potential of upcycled antioxidant dietary fibre via machine learning

Reducing food waste and increasing dietary fibre (DF) intake are major European concerns. Circularity appeared as the answer by creating “upcycled food” from food byproducts that meet DF demands, mitigating resource depletion and minimising the environmental footprint. DF intake is associated with health benefits such as gastrointestinal health and risk reduction of non-communicable diseases. Phenolics are also well-known for their role in preventing non-communicable diseases, and recently, their role as key modulators of gut health has arisen. Despite their intrinsic linkage in plant cell walls, DF and phenolics are usually studied individually. A new concept emerged - the ADF. However, few studies explored the upcycled ADF and their potential to promote gut health, creating an antioxidant environment and regulating gut flora. Further work is required to clarify their potential as a functional ingredient and develop new upcycled ADF ingredients. The development of new DFs and ADFs from food byproducts has been progressed, but knowledge gaps remain concerningthe complex relationships among physical structure, physiochemical properties and their potential health effects on the gut. The UPFibre project aims to address these gaps by developing a broad analysis of ADF physical structure, physicochemical properties and their impact on the gut using a multidisciplinary approach enhanced by ML alongside conventional physical, chemical, and biological methodologies. UPFibre intends to find patterns and identify upcycled ADF ingredients with gut health benefits’ physical and physicochemical features. In the first phase, ML tools will be employed to analyse the available information in the literature regarding physical and chemical structure, fermentability and gut health outcomes of upcycled ADF. In a second and third phase, new upcycled ADF will be developed and characterised, taking into consideration the patterns identified in the first phase, but also to provide more data on the physical and chemical structure of ADF within the simulation of the digestive tract to understand the relationship between ingested ADF structure and gut health outcomes. An iterative Learning Process will occur throughout all projects, integrating the new data generated in the lab into the ML- Model. The ultimate UPFibre goal is to establish the first ML – model to understand the structure-gut health effects of upcycled ADF. UPFibre will bring a new, robust, integrated ADF platform to Bioactives and Bioproducts Research Group and CBQF. The results will include the creation of knowledge for the progressive development of ADF functional ingredients from food byproducts. The first ML – model will be created in the short term to fully comprehend the correlation between the physical and chemical structure of ADF with its gut benefits based on the literature and data collected on the first tests of developing and characterising ADF ingredients in terms of physical, chemical and in vitro bioactive properties after in vitro static and in silico simulation of gastrointestinal tract and colon (SCFAs production, phenolic metabolites and in vitro antioxidant potential). A medium-term goal in a future project, UPFibreMORE, the study will be extended to evaluate the gut health effects using dynamic models, assess the impact on microbiota populations and intestinal epithelium homeostasis, but also evaluate ADF’s effect on the digestibility and bioaccessibility of other food components. A long-term goal will be to perform in vivo studies. UPFibre project brings together a multidisciplinary, highly qualified national team of senior and junior researchers of recognised merit and with expertise in different areas (biotechnology, biochemistry and structural chemistry) of byproducts valorisation and ADF. The team has a young researcher at the beginning of her career as PI, who has worked with several members of the team during her PhD and current research, and who is highly motivated, has high potential and work capacity that deserves this opportunity to progress in her career as a researcher, together with the member to be hired (MSc) and the external consultor, the success of this project will be assured. Ultimately, UPFibre aims to contribute to a sustainable and accessible food system by repurposing food byproducts into value-added ingredients. The project’s outcomes will have far-reaching implications for public health, environmental sustainability, and the food industry. UPFibre seeks to establish itself as an ADF research and innovation leader through collaboration with national and international partners, driving positive change in the food sector and beyond.