Project leader Cathie Martin reveals her dream: plant scientists  can contribute innovative ways of looking and understanding the benefits of food in our diets 

Scientists at the John Innes Centre have found a way to produce industrial quantities of useful natural compounds efficiently, by growing them in tomatoes.

An interview with Maria Benedetta Donati, I.R.C.C.S. Neuromed

The Athena Project final meeting will be held in Milan on May 28-29th, 2015, in Palazzo Greppi, Università degli Studi di Milano.

During two days, partners will present and discuss most recent updates on the project.

Scientists aim to inspire a new generation at ZSL and L’Oréal’s annual Soapbox Science event

When: Monday 16th July, 12pm – 3pm
Where: Riverside walkway (by Gabriel’s Wharf), South Bank, London, SE1 9PP

Fruits rich in anthocyanins may lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers from US say. The study published in the American journal of clinical nutrition showed that people eating two or more half-cup servings of blueberries per week had a 23 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared with people who ate no blueberries.

Eating a particular kind of potatoes might improve blood pressure to an extent able to reduce the risk of heart disease. The findings come from an American study which analyzed the effects of purple potatoes in humans.
Purple potatoes (Purple Majesty) have been developed in recent years by crossing traditional varieties and are not genetically modified. Their distinctive color is due to the great amount of anthocyanins, antioxidants already well known for their healthy properties.

Giuseppe Reforgiato Recupero, from Acireale, has been interviewed by the Italian broadcast Rai3 on the beneficial effects of anthocyanins on human health.

Watch the video here (16th November clip)

Eating berries may lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, researchers from Harvard University say. The study was performed on 49,281 men and 80,336 women and presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting last April.

Consuming  high amounts of anthocyanins reduces the risk to develop hypertension. The findings come from a study performed by the University of East Anglia, UK, where researchers analyzed data on nearly 200,000 men and women over a period of 14 years. 
Researchers assessed participants’ intake of flavonoids and relative subclass from various dietary sources as apples, blueberries, red wine and orange juice, by administering dietary questionnaires collected every 4 years. During 14 years of follow-up, about 35,000 cases of hypertension were reported. Subjects in the highest category of anthocyanin intake, mainly from blueberries and strawberries, reported an 8% reduction in risk of hypertension  compared with that for participants in the lowest quintile of anthocyanin intake.  The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, is the first to investigate the effect of different types of flavonoids on hypertension.

What if mother -to -be fills up on high-fat or high-carbohydrate diet during her pregnancy? It’s likely her offspring will be predisposed to develop obesity and diabetes. 
But an animal study at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia showed that feeding rats antioxidants before and during pregnancy prevented obesity and glucose intolerance in their offspring. 
The research may have strong implications for reducing obesity rates in children whether results would be similar in humans as well.