InnograinLab

We are a leading group focused on designing and utilizing plant macromolecule assemblies that precisely target metabolic responses, bioactivity, and technological performance for applications in food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and packaging. The mission of the group is to enhance the quality and quantity of macromolecules use through an increased understanding of the chemical, physical, and biological properties of plant macromolecules applying food chemistry, engineering, biotechnology, nutrition and statistics, and through education. We aim to create value in the following topics: ➡️ Structure-function relationships in relation to building novel foods and food packaging materials. ➡️ Analytical methods to elucidate structural features of polysaccharides, including monomer composition, linkage patterns, sequencing, hydrodynamic and molecular weight, anomeric configuration and chain length distributions. ➡️ Chemical, enzymatic and physical modifications of plant polysaccharides and proteins. ➡️ Interactions between food macromolecules and small metabolites (e.g., polyphenols) in complex systems. ➡️ Health aspects, particularly the digestion and bioaccesibility of plant biopolymers and phenolic compounds and the role of polysaccharides as dietary fiber. ➡️ Physical properties, including the rheological and colloidal properties of edible systems. ➡️ The encapsulation and controlled release of active compounds for inclusion in food formulations. ➡️ The film forming properties of plant polysaccharides and proteins with application in edible films, coatings and active packaging.