Good health starts in your gut: the chemistry behind the scenes

The KVCV working group – Food Section elected a new board in November 2022. Jurgen Denys (chairman), Eveline Notebaert (vice-chairman), Jean-Marie Mortier (treasurer), Sigrid Lauryssen (secretary) and Monique Steegmans (secretary) are committed alongside Rudy Calders, who remains active as honorary chairman, and the other working group members.

In the coming years, the focus will be on rejuvenating the working group. Greater alignment will be sought with other sections of the KVCV and other partners. This collaboration is intended to refresh the programme of activities and strengthen the well-established symposia (Trends in Food Analysis and MS in Food&Feed).

From September 2023, the working group will organise around four lectures per year. A knowledgeable speaker will present on a topic related to chemistry and food. The lectures will take place in the evening and allow ample opportunity for networking over light refreshments and drinks.

On Thursday 21 September, prof.dr.em. Richard Ducatelle will kick things off with the lecture ‘Good health begins in your gut: the chemistry behind the scenes’.

We all stand to benefit from it, and we all think about it: our health, and the effect of diet upon it. Much is said on the subject, but what do certain components actually do to our bodies? Take dietary fibre, for instance. It is good for us, but why exactly? The various types of fibre we consume through food differ chemically in their composition, and therefore also vary in their functionality. Through the media, we are also inundated with possibilities for vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns. On top of this, high protein consumption is sometimes advocated as well. Are such dietary patterns, with their differing compositions, actually healthy, and to what extent does the gut microbiome play a role in this?

During the study evening, prof.dr.em. Richard Ducatelle will elaborate on these dietary patterns. By altering a single parameter in the diet of animals and conducting research on this basis, we can learn a great deal about both the positive and negative effects of various food components — including insights relevant to human dietary patterns. Of interest not only to scientists, product developers, laboratory managers, quality managers, and so on, but in fact to anyone with an interest in food.

Find out more: voeding.kvcv.be