A model of food and cognition: How we eat, drink, see and choose

FOCOM, a consortium of companies and research institutions including the Donders Institute of Brain, Cognition and Behaviour will develop test systems, which will be able to predict the relation between nutrition and brain. The systems will help to get a better understanding of perception, choice, and eating behaviour. Additionally, they will be able to recognize signals for obesity, eating and aging disorders, and amnesia at an early stage.

New generation of nutritions

By observing of what happens inside the brain, when seeing or eating food, the researchers will also learn about what contributes to the food-related pleasure. The knowledge can then be used for the development of a new generation of nutrition. This can include food ingredients and supplements aiming to contribute to a balanced and healthy diet, which will keep people healthy and in good (brain-)condition for a longer time.

For the Donders Institute, the research groups of Prof. Roshan Cools and Prof. Alan Sanfey are highly involved in the collaboration. Further partners are the Department of Human Nutrition of Wageningen University, Department of Packaging Design and Management of University of Twente, HJ Heinz, Noldus Information Technology, NIZO Food Research, Green Dino, Essensor, Twente Medical Systems International and Artinis Medical Systems. This combination of scientific knowledge and industry invests four million euros in the project and is additionally funded by another four million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the province of Gelderland and the Dutch government.

If you want to know more about the FOCOM project, please contact:

Dr. Esther Aarts
Email: Esther.Aarts@donders.ru.nl
Phone: +31 (0)24 36 11757

or visit: http://www.focom-project.net/