Campden BRI case study

The University of Glasgow’s School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing wanted to run an intervention trial to assess the health impacts of ingredient changes to food.

The aim was to observe how the addition of fermentable carbohydrates and their impact on gut microflora would affect the bioavailability of bioactive phenolic acids and any consequential health benefits.

The problem
For their feeding trial they needed 2,800 cans of tomato and lovage soup – 1,400 cans as a control and 1,400 cans with added inulin (a type of fibre). The trial participants would then have a serving of the soup each day, over a six-week trial period.

Christine Edwards, Professor of Nutritional Physiology, who was in charge of the trial at the university, said: “The quantities of cans we required were too high to produce in an ordinary kitchen, while contracting a packing or canning plant for two, one-off short production runs, was going to be costly. We approached Campden BRI for help.”

How we were able to help
At Campden BRI we have a pilot canning plant facility, which is ideal for small production runs. Equipment includes a Vesuvio 250 litre cook/cool system, bowl chopper, Silverson mixer, large steam pan, an MB6 can seamer and a bead retort. We were also able to provide the soup recipe according the university’s precise specification. The samples were then canned, heat processed, packed into boxes, put on pallets and delivered to the university.

Christine added: “Campden BRI’s pilot canning plant was perfect for producing this short production run but it also came with added value, such as recipe preparation and the inclusion of a HACCP plan. In trials of this type our sample sizes need to be statistically valid but at the same time we need to be able to run them cost-effectively. Their pilot canning plant allowed us to do just that.”

Sarah Chapman
+44(0)1386 842122
sarah.chapman@campdenbri.co.uk