Microsunset
About MICROSUNSET
MICROSUNSET brings together 7 Beneficiaries and 14 associated partners from 9 countries, with the goal to train young scientists in micronutrients (vitamin and mineral) research to ensure that future sustainable diets provide these essential nutrients to promote healthy lives for populations globally.
MICROSUNSET will train 12 doctoral candidates through research stays, secondments and training events using an interdisciplinary and intersectoral training programme.
Contact
Project Administrator
Iben Bang-Berthelsen Senior Academic Officer iber@food.dtu.dk
Coordinator
Jette Jakobsen Senior Researcher jeja@food.dtu.dk
MICROSUNSET is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme, under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (Grant Agreement number 101226907).
Views and opinions expressed on this website are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Network
MICROSUNSET brings together leading experts and industry partners to advance micronutrient research and innovation.
Our consortium includes experts in nutrient bioavailability, food processing, product development, dietary assessment, consumer behavior, and dietary modeling. We collaborate with companies developing plant based and fortified foods, organizations supplying micronutrient pre-mixes, and networks connecting us to the broader food sector.
The partnership also includes a nonprofit advancing global food composition data standards and a national authority overseeing food safety, regulation, and dietary recommendations with a climate-conscious approach.
Beneficiaries
Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark
National Food Institute
Senior Researcher Jette Jakobsen
Professor Jens Jørgen Sloth
Senior Scientist Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen
University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark
Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports
Professor Susanne G. Bügel
Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany
Analytical Food Chemistry
Professor, Dr. Michael Rychlik
University of Helsinki (UH), Finland
Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Food and Nutrition
Senior university lecturer Susanna Kariluoto
University College Cork (UCC), Ireland
School of Food and Nutritional Sciences
Professor Kevin Cashman
Wageningen University (WU), Netherlands
Department Agrotechnology and Food Sciences
Associate Professor Alida Melse-Boonstra
University of Newcastle upon Tyne (UNEW), United Kingdom
Human Nutrition Research Centre, Institute of Cellular Medicine
Professor Georg Lietz
Associated Partners
Valio Oy (VALIO), Finland
Danish Agriculture & Food Council (DAFC), Denmark
University of Queensland (UQ), Australia
Arla Foods AMBA (Arla), Denmark
Aarhus University (AU), Denmark
Koralo GMBH (Koralo), Germany
CHR. HANSEN / Novonesis (CH), Denmark
Unilever Innovation Centre Wageningen BV (UNIL), Netherlands
European Food Information Ressource AISBL (EuroFIR), Belgium
John Innes Centre (JIC), United Kingdom
SUPPLME ApS (SUPPLME), Denmark
Kappa Bioscience (Kappa), Norway
Dohler GmbH (Dohler), Germany
Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA), Denmark
Supervisory Board
A Supervisory Board has been established. It consists of the mandatory members: main supervisors and WP leaders. Additionally, the co-supervisors are invited to voluntarily participate in the Supervisory Board meetings.
| DC | Main Supervisor | Co-supervisors |
|---|---|---|
| DC 1 | Jens Jørgen Sloth (DTU) |
NN (Arla) Alida Melse-Boonstra (WU) |
| DC 2 | Georg Lietz (UNEW) |
Jette Jakobsen (DTU) Martin Foltz (Dohler) |
| DC 3 | Georg Lietz (UNEW) |
Michiel Balvers (WUR) Alida Melse-Boonstra (WU) Martin Foltz (Dohler) |
| DC 4 | Michael Rychlik (TUM) |
Guido Albanese (Koralo) Michael Netzel (UQ) Susanna Kariluoto (UH) |
| DC 5 | Susanna Kariluoto (UH) |
Minnamari Edelmann (UH) Iida Loivamaa (VALIO) Claus Bang-Berthelsen (DTU) |
| DC 6 | Susanna Kariluoto (UH) |
Minnamari Edelmann (UH) Iida Loivamaa Claus Bang-Berthelsen (DTU) |
| DC 7 | Jette Jakobsen (DTU) |
Cathie Martin (JIC) Alida Melse-Boonstra (WU) |
| DC 8 | Michael Rychlik (TUM) |
Jette Jakobsen (DTU) Susanna Kariluoto (UH) NN (Arla) |
| DC 9 | Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen (DTU) |
Eddy Smid (WU) Gunnar Overgård (CH) Jette Jakobsen (DTU) |
| DC 10 | Alice Lucey & Aylin W. Sahin (UCC) |
Jens Jørgen Sloth (DTU) Sian Ashley (EuroFIR) |
| DC 11 | Susanne G. Bügel (UCPH) |
Barbara Vad Andersen (AU) Puk Maia Ingemann Holm (DARF) |
| DC 12 | Alida Melse-Boonstra (WU) |
Ans Eilander (UNIL) Sander Biesbrook (WU) Pol Grootswagers (WU) Susanne G. Bügel (UCPH) |
Research objectives and work packages
Follow the research activities of MICROSUNSET
MICROSUNSET’s five research objectives are:
- Establish models to assess the bioavailability of micronutrients in foods and supplements
- Investigate strategies to increase the content and/or bioavailability of micronutrients in plant-based products beyond fortification
- Develop advanced methods for quantification of micronutrients
- Conduct survey to investigate consumers acceptance of plant-based food products
- Empower consumers, health professionals, scientists, and food product developers to choose and advise foods, meals and diets with superior nutrient delivery.
Work Packages
MICROSUNSET consists of seven work packages, including three administrative work packages (Project management (WP1), Scientific and transferable skills training (WP2), Dissemination and exploitation (WP3)) and four scientific work packages.
WP4: Bio-accessibility and bioavailability of micronutrients (WP leader Prof. Michael Rychlik, TUM)
Investigate the link between bioavailability and bio-accessibility for micronutrients. Bioavailability is assessed by in vivo studies, and bio-accessibility by in vitro and in vivo models. Bioavailability measurements will be compared to results for bio-accessibility assessed by a standardised in vitro model (Infogest 2.0) optimised for the individual micronutrients investigated.
WP5: Enhancing the micronutrient content of plant-based foods: role of processing, bioprocessing, bio-enrichment (WP leader Prof. Kevin Cashman, UCC)
Investigate the potential of processing, bioprocessing and other technological advancements to increase the content of priority micronutrients in plant-based foods that fit in an environmentally sustainable and healthy diet, whilst ensuring adequacy of micronutrient intake.
WP6: Novel sensitive, specific analytical methods for micronutrients (WP leader Prof. Georg Lietz, UNEW)
Develop and validate novel analytical methods which enable specific determination of vitamers and mineral species to contribute to improved understanding and assessment of the bio-accessibility and bioavailability of zinc, calcium, niacin, choline and vitamin B12, and the carotenoids.
WP7: Sustainable intake of micronutrients and consumer acceptance of plant-based foods (WP leader Assoc. Prof. Alida Melse-Boonstra, WU)
1) Evaluate the impact of replacing animal-based foods with plant-based alternatives on nutrient intake adequacy; 2) Incorporate published and newly generated knowledge on micronutrient bioavailability into a web-tool for calculation of absorbable micronutrient content of foods, meals and diets.