Candymaker Nestle Invests Billions to Decode Our Digestive Systems
Candymaker spends billions on researching metabolic disorders.
June 13, 2011— -- Nestle, the world's largest food company responsible for making Eskimo Pies, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Tombstone frozen pizza, has invested billions of dollars to research metabolic disorders and improve nutrition in our diets.
Headquartered near the tranquil waters of Lake Geneva in Vevey, Switzerland, the Nestle Research Center hosts a team of top food scientists dedicated to decoding the human metabolism. The company also agreed to purchase Prometheus Laboratories Inc, a maker of treatments for cancer and gastrointestinal illnesses, Bloomberg reported last month.
Metabolomics, or the study of the chemical processes of the human metabolism, is a relatively new field of science. It has only been around for about 10 years, according to Nestle researcher Alastair Ross.
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Using artificial body parts, scientists test the digestion cycles of infants, adults -- even dogs. In one experiment, they pumped strawberry yogurt through an artificial human intestine filled with acids, enzymes and pig bile. There are millions of receptors in the gut that give feedback to the brain, including the feeling of satiety or hunger.
They're also trying to decode what consumers -- too young to talk -- think about different foods.
"By examining closely the facial expression of the baby we can identify ... differences between rejection and fullness, for example," said Ciaran Forde, a senior sensory specialist.
