From the fall 2007 issue of UConn Momentum
A new major gift will help position UConn as a national leader in the study and application of functional foods, those with health benefits beyond basic nutrition that may prevent and help treat disease.
The commitment from the Esperance Family Foundation will assist with the creation and support of a multidisciplinary center for functional food research and education in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), which will be aided by the addition of up to three or four new faculty specialists in the area.
Examples of functional foods include a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes rich in antioxidants and other bioactive compounds that may prevent or delay the onset of coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic conditions. Functional foods are now a nearly $30-billion annual market in the U.S. alone, and some projections indicate the market will soon double.
Ian Hart, associate dean for research and advanced studies at CANR, who chairs the functional foods coordinator search committee, believes the potential for UConn’s program is enormous.
“Americans are obsessed with their health. If we can demonstrate to the public the benefits of eating certain foods, not in the sense of a fad, but by saying, ‘You may be able to actually prevent or help cure a certain condition or disease,’ there is tremendous potential in terms of the growth of research at the University, growth of agriculture in the state and improvement of the public health in general,” says Hart.
With the planned center, the University could become one of the few schools across the nation--and the only one in New England--with such a dedicated focus.
Dean Kirklyn Kerr says that the college’s recruit-ment efforts have been greatly aided by the Esperance Foundation gift.
“When you’re recruiting faculty at this level, for a program like this, you have to identify what sets you apart. The gift is a tremendous asset to the college to do just that,” he says. “Functional foods will be a significant program and investment of resources for us in the future, and with this support and influence, we will make our program great.”
Sung Koo, head of the Department of Nutritional Sciences, sees the importance of not just research, but the integration of that research with existing medical practice and consumer education.
“This gift will serve as the stepping stone,” he says. “We will focus on research, technology transfer, curriculum development and consumer education. We need to disseminate information about functional foods to consumers so that they can be educated about modifying their dietary habits and food choices. And also through translational medicine, we can connect basic research on functional foods to patient care, and nutritional and diet therapies.”
To support the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, please contact Amy Chesmer at 860.486.1763.
