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H2020Staff exchange2019–2023

VIRTUOUS · Virtual tongue to predIct the oRganoleptic profile of mediterranean IngredienTs and their effect on hUman hOmeostasis by means of an integrated compUtational multiphysicS platform

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2019-12-01 → 2023-11-30
EU contribution
€1,108,600
Participants
11
Scheme
MSCA-RISE

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Virtual tongue to predIct the oRganoleptic profile of mediterranean IngredienTs and their effect on hUman hOmeostasis by means of an integrated compUtational multiphysicS platform

The overarching objective of this RISE program, called VIRTUOUS, is to develop a virtual tongue as an integrated computational framework to characterize the chemical composition of the Mediterranean diet. More in detail, the proposed intelligent computational platform, by integrating drug discovery techniques, machine learning classifiers, algorithms for big data, cloud computing, and experimental data increased our knowledge regarding the organoleptic profile of central ingredients of selected foods. A schematic representation of the VIRTUOUS idea is depicted in Figure 1. The outcomes of this research shed light on the mechanisms driving the information transfer from the chemistry level, where food molecular constituents bind taste receptors, toward a cascade of molecular, supramolecular, and cellular events emerging as an elaborated sensation that strongly contributes to the food organoleptic profile. Several pieces of evidence support the idea that taste receptors, key players in taste perception, are not only the first barrier against harmful foods but are also designed by nature to encourage the intake of foods that contain molecular ingredients with long-term benefits to human homeostasis. By modelling molecular and multiscale phenomena related to ligand-receptor binding, we can link the predicted taste of a specific food to its possible long-term effects on body homeostasis. The effective integration of molecular modelling techniques together with bioinformatics and machine learning applied to the compound search/discovery demonstrated to be achievable during the project and represents an interesting market opportunity in the fields of pharmaceutics, nutritional supplements as well as rational diet development.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

VIRTUOUS is a virtual tongue made by an integrated computational framework able to screen food for natural ligands targeting taste receptors. The proposed intelligent algorithm, by integrating drug discovery techniques, machine learning classifiers, algorithms for big data, cloud computing, and experimental data will predict the organoleptic profile of a specific food based on its chemical composition. The outcomes of this research will shed light on the mechanisms driving the information transfer from the chemistry level, where food molecular constituents bind taste receptors, toward a cascade of molecular, supramolecular and cellular events emerging as an elaborated sensation which strongly contribute to the food organoleptic profile. The joint exchange programme involves 9 participants from 4 countries: Italy, Greece, Spain, Switzerland. Participants are both from academic (4 beneficiaries) and non-academic (5 beneficiaries) sectors. The balance between academy and industry and the interdisciplinary nature of the Consortium will grant a unique stimulating environment for researchers involved in the projects.Relevance of the program is identified at European and worldwide level, both for academia and industry. The idea of conceiving a taste predictor to be applied on European food products will boost and widen European food market at global level. The VIRTUOUS tongue may be also thought has an “food computer aided design tool” for EU food technology. For example, based on taste prediction the VIRTUOUS platform may be used in the future to predict the results of a specific grape graft. The Virtuous tongue may be also combined with other technologies to enhance precision agriculture. The VIRTUOUS research also links taste receptors’ activation to the activity of nuclear receptors following the paradigm of the Mediterranean Diet: “good and healthy”. Finally, the project is related to neuroscience, by considering molecular mechanisms of brain elaboration in taste.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • POLITECNICO DI TORINO · TorinoCoordinatorItaly
  • 7HC SOCIETA A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA · ROMAItaly
  • A.P.A. SAN SEBASTIAN S. COOP. AND. · Benalua De Las VillasSpain
  • ATHINA-EREVNITIKO KENTRO KAINOTOMIAS STIS TECHNOLOGIES TIS PLIROFORIAS, TON EPIKOINONION KAI TIS GNOSIS · MAROUSSIGreece
  • EFIIS SISTEMIKI VIOLOGIA MONOPROSOPI IKE · PATRAGreece
  • EMMANOUIL ORFANOS KAI SIA EE · PATRAGreece
  • ENGINLIFE-ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS · TorinoItaly
  • MISSING TECH SAGL · CHIASSOSwitzerland
  • SCUOLA UNIVERSITARIA PROFESSIONALE DELLA SVIZZERA ITALIANA · MANNOSwitzerland
  • THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM · JerusalemIsrael
  • UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA · GranadaSpain

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union