Impact case study database

Research by Prof Johnstone on dietary protein has shown it to be an effective means of managing hunger to achieve weight loss in obese individuals. She has also explored sustainable plant protein sources to promote healthy ageing. Together, these findings support the food industry to develop healthier food ranges, delivering economic impact in the food and drink sector, and enhancing public health and food industry understanding of the health benefits of improved protein consumption.

Supporting the food industry to develop healthier food ranges

While protein-rich diets have been shown to help achieve appetite control and to support an active lifestyle, the challenge for the food sector has been to develop health food ranges that incorporate a protein-carbohydrate formulation that is palatable, sustainably sourced and appetising, while also being compatible with a balanced (high fibre) diet. The Aberdeen research played a key role in developing high protein with balanced carbohydrate formations for the M&S range – ‘ Fuller Longer’, with Prof Johnstone as the academic consultant for M&S, described in the REF2014 impact case study, “Commercial health food for sustained appetite control”. ‘ Fuller Longer’ has since changed name to ‘ Balanced For You’ (BFY) and, 10 years on, testimony from the company confirms that the range continues to help customers to achieve their health goals and to contribute to the M&S Plan A sustainability goals [ S1]. The popularity of the brand is further illustrated by promotional media materials that highlight the ‘high protein and perfectly portioned carbs’ in the BFY range, attracting over 2.8 million views [ S2].

Since 2016, BFY has been provided as part of British Airways collaboration to offer M&S food on its short haul flights, recognising that passengers wanted ‘ choices that reflected what they would normally select when out and about’ [ S3]. BFY also features in M&S hospital franchise stores, contributing to their proportion of healthy choices that they must make available, according to the guidelines implemented by the Scottish Government in 2017. These guidelines require that food retailers on NHS grounds must comply with Heath Care Retail Standards as per NHS terms. The implementation was successful with 97% compliance from retailers of food and drinks on Scottish hospital sites [ S4].

The research from the Rowett Institute has led to Prof Johnstone being involved in two additional relationships. First, Prof Johnstone provided expert advice on the role of protein in satiety to the Jamie Oliver Group, to inform the preparation of the book ‘ Everyday Super Food’, published in 2015. Prof Johnstone is acknowledged in the book which was 11^th bestselling in the UK in 2015, with sales revenue of GBP7.3 million [ S5]. Second, a partnership began in 2018 with UK-based Tate &Lyle, who supply ingredients globally to the food and beverage industry. Prof Johnstone has presented elements of the research focusing on plant proteins to the Tate & Lyle Research Advisory Group (Aug 2018), a client group of their international producers (Jan 2019). Vice President of Global Nutrition and Open Innovation at Tate & Lyle has worked with Prof Johnstone as they seek to expand their portfolio of plant proteins to support health and wellness, and Johnstone is now leading a research and development project to assess ingredient formulations of plant proteins, specifically to examine the nutrition and health benefits of selected botanical proteins [ S6].

Delivering economic impact in the food and drink sector

The Aberdeen-M&S collaboration led to the creation of a GBP40 million health food range for M&S. ‘ Balanced for You’ accounts for 44% of total healthy meals sales for M&S, or 14% of overall meals space, and 18% of total sales (pre-COVID) [ S1]. The partnership was noted in the Scottish Parliament in 2014 as an example of excellent work in relation to the Food (Scotland) Bill [ S7, p75]; and as an exemplar for driving economic impact in the Food and Drink sector, contributing to GBP3.3 million gross value added to Scotland’s economy (estimated as GBP11.2 million in UK) in the 2017 BiGGAR economic report for Scottish Government [ S8, Case Study 9-1, pp38-39].

Enhancing public health and food industry understanding of the health benefits of improved protein consumption

Drawing upon the research undertaken in the Protein4Life project, Prof Johnstone led a collaborative team to produce a White Paper [ S9i], which has been used to inform public health and industry sectors on the opportunities for improving health expectancies in the population though improved protein consumption. Recognising the emerging threat of sarcopenia and associated health problems, this work identified that much of the UK adult population fails to consume adequate protein to maintain muscle strength and function in later life. Loss of muscle strength and function directly impacts the economy in both cost of healthcare and loss of workplace productivity. The white paper was presented to the UK Parliamentary and Scientific Committee in March 2019 to inform a discussion on challenges for a growing and ageing population [ S9ii] and is also promoted by British Dietetic Association Work Ready pages on Productive Healthy Ageing [ S9iii] The work was also presented at Food Matters Live 2019, with over 8,500 attendees from the ingredients, food production, food service and retail, and nutrition sectors [ S9iv]. SEFARI, the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes consortium hosts a blog by Prof Johnstone on the white paper, which since June 2020 received 65 views [ S9v].

The Rowett Institute’s approach to collaboration, led by Prof Johnstone and drawing on Aberdeen’s research in protein for satiety and nutrition, and in sustainable plant-based protein, provides a sound basis for the ongoing paradigm shift within the food sector.