Dr Kirsten Brandt
Senior Lecturer
- Email: kirsten.brandt@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: 0191 222 5852
- Fax: 0191 222 6720
- Address: Room 6.09
School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
Agriculture Building
University of Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 7RU
Research Interests
Links between agricultural methods, plant chemistry, food quality and health of humans and animals, in particular:
Effects of plant secondary metabolites (natural pesticides) on humans, in order to improve the beneficial impact of vegetables and other herbs on human health.
Plant adaptation to low-input conditions regarding product quality and susceptibility to pests and diseases, in order to improve the balance of environmental and economic sustainability in agriculture and horticulture.
The feedback mechanisms (conditioned taste aversion, nutrient sensing) that ensures innate preference for nutritious, non-toxic food, dependent on the present needs, in humans and other animals.
Selected Publications
- Brandt, K.; Christensen, L.P.; Hansen-Møller, J.; Hansen, S.L.; Haraldsdóttir, J.; Jespersen, L, Purup, S.; Kharazmi, A.; Barkholt, V.; Frøkiær, H.; Kobæk-Larsen, M. Health promoting compounds in vegetables and fruits: A systematic approach for identifying plant components with impact on human health. Trends in Food Science and Technology 2004, 15(7-8), 384-393.
- M. Kobaek-Larsen;L. P. Christensen;W. Vach;J. Ritskes-Hoitinga;K. Brandt. Inhibitory Effects of Feeding with Carrots or (-)-Falcarinol on Development of Azoxymethane-Induced Preneoplastic Lesions in the Rat Colon. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2005, 53(5), 1823-1827.
- Brandt, K. and Mølgaard, J.P. Organic agriculture: does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of plant foods?. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2001, 81(9), 924-931.
- Christensen, Lars P.; Brandt, Kirsten. Bioactive polyacetylenes in food plants of the Apiaceae family: Occurrence, bioactivity and analysis. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 2006, 41(3), 683-693.
- Nørbæk, R, Aaboer, D.B, Bleeg, I.S, Christensen, B.T, Kondo, T. and Brandt, K. Flavone C-glycoside, phenolic acid, and nitrogen contents in leaves of barley subject to organic fertilization treatments. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2003, 51, 809-813.
- Thybo, A.K.; Bechmann, I.E.; Brandt, K. Integration of sensory and objective measurements of tomato quality: quantitative assessment of the effect of harvest date as compared with growth medium (soil versus rockwool), electrical conductivity, variety and maturity. J. Sci. Food Agric 2005, 85(13), 2289-2296.
Projects
- Biomarkers of whole-grain intake
Project Leaders: Chris Seal, Kirsten Brandt - Food-FRENZ
Project Leaders: Kirsten Brandt - Grain Mark Study: Investigating Biomarkers of Whole Grain Intake
Project Leaders: Dr Chris Seal, Dr Sumanto Halder
Grain Mark Study: Investigating Biomarkers of Whole Grain Intake
Postgraduate Supervision
Completed PhD projects:
Dr Ahlam Rashed, 'Variation of bioactive constituents, sensory qualities and yield in carrots grown with different types of crop management'. Co-supervisors Dr Julia Cooper and Prof Carlo Leifert. Libyan Government funded. Awarded 2009.
Ongoing PhD projects:
Miss Dimitra Chormova, 'Effect of sustainable fertigation on greenhouse tomatoes in relation to plant growth, yield and fruit quality'. Co-supervisors Dr Ed Okello and Dr Robert Shiel. Greek Government scholarship.
Miss Graciela Silva Rocha, 'Identification of bioactivities of well-defined extracts or compounds from Hyptis crenata Pohl'. Co-supervisor Prof Colin Ingram. Alban scholarship
Mr Salah Al-Hebeil, 'Effects of production method and recipes on bread quality and staling'. Co-supervisor Prof Chris Seal. Libyan Government funded.
Miss Najia Al-Shwerif, 'Effects of environmental factors on plant composition'. Co-supervisor Dr Ed Okello. Libyan Government funded.
MPhil projects:
Miss Amy Bilton, 'Elucidating the biological mode of action of the Citrox plant protection product using optimised laboratory testing'. Co-supervisors Karl Christensen and Ed Okello. Submitted 2009.
Mr Taro Murao, 'Effect of Soil Characteristics and Nitrogen Levels on Relative Competitive Ability of the Wheat and Chenopodium album'. Co-supervisor Carlo Leifert. Awarded 2007.
Esteem Indicators
Co-chair of the EFFoST (European Federation of Food Science and Technology) Working Party on ‘Acceptability of New Foods and Food Technologies’.
Member of the Horizontal Activities Working Group in the European Technology Platform “Food for Life”.
Member of Editorial Board, Journal of Agricultural Science.
Member of the Nutrition Society, International Hormesis Society, International Society for Horticultural Science, Society of Chemical Industry and Association of Applied Biologists.
Co-organiser of the EFFoST workshop: Consumer acceptability of novel foods and food technologies: What can be done to prevent problems before they occur? Budapest 7th February 2007.
Co-organiser, with Naresh Atreya, of the session "Sustainable food supply" at the BCPC Conference 2006, 25th October, Glasgow, UK.
Chair of session: "How useful are animal and human studies to prove health effects of organic products?". Workshop D10 at the European Joint Organic Congress: Organic Farming and European Rural Development, 30th-31st May 2006, Odense, Denmark.
Organiser of International Workshop on Quality Assurance in Organic Farming, presenting conclusions from the Organic HACCP project, in connection with the conference "Organic Farming, Food Quality and Human Health”, on 6th January 2005, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Patents
Larsen, E, Kharazmi, A, Christensen SB, Christensen LP & Brandt, K (2006). Use of glycosides of mono- and diacylglycerol as anti-inflammatory agents. US patent 7,084,122 B2
Background
Originally I was trained in plant biochemistry. My research focuses on links between agricultural methods, plant chemistry, food quality and health of humans and animals.
In particular I am interested in the multidisciplinary aspects, where information from one subject area can be used to improve the understanding of processes and mechanisms in another area.
Roles and Responsibilities
Presently an important part of my work is to coordinate efforts to increase the impact and application of Food Science at Newcastle University, linking a range of research groups with specialised expertise in food related areas, such as human nutrition, consumer science, agronomy and economics. The objectives are to enhance the impact and exploitation of the research and training activities in industry and society and to facilitate the creation and success of multidisciplinary research projects
Previous Positions
Until the end of 2003 I worked as senior scientist in the Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, where I initiated several multi-disciplinary research programmes in the areas mentioned above.
Undergraduate Teaching
ACE2044 Food Technology ML
ACE2039 Food Science