Newcastle University

Background

Originally I was trained in plant biochemistry. My research focuses on links between food quality, health of humans and animals, agricultural methods and plant chemistry.
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 and Nutrition at Newcastle University, linking a range of research groups with specialised expertise in food related areas, such as human nutrition, consumer science, clinical research, agronomy and economics. This includes the establishment of the new NU Food facility (see the Research tab).

A particular priority area is human intervention trials to establish cause and effect information regarding the effec of foods and food supplements on human health.

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.

Research Interests

Links between food quality, health of humans and animals, agricultural methods and plant chemistry,, in particular:

Research methods to definitively establish cause and effect documentation for foods or food supplements in relation to human health.

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 ensure innate preference for nutritious, non-toxic food, dependent on the present needs, in humans and other animals.

Current Work

I work in the Food Quality and Health Research Group and am a member of the Human Nutrition Research Centre (www.ncl.ac.uk/hnrc/about/) and the Medicinal Plant Research Group (research.ncl.ac.uk/medplant/).

I am involved in several publicly or commercially funded human intervention studies to investigate a wide range of different potential health outcomes caused by specific foods or diets.

The human trials are carried out using the University's state of the art facilities including the Clinical Research Facility (http://www.ncl.ac.uk/crp/facilities/ncrf/index.htm) and the Clinical Ageing Research Unit (http://www.ncl.ac.uk/caru/).  Each intervention trial is done in collaboration with the most relevant and qualified clinical specialists and statisticians to ensure the stringent quality standards as well as efficient and cost-effective delivery.

NU Food

New facilities specifically designed for food related trials with healthy volunteers are currently being established and expected to open in 2012.  They will be part of NU Food, a new facility for food and consumer research, which also will comprise facilities for food production, sensory testing and food-related training activities.

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.
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. Awarded 2010

Ongoing PhD projects:
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. Awarded 2011.
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.

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

Undergraduate Teaching

ACE2044 Food Technology ML
ACE2039 Food Science ML
ACE1018 Introductory Nutrition
ACE3054 Plants as Food ML

Postgraduate Teaching

ACE8051 Functional Foods in Nutrition and Health ML
ACE8051 Production of Herbal Medicines and Functional Foods

Issues in Organic Farming (distance taught module in the PG degree in organic farming at SAC Aberdeen).

• Brandt K. Are Organic Foods Safer or Healthier?. Annals of Internal Medicine 2013, 158(4), 295-295.
• Brandt K, Fawcett L, Haldar S, Seal CJ. Changes in markers of cardiovascular disease risk in healthy volunteers consuming increasing doses of either wholegrain wheat or wholegrain rye. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2013. In Preparation.
• Lloyd AJ, Beckmann M, Haldar S, Seal C, Brandt K, Draper J. Data-driven strategy for the discovery of potential urinary biomarkers of habitual dietary exposure. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2013, 97(2), 377-389.
• Zaini R, Brandt K, Clench MR, LeMaitre CL. Effects of bioactive compounds from carrots (Daucus carota L.), polyacetylenes, beta-carotene and lutein on human lymphoid leukaemia cells. Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2012, 12(6), 640-652.
• Zaini R, Haywood S, Brandt K, Clench MR, Cross N, Le Maitre C. Synergistic Action of Falcarinol on Induction of Apoptosis on Human Lymphoid Leukaemia Cell Lines. In: 202nd Summer Scientific Meeting of the Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. 2012, Sheffield, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
• Brandt K, Leifert C, Sanderson R, Seal CJ. Agroecosystem management and nutritional quality of plant foods: The case of organic fruits and vegetables. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences 2011, 30(1), 177-197.
• Brandt V, Brandt CJ, Glintborg D, Arendal C, Toubro S, Brandt K. Sustained Weight Loss during 20 Months using a Personalized Interactive Internet Based Dietician Advice Program in a General Practice Setting. International Journal on Advances in Life Sciences 2011, 3(1 & 2), 23-28.
• Ghorbani R, Koocheki A, Brandt K, Wilcockson S, Leifert C. Organic agriculture and food production: Ecological, environmental, food safety and nutritional quality issues. In: Lichtfouse, E, ed. Sociology, Organic farming, Climate Change and Soil Science. London, New York: Springer Dordtrecht Heidelberg, 2009, pp.77-107.
• Rocha G, Roughan JV, Leach MC, Flecknell PA, Ingram CD, Brandt K. Traditional use, chemical analysis and antinociceptive effects of Hyptis crenato Pohl. In: Planta Medica: 57th International Congress and Annual Meeting of the Society for Medicinal Plant and Natural Product Research. 2009, Geneva, Switzerland: Georg Thieme Verlag.
• Brandt K. Challenges in the control of food quality and safety. Outlooks on Pest Management 2008, 19(1), 34-38.
• Kristensen M, Ostergaard LF, Halekoh U, Jorgensen H, Lauridsen C, Brandt K, Bugel S. Effect of plant cultivation methods on content of major and trace elements in foodstuffs and retention in rats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2008, 88(12), 2161-2172.
• Brandt K. Plant health, soil fertility relationships and food quality. In: Organic Agriculture in Asia. 2008, Dankook University, Korea: International Society of Organic Agriculture Research.
• Lauridsen C, Yong C, Halekoh U, Bugel SH, Brandt K, Christensen LP, Jorgensen H. Rats show differences in some biomarkers of health when eating diets based on ingredients produced with three different cultivation strategies. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2008, 88(4), 720-732.
• Jorgensen H, Brandt K, Launidsen C. Year rather than farming system influences protein utilization and energy value of vegetables when measured in a rat model. Nutrition Research 2008, 28(12), 866-878.
• Brandt K, Lietz G, Christensen LP, Kobaek-Larsen M. A systematic approach for identifying plant components with impact on human health. In: Acta Horticulturae: 1st International Symposium on Human Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables. 2007, Québec City, Canada: ISHS.
• Brandt K. Organic Agriculture and Food Utilization. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 2007. Synthesis papers on Organic Agriculture and Food Security 4.
• Christensen LP, Brandt K. Acetylenes and Psoralens. In: Crozier, A; Clifford, M; Ashihara, H, ed. Plant Secondary Metabolites: Occurence, Structure and Role in the Human Diet. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2006, pp.137-173.
• Christensen LP, Brandt K. Bioactive polyacetylenes in food plants of the Apiaceae family: Occurrence, bioactivity and analysis. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis 2006, 41(3), 683-693.
• Kidmose U, Yang R-Y, Thilsted SH, Christensen LP, Brandt K. Content of carotenoids in commonly consumed Asian vegetables and stability and extractability during frying. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 2006, 19(6-7), 562-571.
• Brandt K, Mølgaard J-P. Food quality and organic agriculture. In: Kristiansen, P., Taji, A., Reganold, J, ed. Organic Agriculture A Global Perspective. Wallingford, Connecticut, USA: CABI Publishing, 2006, pp.305-327.
• Larsen E, Kharazmi A, Christensen SB, Christensen LP, Brandt K. Use of glycosides of mono- and diacylglycerol as anti-inflammatory agents. USA, US 7,084,122 B2, 2006, 21.11.2002.
• Kobaek-Larsen M, Christensen LP, Vach W, Ritskes-Hoitinga J, Brandt K. 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.
• Thybo AK, Bechmann IE, 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. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2005, 85(13), 2289-2296.
• Brandt K, Christensen LP, Hansen-Moller J, Hansen SL, Haraldsdottir J, Jespersen L, Purup S, Kharazmi A, Barkholt V, Frokiaer H, Kobaek-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.
• Nørbæk R, Aaboer DB, Bleeg IS, Christensen BT, Kondo T, 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(3), 809-813.
• Nørbæk R, Brandt K, Nielsen JK, Ørgaard M, Jacobsen N. Flower pigment composition of Crocus species and cultivars used for a chemotaxonomic investigation. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 2002, 30(8), 763-791.
• Brandt K, Kidmose U. Nutritional consequences of using organic agricultural methods in developing countries. Oxford, UK: Eolss Publishers, 2002. Available at: http://www.eolss.net/Sample-Chapters/C10/E5-21-05.pdf.
• Brandt K, Mølgaard JP. Organic agriculture: does it enhance or reduce the nutritional value of plant foods?. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture: Special Issue: Nutritional Enhancement of Plant Foods (NEODIET) 2001, 81(9), 924-931.
• Brandt K, Christensen LP, Larsen E, Kharazmi A, Purup S, Christensen SB. Using traditional medicine knowledge as a lead to selection of potentially health promoting compounds in food plants. In: Pfannhauser, W., Fenwick, G.R., Khokhar, S, ed. Biologically-active Phytochemicals in Food. Cambridge, UK: The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2001, pp.584-588.