Understanding dietary Fibre

A packet of bran flakes and a bowl of porridge contain very different types of fibre, but current lab tests often fail to tell them apart accurately. This project, a collaboration with Nestlé, aims to develop robust new methods for analysing dietary fibre across a wide range of foods. Why this matters: Existing fibre analysis techniques were designed decades ago and struggle with modern, complex food products. They can miss certain types of fibre or misclassify them, making it difficult for food manufacturers to label products correctly and for researchers to understand how different fibres affect human health. Without reliable measurement, claims about "high fibre" or "good for gut health" rest on shaky ground. If the research succeeds, it could change how the food industry measures and labels fibre. More accurate analysis would allow companies to reformulate products with confidence, knowing exactly what fibre content they deliver. Regulators could set clearer standards. For consumers, this means food labels that genuinely reflect what is inside—though the immediate impact is on the manufacturing and quality-control systems that operate behind the scenes, not on the dinner plate itself. This is applied method development, not fundamental science; its value lies in making existing nutritional science work better in practice.