Discover how pea protein can help hospital patients recover faster!
Roquette has collaborated with the nutrition R&D department of Aalborg University Hospital to develop high-in-protein and energy-dense snacks helping patients at risk of undernourishment to recover faster.
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The leading Danish hospital is the largest hospital in the North Denmark Region with approximately 5,900 employees, 800 beds and over 3000 meals produced per day by the kitchen department.
"At Aalborg University Hospital, the vision is that nutrition shall be an active part of the treatment and not just a service offer. To achieve this, a specific nutritional programme - called “KULINARIUM" - has been developed." says Marie Nerup Mortensen, Head of food research at Aalborg University Hospital. "Its aim is to ensure better nutrition at hospitals, especially with malnourished patients."
The challenge was to create new high protein and energy-dense snacks, in line with the specific nutritional requirements of a patient under recovery phase and also appealing to patients.
"The pea protein was found to have the nutritional and technological properties needed to develop specific high protein… and really appetizing baked good!" says Christine Thomsen, Food & Innovation scientist at Aalborg University Hospital.
The first results are really encouraging: a general increase of patients’ intake of energy and protein has already been seen, and this is not at the expense of the intake at main meals.
The next step is to share this experience with other hospitals and nursing homes. Also the results of this nutritional programme are expected to be published in an article in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition in spring 2018.