Staff Profile:Professor Bob Rastall
- Name:
- Professor Bob Rastall
- Job Title:
- Head of Department
- Responsibilities:
-
Head of Department of Food Biosciences
Head of Food and Bioprocessing Sciences Research Group
- Areas of Interest:
-
I currently have a team of postdoctoral research fellows and PhD students funded by UK, European and US industry, BBSRC, overseas governments and the EU.
The main research activity is the development of biotechnological manufacturing methods for novel oligosaccharides for application as functional food ingredients and as pharmaceutical agents. This involves the following technologies:
- Development of enzymatic synthesis approaches for oligosaccharides based on the use of microbial and plant glycosidases as synthetic catalysts. The aim is to develop an economical manufacturing technology for novel and bioactive oligosaccharides.
- Production of microbial polysaccharides, polysaccharide degrading enzymes and bacteriophage by fermentation.
- Development of controlled enzymatic hydrolysis technology for manufacture of oligosaccharides. The aim is to develop enzyme reactors to perform controlled partial degradation of microbial and plant polysaccharides such as to allow control over the molecular weight of the oligosaccharide product.
Oligosaccharides manufactured using these technologies are being investigated for the following biological activities:
- Prebiotic activity. The ability of these molecules to selectively stimulate the populations of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the gut is being investigated. The aim is to create novel prebiotics with a range of functional enhancements over the current market leaders. Several disease states and vulnerable population groups are being targeted by this research.
- Research groups / Centres:
- Publications:
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M.L. Sanz, M.Corzo-Martínez, R.A. Rastall, M. Villamiel, A. Olano and F.J. Moreno (2007) Characterization and in vitro digestibility of glycated bovine beta-lactoglobulin with galactooligosaccharides Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55: 7916-7925.
S.A.W. Hughes, P. R. Shewry, L. Li, G.R. Gibson, M.L. Sanz and R.A. Rastall (2007), In vitro fermentation by human fecal microflora of wheat arabinoxylans. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 55: 4589-4595.
M.L. Sanz, G.L. Côté, G.R. Gibson and R.A. Rastall (2006) Influence Of Glycosidic Linkages And Molecular Weight On The Fermentation Of Maltose-Based Oligosaccharides By Gut Bacteria Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54: 9779-9784.
Kapasakalides, P., Rastall, R.A. and M.H. Gordon. (2005) Extraction of polyphenols from processed blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) residues. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 54: 4016-4021.
M.L. Sanz, G.L. Côté, G.R. Gibson and R.A. Rastall (2006) Selective fermentation of gentiobiose derived oligosaccharides by human gut bacteria. Influence of molecular weight FEMS Microbiology Ecology 56: 383-388.
J. Rhoades, G.R. Gibson, K. Formentin, M. Beer and R.A. Rastall. (2006) Inhibition of the Adhesion of Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Strains to HT-29 Cells in Culture by Chito-oligosaccharides Carbohydrate polymers 64:57-59.
S. Wichienchot, P. Prasertsan, T. Hongpattarakere, G.R. Gibson and R. A. Rastall (2006) In vitro Three-stage Continuous Fermentation of Gluco-oligosaccharides Produced by Gluconobacter oxydans NCIMB 4943 by the Human Colonic Microflora Current Issues in Intestinal Microbiology 7: 13-18
S. Wichienchot, P. Prasertsan, T. Hongpattarakere, G.R. Gibson and R. A. Rastall (2006) In vitro Fermentation of Mixed Linkage Gluco-oligosaccharides Produced by Gluconobacter oxydans NCIMB 4943 by the Human Colonic Microflora Current Issues in Intestinal Microbiology 7: 7-12
C.L. Vernazza, G.R. Gibson and R.A. Rastall (2006) Carbohydrate preference, acid tolerance and bile tolerance in five strains of Bifidobacterium Journal of Applied Microbiology 100: 846-853. - Qualifications:
- BSc, PhD