As of 2015, over 65% of the American population was overweight or obese. This statistic represents an alarming increase from the approximately 47% in the 1970s. Our expanding waistlines are impacted by factors such as socioeconomic status and availability of fast/easy/inexpensive food options such as those foods ladened with high amounts of sugars (Think: high fructose corn syrup) and grains as we move toward heavily-processes, inexpensive, shelf-stable foods and away from whole food sources.
As a researcher, you can have a direct influence on the availability of healthier products on the market, specifically by altering the biochemical content of foods.
In this article, we analyze some major ways in which health status can be improved by consuming foods comprised of smaller particles.
Increases growth
By reducing the particle size of food fed to juvenile Nile tilapia, the fish may demonstrate faster growth than if fed foods with larger particle sizes. In this study, the fish were given pellets containing a variety of particle sizes. The fish that received small particle pellets saw significant increases in growth rates compared with their large particle pellet fish counterparts. However, the study did suggest that while this was effective with juvenile fish, it may not be so with adults.
Reduces Food Intake
One study analyzed the link between particle size and food intake. Some men who consumed a pre-load drink comprised of 2µm particles, and the others’ pre-load drink was comprised of 50µm particles. The men whose drinks contained smaller particles ate up to 12% less at a buffet-style lunch later in the same day.
Boosts Satiety
As per the same study that found a link between decreased particle size and satiety, there was also an inferred link to satiety. Because humans are programmed to stop eating when satiated, and because the men in the study had full buffet-style food access, we can infer that they stopped eating when satiated.
Pion's BEE Brand High Quality Particle Size Reduction Equipment
A food’s ability to have its intended effect can be attributed to a wide variety of factors. In particular, particle size and its consistency in size are high-impact factors that every food manufacturer should consider. The first step in synthesizing a drug product that confers high bioavailability is purchasing equipment that will achieve consistent particle size distribution. One such example is the high pressure homogenizer by Pion.
Our products are trusted by pharmaceutical researchers and lab managers around the world for key benefits, such as production of nano/micro emulsions, dispersions, and suspensions; importantly, this equipment can achieve consistent particle sizes at or below 100 nm, a key benefit for researchers & corporations that synthesize pharmaceutical products.
