NutriEV researchers are exploring how nanoscale vesicles in everyday foods could help address obesity and metabolic disorders.
The NutriEV project, funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, marks its first anniversary with remarkable scientific progress. Bringing together five leading European research institutions, the project is uncovering how microscopic biological particles known as nutrient-enriched extracellular vesicles (nutriEVs), naturally present in raw and fermented foods, can influence metabolism, gut health, and inflammation.
A European collaboration for molecular nutrition
Coordinated by the University of Oulu in Finland and led by Professor Seppo Vainio, NutriEV unites experts from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR, Italy), the Technische Universität Braunschweig (Germany), the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), and Zabala Innovation (Spain).
“Our research has advanced rapidly. We have successfully purified EVs not only from Finnish cloudberries but also from beans, wheatgrass, and certain other plant sources. Preliminary studies suggest that these purified plant-derived EVs may have beneficial effects in gut-related disease models,” said Professor Seppo Vainio, NutriEV Coordinator.
How scientists are capturing the nanovesicles hidden in plants and foods
At the CNR in Italy, Gabriella Pocsfalvi and her team have succeeded in isolating and characterising nutriEVs from three foods — wheatgrass, fava bean, and cloudberry, using cutting-edge filtration and proteomic technologies. These vesicles, obtained from both raw and fermented foods, are being analysed to understand how their bioactive molecules survive digestion and influence metabolism.
At the Technische Universität Braunschweig in Germany, Michael Hust’s group focuses on developing biochemical and immunological tools to study nutriEVs in detail. Their work involves producing recombinant antibodies that can specifically recognise and bind to plant-derived vesicles — a crucial step for detecting and tracking them in complex biological systems. These antibodies will later enable researchers to trace how vesicles interact with gut and immune cells, paving the way for non-invasive biosensing technologies and precision-nutrition diagnostics.
At the University of Copenhagen, Hans H. Wandall´s group is exploring how nutriEVs may act as diagnostic and therapeutic tools. His team is testing vesicle derived compounds for testing the effect on inflammation, which showed potential anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory models of gut and skin inflammation; processes that play a major role in obesity and metabolic disorders.
At the University of Oulu, Terhi Ruuska-Loewald’s team is preparing the first human dietary study using berries such as cloudberry and lingonberry. The study will analyse extracellular vesicles present in blood, urine, and sweat before and after berry consumption, aiming to understand how nutrition communicates with the body through these molecular messengers.
Research milestone: NutriEV’s scientific publication
The consortium has celebrated a major achievement with the publication of a new scientific paper,
The study, led by the University of Oulu, has confirmed that cloudberry nanovesicles remain stable through digestion, are safely absorbed in the intestine, and distribute beneficial compounds throughout the body.
“Tests using young and old mice show that they are well tolerated and enter the bloodstream efficiently. This discovery paves the way for a natural, gentle treatment for all ages, with the potential to target specific diseases in the future,” said Dr Keerthanaa Balasubramanian Shanthi, one of the paper’s authors.
A new vision for European nutrition research
As NutriEV enters its second year, attention is turning toward innovation and exploitation. “NutriEV has now entered the phase where results are being assessed for their practical relevance,” said Vicky San Miguel, Exploitation Expert at Zabala Innovation. “Over the coming months, the consortium will focus on identifying those results with strong potential for real-world application and impact and identify tentative mechanisms to preserve the ownership of the results.”
By revealing how foods communicate with our cells through molecular messengers, NutriEV is helping to build a scientific foundation for molecular nutrition.
“Through NutriEV, we are pushing the boundaries of nutritional science,” said Professor Vainio. “This discovery opens a completely new perspective on how plant-based foods may directly influence human physiology.”
Obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975, driving a surge in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases that cause millions of preventable deaths each year. NutriEV aims to explore whether nutrition itself holds untapped molecular tools for tackling and potentially for therapy.
More information can be found on nutrievproject.eu
Contact information:
- Project Coordinator: Susanna Kosamo – kosamo@oulu.fi
- Communication: Mariano Echávarri – mechavarri@zabala.es Liliana Melgar – lmelgar@zabala.es
