Complex nutritional studies

Hammersmith Food Research can design and conduct randomised controlled trials in healthy volunteers or in patients with specific health conditions. Such trials are considered the ‘gold standard’ in providing evidence for a particular claim. Evidence is a key component of the tool established by the ‘Process for the Assessment of Scientific Claims on Foods (PASSCLAIM)’ project to assess claims made about foodstuffs or food components.

Our complex nutritional studies service has the following key features:

• Experience and expertise in trial design, conduct and analysis
• Day case or continuous studies managed
• Dedicated research facilities with full staffing and in a hospital setting
• Access to large numbers of trial participants
• Rapid response and short turnaround times

Clinical trials can be conducted through day visits to our facilities. We can also accommodate studies that require subjects to remain under supervision for continuous periods greater than those covered by the normal working day. We have access to dedicated research facilities with full supervision and full health support throughout the working week. By special arrangement, the facilities can be staffed at weekends so that continuous studies can be handled.

When the beneficial effects of a novel foodstuff or food formulation are incrementally greater than existing products, it may require considerable volumes of test data to ensure that any claims are properly proven. We are able to call upon large numbers of volunteers or patients to conduct trials of the necessary power to prove the efficacy of a novel product or formulation.