Research Project on Innovative Health Supplements for the Elderly

Institute of Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University

    Thailand’s elderly population grows year after year as a result of lower birth rates and longer life expectancy. In 2020, the elderly accounted for 18.2 percent of the total population, more than children. According to the United Nations’ definition, Thailand is an Aging society. Rapid changes in the structure of the elderly population will have repercussions on the economy, society at large, and the public health system, as this age group is prone to physical deterioration-related health issues and is particularly susceptible to contracting various diseases.
Food for the elderly must therefore be prioritized in order to promote and delay the deterioration of the body, reduce the risk of chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), reduce the burden on health care from illness, reduce treatment costs, and reduce the burden on public health. Developing food innovations to meet the needs of the elderly is thus a way to prevent and solve problems associated with the future transition to a completely aging society (Complete-aged society).

    During 2019-2020, the Science and Technology Research Institute of Chiang Mai University and the Suthirat Yoovidhya Foundation will collaborate under a budget of 1,424,100 baht to conduct research on innovative health supplements for the elderly derived from dark rice and extracted using clean chemical methods (Green chemistry). The objective is to obtain high-quality raw materials or finished products that are environmentally safe and beneficial for the elderly. This study designed sample products to be easy to consume based on the elderly’s chewing and swallowing abilities in order to improve their health, including:

1) A hot drink brewed from black rice seeds and leaves, purple-black rice.
2) Ready-to-brew powdered drink mixed with purple-black rice extract, lemonade flavor.
3) Instant germinated brown rice porridge and porridge made from rice with a low glycemic index and purple-black rice extract as a seasoning ingredient.
4) Bua Loy for the elderly with purple-black rice extract mixed in Bua Loy pieces. 

    Developing a novel nutritious food item tailored for the elderly from the seeds, bran, and leaves of dark rice varieties, which were augmented with Functional Ingredients, was consistent with the project’s intended outcomes. Dark rice extracts rich in polyphenols (Polyphenols), particularly anthocyanin substances (Anthocyanins) with a deep purple color, have been studied for their protective effects against chronic noncommunicable diseases, and biochemical and medical molecular biology tests show that dark rice extract is nontoxic and has a good tendency to promote health. It has good antioxidant activity and biological activity in reducing risks and preventing diseases that are commonly found in the elderly, such as reducing insulin resistance (Insulin Resistance) and reducing abnormal kidney function in Mice fed a high-fat diet demonstrated protection against the death of cultured neurons in an Alzheimer’s disease model, as well as anti-inflammatory and liver cancer prevention effects in laboratory rats’ intestines.

Research Project on Innovative Health Supplements for the Elderly

Institute of Science and Technology, Chiang Mai University