Scientists Develop Appetite-Curbing Gel

BIRMINGHAM, United KingdomScientists at Birmingham have developed an aqueous solution that gels into a solid structure in the stomach to help curb appetite, possibly leading to quashing the desire to binge eat.

Led by Dr. Fotis Spyropoulos, the team developed a hydrocolloid, a substance that forms itself into a gel soon after impact with the stomach's acidic environment. They have used naturally occurring polymers found in a wide range of foods. The goal is to make an individual feel fuller for longer, thereby suppressing the yearning to eat between meals.

We now have to work on just how long that suppressant should last, Spyropoulos explains. Should the effects be timed to wear off five or six hours from breakfast, or two or three hours from being consumed as a mid-morning drink? It's important to us to understand that process so that we can offer an alternative for the consumer.