Campden BRI

This article is part of the Spinwatch public health oriented Alcohol Portal project.

Brewing Research International (BRI) or Campden BRI as the group is sometimes referred to, is a research organisation that works closely with almost all of the world's major brewers. The services they offer cover four main areas:

• A core programme of confidential research for members of BRI
• A confidential shared costs projects programme
• The barley and malt network
• A strategic research programme with a network of collaborators .

This article is part of the Health Portal project of Spinwatch.

According to their website they specialise in the following:

"We cover new brand development, sensory analysis, flavour tracking, routine and specialist analysis, auditing, benchmarking and consultancy. Our product risk management support service covers safety and compliance, together with brand and consumer protection audits. Our specialist services negate the need for expensive internal investment - offering value for money and proven results" .

In 2009 the Department of Health commission BRI to research alcohol industry compliance with voluntary labelling codes developed by the industry. They found that only 15% of the industry's labelling conformed to the self regulatory code. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Alcohol Concern's research into labelling standards found that only 4% of alcohol labels adhered to the voluntary code.

Beer and health

The company who also lobby politicians on the health benefits of beer. BRI works hard to publicise potential health benefits of moderate beer consumption to the general public. They have a number of presentations aimed at the media and policy makers, particularly European MEP's. They have organised events for the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group including a 2001 educational session for MPs to give them a better appreciation of beer, and participated in a session aimed at female journalists.

"Bliss up in a Brewery", a presentation by BRI's Dr Caroline Walker to media and MEPs, is a fine example of their research. In the presentation they claim that beer is not fattening and full of vitamins by using a variety of points including:

In fact, since beer is made from cereal it has significant amounts of fibre, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Yes, VITAMINS! For most people this is a startling discovery, and bears further examination.

Then Walker urges us to reconsider the phrase "beer belly":

Beer is not a high calorie or high fat food – the evidence for beer causing the belly is purely circumstantial! Why not call it a "chip belly" or "burger belly" instead? I rest my case.

People

• Dr Caroline Walker – appointed director of brewing at Campden BRI in February 2009

Partnerships

• BSI Global
• 42 Technology Limited
• Laboratory Of The Government Chemist
• Pursuit Dynamics

Research Partnerships

• Heriot Watt University, UK molecular biology of barley
• Horticulture Research International, Wye, UK hops
• Imperial College London, Department of Chemical Engineering, UK process modelling
• Institute of Food Research, Norwich, UK lipid-binding proteins of barley, folate in food
• Kings College London, UK phytoestrogens, silica in beer
• Oxford Brookes University, UK microbiological detection methods
• RHM Technology contaminants in cereal based foods
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden folate in food
• Technical University of Munich, Weihenstephan, Germany microbiological detection methods
• University of Reading, Department of Food Science, UK antioxidants in malt
• University of Birmingham, Department of Chemical Engineering, UK process modelling (in malt roasting, mashing, boiling, fermentation)
• University of Loughborough, UK process modelling, wort separation
• University of Manchester, UK molecular biology of yeasts
• VMH Hannover, Germany folate in food
• VTT Finland malting and brewing science, microbiological hygiene, microbiological detection