Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products and Functional Food was approved in 2011. Focusing its research mainly on natural products and functional foods, the key laboratory has four research directions: (1) natural bioactive compounds extraction, isolation and identification; (2) Engineering production of natural bioactive compounds; (3) bioactivity and safety evaluation; (4) functional foods research and development. The research covers the area of food biochemistry, nutriology, molecular biology, biotechnology, etc. The aims of the laboratory are to be the high-level platform for natural products and functional foods research, to be the training base of high-level talents, and make contributions to the development of functional food as well as the progress of food industry.
At present, the key laboratory has 20 team members, and all of them hold doctorate major in food science or biochemistry. The key laboratory has a lab building with area more than 2000 m2 and investment more than RMB 10 million. The lab building was comprehensive planned for the four research directions, and was equipped with a lot of advanced instruments. The public platform of zooblast culture room, plant cell culture room, animal house, laboratory of molecular biology, laboratory for pilot plant test of natural compounds extraction and separation, meeting room and multi-media classroom were constructed.
Active in cooperation, the key laboratory has established sound relations in the fields of academic exchange, research cooperation and personnel training programs with many universities, research institutions and companies around the world, such as Langston University, University of Guelph, Nanchang university, China agricultural university, Guangdong academy of agricultural sciences, etc.
