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Biography Simon Ballance

Simon Ballance is a scientist within the Food and Health research group. His undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, in Geography and Environmental Biochemistry respectively, are from the
University of Manchester, UK. Since moving to Norway in 2001 Simon has worked with carbohydrate polymers. His first position was as a Post-Doc at the Norwegian University of Science and
Technology (NTNU), Trondheim (2001-2007). He moved to Nofima AS in Novemeber 2007. Research Details Dietary Carbohydrates and human health The overall aim of my research is to study
the link between carbohydrate nutrition and human health. At present my research portfolio consists of (i) basic research on the mechanisms responsible for the positive health effects of barley, oat and yeast ß-glucans, (ii) dynamic in vitro modeling of cereal digestion and associated glycaemic response, and (iii) applied research in collaboration with industry to develop an industrial process
to remove glucose from fruit juice in order to make a new class of healthy functional foods. ß-glucans are, due to their simple structure, an ideal model to study the effects of dietary fiber on human health.
Although ß-glucans have already been shown to lower postprandial glucose and blood cholesterol there is still debate on whether they, or fragments of, are bioavailable. As part of the EU 7th
Framework programme (KBBE) “Dietary fibres supporting gut and immune function – from polysaccharide to health claim” we will develop new methods

Simon has 46 scientific publications in Cristin:

Brodkorb, André; Egger, Lotti; Alminger, Marie; Alvito, Paula; Assunção, Ricardo; Assuncao, Ricardo; Ballance, Simon; Bohn, Torsten; Bourlieu-Lacanal, Claire; Boutrou, Rachel; Carriere, Frederic; Carrière, Frédéric; Clemente, Alfonso; Corredig, Milena; Dupont, Didier; Dufour, Claire; Edwards, Catharina; Golding, Matt; Karakaya, Sibel; Kirkhus, Bente; Le Feunteun, Steven; Lesmes, Uri; Macierzanka, Adam; Mackie, Alan R.; Martins, Carla; Marze, Sebastien; Marze, Sébastien; McClements, David Julian; Ménard, Olivia; Minekus, Mans; Portmann, Reto; Santos, Cláudia N.; Santos, Claudia N.; Souchon, Isabelle; Singh, R. Paul; Vegarud, Gerd Elisabeth; Wickham, Martin S. J.; Weitschies, Werner; Recio, Isidra; 2019: INFOGEST static in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal food digestion

Brodkorb, André; Egger, Lotti; Alminger, Marie; Alvito, Paula; Ballance, Simon; Kirkhus, Bente; Vegarud, Gerd Elisabeth; Minekus, Mans; Portmann, Reto; Wickham, Martin S. J.; Recio, Isidra; 2019: DUBLETT: INFOGEST static in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal food digestion

Rieder, Anne; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Fernandez, Aida Sainz; Ballance, Simon; 2019: At a high dose even partially degraded beta-glucan with decreased solubility significantly reduced the glycaemic response to bread

Laue, C.; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Papazova, E.; Soeth, E.; Pannenbeckers, A.; Schrezenmeir, J.; 2019: Glycemic response to low sugar apple juice treated with invertase, glucose oxidase and catalase

Rieder, Anne; Ballance, Simon; Böcker, Ulrike; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; 2018: Quantification of 1,3-B-D-glucan from yeast added as a functional ingredient to bread

Adams, Gary G.; Meal, Andrew; Morgan, Paul. S.; Alsahrani, Qushmua E.; Zobel, Hanne; Lithgo, Ryan; Kok, M. Samil; Besong, David T. M.; Jiwani, Shahwar I.; Ballance, Simon; Harding, Stephen E.; Chayen, Naomi; Gillis, Richard B.; 2018: Characterisation of insulin analogues therapeutically available to patients

Grundy, Myriam; McClements, D. J.; Ballance, Simon; Wilde, Peter J.; 2018: Influence of oat components on lipid digestion using an in vitro model: Impact of viscosity and depletion flocculation mechanism

Channel, Guy A.; Adams, Gary G.; Lu, YuDong; Gillis, Richard B.; Dinu, Vlad; Grundy, Myriam; Bajka, Balazs H.; Butterworth, Peter J.; Ellis, Peter R.; Mackie, Alan; Ballance, Simon; Harding, Stephen Ernest; 2018: Use of the Extended Fujita method for representing the molecular weight and molecular weight distributions of native and processed oat beta-glucans

Christensen, Bjørn E.; Strand, Sabina P.; Basset, Coraline; Kristiansen, Kåre Andre; Ulset, Ann-Sissel Teialeret; Ballance, Simon; Granum, Per Einar; 2018: Macromolecular acidic coating increases shelf life by inhibition of bacterial growth

Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Fosvold, Øivind Winther; Fernandez, Alda Sainz; Monro, John; 2018: Predicting mixed-meal measured glycaemic index in healthy subjects

Rieder, Anne; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Ballance, Simon; 2017: In vitro digestion of beta-glucan rich cereal products results in extracts with physicochemical and rheological behavior like pure beta-glucan solutions – A basis for increased understanding of in vivo effects

Grundy, Myriam; Quint, Janina; Rieder, Anne; Ballance, Simon; Dreiss, Cécile A.; Dreiss, Cecile A.; Cross, Kathryn L.; Gray, Robert; Bajka, Balazs H.; Butterworth, Peter J.; Ellis, Peter R.; Wilde, Peter J.; 2017: The impact of oat structure and β-glucan on in vitro lipid digestion

Grundy, Myriam; Quint, Janina; Rieder, Anne; Ballance, Simon; Dreiss, Cecile A.; Butterworth, Peter J.; Ellis, Peter R.; 2017: Impact of hydrothermal and mechanical processing on dissolution kinetics and rheology of oat β-glucan

Helgerud, Trygve; Schüller, Reidar Barfod; Dessev, Tzvetelin; Rukke, Elling-Olav; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Afseth, Nils Kristian; Ballance, Simon; 2016: Mixing properties and rheological characteristics of dough used to make potato-cereal soft wraps

Nyman, Anna Armika Tussilago; Aachmann, Finn Lillelund; Rise, Frode; Ballance, Simon; Samuelsen, Anne Berit Calmeyer; 2016: Structural characterization of a branched (1 → 6)-α-mannan and β-glucans isolated from the fruiting bodies of Cantharellus cibarius

Helgerud, Trygve; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Afseth, Nils Kristian; Stene, Kim Frode; Stene, Kim Frode; Rukke, Elling-Olav; Ballance, Simon; 2016: Evaluation of Hand-Held Instruments for Representative Determination of Glucose in Potatoes

Govers, Coen; Tomassen, Monic M. M.; Rieder, Anne; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Mes, Jurriaan J.; 2016: Lipopolysaccharide quantification and alkali-based inactivation in polysaccharide preparations to enable in vitro immune modulatory studies

Egger, Lotti; Ménard, Olivia; Delgado-Andrade, Cristina; Alvito, Paula; Assuncao, Ricardo; Ballance, Simon; Barberá, Reyes; Brodkorb, Andre; Cattenoz, Thomas; Clemente, Alfonso; Comi, Irene; Dupont, Didier; Garcia-Llatas, Guadalupe; Lagarda, Maria Jesus; Le Feunteun, Steven; Duijghuijsen, Lonneke Janssen; Karakaya, Sibel; Lesmes, Uri; Mackie, Alan R.; Martins, Carla; Meynier, Anne; Miralles, Beatriz; Murray, Brent S.; Philanto, Anne; Picariello, Gianluca; Santos, Claudia N.; Simsek, Sebnem; Recio, Isidra; Rigby, Neil; Rioux, Laurie-Eve; Stoffers, Helena; Tavares, Ana; Tavares, Lucelia; Turgeon, Sylvie; Ulleberg, Ellen K.; Eriksen, Ellen Kathrine; Vegarud, Gerd E.; Vegarud, Gerd Elisabeth; Vergères, Guy; Portmann, Reto; 2016: The harmonized INFOGEST in vitro digestion method: From knowledge to action

Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Fosvold, Øivind Winther; Wickham, Martin; Trenado, Carmen Diaz-Toledo; Monro, John; 2016: Glyceamic and insulinaemic response to mashed potato alone, or with broccoli, broccoli fibre or cellulose in healthy adults

Rieder, Anne; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; 2015: Viscosity based quantification of endogenous β-glucanase activity in flour

Rieder, Anne; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Ulset, Ann-Sissel Teialeret; Christensen, Bjørn E.; Andersson, Roger; Mikkelson, Atte; Tuomainen, Päivi; Maina, Ndegwa; Ballance, Simon; 2015: Inter-laboratory evaluation of SEC-post-column calcofluor for determination of the weight-average molar mass of cereal β-glucan

Helgerud, Trygve; Wold, Jens-Petter; Pedersen, Morten Bøhler; Pedersen, Morten Bøhler; Liland, Kristian Hovde; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Rukke, Elling-Olav; Afseth, Nils Kristian; 2015: Towards on-line prediction of dry matter content in whole unpeeled potatoes using near-infrared spectroscopy

Berven, Lise; Skjeldal, Frode Miltzow; Prydz, Kristian; Zubaidi, Layla; Zubaidi, Layla Mohammad Khader; Ballance, Simon; Johansen, Harald Thidemann; Samuelsen, Anne Berit Calmeyer; 2015: Particulate yeast β-glucan is internalized by RAW 264.7 macrophages and reduces the activity of the tumor-associated protease legumain

Rieder, Anne; Ballance, Simon; Løvaas, André; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; 2015: Minimizing molecular weight reduction of β-glucan during barley bread making

Minekus, Mans; Alminger, Marie; Alvito, Paula; Ballance, Simon; Bohn, T; Bourlieu, Claire; Carriere, F; Boutrou, Rachel; Corredig, M; Dupont, D; Dufour, Claire; Egger, L; Golding, M; Karakaya, Sibel; Kirkhus, Bente; le Feunteun, Steven; Lesmes, U; Macierzanka, Adam; Mackie, Alan; Marze, Sebastien; McClements, D. J.; Ménard, O.; Recio, I.; Santos, C. N.; Singh, R. P.; Vegarud, Gerd Elisabeth; Wickham, M. S. J.; Weitschies, Werner; Brodkorb, A.; 2014: A standardised static in vitro digestion method suitable for food-an international consensus

Ballance, Simon; Sahlstrøm, Stefan; Lea, Per; Nagy, Nina Elisabeth; Andersen, Petter Vejle; Dessev, Tzvetelin; Hull, Sarah; Vardakou, Maria; Faulks, Richard; 2013: Evaluation of gastric processing and duodenal digestion of starch in six cereal meals on the associated glycaemic response using an adult fasted dynamic gastric model

Helgerud, Trygve; Segtnan, Vegard; Wold, Jens-Petter; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Rukke, Elling-Olav; Afseth, Nils Kristian; 2012: Near-infrared Spectroscopy for Rapid Estimation of Dry Matter Content in Whole Unpeeled Potato Tubers

Ballance, Simon; Kristiansen, Kåre Andre; Skogaker, Nan E Tostrup; Tvedt, Kåre E; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2012: The localisation of pectin in Sphagnum moss leaves and its role in preservation

Nagy, Nina Elisabeth; Ballance, Simon; Kvaalen, Harald; Fossdal, Carl Gunnar; Solheim, Halvor; Hietala, Ari; 2012: Xylem defense wood of Norway spruce compromised by the pathogenic white-rot fungus Heterobasidion parviporum shows a prolonged period of selective decay

Radva, Daniel; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Kosary, Judit; Ballance, Simon; 2012: Application of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection to compare the kinetic properties of beta-glucosidase on oligosaccharides from lichenase digested barley beta-glucan

Rieder, Anne; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Ballance, Simon; Grimmer, Stine J Staavi; Airado-Rodriguez, Diego; 2012: Cereal beta-glucan quantification with calcofluor-application to cell culture supernatants

Hájek, Tomás; Ballance, Simon; Limpens, Juul; Zijlstra, Mink; Verhoeven, Jos T.A.; 2011: Cell-wall polysaccharides play an important role in decay resistance of Sphagnum and actively depressed decomposition in vitro

Denstadli, Vegard; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Westereng, Bjørge; Svihus, Birger; 2010: Influence of graded levels of brewers dried grains on pellet quality and performance in broiler chickens

Denstadli, Vegard; Westereng, Bjørge; Biniyam, H.G.; Ballance, Simon; Knutsen, Svein Halvor; Svihus, Birger; 2010: Effects of structure and xylanase treatment of brewers' spent grain on performance and nutrient availability in broiler chickens

Vestby, Lene Karine; Møretrø, Trond; Ballance, Simon; Langsrud, Solveig; Nesse, Live Lingaas; 2009: Survival potential of wild type cellulose deficient Salmonella from the feed industry

Ballance, Simon; Aarstad, Olav Andreas; Aachmann, Finn Lillelund; Skjåk-Bræk, Gudmund; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2009: Preparation of high purity monodisperse oligosaccharides derived from mannuronan by size-exclusion chromatography followed by semi-preparative high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection

Kristiansen, Kåre Andre; Ballance, Simon; Potthast, A; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2009: An evaluation of tritium and fluorescence labelling combined with multi-detector SEC for the detection of carbonyl groups in polysaccharides

Stalheim, Torunn; Ballance, Simon; Christensen, Bjørn E.; Granum, Per Einar; 2009: Sphagnan – a pectin-like polymer isolated from Sphagnum moss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH

Stalheim, Torunn; Ballance, Simon; Christensen, Bjørn E.; Granum, Per Einar; 2009: Sphagnan - a pectin-like polymer isolated from Sphagnum moss can inhibit the growth of some typical food spoilage and food poisoning bacteria by lowering the pH

Ballance, Simon; Kristiansen, Kåre Andre; Holt, Jarle; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2008: Interactions of polysaccharides extracted by mild acid hydrolysis from the leaves of Sphagnum papillosum with either phenylhydrazine, o-phenylenediamine and its oxidation products or collagen

Ballance, Simon; Borsheim, Knut Yngve; Børsheim, Knut Yngve; Inngjerdingen, Kari Tvete; Ingjerdingen, Kari; Paulsen, Berit Smestad; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2007: A re-examination and partial characterisation of polysaccharides released by mild acid hydrolysis from the chlorite-treated leaves of Sphagnum papillosum

Iotti, M.; Fava, P.; Ballance, Simon; Christensen, Bjørn E.; Rustad, Turid; 2007: Absorbent pads for food trays made from Sphagnum moss

Stalheim, Torunn; Ballance, Simon; Børsheim, Knut Yngve; Christensen, Bjørn E.; Granum, Per Einar; 2006: MICROBIOCIDAL ACTIVITY OF BIOPOLYMERS ISOLATED FROM SPHAGNUM PAPILLOSUM

Ballance, Simon; Holtan, Synnøve; Aarstad, Olav Andreas; Sikorski, Pawel T.; Skjåk-Bræk, Gudmund; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2005: Application of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection and statistical analysis to study oligosaccharide distributions - a complementary method to investigate the structure and some properties of alginates

Ballance, Simon; Børsheim, Yngve; Christensen, Bjørn E.; 2004: A unique 5-keto sugar in the leaves of Sphagnum moss: A review of the evidence

Campa, Cristiana; Oust, Astrid; Skjåk-Bræk, Gudmund; Skjak-Braek, G; Paulsen, Berit Smestad; Paoletti, Sergio; Christensen, Bjørn E.; Ballance, Simon; 2004: Determination of average degree of polymerisation and distribution of oligosaccharides in a partially acid-hydrolysed homopolysaccharide: A comparison of four experimental methods applied to mannuronan

Dietary fiber and glycemic carbohydrates

1. January 2013 – 31. December 2016

In this research program our primary objective is to increase our knowledge on how processing can maximize the benficial health effects of dietary fiber and minimize the detrimental health effects of glycaemic carbohydrates.