Science minister David Willets has announced £250 million for bioscience research as the first phase of a five-year strategic investment programme.

The Norwich Bioscience Institute will benefit with funding to support its research into the science underpinning the 5 A DAY message.

This part of the programme will bring together research groups from the Institute of Food Research.

A spokesman at IFR said: “Through collaboration with colleagues at Rothamsted Research, we will explore whether plants can provide a sustainable source of bioactives. …An important part of our research is human dietary studies. These may involve volunteers having a single meal, or more long term dietary studies in which we investigate the effects of certain foods on, for example, our vascular and heart health.”