The present invention provides a model to study the (regulation of) expression, synthesis and/or secretion of ghrelin in humans. Ghrelin is a hormone that signals appetite and stimulates food intake. The model of this invention comprises the culture of a cell line derived from a human gastric adenocarcinoma that is capable of producing ghrelin, said model also comprising a medium suitable for growing said cell line. The invention also provides a method for assessing ghrelin production, wherein a cell line derived from a human gastric adenocarcinoma can synthesize and secrete ghrelin when grown in a suitable medium. This method can be used as screening tool when measuring the effect of test compounds on the production of ghrelin. Such screening tool allows for testing a large number of compounds in order to develop drugs or food ingredients that help to control food intake by regulating appetite.