NSF Convergence Accelerator Track J: Dairy Protein Product Research and Innovation Hub

到2050年，世界人口预计将达到100亿。人类面临的一项重大挑战是，对营养丰富、保质期更长、适应气候变化能力强的食品的需求不断增长，这些食品要能够送达世界上受极端天气条件、地缘政治动荡和大规模移民影响最严重的地区。牛奶营养丰富，含有维生素和矿物质、脂肪和蛋白质，用于生产一系列产品，在世界各地被从婴儿到老年人等各个年龄段的人广泛消费。然而，目前的乳制品生产方法是有限的，并且使用过时的加工实践，在监测蛋白质完整性，分离科学和蛋白质粉末喷雾干燥方面存在关键的效率缺陷。该项目将通过制定实施智能传感和先进制造技术的路线图，解决目前阻碍采用最先进技术解决方案的知识差距问题，旨在为消费者高效生产高价值产品，解决国内和全球营养安全问题。项目团队的使用启发方法针对的是农民和农村社区、乳制品加工商以及含有乳制品蛋白粉成分的食品消费者。乳制品是爱达荷州农业经济的最大组成部分，主要由农村县的农民和加工商推动，在这个美国增长最快的州中，服务不足的少数民族人口正在迅速增加。该项目将通过赠地大学推广项目，与乳制品营销和传播组织（dairy West）以及致力于培训和劳动力发展管道的组织（BUILD dairy）合作，为这些服务不足的少数民族人口提供教育计划和劳动力发展。大学项目包括垂直整合项目课程和BUILD dairy赞助的项目，为学生提供必要的培训，使他们能够在爱达荷州和美国的农村社区从事高薪、有福利的工作。该聚合加速器的目标是通过融合人工智能、化学计量传感和先进的制造工具，实现乳制品加工行业的现代化，从而在生产货架稳定、营养密集的蛋白粉产品方面实现效率、质量和数量的变革。为了实现这一融合目标，一个由学术研究人员和行业利益相关者组成的团队在食品和乳制品化学、计算机科学/人工智能、微生物学、流变学、食品加工工程和食品加工技术方面拥有卓越的证书、经验和知识。具体成果包括：(1)开发基于人工智能的化学计量解决方案，自动化使用近红外光谱对牛奶加工过程中的蛋白质进行实时分析，以提高乳制品质量并减少浪费；(2)将先进的制造脉冲电场和挤出设备应用到乳制品设施中，以提高加工效率和产品质量，减少浪费，节约能源，扩大产能；(3)融合科学、工程、计算机科学、食品科学、营养学、奶牛养殖、供应链管理和劳动力培训，为儿童早期发育、青少年和成人营养以及老年人护理开发具有货架稳定性、营养密度高、对全球市场有影响力的创新蛋白质产品。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The world population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. A critical challenge facing humanity is growing demand for nutrient-dense foods with longer shelf-life and climate resilience to reach regions of the world most impacted by extreme weather conditions, geopolitical turmoil, and mass migration. Milk is nutrient-dense, containing vitamins and minerals, fat, and protein content used to produce a range of products that are widely consumed across the world by people of all ages, from infants to seniors. However, current dairy product manufacturing methods are rate limited, and use outdated processing practices that suffer from critical efficiency shortcomings in monitoring protein integrity, separation science, and spray drying of protein powders. This project will address the knowledge gap currently preventing adoption of state-of-the-art technological solutions by creating a roadmap for the implementation of intelligent sensing and advanced manufacturing technologies aimed at efficient production of high-value products for consumers that address nutrition security at a domestic and global level. The project team’s use-inspired approach targets farmers and rural communities, dairy processors, and consumers of food products containing dairy protein powder ingredients. Dairy is the single largest component of the Idaho agricultural economy, being driven predominantly by farmers and processors in rural counties, where underserved minority populations are increasing at a rapid rate in a state that is among the fastest growing in the United States. This project will focus on educational programs and workforce development for these underserved minority populations through land grant university extension outreach programs, partnership with dairy marketing and communication organizations (Dairy West), and organizations dedicated to the training and workforce development pipeline for students to careers in dairy processing (BUILD Dairy). University programs including the Vertically Integrated Project curriculum and BUILD Dairy-sponsored projects, offer students training essential for their employment in high-paying, benefit-eligible positions in rural communities throughout Idaho and the United States.The goal of this Convergence Accelerator is to modernize the dairy processing industry by fusing artificial intelligence, chemometric sensing, and advanced manufacturing tools to achieve transformative efficiency, quality, and quantity gains in the production of shelf-stable, nutrient-dense, protein powder products. To achieve this convergence goal, a team of academic researchers and industry stakeholders with exceptional credentials, experience, and knowledge in food and dairy chemistry, computer science/artificial intelligence, microbiology, rheology, food process engineering, and food process technology has been assembled. The specific deliverables are: (1) Develop artificial intelligence-based chemometric solutions to automate the use of near-infrared spectroscopy for the real-time analysis of proteins in milk during processing to improve the quality of dairy products and reduce waste; (2) Implement and optimize operating conditions for advanced manufacturing pulsed electric field and extruder equipment into dairy facilities to improve processing efficiency, product quality, reduce waste, conserve energy, and expand capacity; and (3) Converge sciences, engineering, computer science, food science, nutrition, dairy farming, supply chain management, and workforce training to develop innovative protein products for early childhood development, adolescent and adult nutrition, and senior care that are shelf-stable, nutrient-dense, and impactful to a global market.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.