Engineering solutions for the production of functional and nutraceutical foods

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The importance of developing healthier foods with target functionality is being recognized worldwide. In its August 2007 memoire to the "Commission sur l'avenir de l'agriculture et de l'agro-alimentaire québécois" the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of McGill University, recognized the importance of the research and development efforts needed in the processing of nutraceutical/functional foods to keep our food industries at the forefront of rapidly evolving market demands. In Europe, the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE), in its 2007 roadmap document entitled "Roadmap for the 21st Century", has stated as a major priority of the next 5 years, the need to exploit and explore the functionality of ingredients. Innovative ingredients must be developed from natural products to deliver processed foods with health benefits. With the increasing difficulty in time management experienced by busy families in Canada (with families having both parents working), the demand for quality processed/convenient food products is ever increasing. This research program will investigate the heat and mass transfer effects involved in drying/ handling/ extraction processes as they impact on the concentration of phyto-nutrients from target plant materials such as phenolic compounds in legumes, glucose modulators in bitter melon, and phytoestrogens in flaxseed, etc. The characterization of the availability of the phyto-nutrients in foods, dried herbs and extracts must take account of the various effects included in processing and handling/preparation methods. Furthermore, it is proposed to design, construct and test an innovative labscale RF extraction unit that promises great potential. Given the size of the nutraceutical food market in Canada (revenues greater than CAN$2.9 billion in 2004) and its growth potential (15% annual growth since 2002), improvements in extraction processes and encapsulation delivery systems and the quality of ingredients will surely have great immediate acceptance and applicability in the industry. This program will bring together cross-cutting themes of engineering, chemistry, food science, nutrition and health to favour better quality of life from improved food and natural health products supply.