Functional ingredients for a healthy food industry

千禧一代是下一代消费者，他们正倾向于使用新成分的更健康饮食。 另一方面，老龄化的X一代和婴儿潮一代也在寻找健康的选择，以降低患与饮食相关的慢性疾病的风险。 感兴趣的成分包括益生元，益生菌，降脂，降盐和整体健康增强成分。 这项研究计划的长期目标将针对功能性食品和成分的生产，这些食品和成分具有可销售的特性，（如质地增强剂）或其促进健康的特性研究工作将集中在特种谷物和豆类的加工方面（如小米、扁豆），通过制麦、发酵、挤压等生产高品质配料，用于配制营养得到改善的新型食品。 谷物和豆类的加工往往是必要的，以提高其消化率。了解这些成分的功能特性将使其在食品系统中得到有针对性的利用。 此外，在食品中使用豆类成分有希望增加消费者的饱腹感，并提供高蛋白替代品。将研究针对种子水胶体的特殊功能特性（技术和健康）的水胶体新来源。 通过提供比其他凝胶形成化合物更好的物理，化学，感官和生理优势，植物来源的水胶体是有前途的成分，特别是在低脂配方中，因为它们能够改善食物结构和口感。这项研究将探索提取方法，以优化植物性水胶体的生产，同时确定其在食品系统中的性能和行为（粘度，凝胶化，质地等）。 在生物分子领域，将进一步研究微波、射频、电场等提取方法的优化和标准化，从植物生物质中提取的高品质提取物。 我们会研究这些提取物在储存、在食物基质中、包封及在胃肠道中的稳定性，以评估其作为功能性食物配料的效能。开发新的食物及配料，将可满足业界生产“健康方便食品”的需要，令消费者受惠。 该研究计划的动态研究活动将为加拿大食品工业的持续增长提供食品工程高素质人才的良好培训机会。

Millennials are the next generation of consumers, and they are trending towards healthier diets with novel ingredients. At the other end of the spectrum, the aging Generation Xers and baby boomers are also looking for healthy options to reduce their risks of diet-related chronic diseases. Ingredients of interest consist of prebiotics, probiotics, fat lowering, salt lowering and overall health enhancing ingredients. The long term objective of this research program will target the production of functional foods and ingredients with marketable attributes for either their techno-functional properties (such as enhancers of texture) or their health-promoting properties (such as in the modulation of blood glucose).Research work will concentrate on the processing of specialty grains and pulses (such as millet, lentils), through malting, fermenting, extrusion, etc. in the production of high quality ingredients for the formulation of new food products with improved nutrition. Processing of grains and pulses is often necessary to improve their digestibility. Understanding the functional characteristics of these ingredients will allow for their targeted utilization in food systems. Furthermore, the use of pulse ingredients in foods has the promise of increasing satiety in consumers and offering a high-protein alternative.Novel sources of hydrocolloids targeting seed-hydrocolloids for their particular functional properties (techno and health) will be investigated. By offering physical, chemical, sensorial, and physiological advantages over other gel-forming compounds, plant-sourced hydrocolloids are promising ingredients especially in low fat formulations for their capacity to improve the food structure and mouth feel. This research will explore extraction methods to optimize the production of plant-based hydrocolloids while their performance and behaviour in food systems will be established (viscosity, gelling, texture, etc). Their role in food intake and glycemic regulation, their underlying modes of action and their potential food applications will be studied.In the field of bio-molecules, research will pursue further on optimization and standardization of extraction by microwave, radio-frequency, electric field, etc., of high quality extracts from plant biomass. The stability of the extracts during storage, in food matrices, when encapsulated, and during their journey through the gastro-intestinal tract will be investigated to assess their effectiveness as functional food ingredients.The development of novel foods and ingredients will meet the needs of the industry for producing "healthier-for-you convenient foods" for the benefit of consumers. The dynamic research activities of this research program will provide excellent training opportunities for highly qualified personnel in food engineering for the sustained growth of the Canadian food industry.