Electro-cryo technology for food quality and safety.

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Increasing demand for healthy, nutritious and safe food and emergence of new pathogenic microorganisms that are tolerant to conventional food treatment methods have created a need for improved and novel food process development. But there exists a knowledge deficiency in the understanding of food systems behavior during processing and its related impact on food nutrients. Availability of this knowledge will provide insight into processes that are critical for developing new ones.The proposed research program seeks to fill this gap by advancing the science and engineering of food electro-technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products. The program will adopt a multidisciplinary approach, through 1) Research filling the gap in understanding of the mechanisms of energy, mass and momentum transfer during non-thermal electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying process; 2) Research targeting the design and modeling of a scalable electro-cryo technology (ECT) system and optimization of its process parameters for food dehydration/processing and non-thermal decontamination of foods (food safety); 3) Application of novel molecular dynamic modeling approach to investigate the effect of ECT on conformation of food constituents such as proteins and carbohydrates and the mechanism of microbial membrane electroporation in order to enhance food quality and safety. The research outcomes of this program include: (a) mathematical models describing various food process operation, providing an insight into the impact of processing treatments on food biochemical and physical transformations; (b) molecular models evaluating the consequences of processing on the fate of food nutrients and unintended microbial contamination; (c) analysis, design and improvement of new electro-cryo technology for food quality and safety. This research program will allow Canadian food industry to meet the challenges it faces to ensure food wholesomeness and ultimately achieve global competence.