Functional ingredients for a healthy food industry

千禧一代是下一代消费者，他们正在倾向于使用新成分的更健康的饮食。在光谱的另一端，老龄化的X世代和婴儿潮一代也在寻找健康的选择，以降低他们患上与饮食有关的慢性病的风险。令人感兴趣的成分包括益生菌、益生菌、降脂、降盐和全面促进健康的成分。这项研究计划的长期目标将是生产具有适销对路的技术功能特性(如质构增强剂)或促进健康特性(如调节血糖)的功能性食品和配料。 研究工作将集中在特殊谷物和豆类(如小米、小扁豆)的加工，通过麦芽、发酵、挤压等方式生产高质量的配料，以开发出营养更好的新食品。谷物和豆类的加工通常是提高其消化率所必需的。了解这些成分的功能特性将使它们能够在食品系统中有针对性地使用。此外，在食品中使用豆类成分有望增加消费者的饱腹感，并提供一种高蛋白替代品。 将研究以种子为靶标的新型亲水胶体来源--针对其特殊功能特性(技术和健康)的亲水胶体。与其他凝胶形成化合物相比，植物来源的亲水胶体具有物理、化学、感官和生理上的优势，是一种很有前途的成分，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，以优化植物性亲水胶体的生产，同时将确定其在食品系统中的性能和行为(粘度、凝胶、质地等)。将研究它们在食物摄取和血糖调节中的作用、它们的基本作用模式以及它们在食品中的潜在应用。 在生物分子领域，将进一步开展微波、射频、电场等提取植物生物质高质量提取物的优化和标准化研究。将调查萃取物在储存期间、在食品基质中、当被包裹时以及在通过胃肠道过程中的稳定性，以评估其作为功能性食品配料的有效性。 新食品和新配料的开发将满足行业生产更健康的方便食品以造福消费者的需求。该研究项目的动态研究活动将为加拿大食品工业的持续发展提供极好的食品工程人才培训机会。

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.