Novel processing methods for enhancing nutritional quality and functionality of foods

在我的收获后技术研究计划中，我们致力于研究新颖，有效和节能的方法来干燥和热处理食品，以更好地保留其营养和健康有益的内容，延长其保质期，并确保食品安全。本提案中的活动以此为基础。本文提出了一种微波流化床干燥系统的智能实时控制系统，并研究了非热方法（例如：电流体动力干燥（EHD）、超声波、非热等离子体（NTP））用于加工食品而不降解热敏健康有益成分（例如，维生素）。 为了开发一个实时系统来控制干燥的豌豆和切片蔬菜在MWFBD，我们已经组装了一个在线监测系统，使用计算机视觉。我们正在开发算法，以分析图像的大小和颜色的变化，因为它经历干燥的食物材料。主要的挑战是食物颗粒不断移动。该系统产生的数据将与食品干燥时成分和质量变化的信息结合使用，以训练人工神经网络，从而使用该数据来提供干燥机的智能控制，从而产生营养和理想的产品。 在我们的非热干燥工作中，我们注意到使用高压场（如EHD）对蛋白质结构有影响，这可能影响蛋白质功能，如消化率和过敏性。这些影响是非常感兴趣的，因为这些都是社会的主要关注。我们研究了非热处理对大豆、猕猴桃、虾等蛋白质结构的影响，使用工具，如圆二色性和分子动力学模拟，以确定和可视化蛋白质构象的变化。我们将使用更先进的工具，如激光成像质谱仪，继续这些研究。我们已经与一个致力于过敏症的医学小组讨论过，对加工过的猕猴桃蛋白的过敏性进行临床试验。 我们正在研究一种非热方法来净化新鲜农产品，特别是难以在不影响食物的情况下灭菌的叶菜。用NTP处理的水导致形成具有抗微生物性质的组分（例如，过氧化氢、臭氧、亚硝酸盐、硝酸盐）。因此，等离子体活化水（PAW）可用作洗涤剂以减少产品上的细菌负荷。活性成分容易降解，因此对环境的影响很小。我们将研究PAW对食品的营养和物理特性的影响。 这项工作将开发控制系统和技术，供食品加工部门的研究人员和工业界使用，以提高食品质量。该计划将培训人员，并提供优秀的职业选择，最近的毕业生在加拿大食品公司和机构找到职位的成功证明了这一点。

In my research program on post-harvest technologies, we have worked on novel, effective, and energy efficient methods to dry and thermally treat foods to better retain its nutritious and health beneficial contents, extend its shelf life, and ensure food safety. The activities in this proposal build upon this. We propose to develop an intelligent real-time control system for microwave fluidized bed drying system (MWFBD) and to study the use of non-thermal methods (ex. electrohydrodynamic drying (EHD), ultrasound, non-thermal plasma (NTP)) for processing foods without degrading heat-sensitive health-beneficial components (ex. vitamins). To develop a real-time system to control drying of peas and sliced vegetables in a MWFBD, we have assembled an on-line monitoring system that uses computer vision. We are developing algorithms to analyze images for changes in size and colour of the food material as it undergoes drying. The main challenge is that the food particles are constantly moving. The data generated by this system will be used in conjunction with information on compositional and qualitative changes in the food as it dries to train artificial neural networks to use this data to provide intelligent control of the dryer to result in nutritious and desirable products. In our work on non-thermal drying, we noted that using high voltage fields such as in EHD had an effect on protein structures, which could affect protein functions such as digestibility and allergenicity. The implications are of great interest since these are major concerns of society. We studied the effects of non-thermal processes on protein structures in soybeans, kiwifruits, shrimps, etc., using tools such as circular dichroism and molecular dynamic simulations to determine and to visualize changes in protein conformation. We will continue these studies using more advanced tools such as laser imaging mass spectrometry. We have discussed with a medical group working on allergies to do clinical trials on the allergenicity of processed kiwifruit proteins. We are working on a non-thermal method to decontaminate fresh produce, especially leafy vegetables that are difficult to sterilize without affecting the food. Water treated with NTP results in the formation of components that have antimicrobial property (ex. hydrogen peroxide, ozone, nitrites, nitrates). The plasma activated water (PAW) can thus be used as a wash to decrease bacterial load on the produce. The active components readily degrade and thus have little environmental impact. We will study the effects of PAW on the nutritional and physical properties of the food. This work will develop control systems and techniques that will be of use to researchers and industry in the food processing sector to enhance the quality of food products. This program will train personnel and provide excellent career options as evidenced by the success of recent graduates in finding positions in Canadian food companies and institutes.