Functional ingredients for a healthy food industry

千禧一代是下一代消费者，他们倾向于使用新成分的健康饮食。另一方面，上了年纪的x一代和婴儿潮一代也在寻找健康的选择，以降低患与饮食有关的慢性病的风险。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是生产功能性食品和具有市场属性的成分，无论是其技术功能特性（如增强质地）还是其健康促进特性（如调节血糖）。研究工作将集中在特殊谷物和豆类（如小米、扁豆）的加工上，通过麦芽、发酵、挤压等生产出高质量的原料，用于配方营养改善的新食品。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征将允许它们在食品系统中有针对性地利用。此外，在食品中使用脉冲成分有望增加消费者的饱腹感，并提供高蛋白的替代品。将研究以种子水胶体为目标的新型水胶体的特殊功能特性（技术和健康）。与其他凝胶形成的化合物相比，植物来源的水胶体具有物理、化学、感官和生理上的优势，特别是在低脂肪配方中，植物来源的水胶体具有改善食物结构和口感的能力，是很有前途的成分。本研究将探索提取方法，以优化植物基水胶体的生产，同时建立其在食品系统中的性能和行为（粘度、胶凝、质地等）。他们在食物摄入和血糖调节中的作用，他们潜在的作用模式和他们潜在的食品应用将被研究。在生物分子领域，将进一步研究微波、射频、电场等提取植物生物质优质提取物的优化和标准化。研究人员将对提取物在储存、食品基质、胶囊化和胃肠道中的稳定性进行研究，以评估其作为功能性食品成分的有效性。新型食品和配料的开发将满足行业生产“更健康的方便食品”的需求，造福消费者。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优秀的食品工程高素质人才培训机会。

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.