Development of ready-to-cook/serve active packaging system for microwave potato products

马铃薯是加拿大最大的蔬菜作物之一。2015-2016年，马铃薯产量达到477万吨，加拿大马铃薯和马铃薯产品的出口额估计为16亿美元。它是加拿大饮食中的重要主食，提供许多必需的营养素。虽然加拿大人意识到新鲜蔬菜在他们饮食中的重要性，但在家里消费新鲜农产品的程度在很大程度上受到便利和感官因素的影响。 通过与EarthFresh Foods Inc.合作，该项目将开发一种创新的马铃薯微波活性包装系统。多功能包装旨在解决产品保质期问题（例如，发芽、变绿、微生物生长）和微波烹饪过程中的极端条件。除了提供更方便的最终使用外，货架准备包装系统将最大限度地减少在零售层面处理产品，造成产品损坏和潜在的微生物感染，从而减少食物浪费和提高食品安全。该合作伙伴关系将导致对活性包装技术的科学理解的发展，这对于工业合作伙伴预测商业化挑战并发现进一步产品创新的新机会非常重要。该项目还将探索化石塑料的可持续/可堆肥包装基材替代品，这与加拿大政府宣布禁止某些一次性塑料和减少塑料污染的举措保持一致。 开发高品质及方便的即食产品将有助满足消费者的需求，以促进新鲜蔬菜的消费，并迎合新型冠状病毒疫情所加剧的消费者在家准备食物的趋势。由于所设想的活性包装技术适用于其他鲜切蔬菜产品，因此这项研究的结果将对马铃薯行业及其他行业产生深远的影响。

Potato is one of the largest vegetable crops in Canada. In 2015-2016, potatoes production reached 4.77 million tonnes, with exports of Canadian potatoes and potato products estimated at $1.6 billion. It is an important staple food in Canadian diet that provides many essential nutrients. While Canadians are aware of the importance of fresh vegetables in their diet, the extent of fresh produce consumption at home is largely influenced by convenience and sensory factors. Through partnering with EarthFresh Foods Inc., this project will develop an innovative ready-to-cook microwaveable active package system for potato. The multi-functional package aims to address the product shelf-life issues (e.g., sprouting, greening, microbial growth) and extreme conditions during the microwave cooking process. In addition to providing enhanced end-use convenience, the shelf-ready packaging system will minimize handling of products at the retail level that inflict product damages and potential microbial infection, thereby reducing food waste and enhancing food safety. The partnership will lead to the development of sound scientific understandings of the active packaging technology, which is important for the industrial partner to anticipate commercialization challenges and discover new opportunities for further product innovation. The project will also explore sustainable/compostable packaging substrate alternative to fossil-based plastics, which aligns well with the Government of Canada's announcement to ban certain single-use plastics and initiatives to reduce plastic pollution. The development of high quality and convenient ready-to-cook products will help address these consumer needs to promote the consumption of fresh vegetables, as well as to meet the changing consumer trend on increased food preparation at home accentuated by the Covid-19 pandemic. Since the envisioned active packaging technology is adaptable for other fresh-cut vegetable products, the outcome of this research will have a far-reaching impact on the potato industry and beyond.