Process Effects on the Constitutive Properties of Soft Aerated Food Materials

从我们丰富的植物蛋白资源中开发创新工艺和产品对加拿大的经济和我们的生活质量至关重要。食物蛋白质的一个关键属性是其通气能力，通常通过操纵热处理来诱导蛋白质的功能变化来增强。这种功能的结构基础的调查是具有挑战性的，因为充气系统是脆弱的，控制蛋白质构象的因素仍然没有得到解决，我们有一个有限的了解蛋白质稳定的气泡如何与其他组件，如纤维颗粒相互作用。基于过去的经验和高精度仪器，我和我的团队处于一个独特的位置来应对这些挑战，并发现过程历史，基本热力学转变和充气食品结构是如何相互关联的，以便我们可以优化加工，创造美味和健康的食品。我建议：1）证明特定的热力学参数如何定义蛋白质的热处理窗口，以改善其功能2）将蛋白质定义的热处理，并评估如何从它们制成的充气食品的结构得到改善3）确定如何从蛋白质溶液中创建充气食品的动力学被改变作为粒子的纳入。蛋白质溶液密度和超声波速度的高精度测量将允许定义纯化和商业蛋白质的基本热力学参数。表征这些参数的温度依赖性将确定温度范围，以建立用于改善蛋白质功能的热处理条件。热处理过程中功能变化的动力学研究将为工业吸收研究成果建立实用的过程。 显微镜，电阻率，超声波分析和剪切流变学将提供一个完整的描述充气食品结构从加工蛋白质。定义明确的不同疏水性的颗粒将是模型成分，以研究食品成分如何挑战气泡稳定性。预期成果如下：1）定义蛋白质的构象变化，以改善其在充气食品中的功能2）彻底表征植物蛋白质稳定充气结构的能力，为开发有价值的功能性成分提供路线图3）定量商业植物蛋白质的性质对工艺历史的依赖程度4）量化颗粒负载对气泡稳定性的关键限制，以提供关于优化营养物负载策略的见解5）Curvature-受过批判性思维和先进实验室技术培训的专业人士，以推动食品行业和学术研究的创新软材料。

Developing innovative processes and products from our rich array of plant protein resources is vital to Canada's economy and to our quality of life. A key attribute for a food protein is its aeration capacity, often enhanced by manipulating thermal processing to induce functional changes in the protein. Investigation of the structural basis for this functionality is challenging because aerated systems are fragile, factors governing protein conformation are still unresolved, and we have a limited understanding of how protein-stabilized bubbles interact with other components such as fibre particles. Based on past experience and high-precision instrumentation, I and my team are in a unique position to address these challenges and to discover how process history, fundamental thermodynamic transitions, and aerated food structures are interrelated so that we can optimize processing to create palatable and healthy food products. I propose to:1) Demonstrate how specific thermodynamic parameters define thermal process windows for proteins to improve their functionality2) Subject proteins to defined thermal processes and evaluate how the structures of aerated foods made from them are improved3) Determine how the dynamics of aerated foods created from protein solutions are altered as particles are incorporated. Highly precise measurements of protein solution density and ultrasonic velocity will allow fundamental thermodynamic parameters to be defined for purified and commercial proteins. Characterizing the temperature dependence of these parameters will identify temperature ranges to establish thermal process conditions for improved protein functionality. Kinetic studies of changes in functionality during thermal treatments will establish practical processes for industrial uptake of research outcomes. Microscopy, electrical resistivity, ultrasonic profiling and shear rheology will provide a thorough description of aerated food structures created from processed proteins. Well-defined particles of varying hydrophobicity will be model ingredients to investigate how bubble stability is challenged by food components. Anticipated outcomes are: 1) Definition of the conformational changes in proteins that improve their functionality in aerated foods2) A thorough characterization of the capacity of plant proteins to stabilize aerated structures, providing a roadmap for developing valuable functional ingredients3) Quantification of the extent to which the properties of commercial plant proteins depend on process history4) Quantification of the critical limits of particle loading on bubble stability to provide insights on optimized nutrient loading strategies5) Curiosity-inspired professionals trained in critical thinking and advanced laboratory techniques to drive innovation in the food industry and in academic investigations of soft materials.