Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Summary of Accomplishments of NC-1023 Participation Stations

California

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products

Develop new and improved processing technologies

The influence of processing on nutrient bioaccessibility of fruit juices and protein-enhanced juices is under investigation. The cultivation of a filamentous fungus is being optimized to convert solids present in food streams into oil- and protein-rich biomass. An enzyme-assisted aqueous extraction process is being developed to extract oil, proteins, and carbohydrates from almonds. A new processing strategy has been developed to isolate sugar-free oligosaccharides from whey permeate.

Develop mathematical models to enhance understanding of, and optimize food processes

We have optimized and developed mathematical models to predict the hydrolysis of lactose from whey permeate. Diffusion processes and texture softening kinetics during food digestion have been investigated to optimize food processing as it relates to food breakdown.

• Develop pedagogical methodologies for improved learning of food engineering principles.

Computational modules developed by NY station were included as part of a laboratory course in food processing offered to Food Science students to increase understanding of heat transfer during thermal processing.

• Develop outreach programs to disseminate best practices for enhancing food safety and quality to stakeholders.

Knowledge of food processing techniques to preserve tomatoes was disseminated to family members living in food deserts.

Georgia

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products
  • Develop new and improved processing technologies

Radiofrequency heating: RF heating for pasteurizing corn flour, spices, and wheat flour was developed. Process conditions were optimized including heating time, temperature, and improved heating uniformity. Mathematical models were proposed to correlate composition of food materials and the dielectric properties.

Human digestion system: Used gastrointestinal models to study food digestion kinetics and related mechanisms, and examine activities of commercial digestive enzymes. Microencapsulation technology to improve iron absorption in human GI tract was also developed.

Radiant wall (Infrared) heating: Instrumental and sensory quality of potato strips baked in a Radiant Wall Oven (RWO) was evaluated and compared to deep-fat fried and conventional oven (CO) baked samples. There was no significant difference in firmness, puncture force, and chroma of RWO baked and deep-fat fried samples. The same unit was used for blanching large sized peanuts and the technology was successful fort blanching in 1.5 minutes whereas the hot air systems take up to 30 min.

Hawaii

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products
  • Develop new and improved processing technologies

A combination of pulsed electric field (PEF) and oscillating magnetic field (OMF) was used to achieve an extension of the supercooled state in beef steak with an internal temperature of -4.5 °C for up to two weeks. The combined use of PEF and OMF maintains the vibrational motion of water molecules thus affectively inhibiting sudden ice nucleation. Shock-induced freezing will occur in materials while in the supercooled state however, shock-induced freezing was not observed after the intentional administration of external physical stress to the treated samples. This was confirmed by microstructure images of the treated samples obtained using an inverted contrasting microscope. Micrographs of the treated samples returned to room temperature for up to 30 minutes showed no ice crystallization suggesting a magnetic “memory” effect from the applied OMF. Drip loss, texture analysis, pH and lipid oxidation (TBARS) for supercooled beef steak samples were evaluated after 1, 3, 7, 10 and 14 days as compared to control samples. The PEF and OMF supercooling was found to maintain fresh beef steak qualities for up to two weeks, thus suggesting this novel preservation technique may be utilized to preserve the organoleptic qualities found in fresh meats.

Idaho

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products

Utilize innovative methods to characterize food materials

Current projects focus on fundamental rheological properties of foods and how those properties connect to structure and texture. Projects include UHT milk friction, yogurt rheology and tribology, yogurt packaging, cottage cheese dressing sensory and tribological behaviors, reduced fat cheese structure–function relationships, fundamental properties of seed polysaccharides, the impact of storage temperature on blue cheese mechanical behavior, and fracture behavior of solid baby foods.

• Develop pedagogical methodologies for improved learning of food engineering principles.

Food Engineering was converted to a fully online course for graduate students needing a refresher in food engineering principles. The on-campus version of the course was taught in flipped format with problem-solving modules required. Take-home tests replaced in-class exams, which dramatically improved exam performance and decreased student stress over exams.

Illinois

• Hybrid Mixture Theory based unsaturated fluid transport equations were coupled with poroviscoelasticity and multiscale heat transfer equations and solved for frying of foods and expansion of starch during extrusion. The swelling/shrinking behavior during unsaturated transport was included by developing general continuum mechanics and poroviscoelasticity based model. Developed models were validated against experimental data.

Indiana

Indiana station has been working on development of new and sustainable technologies to transform raw materials into safe, high quality, health enhanced and value added foods through processing, packaging and preservation as well as on the application of the theory of thermal properties cell (TP Cell).

This station has been working as well on fundamental research at the nanoscale leading to: (a) lower cost, more effective nanosensors for rapid DNA, RNA and protein sequencing, (b) novel nano and micro-rheology techniques to ensure high-quality foods for consumers, and (c) techniques to ensure physically stable, high-quality micro-emulsions. Applied research leading to new insights on whey protein gelation induced by hydrolysis and heat treatments to ensure high-quality foods for consumers and protect food processors from losses.

Iowa

• The Spotted Winged Drosophila has recently been found to infect berries with its larvae which can ruin the harvest. The project is across multiple states and involves recipes for farmers markets, restaurants and grocery stores. Recipes that are made are then tested for quality, shelf life and microbial factors (within GMP-DALs).. Baking applications displayed the most promising results. As only minor differences in aroma, color, and texture were found.

Kentucky

Studies on the characterization of macromolecules (starch and protein) extracted from nine identified cultivars of millet, an underutilized agricultural product in the US, are underway. Other studies include, protein structural characterization using x-ray crystallography and NMR, developing gluten free bread from millet.

Michigan

New device to dynamically measure thermal properties of foods will assist companies and researchers to design processes.

Published paper in J. Food Eng. on device to dynamically measure thermal properties of conduction-heated foods.

Maine

• A credited presentation entitles “Understanding food allergens in food products” was organized at the 75^th Annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show for farmers and processors in Maine to educate and train on various aspects of food allergens, safety and control by the Maine Health Management.
• Plant and animal-based allergenic proteins were processed using various nonthermal and thermal technologies and analyzed for their potential reduction in allergens. The effect of acid marination on the physicochemical properties of shrimp and tropomyosin immunoreactivity was studied using a model marinade comprising white vinegar adjusted to different pH (1.0 - 4.8). Whole shrimp experienced either swelling or shrinkage after marination depending on the vinegar pH and the final muscle pH. Extractability of soluble myofibrillar proteins reduced significantly among shrimp marinated in vinegar at pH 1.0 – 3.5 and substantial amount of tropomyosin were retained in the insoluble pellets. Consequently, the IgE – binding capacity of tropomyosin was significantly lower in the soluble protein fraction of shrimp marinated at pH 1.0 – 3.5 compared with samples marinated at pH 4.8 and control. However, tropomyosin in the insoluble protein fraction of all marinated shrimp showed strong IgE – binding capacity at all marinating conditions. The IgE immunoreactivity of shrimp was maintained due to the conservation of the linear epitopes of tropomyosin.
• Technique/method for the extraction of crustacean allergenic protein in compost was developed. Compost was one of the most difficult matrices with organic matters and a number of animal products. The developed method accurately helped in quantifying crustacean allergenic proteins from compost.
• A graduate student successfully defended Masters thesis. The student was recruited in a food company in the quality assurance division.

Minnesota

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products
  • Utilize innovative methods to characterize food materials

We focused on development and evaluation of non-destructive and non-invasive analytical tools. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a very useful non-destructive and non-invasive technique for the study of food structure, distribution of water, fat, and temperature in foods, and heat and mass transfer in foods. We continued to improve NMR and MRI instrumentation for characterization of physiochemical properties of food ingredients and products, especially low moisture content foods. We are also exploring the feasibility of using solution NMR to rapidly determine the thermal death of bacteria. The technique is based on the measurement of the ratio of the methylene (CH2) resonance at 1.2 ppm to the methyl (CH3) resonance at 0.9 ppm signal intensity. Conventional detection methods involve multiple time-consuming and labor-intensive steps due to the difficulties in isolating the pathogens from the food matrix and the fact that pathogens are usually present in extremely low numbers.  The benefits of timely detection and corrective actions to producers, processors, distributors, regulators, and consumers are enormous: thousands of lives and $6.5 to $34.9 billion will be saved annually. This technique, if successful, will contribute to enhanced food safety.

• Develop new and improved processing technologies

The food industry and consumers have significant interest in non-thermal pasteurization processes because they offer better quality and nutrition1 retention and are more energy efficient than traditional thermal processes. Non-thermal processes may also create value added products and open new market opportunities. We are developing and evaluating three non-thermal processes. The concentrated high intensity electric field (CHIEF) process invented by our group was tested and analyzed using mathematical models. A project funded by a company is looking into the application of non-thermal plasma to pasteurize dry milk powder. A CAP project funded by the USDA AFRI program is looking at the application of intense pulsed light for pasteurization of powdered foods. These two new projects involved engineering design of the process and systems and systematic evaluation of the processes on the effectiveness and nutritional, sensory, and economic values of the processes.

We are also collaborating with an industry partner to develop fiber based and phytochemicals rich ingredients from food processing wastes, such as seeds, peels, or pomace. Physical, chemical, and biological processes are being developed to convert insoluble fiber and bound phytochemicals to soluble fiber and free phytochemicals and to improve the properties adequate for their applications in food products. These will have the potential to greatly improve nutritional and economic values of these food products.

• Develop mathematical models to enhance understanding of, and optimize food processes

The concentrated high intensity electric field (CHIEF) process developed at the UMN is considered a promising non-thermal pasteurization technology. The unique configuration of CHIEF reactor allows it to use medium to low voltage and frequency AC power supply to provide efficient log reduction of pathogens. Understanding the mechanism of CHIEF system requires computational efforts in fluid mechanics, electrostatics and heat transfer. We used Finite Element method to model and simulate the fluid flow, electric field distribution and temperature rise in CHIEF reactor. The simulation was confirmed to be valid by comparing it with experimental results. The model built in this study shows that the performance of CHIEF system is influenced by a complex set of intrinsic and extrinsic parameters. This model can be used to control and set variables in further optimization of the CHIEF system.

• Develop pedagogical methodologies for improved learning of food engineering principles.

The project has provided following opportunities for training and professional development:

• Graduate research assistantships
• Postdoctoral research fellowships
• Presentations in conferences and symposiums
• Develop outreach programs to disseminate best practices for enhancing food safety and quality to stakeholders.

Our research results were disseminated to the academic community through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Some research results were used in classroom teaching to benefit students. On-site demonstrations were conducted to showcase our results to a broad range of audience including academic researchers, government officials, funding agencies, students, entrepreneurs, and the general public.

Nebraska

• Published baseline data on energy and water used in a beef packing plant that will help in evaluate sustainability in beef industry.
• Published a method to determine speed to achieve a desired operating point for a given fan or pump using analytical solution. This will be handy for practicing engineers and undergraduate students learning to select a fan or pump for a given application.
• Identified and validated of key wavelengths from hyperspectral images for predicting beef tenderness. This will allow the industry to implement a multispectral imaging system for on-line beef tenderness forecasting.

New Jersey

• Effect of surface roughness in fruit systems on microbial inactivation using plasma activated water and buffer
• Model systems confirmed that the microbial inactivation efficacy of PAW and PAB was due to the presence of reactive species and not acidic pH.
• No significant differences were observed in the microbial inactivation efficacy of PAW and PAB for a given fruit system and between fruit systems of different surface roughness values.

• Sequential treatment of mild heat followed by UV radiation to inactivate Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris spores in apple juice
• Sequential mild heat and UV treatment played a synergistic role to inactivate Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris in apple juice.
• Sensory evaluation using Fizz triangle test conducted on commercially pasteurized apple juice and compared with heat-UV treated sample revealed no significant difference. Head-space GC-MS further supported the results.

New Mexico

• In 2015-2016 we produced several multimedia educational tools relevant to engineering for food safety and quality. These include animated video series “Non-Thermal or Alternative Food Processing Methods to Enhance Microbial Safety and Quality” (available on YouTube), explaining ongoing research into non-thermal processing techniques, developed in collaboration with Lori Pivarnik (University of Rhode Island) and Randy Worobo (Cornell University).
• Our work with the NoroCORE team (North Carolina State University) continued in 2015-2016, including work on 3-D models of the norovirus and animated modules exploring cross-contamination and containment scenarios for norovirus.
• Also in 2016, our team created mobile versions of our Virtual Labs, eight multimedia tools previously developed with funding by USDA NIFA, with South Dakota State University (Sanjeev Anand and Joan Hegerfeld-Baker) and North Dakota State University (Deland Myers). Created for iPad, the modules are described below:
  • Controlling water activity in foods: Users practice testing the water activity of corn dried using traditional methods.
  • Understanding Water Activity: Users explore how water acts inside food and how this affects spoilage.
  • Testing and Adjusting pH: Users explore the process of preventing botulinum growth in salsa.
  • The pH Scale & Meter Calibration: Users learn about the pH scale and calibrating a pH meter.
  • Using the Microscope: Students learn how to use a microscope to view what type of bacteria is contaminating a yogurt sample.
  • Gram Staining: Students use gram staining to test a yogurt sample for bacterial contamination.
  • Bacteria Sampling: Students practice testing milk samples for bacterial contamination with various disposable lab equipment.
  • Testing for Corn Mold: Students explore the process of testing corn for the presence of aflatoxin.

New York

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products
• Effect of temperature on the effectiveness of Pulsed Light treatment was studied. Using a number of bacterial strains, it was demonstrated that in the range of sublethal temperatures typical in food processing (5°C to 40°C), PL is not affected by the environmental temperature.
• Nanostructured surfaces for preventing microbial attachment. Understanding of why and how nanostructured surfaces can minimize bacterial attachment was further advanced. A model linking attachment to the bacteria-surface interaction force was developed. The model was validated using Atomic Force Microscopy for a model system using silica beads.
• A three dimensional, multiscale model for growth, dispersion, spreading/shoving, and nutrient consumption of bacteria on a leaf surface is developed. Experimental dispersion patterns for Pseudomanos syringae and Pantoea agglomerans were used to test and validate various hypothesis for colony formation on leaves.
• Modeling of passive internalization of bacteria into stomata during vacuum cooling of spinach leaves is currently underway at Cornell. Some parts of related experimental work will be done at The Ohio State Univ in this jointly funded NIFA project. Modeling of passive attachment has been completed and complementary experimentation is currently underway at The Ohio State Univ.
• Develop pedagogical methodologies for improved learning of food engineering principles.

Learning modules that integrate simulation, enhancing teaching of thermal processing (retorting) in both food science and engineering courses, has been built, used and assessed at two different universities. Unlike the previous versions of the modules, this version is completely self-contained and needs no software beyond PowerPoint to complete and uses the very latest in terms of simulation technology. The assessed data are being processed currently along with module improvements.

• Develop outreach programs to disseminate best practices for enhancing food safety and quality to stakeholders.

Ohio

• Enzyme activities were found affected by electric field strength and frequency during moderate electric field (MEF) treatment. E. coli O157:H7 populations on spinach were significantly decreased by applications of liquid and gas sanitizer combinations. Produce loading, sanitizer concentration and treatment time were also found important. Ohmic hydrodistillation was found effective in ethanol concentration. A study on kinetics of furan formation in pineapple juice showed the antagonistic effect of pressure on furan formation. High pressure homogenization yielded shear thinning dairy beverage fluids evidenced by increased viscosities at low shear rates, ten fold greater compared to the control treatment, with increased physical stability. The Conference of Food Engineering was held in Columbus, OH. Research on water migration in edible films has continued with diffusion of moisture in lipids. The effectiveness of cleaning solutions during CIP operations has been investigated in an effort to reduce water requirements. Research into the role water in frozen foods provide insights into the potential for reducing energy requirements for storage of frozen foods. The recovery of value-added by-products from food processing waste streams using membrane technologies has been demonstrated.

Oregon

• Food materials (berry fruit, hazelnuts, surimi, and milk) and food processing byproducts (fruit pomace, fish bone, whey, etc.) were characterized in respect to their chemical compositions, bioactive compounds and functional properties.
• Nanocellulose fibril and nanocellulose crystal based coatings were developed and characterized to improve storability of fresh pears and bananas during postharvest ambient storages.
• Fruit pomace incorporated molded pulp packaging were developed and characterized.
• Chitosan-CNC microcapsules were developed to stabilize fruit anthocyanin extracts.
• Drying and storage conditions for Oregon hazelnuts were studied to ensure quality and extend shelf-life of nuts.
• Activity of trimethylamine-N-oxide demethylase (TMAOase) in frozen fillets was studied.
• Characteristics of surimi slurries and films made from fish myofibrillar protein were investigated. Effect of NaCl and pH on slurry viscosity and film properties were studied.
• Method to remove phospholipids (PLs) and other chemical hazards in tilapia protein isolates made from tilapia frame were developed.
• Outreach programs were implemented to disseminate the research findings and help the stakeholders for ensuring their product safety and quality. This includes FSMA training, surimi school, better food processing control school, milk quality and artisan cheese making workshop.

Pennsylvania

• Understanding the effects of processing on polyphenols in cocoa

Project reported/completed last year and additional publications are listed.

• Mechanisms and kinetics of nisin release from chitosan films

Project reported/completed last year and additional publications are listed.

• Increased production of polyphenols in lettuce and spinach by pulsed UV light treatment

UV light promotes free radical formation. While UV light would be destructive to non living systems, plants are known to produce resistance to it by increased production of polyphenolic compounds that act as antioxidants to prevent free radical propagation. We believe that pulsed UV treatment, with a much higher dose of UV radiation, will increase polyphenols to a greater extent and within a short time in the lettuce and spinach leaves. Additionally, pulsed UV, known to effectively kill any microorganism on surfaces, will help sanitize the lettuce and spinach leaf surface. A preliminary study is being conducted subjecting the lettuce and spinach leaves to pulsed UV light and analyzing polyphenolic extracts from the leaves before and after treatment to observe any changes in total polyphenols due to pulsed UV treatment. We are analyzing the same polyphenolic extracts using HPLC and mass spectrometry to examine changes in individual polyphenols. We are also analyzing microbial destruction on lettuce and spinach surfaces.

• Novel nonthermal processing methods for food safety

Blended (one step) and alkali/acidic Electrolyzed Oxidizing (EO) water solutions (twostep) have been successfully demonstrated for cleaning-in-place (CIP) for on-farm milking systems for cleaning and sanitation purposes. In the last one year, the studies to determine the cleaning mechanisms completed by using a lab-scale milking system simulator and mathematical models were developed and validated for two step CIP process and one step CIP process and manuscripts have been submitted to peer-reviewed journals. Overall, the project successfully demonstrated the alkali/acidic EO water solutions as two-step CIP process and the blended EO water as one-step process for cleaning-in-place of milking systems. Another study has been undertaken to study the effectiveness of UV-C and pulsed UV light treatments on the inactivation of Penicillium expansum spores and E. coli K12 in model apple juices containing added ascorbic acid and malic acid, in the presence or absence of added fructose. Model juice samples were treated with UV-C for up to 100 min and with pulsed UV for up to 70 s. Log reductions for both microorganisms increased with time although resistance of P. expansum was greater compared to E. coli K12 for both UV treatments and log reductions for pulsed UV treatments for both microorganisms were significantly higher (p˂0.05) in samples without added fructose than with added fructose whereas there was no significant difference between log reductions for UV-C treated samples with or without added fructose for the UV-C treatment. In another study, decontamination of hard-cooked eggs by pulsed uv light processing was also studied in which the optimum conditions for treatment was determined and the effect of storage was studied for the pulsed treated eggs. The log reductions for E. coli K12, Coliform, S. Enteritidis, and total bacteria after the Pulsed-UV treatment at optimum condition were 4.6, 3.9, 4.4, 3.8 log CFU/egg, respectively. Moreover, the color changes of the surface of the egg after Pulsed-UV treatment were not significant. During six weeks of storage at refrigerated temperature in a package sealed under 60% Nitrogen/40% CO2 gas mixture, neither E. coli K12 nor S. Enteritidis growth was observed on pulsed UV treated eggs at the optimum conditions. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device was used to determine the contribution of middle lamella and water to the cell wall response. These results are being incorporated in a multiscale computational model. Some of the findings have been included in an engineering properties undergraduate course.

Tennessee

• We continued to study novel emulsions, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, and biopolymer nanoparticles as delivery systems of antimicrobials, nutraceuticals, and probiotics, and characterized physical, chemical, biological, and microbiological properties of these systems. We also studied technologies improving physical properties of food biopolymers.

Texas

• Maximized natural compounds encapsulation and bioavailability by: 1) identifying the influence of matrix intrinsic characteristic and surrounding media to enhance entrapment efficiency, stability, and functionality (antioxidant and antimicrobial); and 2) characterizing their stability and bioavailability at different GI conditions.
• Conducted quantitative microbial risk assessment for monocytogenes infection from fresh produce consumption, and recommended intervention strategies including irradiation.
• Continued work on modeling of the vacuum frying process and its efficiency to develop fortified vegetable snacks.
• Utilized current knowledge of polymers and nano-hybrid metallic surfaces to develop biosensors for real-time pathogen monitoring.

Washington

• Designed and developed multilayer polymeric films for pasteurization processes. These films utilized coated PET, nylon and/or EVOH as core barrier layers. The barrier layer was protected with PP and PE layers.
• Examined the influence of oxygen and water vapor barrier properties of multilayer films on the chemical changes and shelf-life of different foods. The findings will help food companies to select films for desired shelf life of selected products.

The food processing extension and research program has made contributions in the areas of extrusion processing; processing of quinoa, millets and pulses; starch and fiber interactions during extrusion processing to create high quality extruded foods; value-added processing of fruit and vegetable pomace, enhancing the food safety of fresh apples by the impingement drying process; training programs in the areas of “Food Ingredient Technology”, “Product Development for Value-added Foods”, “Extrusion Processing”, and “North West Food Safety and Sanitation Workshop” with over 300 people trained in the year 2015; process authority services with over 250 products per year being evaluated.

West Virginia

• Advancing the fundamental science and application of technologies to ensure food safety and improve quality of food products
  • Develop new and improved processing technologies

Activity 1: Sugar solution and apple juice concentrate (AJC) osmotic dehydration (OD) blueberries (BB) (Sivanandan and Singh)- Use of apple juice concentrate and sugar-based osmotic solution (OS) were compared during OD of fresh and frozen BB for solid gain and water loss. Fresh and frozen BB were characterized for moisture desorption using a thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) at an isothermal temperature of 105 °C under dry nitrogen condition. Weight loss-time data generated from the TGA was used to calculate the overall liquid diffusion coefficient during moisture desorption. Results showed that the use of AJC as an OS increased sugar concentration of frozen BB and irrespective of the OS type. Moisture desorption characterization using TGA showed that fresh BB took about 53% additional drying time compared to frozen BB.

Activity 2: Use of Liquid Smoke During OD of Apples (Sivanandan and Singh)- Preliminary experiments have led to the development of a process to incorporate liquid smoke in apple dehydration and a product, smoky WV apples. Further research underway to evaluate drying kinetics, microbial resistance, and sensory evaluation.

• Develop mathematical models to enhance understanding of, and optimize food processes

Activity 1: Desorption isotherm of frozen and osmo-dehydrated BB (Sivanandan and Singh)- Experiments were conducted to determine the moisture desorption isotherm for frozen and osmotically dehydrated BB (immersed in sugar solution and AJC) at isothermal condition of 41 ⁰C, 57 ⁰C and 74 ⁰C using a food dehydrator. The result was fitted into three commonly used theoretical models (BET, GAB, Hasley, Henderson, Caurie, Smith, Oswin and Iglesias-Chirife). Results showed that the desorption isotherm had a temperature dependent behavior for frozen BB without pretreatment, BB osmotically treated with sugar solution and BB treated with AJC. From the isotherms, at a_w of 0.7, the EMC of frozen BB decreased from 5.7 to 1.8, 5.7 to 0.6 and 5.7 to 0.09g/g dry solid; for berries treated with sugar solution 2.8 to 0.6, 2.3 to 0.19 and 1.7 to 0.16g/g dry solid and BB treated with AJC from 2.8 to 0.6, 2.4 to 0.5 and 1.57 to 0.3 g/ g dry solid at temperatures of 41, 57, and 74° C respectively.

• Develop outreach programs to disseminate best practices for enhancing food safety and quality to stakeholders.

Activity- Food safety and processing hands-on training workshops in WV and PA with Penn State Extension and collaboration and other stakeholders input.

Wisconsin

• Gunasekaran

We have developed a plasmonic thermal history indicator (THI) taking advantage of the localized surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) synthesized in situ in alginate, a natural polysaccharide. The color of the THIs becomes more intense with increased storage temperature and/or duration, with the color changing from grey to red with time of exposure at high temperature (40 ºC). These alginate-AuNPs THI system is tunable by altering its composition to suit different time-temperature monitoring scenarios

• Hartel

Through careful work on two fat globules brought together with micromanipulators under the microscope, we are seeing some interesting interfacial phenomena relevant to partial coalescence. A crystal “lance” emanating from one fat globule with high solid fat content (SFC) is seen to penetrate the surface of a low SFC droplet, only when there is a little crystalline fat at the interface to disrupt the methylcellulose (MC) interface.  MC is quite good at stabilizing two fat globules against coalescence, except under these circumstances.