Active and smart biodegradable film
Coordinator: Carmen C. Tadini
With the aim of developing active packaging obtained from cassava starch, the effect of antimicrobial additives (essential oils of clove and cinnamon) on the material properties will be investigated. The effectiveness of natural and edible pigments (anthocyanin) as pH indicator in smart packaging will also be evaluated.
New fruit industrialization processes
Coordinator: Carmen C. Tadini
Collaborators: Amauri Rosenthal, Pedro Vitoriano de Oliveira, Rakesh K. Singh, Romeo T. Toledo
New alternatives for processing Brazilian fruits in the form of purees and pulps are studied. The influence of process temperature and enzymatic inactivation procedures are being studied on the the rheological behavior of products. The continuous processing of banana and mango purees in a duble tube heat exchange was studied at temperatures up to 115ºC, aiming at a stable product from the enzymatic and microbiological point of view.
The high-pressure homogenization process has been studied as an alternative for preserving açaí pulp for the inactivation of peroxidase and polyphenoloxidade enzymes, with the maximum retention of anthocyanin content. In the Big-pressure homogenization process the product is pumped by two pressure intensifiers and forced to flow through a homogenization valve. This produces a very high velocity through the orifice, and the resulting expansion is responsible for rupturing microorganism cells, causing minimal changes to the food cells.
The manufacturing process of green banana flour (Musa spp. Cv Nanica) from the pulp, peel and pulp+peel has been studied, allowing the use of a nutritionally rich raw material that suffers great losses due to a short shelf life. The developed flour will be used as an ingredient in food products, from blend with wheat flour.
New baking processes
Coordinator: Carmen C. Tadini
Collaborator: Alain Le Bail, Pedro de Alcântara P. Filho, Pablo Daniel Ribotta, Maria Cecilia Puppo, Susy F. Sabato, Duclerc F. Parra, Ademar B. Lugão.
The research project with frozen bread and dough aims to provide the bakery segment with an alternative product to meet the strong market demand. This project will bring to light the knowledge of the technologies involved in the various stages of bread production for freezing purposes, notably the process paramount during fermentation, pre-baking and survey of freezing curves, as well as the optimal storage and distribution conditions economically viable. In addition to the study of optimization of formulations through theologic and thermal analysis in order to reduce cost related to additives. Starchy foods have been a source of study regarding the content of resistant starch, the fraction of starch that is resistant to digestion. The project aims to verify corn starch on the quality of frozen pre-baked French bread.
The influence of irradiated wheat flour will be evaluated in the manufacture of French bread. The project aims to identify whether irradiation is an economically viable treatment to reduce the microbiological and entomological load of wheat flour during its production. Its application at different stages of the manufacturing process will be studied and possible changes will be monitored via relevant analyses.
Optimization of liquid food pasteurization
Coordinator: Jorge A. W. Gut.
Collaborators: Carmen C. Tadini, José M. Pinto, Javier Telis-Romero, Ana Lúcia Gabas.
It is proposed the development of a mathematical modeling for the pasteurization of liquid foods in plate heat exchangers and in a double-tube exchanger, aiming at the thermal and hydraulic modeling of the process, the determination of the complete temperature history of the product and the evaluation of the impact of the process about it. These simulation tools are intended to serve as a basis for the design and dimension of the continuous pasteurization processes. In this way, loss of sensory and nutritional quality of the product is avoided, as well unnecessary expenses with heating and cooling, resulting from over-processing (typical of pasteurization units due to the simplifying assumptions adopted in its design). The models will be experimentally validated using foods products. Residence time distribution test at all stages of the process as well as tests with chemical indicators to quantify the impact of the process on the product will be carried out. Experimental and simulation results will be compared to minimize deviations and adjust the models.
Heat transfer in liquid food
Coordinator: Carmen C. Tadini
Collaborators: Jorge A. W. Gut, Pedro V. de Oliveira, Lúcio Angnes.
At LEA, the application of thermal treatment to liquid food using Plate Heat Exchangers (TCP) has been studied, aiming at the thermal destruction of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and the inactivation of enzymes that cause undesirable alterations in processed foods.
Over the years, there has been greater consumer interest in minimally processed products, that is, products not only with their guaranteed microbiological characteristics, but also their sensory quality and nutritional value. Thus, parameters such as temperature-time, D and z values, pressure, charge loss, need to be defined to improve the process, as well as the use of new processes such as the use of microwave.
The presence of pectin esterase (PE) in orange juice and peroxidase (POD) and polyphenoloxidade (PFO) in green coconut water cause undesirable changes in these products. With the aim of inactivating these enzymes with minimal sensory and nutritional losses, thermal processes in TCP and microwaved has been carried out in the laboratory.
Mathematical models are being proposed in order to elucidate the mechanism of inactivation of these enzymes and the study on the enzymatic behavior during the storage period has also been done. Following this line of research, a study was made to carry out the experimental validation of a TCP simulation model with generalized configurations. As the sizing of TCP is quite complex and restricted to equipment manufacturers, this simulation model can become a valuable tool, especially for pasteurization processes in the food industry.
The use of microwaves in the pasteurization of liquid foods is becoming an increasingly studied process and, according to the literature, allows higher rates of enzymatic inactivation and microbiological stability, allowing the permanence of thermolabile constituents, responsible for the sensory characteristics of the processed foods. The results obtained for this process will be compared with those obtained by the TCP pasteurization method. The evaluation of the quality of the final product and its acceptance by the consumers are also part of this project.