Insoluble-fibre enriched beverages. Insoluble-fibre enriched beverages. This project aims to develop healthy new beverages, by studying the effect of chemistry and physical interactions of insoluble dietary fibre with other food ingredients. Insoluble fibre reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. This project will research how insoluble-fibre linked phytochemicals behave in complex matrices and contribute to malodorous flavours; and design adv ....Insoluble-fibre enriched beverages. Insoluble-fibre enriched beverages. This project aims to develop healthy new beverages, by studying the effect of chemistry and physical interactions of insoluble dietary fibre with other food ingredients. Insoluble fibre reduces the risk of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. This project will research how insoluble-fibre linked phytochemicals behave in complex matrices and contribute to malodorous flavours; and design advanced experimental protocols to prevent undesirable sensory characteristics in liquid systems.Read moreRead less
Developing New Multifunctional Layered Particles with Novel Modular Food Processing Systems. The global market for organic foods has a value of approximately $150 billion, indicating the high potential export market. Australia's organic industry is currently valued at $350M, with annual growth of 25%. Alternatives to chemical preservatives in products such as breads are in demand, and Australian essential oils show promise, but new technology is required to value-add products from essential oil ....Developing New Multifunctional Layered Particles with Novel Modular Food Processing Systems. The global market for organic foods has a value of approximately $150 billion, indicating the high potential export market. Australia's organic industry is currently valued at $350M, with annual growth of 25%. Alternatives to chemical preservatives in products such as breads are in demand, and Australian essential oils show promise, but new technology is required to value-add products from essential oil producers. Spray drying will be used with the smart coating of extracts, such as antimicrobial compounds, as natural preservatives that promote the shelf life of foods, benefitting service providers, the wider food industry and consumers. Read moreRead less
Enhancing the Production of Functional Food Powders by Studying Reaction Processes in Spray Dryers. The project is a key component of a technical development program that has the potential to make a very large contribution to the processing of functional foods resulting in products of high value for nutritional use. The total national crop of cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fruit and vegetables is thirty million tonnes/year. Over three million tonnes/year of waste are produced, containing three mi ....Enhancing the Production of Functional Food Powders by Studying Reaction Processes in Spray Dryers. The project is a key component of a technical development program that has the potential to make a very large contribution to the processing of functional foods resulting in products of high value for nutritional use. The total national crop of cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fruit and vegetables is thirty million tonnes/year. Over three million tonnes/year of waste are produced, containing three million kilogrammes of bioactive compounds, valued at a minimum of $1,000/kg, giving an estimated potential value of $3 billion/year. If only 10% of this potential is captured, then the national benefit would be as high as A$300 million/year.Read moreRead less
Development of a new micro-encapsulation system using a novel falling-film technology for bio-encapsulation of synbiotic functional dairy products. The inclusion of probiotic (beneficial) bacteria in foods is linked to positive health benefits by suppressing harmful micro-organisms in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT). Prebiotic ingredients stimulate the growth of these bacteria. Since dairy products containing both probiotic and prebiotic ingredients ("synbiotic") are gaining importance globa ....Development of a new micro-encapsulation system using a novel falling-film technology for bio-encapsulation of synbiotic functional dairy products. The inclusion of probiotic (beneficial) bacteria in foods is linked to positive health benefits by suppressing harmful micro-organisms in the gastro-intestinal tract (GIT). Prebiotic ingredients stimulate the growth of these bacteria. Since dairy products containing both probiotic and prebiotic ingredients ("synbiotic") are gaining importance globally, new protective measures are needed to preserve the activity and viability of these ingredients. This project aims to develop a new micro-encapsulation system to encapsulate bacteria within foods for safe delivery to GIT, to encapsulate enzymes for accelerated cheese ripening, that will significantly enhance the development of a new generation of healthy foods.Read moreRead less
Understanding the structure-function relationship of dietary fibre for engineering novel food products with superior textural properties and nutrition. The focus of this project will be on the merits of dietary fibre from underutilised agricultural by-products as valuable ingredients in food products. This project aims to innovate by developing high quality foods using dietary fibre, hence delivering socioeconomic benefits through a healthier population and increased financial returns to agri-fo ....Understanding the structure-function relationship of dietary fibre for engineering novel food products with superior textural properties and nutrition. The focus of this project will be on the merits of dietary fibre from underutilised agricultural by-products as valuable ingredients in food products. This project aims to innovate by developing high quality foods using dietary fibre, hence delivering socioeconomic benefits through a healthier population and increased financial returns to agri-food processors.Read moreRead less
Use of CT Scanned Data in automation of Carcass Processing. Meat production is important to the Australian economy. The industry is threatened by inability to obtain sufficient labor for meat processing. Automation represents a potential solution, but brings challenges. Piecemeal automation has produced haphazard interspersing of automated and manual workstations. In meat processing automation, the greatest benefits are obtained when the process is integrated and data is passed down the process ....Use of CT Scanned Data in automation of Carcass Processing. Meat production is important to the Australian economy. The industry is threatened by inability to obtain sufficient labor for meat processing. Automation represents a potential solution, but brings challenges. Piecemeal automation has produced haphazard interspersing of automated and manual workstations. In meat processing automation, the greatest benefits are obtained when the process is integrated and data is passed down the process line. The outcomes of this project, a practically deployable robotic system, enabling methodologies and a common database, represent a big step towards integrated meat processing and bring enormous economic and health benefits to Australian community.Read moreRead less
Improving the scale-up of spray drying for bioactive extracts and fibres. The project will develop new processing techniques that will contribute to better functional foods and bioactive products from fruit and vegetable wastes. The total national crop of fruit and vegetables produces over 3 million tonnes of wastes, where the bioactive materials in the wastes have a potential value of $3 billion/year.
Autonomous Cooking: Sensing, Estimation and Control. This work aims to create the world's first truly intelligent oven, with sensing, estimation and control of the changes occurring within food as it is cooked. Consumer insight suggests that a product of this kind would be very successful in the market. The success of this project would result in significant economic benefit to Electrolux and the Australian economy through its 3,150 Australian employees, its many local subcontractors and through ....Autonomous Cooking: Sensing, Estimation and Control. This work aims to create the world's first truly intelligent oven, with sensing, estimation and control of the changes occurring within food as it is cooked. Consumer insight suggests that a product of this kind would be very successful in the market. The success of this project would result in significant economic benefit to Electrolux and the Australian economy through its 3,150 Australian employees, its many local subcontractors and through the thousands of consumers who will one day enjoy using a product of this kind.Read moreRead less
Application of a Novel Reflux Classifier for Separating Nut Shell Fragments from Powdered Food Mixtures. An important operation in the food industry is the physical separation of valuable particles from a mixture containing waste materials, such as shell fragments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of a novel gas-solid fluidised bed system, utilising parallel inclined plates to radically amplify the differential segregation rates to produce separations based on particle ....Application of a Novel Reflux Classifier for Separating Nut Shell Fragments from Powdered Food Mixtures. An important operation in the food industry is the physical separation of valuable particles from a mixture containing waste materials, such as shell fragments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of a novel gas-solid fluidised bed system, utilising parallel inclined plates to radically amplify the differential segregation rates to produce separations based on particle size. Our aim is to develop a fundamental understanding of the principles governing the nature of this system. The project should result in considerable technological and economic benefits for the food industry, a well trained and educated person at the postgraduate level, and a stronger collaborative link between the University and Sanitarium.Read moreRead less
Development of a concentration process for thermally sensitive liquids by the integration of Osmotic Distillation with Freeze Concentration. There is a need for low temperature concentration of thermally sensitive fruit juices and biological liquids with preserved qualities and nutrients. Although Freeze Concentration has been successful up to about 40% solids, it then requires expensive freezing. This project aims to integrate Osmotic Distillation with Freeze Concentration to achieve up to ab ....Development of a concentration process for thermally sensitive liquids by the integration of Osmotic Distillation with Freeze Concentration. There is a need for low temperature concentration of thermally sensitive fruit juices and biological liquids with preserved qualities and nutrients. Although Freeze Concentration has been successful up to about 40% solids, it then requires expensive freezing. This project aims to integrate Osmotic Distillation with Freeze Concentration to achieve up to about 70% solids, for long-term storage under ambient or refrigerated conditions. If successful, the combined process would enable increased export of high quality agricultural products such as grape concentrate for wine making, as well as other liquid foods, beverages and biotechnological products.Read moreRead less