IFT Live 2011 » Technologies

Food Science & Technology Under Attack

JamesB — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:28:05 +0000

The promise of a better future through technology was a major theme of the original television series Star Trek in the 1960s. However, this philosophy is seemingly being rejected and replaced by the wistfulness of another 60s TV show “Green Acres.” Gentleman farmer Oliver and space scientist Mr. Spock are not simply television characters; they represent the opposing issues in the current debates on food technology. For nearly 40 years, many of the most significant technological advances in food science and technology (e.g., biotechnology, irradiation, fortification, packaging, artificial sweeteners, and nanotechnology) have met and continue to be hindered by a lack of consumer acceptance. The public is being led to believe that the food industry deals in a sea of toxic chemicals that are causing everything from cancer to obesity. Public policy on health and foods is often made in an environment where science-based evidence takes a back seat. Members of professional societies like IFT need to realize that every negative headline undercuts public trust in their profession; every politically expedient decision lessens public confidence in science; and every hyperbolic claim weakens the credibility of scientists.

On Tuesday morning from 8:30–10:00 am in Room 292, Session 228 Star Trek or Green Acres: The Future Roles of Chemistry and Technology in the Food Industry, Regulatory Policy, and Human Health: Part 1 – Where Are We and How Did We Get Here? will examine the evidence of how the public views science and scientists. The session will include discussions on the consequences of public attitudes (particularly on the acceptance of new food ingredients, processes, and technologies) and how scientists and professional societies can change negative attitudes into positive outcomes.

Part 2 (Session 257) of this symposium will subsequently take place from 10:30 am–12:00 pm in Room 292.

Detecting Economically Motivated Adulterants

JamesB — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:13:01 +0000

Economically motivated adulteration of food products, such as melamine in dairy to raise the protein level, presents a huge challenge in the marketplace and threatens the integrity of the food supply chain. A developing approach for detecting adulteration is screening food and food ingredients for adulteration using non-targeted approaches. Rather than detecting specific known adulterants, the non-targeted approach uses a priori knowledge on the profile of normal or authentic materials; then combines the output of an assay (typically using electronic tools) with chemometrics to discriminate authentic from abnormal materials. The goal is an authenticating system with sufficiently rapid response for routine inspections. A variety of spectral or hyphenated chromatographic-detector approaches have been investigated for specific food matrices.

On Tuesday morning from 7:15–8:15 am in Room 396, Session 212 Non-Targeted Analytical Approaches for Detecting Economically Motivated Adulteration of Food and Food Ingredients: Part 1 will highlight promising research to date and identify challenges and opportunities to transform these approaches into tools that can be used in routine Quality Assessment settings for raw material screening to guard against adulteration in the food supply. Part 2 (Session 223) of the symposium will subsequently take place from 8:30–10:00 am in Room 396.

J457 Refractometer

Kelly Hensel — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 13:00:26 +0000

Rudolph Research Analytical’s (booth 4101) J457 Refractometer has several innovations for the food industry: smart measure system reports prism cleanliness, totally free operation where sample loading and cleaning is automatic, and detection of improper sample loading. The refractometer has a wide measuring range making it capable of measuring materials like essential oils and food chemicals.

Heracles II Electronic Nose

Kelly Hensel — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:00:29 +0000

ALPHA M.O.S.’ (booth 4108) Heracles II Electronic Nose uses fast gas chromotography with two columns of different polarities mounted in parallel and connected to two detectors. It has high repeatability (RSD < 0.3% on retention times and RSD <3% on peak areas) allowing headspace or liquid injection modes. The integrated solid adsorbent trap thermo-regulated by Peltier cooler (0-260°C) achieves pre-concentration of light volatiles. Fast column heating rates (up to 600°C/min) make typical analysis cycle time around 5 min.

The PC interface monitors parameters settings, programs, FID ignition, etc. Besides classical chromatography, it provides powerful tools such as sample fingerprint analysis & comparison, qualitative and quantitative models, quality control cards. The database integrates info on sensory features linked to the chromatograms peaks. Compounds and sensory info are classified by application area. This integrated database (Kovats indices) also facilitates peak identification; it can be enriched with user data.

Rapid Diagnostic and Subtyping Methods for Foodborne Pathogens

JamesB — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 18:00:12 +0000

Because some pathogens have a low infectious dose, relatively small numbers of pathogenic bacteria in food are likely to cause disease. Additionally, the interference caused by components of food, environmental factors, or fecal samples leads to increased background signals and false positive results, thereby reducing the diagnostic specificity of the methodology. Recent advances in microbial detection technologies have aimed to achieve faster and more sensitive identification of the target pathogen, using novel molecular approaches. When coupled with robust sample preparation methods, these new detection assays can rapidly detect a target pathogen while addressing the issues associated with interference caused by complex food matrices. An ideal detection method that is capable of rapidly detecting and confirming the presence of pathogens directly from complex food samples with no false positive or false negative results remains elusive. With regard to L. monocytogenes, unique genotypes of this pathogen are commonly found in different processing plants. However, current molecular subtyping methods have not revealed the genetic basis for its persistence. A novel model was developed in which the comK prophage was re-characterized as a putative Rapid Adaptation Island (RAI), which undergoes extensive recombination to allow rapid niche-specific adaptation and persistence. These recent developments permit routes of contamination to be identified and the tracking of these dangerous sub-clones to their source.

Session 132 Emerging and Novel Trends in Rapid Diagnostic and Subtyping Methods for Foodborne Pathogens on Monday on Monday morning from 10:30 am–12:00 pm in Room 391 will introduce recent and novel advances in the field of rapid detection methodology as well as emerging methods used to subtype foodborne pathogens. Using L. monocytogenes as an example, speakers will emphasize emerging molecular methods that take advantage of next generation sequencing technology as a way to rapidly identify specific targets and approaches to bacterial detection. Speakers will also discuss emerging approaches to rapid and simple multiplex detection of foodborne pathogens.

Modeling Innovative Processing Technologies

JamesB — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:00:35 +0000

Innovative processing technologies such as HPP, PEF, and ultrasonication allow targeted and gentle modification and preservation of foods by nonthermal or assisted thermal processing, maintaining fresh qualities often impaired by conventional thermal processing. And numerical modeling is frequently used in academia, equipment manufacture, and the food industry for equipment design and process optimization. Compared to conventional processing, innovative technologies provide additional complexity and challenges for modelers because of interacting multiphysics phenomena, such as sound (pressure) waves, electric or electromagnetic fields, thermo- and fluid dynamics, and others.

On Monday morning from 8:30–10:00 am in Room 392, Session 111 Innovative Food Processing Technologies: Advances in Multiphysics Modeling will provide an overview of innovative food processing technologies, discuss the latest developments in multiphysics modeling as applied to development and optimization of some innovative technologies, and give visionary insight into the future of this discipline of food engineering. Participants will gain insights on how innovative computer-aided process engineering methods can be useful and essential in effective food process and equipment design and optimization and learn how different modeling approaches better assist in the development of select innovative processing technologies.

Automatic Water Dosing System

Kelly Hensel — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:00:07 +0000

C.W. Brabender Instruments Inc.’s (booth 5100) new Farinograph-AT has advancements that center around the automatic water dosing system which eliminates the potential for operator error during the addition of water to the flour in the mixer measuring head. The new model offers a higher torque range which is better suited when investigating various speed profiles and calculating missing energy for new applications including chocolate, chewing gum, cheese, meat, fish, full formula dough, etc.

Analyzing the Safety of Seafood Following the Gulf Oil Spill

JamesB — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 20:28:54 +0000

Due to the size and persistence of the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon explosion, the methods for testing the safety of the affected seafood were inadequate and new protocols had to be designed on-the-fly, according to presenters at a Saturday morning IFT Pre-Annual Meeting Short Course on Evaluating the Safety of Gulf Seafood: Programs and Analytical Techniques in the Aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon Spill.

Steven Wilson demonstrates sensory testing of seafood at the Pascagoula laboratory.

Steven Wilson, Chief Quality Officer of the Seafood Inspection Program for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, discussed Management Decisions for Sensory Analysis in an Emergency Environment. Scientists want to collect data, analyze it, and collect more data to get a total picture, said Wilson. In contrast, food safety professionals have to make “yes” or “no” decisions with some level of risk. The latter mindset was critical in establishing protocol for reopening areas for fishing and seafood harvesting following the gulf oil spill.

Sensory analysis became the standard test for reopening various areas; chemical analyses were also employed. At one point, nearly 40% of the Gulf of Mexico was closed to fishing, noted Wilson. Initially, the sampling program targeted 30 specifies of fish and shellfish. But it was quickly determined that the volume of samples would overwhelm the testing laboratory and sensory panelists. Instead, the sampling program focused on top, middle, and bottom feeders through the use of nets and line trawling. Protocols were developed for sample size, storage, and chain of custody.

The existing protocol called for wrapping a sample of the fish in aluminum foil on the fishing vessel and sending it to the laboratory in Pascagoula, Miss. But due to the hot temperatures in the region, many samples were showing up in the lab in a highly decomposed state. New protocols were put in place, treating the fish as if it were a commercial catch. Wilson told an amusing story of how one fishing vessel called to ask about how it should wrap a 300-lb bluefin tuna in foil.

Another challenge was training the sensory panelists. Due to the burning of the oil and the resulting odor and potential contamination in the area, it was decided that training should take place at a laboratory in Gloucester, Mass. The actual sensory testing was done at the laboratory in Pascagoula. Panelists analyzed for raw odor, cooked odor, and cooked flavor.

Samples were spiked with oil and dispersants as a QC check. This was done sparingly due to the limited availability of the seafood supply in the gulf. Even so, the testers went through about 6 million lbs of purchased seafood in two months.

It’s quite common in sensory analysis to blend samples. But this protocol was quickly abandoned with oysters as the product produced a near-gag reflex, explained Wilson.

The ABCs of BPA

JamesB — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 18:30:25 +0000

Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used by food processors in can linings and other packaging applications. Recent toxicological concerns have led to recommendations to discontinue many, if not all, of the current uses. Legislation at the state level has called for bans on BPA’s use in baby bottles and other food-related uses. This would require adopting replacement substances and/or procedures that have other risks. There is substantial controversy surrounding how to quantify the risks, particularly for extremely low doses resulting from package leaching. In addition, there are major differences in the alternatives that could lead to decreased product safety and shelf life.

On Sunday afternoon from 1:30–3:00 pm in Room 394, Session 070 BPA and Its Alternatives: Quantifying the Risks will discuss the impact of implementing such changes, including the likely risks of BPA at low exposures (e.g., in the range of doses likely to be encountered as a result of leaching from packaging). The symposium will also explore alternatives to BPA, an evaluation of potential low-dose risks for these compounds as well as differences in performance, and the impact on packaging and manufacturing.

Speakers include representatives from the U.S. FDA, a metal packaging association, and a consultancy specializing in chemical regulations.

Utilizing Nanotechnology to Enhance Food Safety

JamesB — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:30:40 +0000

In recent years, various nanotechnology-based approaches have been explored to provide novel solutions to food safety challenges. Such solutions include nanoscale delivery of antimicrobials, novel nano-biomaterials and delivery vehicles, food processing surface modification at the nanoscale level, food polymer packaging, and interactions with food matrices.

On Sunday morning from 10:30 am–12:00 pm in Room 383, Session 017 Nanotechnology-Enabled Food Safety Interventions will present a comprehensive review of nanotechnology-based food safety intervention technologies. Four active research leaders in the field with diverse and complementary scientific approaches will discuss the newest and latest developments.

Presenter Julian McClements, Univ. of Mass., will examine how food-grade antimicrobial nanoparticles can be used by the food and beverage industry to more effectively combat foodborne diseases and spoilage. Speaker Yuan Yao, Purdue Univ., will discuss the capabilities of carbohydrate-mediated nano-constructs to prolong the efficacy of antimicrobial peptides against food pathogens. Researcher Carmen Moraru, Cornell Univ., will explore how to design and develop nano-engineered equipment surfaces to control the attachment of bacteria to food-contact surfaces.