Prof. Carmen C. Tadini

“Food production: food processing

and packaging, focusing on

sustainable, energy saving and waste

reducing processes and materials”

May 21st 2014

Brazilian Food Industry Overview

Performance (2013):

◦ Incoming US$ 220 billion

◦ Local market: US$ 103 billion

◦ Food Service: US$ 53 billion

◦ Employees: 1.63 million

Source: ABIA (2014)

Motivation

Brazil: disposal of garbage per day: ~ 200,000 ton;

Consumer demands for high quality products;

New technologies for energy efficiency,

water savings and reduced emissions;

Use of biodegradable materials;

Source: Abrelpe (2010)

Highqualityfoods

Ecologicalconcerns

Consumerdemands

Food Processing

New technological approaches for

food preservation have been

developed for energy efficiency,

water savings and reduced

emissions, while ensure food

safety and quality

Novel thermal technologies

Electromagnetic technologies:

◦ Ohmic heating (OH)

◦ Dielectric heating:

Radio frequency (RF)

Microwave (MW)

Novel non-thermal technologies

Ultrasounds (US)

High pressure processing (HPP)

Pulse electric fields (PEF)

Pulse light treatment (PL)

Novel thermal technologies

Electromagnetic technologies: OH

◦ based on the principle that most food products have the ability to resist to

the passage of an electrical current.

◦ acerola and blueberry pulps were ohmically heated

Sarkis et al. (2013). Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, 18, 145-

154

Fresher-tasting, high quality products;

Low maintenance costs;

Environmentally-friendly system

Novel thermal technologies

Electromagnetic technologies: MW

◦ implies the interaction between an electromagnetic alternating field and the

dipoles and ionic charges contained within a food product that enables the

volumetric heating of the product.

◦ Green coconut water was heated in a batch microwaves system

Matsui et al. (2008). Journal of Food Engineering, 88, 169-176

Potential use for food preservation including

sterilization and pasteurization of liquid foods;

However, the knowledge of dielectric properties

of foods is a key factor for an effective heating.

Novel non-thermal technologies

High pressure processing (HPP)

Pulse electric fields (PEF)

The most extensively researched

and promising non-thermal

processes for food preservation

Novel non-thermal technologies

Pulse electric fields (PEF)

Based on the application of pulses of high voltage

delivered to the product placed between a set of

pair of electrodes that confine the treatment gap

in the PEF chamber.

Effect of PEF on antioxidant properties of carrot juice

Cserhalmi et al. (2002). ). Innovative Food Science & Emerging

Technologies, 3, 41-45

Quitão-Teixeira et al. (2009) Journal of the Science of Food and

Agriculture, 89, 2636-2642

Potential use to inactivate micro-organisms in

liquid food products at low temperatures;

Other potential applications: enhancement of

drying efficiency and decontamination of liquid

waste

Novel non-thermal technologies

High hydrostatic pressure(HHP)

Involves subjecting food materiais to pressures that generally can

range from (100 to 1000) MPa, inactivating micro-organisms and

enzymes.

There are some Brazilian research groups working with HPP:

Orange juice; tomato pulp; tea extraction;

beer; milk; meat; mango nectar;

Bisconsin Jr. et al. (2014). Food and Bioprocess Technology, 7, 1670-1677

Zimmermann et al. (2013). LWT Food Science and Technology, 53, 107-112

Kotovicz & Zanoelo (2013). Journal of Food Engineering, 116, 656-665

Tribtz et al. (2011) Journal of Food Science, 76, M106-M110

Franchi et al. (2001) Journal of Institute of Brewing, 117, 634-638

Potential use for high acid content products, with

particular attention to microbiological aspects.

Several researchers are also interesting for

technological, environment and energy aspects

in the Spotlight

The higher levels of hygiene and

demand for high quality foods, lead a

large consumption of a cocktail of

energy types (fossil fuel, electricity);

◦ This has dramatically increased the

environmental footprint of the food

industry;

in the Spotlight

The novel thermal and non-thermal technologies

can provide energy savings;

Some of them can also provide water savings,

increased reliability reduced emissions, higher

product quality and improved productivity;

◦ However more research about these technologies

performance is necessary;

◦ And mainly existing production equipment;

Souza et al. (2010) Innovation in Food Engineering – New Techniques and Products, chap, 17, 511-537

Petrochemical

industry

Biodegradable

Polymers

Agro

Polymers

Polysaccharides, proteins,

polypeptides, polynucleotides

Chemical

Synthesis

Polylactic acid

(PLA), bio-polyester

Microbial

Origin

Polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHA), bacterial

cellulose, xanthan, curdian, pullan

Polycaprolactone (PCL),

polyesteramide (PEA)

Biodegradable polymer types and examples of materials in each category

New packaging materials

Souza et al. (2010) Innovation in Food Engineering – New Techniques and Products, chap, 17, 511-537

Petrochemical

industry

Biodegradable

Polymers

Agro

Polymers

Polysaccharides, proteins,

polypeptides, polynucleotides

Chemical

Synthesis

Polylactic acid

(PLA), bio-polyester

Microbial

Origin

Polyhydroxy alkanoates (PHA), bacterial

cellulose, xanthan, curdian, pullan

Polycaprolactone (PCL),

polyesteramide (PEA)

Biodegradable polymer types and examples of materials in each category

New packaging materials

Many researches are driven to develop

nanocomposites not only to improve mechanical

properties, but also extend the durability.

Main technologies applied for starch polymers manufacturing

Starch botanical origin

Wet milling

Primary application

(food/feed industry)

Starch slurry

PURE STARCH

Chemical

modification

MODIFIED STARCH

Washing, dewatering, first drying

Extrusion

+ plasticizer e.g. water,

glycerol, polyether, urea

+ compatabilisers

+ other additives e.g.

bleaching, colouring agents

Reactive blending

(extrusion + blending)

+ copolymers e.g.

PCL, PVOH,

other bio-based

polymers

Destructurized starch,

thermoplastic starch

Blending

Washing, dewatering, first drying

+ copolymers e.g.

PCL, PVOH, other

bio-based polymers

Pellets for conversion by: film blowing, thermoforming injection moulding, foaming, extrusion coating, sheet extrusion

Solid

Layered

Preparation Methods

Bio

Polymer

Bio-nanocomposite

+Bio

Polymer

Twin screw

extruder

Transparent, flexible, homogeneous

Visual aspect

Tape casting processlarge films from starch–fiber–glycerol

Moraes et al. (2013) Jornal of Food Engineering, 119, 800-808

Blown extrusionCorn starch blend films

López et al. (2013) Jornal of Food Engineering, 116, 286-297

Thermoplastic

starch pellets

Starch films obtaining by blown extrusion

Starch films 75 % acetylated starch, 5 % native starch and

25 % glycerol

Application of Biopolymers in Food Packaging

Active packaging

Cassava starch composite

films incorporated with

cinnamon essential oil

Souza et al. (2013) LWT-Food Science and Technology, 54, 346-352

Application of Biopolymers in Food Packaging

Veiga-Santos et al. (2010) Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 120, 1069-1079

Smart packaging

Test with raw fish pH ≤ 6.8

pHfish 6.43 pHfish 6.63 pHfish 6.89 pHfish 7.82

pHfish 6.44 pHfish 6.66 pHfish 6.90 pHfish 7.83

Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3

Large scale production:

By extrusion

Great challenge

Prof. Carmen C. Tadini

catadini@usp.br

Thanks for your attention

May 2014