Food Science and Technology最新文献

DL: Absolutely! My career journey to date has been somewhat unconventional and quite varied. It started with studying for a degree in Chemical Engineering at Loughborough University, but my love of food and cooking took me away from the world of petrochemicals and pharma. After graduating, I remained in academia studying an Engineering Doctorate in Formulation Engineering at University of Birmingham, specialising in emulsions and colloidal science which plays a significant role in many food products. This was my first introduction to the world of science behind many FMCG products seeing ongoing projects with Unilever, Cargill, Nestle and Mondelez.

Upon completion, I joined Unilever as a Research & Development Manager working primarily on ice cream science and innovation (the coolest job ever!). These were a great 5 years leading projects studying the potential of new processing technologies and approaches to produce novel frozen desserts. Working alongside many world class scientists in the context of business delivery was highly beneficial – taking a great scientific idea all the way from conception to launch is what is needed to deliver impact. I may have eaten too many white chocolate Magnums though!

Looking for a new challenge, I joined the very fast-growing complete nutrition brand Huel initially as a Technical Manager for their Ready to Drink category but eventually switching to a more general, cross-category R&D role. It was a big culture shock being in a significantly smaller, highly entrepreneurial, young and extremely fast paced business. I would definitely recommend taking an experience like this. You learn the most when out of your comfort zone and it is also a great opportunity to work more cross functionally with marketing, procurement, finance which can marry science with business acumen. I have worked at Huel since 2019 and been part of the growth to where we are now with £184.5M annual revenue, launching many new products and in the process of building a brand-new factory in Milton Keynes. Very exciting!

There have been two key themes throughout my career – a love of science and a love for learning (coincidently I married a teacher). These are however connected since science is about exploring the unknown to make discoveries and push boundaries. Humans are naturally curious and generally love food. The understanding and application of science and technology is vital for making great tasting, nutritious, safe, and sustainable food. It spans many scientific disciplines and particularly now, there is a lot of really cool innovation happening across the industry.

DL: It's important to build awareness of how the food sector is shifting with new technologies and trends – ‘stay current but think future’. By doing this, it’ll help to identify how your scientific skills can contribute further or maybe even spot innovation opportunities to invent something new. The food industry is starting

Improving the sustainability of food products is a non-trivial challenge. There are multiple product lifecycle stages where innovation can be applied to boost sustainability, but solutions are rarely straightforward. Care must be taken to ensure problems aren’t simply moved rather than solved. Additionally, it is important to consider consumer perspectives, so new or altered products deliver commercial success.

This article covers three food product lifecycle stages where innovation can make a positive difference: reformulation, processing, and packaging. In the case of products that are reformulated to improve sustainability credentials, impacts on consumer experience (taste, texture), benefits (nutrition), and convenience (shelf-life, stability) require attention. The redefinition of processes can play an enabling role here, but lack of consumer acceptance may be a barrier, especially for novel processes involving synthetic biology techniques. It's also important to be pragmatic about sustainable packaging solutions. This includes taking steps to ensure materials end up where they should after fulfilling their purpose protecting and preserving food. Consumer compliance, as well as consumer preference, is central here.

Food product lifecycle stages, as illustrated in Figure 1, provide multiple opportunities for technological advancement. The processing and manufacturing stage can be further broken down into three innovation zones: reformulation; redefining processes; preservation and packaging. Environmental sustainability is one of the most influential forces driving change at present, but any developments may cause repercussions up and down the supply chain. This article considers how food manufacturers can navigate complex sustainability innovation journeys in a consumer-centric manner.

Some sustainability issues can be addressed relatively easily via sourcing. However, reformulation may be necessary to make use of more sustainable ingredients and raw materials. This is a difficult undertaking which can introduce new processing challenges and may also be detrimental to consumer enjoyment of the product.

Any ingredient change can impact sensory qualities such as flavour, aroma, texture, and appearance, which in turn can affect product stability and shelf-life in packaged goods It is important that food professionals carefully weight factors like nutritional value, allergenicity, and the need for additives or preservatives (which may be perceived negatively by consumers).

A systematic approach to reformulation is necessary to identify, manage, and mitigate these challenges. It's important to understand the scientific properties of individual ingredients and how they function with food matrices. Then, when alternatives are being considered, R&D teams can consider how they will affect the end product.

The consumer-driven rise of plant-based proteins in recent years illustrates the complexity of this matt

Martin Chadwick discusses FoodSEqual, a project that involves working with disadvantaged communities on solutions for enhancing access to nutritious, sustainable food, actively involving them in shaping the food system's decision-making.

The year is 2024: in the previous episode of ‘The UK Food System’, disadvantaged communities were left behind when it comes to eating well. Through no fault of their own, years of austerity squeezed purses, restricted benefits and limited public services. The hardships imposed by this period set the stage for greater challenges when Covid-19 struck, pushing people out of work. Some faced only short-term unemployment, while others witnessed the permanent closure of their businesses. The dual impact of austerity and the pandemic created a formidable economic storm, leaving individuals and communities grappling with the consequences. Supermarkets chasing the discounters got bigger, more efficient and further pushes fresh vegetables out of small independent corner shops. Food bank use is at unprecedented levels, food surplus schemes sprung up, and are themselves being squeezed as the traditional food system tightens up its operations to improve sustainability and reduce costs.

Reports tell us what we have known for centuries ‘eat fruit and vegetables, is good for you’ ‘aspire to the Mediterranean diet’ ‘Get your five a day’ but policy interventions lag behind, a disconnect between policy makers and struggling families is reminiscent of the famous ‘let them eat cakes’ although in the context of eating fruit and vegetables, that should perhaps be ‘let them eat dates’. So far, support for the individual is not forthcoming. Meanwhile, the decision-makers vilify sugar, the cheapest source of calories, and tax it specifically, with well justified health concerns around the use of refined sugars. However, this is only one side of the coin; what is needed now is a breadth of alternatives.

Even before the global pandemic hit in 2020, and before the war in Ukraine turned international energy markets on their head, The UKRI (UK research and innovation, the UK's foremost academic funding body) announced the Transforming Food Systems programme⁽¹⁾. This programme aimed to fundamentally transform the UK food system by placing healthy people and healthy environments at its centre; it funds university research into what people eat, how and what is grown and manufactured, and addressing import/export balances of UK food supply. Entering its 4^th year, the programme, led by Professor Guy Poppy, now has 16 independently run projects and training programs for budding food scientists. The project aims span a wide spectrum, from cultured meat to regenerative farming practices in Yorkshire.

FoodSEqual (or Food Systems Equality) is one of the larger projects which has the ambitious target to engage disadvantaged communities in the decision

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) have become part of the consumer zeitgeist with its critics publishing bestselling books and having a high media profile. It has entered the public consciousness and has the potential to become a megatrend. Consumers will ultimately direct this by the choices that they make as they fill their trolleys in our supermarkets.

UPF as defined using the NOVA food classification system covers a broad range of ready to eat products including packaged snacks, carbonated soft drinks and readymade meals. It is often said that they are characterised as ‘industrial’ formulations composed of chemically modified ingredients and additives. In there lies the rub. One of the issues for me is that there is an absence of a clear definition of an UPF. The definition from the NOVA food classification system is not universally accepted and has been criticised for being too broad within categories. It also includes food which is very good for you like my favourite healthy breakfast cereal. UPF is an unhelpful term. Everyone would agree that a sweet wafer is an ultra-processed food and should not be a dietary staple, but it can be a great treat.

Unfortunately, the NOVA ultra-processed foods definition also encompasses foods seen by consumers as ‘healthy’ like wholemeal bread, plant-protein-based products. There is a risk that definitions of ultra-processed foods characterise all food additives and food processing as being negative, this is not necessarily the case and can be misleading for the consumer. Additionally, food additives undergo strict safety assessment and regulatory approvals and contribute to the production of safe foods for consumers and support wider efforts relating to sustainability. Labelling foods as UPF might not be helpful for consumers who want to know how healthy a product is. Scientists who have analysed different products have commented that it is too simplistic to brand all UPF as very bad for you.

Undoubtedly, there is a global obesity challenge, driven by diet and lifestyle factors. The observed associations between UPF and adverse health outcomes are concerning but it is not clear if these associations represent a direct impact of UPF or whether these observations can be explained by the well understood effects of overconsumption of high fat, sugar, and salt (HFSS) foods and a low fibre diet. There is a lot of confusion and conflicting evidence on UPF. Personally, I find myself aligned with the position statement produced by the British Nutrition Foundation⁽¹⁾. It is difficult to untangle the impact of less healthy dietary patterns and lifestyles and there is no clear evidence of a causal association between processing and health. Understanding of other mechanisms to explain adverse effects of UPF on health is limited. However the links between excess consumption of saturated fat, sugars, salt, low fibre and poorer health outcomes are very well established. In UK policy, HFSS foods a

Welcome to this new issue of the Food Science and Technology magazine! In this brand-new edition, we’re shifting the spotlight on each and every one of us: the consumers.

Our journey kicks off by addressing a critical issue: the accessibility of nutritious, sustainable food for disadvantaged communities. By actively engaging these communities in the decision-making processes of our food systems, we have the potential to spark transformative change.

Transitioning into the realm of labelling debates, we delve into the intricacies of showcasing information, particularly in the context of plant-based foods, carbon labelling, and greenwashing. By covering these topics, we aim to empower consumers with the knowledge they need to make informed choices.

Sensory sciences take centre stage as we explore the evolving study of human perception and its profound implications for food science. Understanding how we perceive food can lead to innovations that enhance both taste and nutritional value.

As social media continues to shape our daily lives, our spotlight article investigates its influence on the dietary preferences of the younger generation. From community food education initiatives to sustainable labelling practices, we’re committed to exploring diverse perspectives that resonate with all of us as consumers.

Throughout this issue, sustainability remains a guiding principle, highlighting its crucial role in shaping the future of food. As you dive into the rich content within these pages, I encourage you to embrace the diverse viewpoints and insights presented. Let this issue be once again a source of information and inspiration. Enjoy the read!

The RIPEN Innovation Hub has started a round of calls for the 2024/2025 funding cycle. The applications would be suitable for academics and industrial organisations in the area of Human Nutrition and Physiology. The deadline for application is on 17th June 2024, with eligibility open to UK-based academic and industrial organisations. The main focus centres around two themes: Food and Physiology/Targeted Nutrition, and Developing and evaluating technology for food and nutrition research. These themes span across five research areas, including Food Processing, Food Structure, and Ingredients; Functional Foods and Healthy Ageing; Microbiome; Eating Behaviour and Human Metabolism; and Plant-based foods, fibre, and alternative proteins.

The funding opportunities include the Feasibility Award, Mobility Award, and Progression Award, each tailored to different stages of research and development.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the RIPEN Innovation Hub's website for detailed application procedures and submission guidelines.

To apply, applicants must download the relevant documents and submit them via email to [email protected] by the stipulated deadline.

Andfoods, a pioneering startup from New Zealand, has secured a substa

Jack Bobo is the Director of Food Systems Institute of University of Nottingham, having joined in 2023. Bobo's career includes spells at The Nature Conservancy, one of the world's largest conservation organisations, additionally working for companies such as Futurity and Intrexon, as well as spending time as a Senior Advisor for Global Food Policy at the US Department of State.

His fascinating book ‘Why Smart People Make Bad Food Choices: The Invisible Influences that Guide Our Thinking,’ looks at the ways our minds and environment conspire to undermine our nutritional health. There is an interesting review of the deeper causes of the hidden influences and mental shortcuts our minds used to process information and how they often result in unhealthy food choices.

The book also addresses the conundrum that even though we live in a world that has easy access to more nutritional facts, information and a myriad of diet plans, many people still eat a poor diet that is causing serious health problems including overweight and obesity for millions of people. Bobo challenges prevailing misconceptions and approaches the health challenges from a psychological perspective.

This book is an intriguing read and gives great insight for those of us trying to understand the behavioural science and drivers behind our food choices and eating habits. It looks at the history of shifting portion sizes, and why ‘natural’ does not always mean better. The book also investigates the plans for communities that help shift mindset and physical health. It takes a behaviouralist view of the choices we make as we fill our shopping trolleys in retail outlets around the world. This book covers the ingredients that can make it possible for a community to stay healthy and build resilience. And how do we get to a place where our habits and our food environment do the work of making us healthier.

While the book is primarily focussed on the American market and was published in 2013 it feels very contemporary and relevant to the current global challenges. Why Smart People Make Bad Food Choices is also supported by an extensive bibliography.

Food businesses worldwide are actively incorporating eco-friendly and sustainable practices across their supply chains, prioritising environmental sustainability from farm to fork. Their primary goal is to empower consumers to make informed and sustainable choices by raising awareness through sustainability labelling. However, the proliferation of unverified sustainability claims in the global market emphasises the need for both government and commercial intervention to establish accurate and validated labelling standards. This article provides insights into ongoing global initiatives aimed at developing regulations and legislation in this area. It emphasizes the importance for all stakeholders to monitor the evolving landscape to guide global market entry strategies, considering the benefits and challenges that harmonisation or lack thereof may bring.

The European Union (EU) has emerged as a leader in sustainability regulations with its 2019 Green Deal, aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Yet, discussions on the commercial implications of sustainability labelling as a high-value differentiator for food and beverage products are intensifying.

In parallel to government-level activities, food business leaders are increasingly under pressure to prove their sustainability commitments. However, they find it challenging to demonstrate their green credentials due to the absence of commonly-agreed practical tools supporting sustainability, such as green calculators. Whether it's responsible sourcing, waste reduction, or carbon footprint reduction, these labels serve as beacons of sustainability. However, unlike nutrition and health claims, where there is a robust body of evidence, the same cannot be said for sustainability labelling.

Presently, sustainability labelling primarily adheres to the principles of ‘truthful’ and ‘non-misleading’ representation. However, some government bodies around the world are going beyond these truthful principles to ensure greater transparency and accuracy in sustainability labelling. While commendable, this has led to a lack of harmonisation when transitioning from the national to regional level, and ultimately globally, resulting in trade barriers and confusion among consumers.

Consequently, there is a pressing need for global harmonisation in regulations supporting sustainability labelling, aligning with actions taken across supply chains. However, achieving this harmonisation, which could be referred to as the ‘holy grail’, presents significant challenges given the differing priorities and regulatory requirements/targets among countries.

A variety of sustainability labels are available in both the European and global markets. A recent mapping study revealed that nearly half of all new food product introductions include a sustainability claim, with approximately 20% incorporating sustainability details through logos⁽¹⁾. This trend

Established in 2020 and headquartered in Austria, Revo Foods aims to revolutionise the seafood industry by enhancing sustainability. Utilising state-of-the-art 3D-printing technology, the company has crafted a selection of plant-based seafood substitutes that faithfully emulate the seafood dining experience.

In recent decades, the problem of overfishing has escalated. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation diligently monitors over 500 fish populations globally. Their data from 2022 reveals that over 35% of these stocks were subject to excessive fishing pressure⁽¹⁾. This is posing a significant threat to ocean ecosystems and fish stocks’ longevity. Acknowledging this pressing need for change, Revo Foods advocates for offering consumers seafood alternatives that don’t harm the environment.

Plant-based proteins are used to replicate not only the flavour but also the texture, structure, and nutritional profile of seafood like salmon and tuna. While the plant-based meat market has experienced notable growth, options for plant-based fish have remained limited—a gap that the Revo Foods team is eager to address. With the milestone of being the first company to introduce a 3D-printed product to global supermarkets, they have already launched products, leveraging earlier technologies to establish a market presence.

Austria's Administrative Court recently dismissed a case brought against Revo Foods by the Vienna City Council. The lawsuit alleged that ‘Revo Salmon – 100% plant-based with pea protein’ could potentially mislead customers into believing it contained traditional animal-derived fish. The start-up refuted the claim, asserting that their packaging clearly states the use of only 100% plant-based ingredients and labels the products as vegan. The court sided with Revo Foods, rejecting Vienna City Council's argument.

The main concerns raised for the case were about whether this adequately conveys the vegan nature of the product. Robin Simsa asserts that the packaging clearly identifies the products as vegan in multiple locations. He stresses the increasingly restrictive legislation in Europe that aims to limit descriptive names for alternative products. Robin advocates for promoting plant-based diets, stressing environmental benefits and expressing hope for increased support from the European Union.

Robin highlights the significant challenges posed by the growing restrictive legislation across European countries, particularly attributing it to protectionism within the traditional meat industry. He emphasises the necessity for clear guidelines in product labelling, advocating for measures such as specifying ‘vegan’ or ‘plant-based’ before the product description or introducing distinctive logos for easy identification. Robin also stressed the potential benefits of collaboration between traditional meat industries and plant-based alternatives, envisioning a seaml

Sensory science is a multidisciplinary field that uses sight, smell, taste, sound, and touch to measure, interpret, and understand human responses to foods and beverages. And it's one that continues to grow and adapt alongside swiftly changing consumer preferences and the social, technological, and environmental challenges shaping the future of food. Where is the field headed next and what can the younger generation of sensory scientists—those who will inherit these challenges—learn from mentors in the field?

Soon-to-be sensory scientist Jenna Fryer, a doctoral candidate at Oregon State University, is already marshaling her expertise to solve problems posed by the climate crisis through research exploring the impact of wildfire smoke on the sensory properties of wine. This month, she sat down with veteran sensory scientist Karen Graves, vice president of shared technical services at Bell Flavors & Fragrances and a past chair of IFT's Sensory & Consumer Sciences Division to discuss sensory's future, its new and unfolding possibilities, and how those joining the field can best position themselves for success.

‘These conversations help the younger generation get inspired by those who came before us,’ Fryer says. ‘They demystify the field and help us establish lasting connections with mentors.’

KG: As vice president of shared technical services, I oversee a cross-functional team that guides select domestic and international flavor and fragrance R&D initiatives to increase top-line and bottom-line growth. In addition, I champion an innovation team that extends Bell technology to new applications.

KG: AI is all about machine learning and getting a machine to do what a human would do. We’ve already, as a field, incorporated elements of automation to help us. We no longer hand calculate our statistics, for example. We have a machine to do that. So, there's an element of basic AI that we use every day, assuming we’re using a computerised program for data analysis. I think AI can be a useful tool that complements sensory evaluation as we adapt to an ever-changing world and consumer landscape, but one important thing to remember is that its outputs are only as good as the inputs we give. As we look toward taking advantage of AI, sensory scientists need to remember the basics and make sure we are collecting data effectively and accurately to ensure valid inputs. AI can be used to make connections within the data that could be overlooked, look at formulation changes from a new perspective, and predict from a consumer perspective what the ‘next best thing’ could be. We must recognise, though, that AI is there to help us do tasks and define better insights faster. It's not there to replace what we do.

KG: Take time to learn from other disciplines. Be open to other opinions and ideas. The insights you can gain from areas outside of food will make you a more effective scientist. Communication and b