Scientific mission gets a taste for new technology

A novel approach to the marketing of veggie burgers and sausages, a process for vacuum-microwave drying of fruit and vegetables and a fat-replacer which lowers cholesterol, were just three developments that caught the attention of a scientific mission earlier this year to North America.

The findings of the mission, which took place in July and was sponsored by the Department of Trade and Industry's Global Watch Service www.globalwatchonline.com​, were described at a two-day conference titled 'Excellence in Food Manufacturing' held last month at Pera in Melton Mowbray. It was organised by the Food Processing Faraday Partnership (FPFP).

In the executive summary of the report produced, Bob Marsh, md of the FPFP and mission leader commented: "It was quite surprising to see how this single driver of 'healthy eating' has significantly advanced the success of the nutraceutical and 'low carb' markets in the USA and Canada, compared to the UK." However, he added that there were "very few instances where the mission came across technological developments that were completely new or unheralded, and that broadly the UK was as technically advanced as Canada and the USA". Many of the most innovative technologies were being developed by small companies, he added.

The food processing mission took a team representing Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA), Crafty Tech, Leatherhead Food International (LFI), RHM Technologies, Scottish Enterprise and Wicken Fed Foods to look at many aspects of processing, testing, drying and cooking.

Visits were made in Vancouver to the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Enwave, Inovatech Egg Products and Nutri-Loc. In San Fransisco the team heard presentations from six leading researchers at the US Department of Agriculture, Western Research Centre. And In Davis they visited California Natural Products, the University of California, Creative Research Management and Hilmar Cheese.

Nutri-Loc's vacuum-microwave drying process ensures there is no damage to fruit and vegetables, which usually happens during heating or freezing. The process also provides good flavour and aroma retention.

Two products of interest were also seen at Forbes Meditec: a fat replacement made from conifer trees which lowers cholesterol, and a cooking oil substitute which contains mid-chain fatty oils. This has been shown to help reduce body weight when used in normal cooking processes.

Creative Research Management has developed a range of processes, some of which have resulted in innovative polysaccharin-type products which could be useful in food packaging. Meanwhile California Natural Products has achieved success in developing a very complex carbohydrate derived from rice which has a reduced glycaemic index, making it ideal for low-carbohydrate diets.

Projects presented by the US Department of Agriculture included edible 'films' of carrot, mango and spinach -- a very concentrated form of fruit and vegetable which can be worked into packaging and other food types.

The first of a more tightly-focused missions investigating health-enhancing food in Canada, also took place last month and the results will be presented in the spring of 2005. For more details contact Andy Sutton naql.fhggba@cren.pbz​