Engineering for Food Safety and Quality

Foods are very complex biological materials. The study of food safety and quality requires integrated studies of food engineering, chemistry, microbiology and analytical technology. Because of the complexity nature and funding shortage, food safety and quality research to solve problems we are facing requires a broad range of skills and talents, and collaboration of individual researchers across our nation's research institutions. Enhancing the utilization of the farm and sea food products remains as one of the central objectives of the Hatch Act that was passed in the congress in 1887. The strong collaboration of the NC-1023 Committee members over the years has contributed to the visions of the Hatch act in providing research to enhance the safety and quality of food resources in our nation and the world. Its collaborative structure enables the agricultural experiment stations to share knowledge, personnel and research facilities to achieve the objectives in an efficient manner. The four objectives include enhancing safety and quality of foods through careful measurement of the properties of food materials through advanced analytical technologies, developing innovative technologies through the use of traditional and modern thermal and non-thermal technologies to produce better quality and safer food supplies. Rapid methods based on optical and/or biological sensing techniques for real-time evaluation of food systems during processing and storage will be investigated. It can be anticipated that pathogen outbreaks would be reduced at the completion of the study. High-value added products and innovative technologies will be developed to enhance the competitively of our food products in both domestic and global markets, thereby, increasing the economy of our country. New and exciting trends in science, including systems biology, nanotechnology, and nutragenomics, are changing the way in which engineers and scientists address issues such as process efficiency, product safety and quality. As demand for new food products containing bioactive compounds is increasing for decreasing chronic diseases, the effectiveness of these ingredients as well as their interactions with other base ingredients will be studied with reliable methods. The completion of the project will not only enhance the agricultural and food industry's ability to produce safe and value-added foods, but also will contribute greatly to enhancing the health of our citizens. Overall, this project also contributes to the sustainability of US agriculture and help eliminate world hunger.