EMU: Acquisition of a bench extruder to study new plant sources as innovative ingredients for the food industry

• Grant number: 23/17429-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Infrastructure Program - Small Medium Sized
• Start date: September 01, 2024
• End date: August 31, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carla Kawazoe Sato
• Grantee: Ana Carla Kawazoe Sato
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos (FEA). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Ana Silvia Prata ; Caroline Joy Steel ; Marise Aparecida Rodrigues Pollonio

Abstract

Extrusion is a process widely used in the food industry, for the development of different products, such as snacks and pasta. Currently, it is the most applied and scalable process for the development of meat analogues products, whether for the development of so-called TVPs (textured vegetable protein) or products obtained from high moisture extrusion, which result in products with a fibrous texture, more similar to whole meat cuts. Many researchers have focused their studies on obtaining new ingredients for the food industry, whether searching for unconventional raw materials, or evaluating different methods to alter the properties of these ingredients. The study of the behavior of these ingredients when subjected to extrusion conditions is very relevant, but the difference in scale between the extraction and extrusion processes can limit the optimization of the extrusion process and the understanding of the conditions in the characteristics of the extruded product. This proposal aims the acquisition of a bench extruder, which will enable the evaluation of more suitable process conditions for the different materials produced. This assessment favors scientific advancement so that the development of 100% national ingredients and products will be possible (AU)