Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

To improve the quality of new and existing foods, it is essential to understand how their physical properties change during processing, storage, and consumption. This application requests funding for specialized geometries and accessories for our existing DHR-20 Rheometer, which will allow us to study food behavior under varying temperature conditions and stress levels, mimicking real-world manufacturing and consumption scenarios. With these new rheometer tools, Drs. Koksel, Scanlon, and Rosell will be equipped to investigate the mechanical properties of food materials, advancing food science in key areas such as protein structure, sustainable processing methods and food digestibility. This research is critical for the food industry in Canada and internationally, which faces challenges in handling food products and maintaining quality, especially when recipes change-such as in bread doughs, suspensions, and protein-rich foams (Dr. Scanlon). Additionally, the requested geometries will enable us to study starch digestion, which is linked to blood sugar levels and diabetes, a growing health concern in Canada. This research could benefit a wide range of products, including snacks, cereals, and baked goods (Dr. Rosell). These geometries will also support research aimed at improving food production efficiency and sustainability by using plant-based proteins as alternatives to meat, milk, and cheese-critical in reducing reliance on livestock and minimizing environmental impact (Dr. Koksel). All these research programs require precise temperature control and rheometer geometries for high-precision measurements of the mechanical properties of simple and complex food systems. The new tools requested will enable measurements not possible with our current setup and broaden the scope of our research. They will also open new avenues in areas such as the sustainable plant protein fractionation, characterization of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives, aeration of protein-rich foods, and oral processing of starchy foods. The requested infrastructure will significantly enhance HQP training in essential areas of today's food industry. Drs. Koksel, Scanlon, and Rosell collectively supervise twenty four HQP, six of whom are already actively involved in rheology work. With the new geometries, eleven additional HQP from their teams are expected to gain hands-on experience in the next five years. This new infrastructure will also support collaborations with researchers in academia and the government, as well as food companies and commodity groups to improve product quality and manufacturing processes.