High pressure processing research in this Integrated Project starts from a rather mature level as regards both food science and equipment developments geared towards pasteurisation processes. The first step will be the extension of the current state of the art towards an integrated modelling approach (including different safety and quality aspects as well as packaging aspects) resulting in an integrated demonstration approach. The second step will be to include sterilisation processes (shelf stable foods) in addition to pasteurisation.
Pulsed electric field oriented research in the Integrated Project starts from a semi-mature level both in food science as well as equipment developments. There is a clear need for further understanding of safety and quality related aspects as well as kinetics as a basis of modelling in order to design and demonstrate such processes.
Cold plasma treatment starts from an immature food science basis with many unknowns in terms of effects on safety and quality aspects. Examination of cold plasma as a means for decontamination of (packaging) surfaces will start with the development of small scale equipment to be used in the basic research sub-projects to evaluate the effects on material properties.
Demonstration of advanced heating technologies will start from the beginning of the Integrated Project, since they can rely on an existing mature food science knowledge base as well as a mature technology base. There is no requirement for further basic food science and or basic material science-oriented research.
Within NovelQ, basic and applied issues in the area of material science will be integrated with concepts of bioactive, smart, biodegradable and eco-friendly packaging in order to fully understand and predict interactions between materials, products and processes.