Thanks to the Food Network and cooking shows like “Iron Chef”, innovative developments in food products, ingredients, and methods are popping up everywhere. Some of the most exciting technological developments in foods offer unprecedented opportunities to improve health and enjoyment, but also act as a basis for innovations in other industries. This workshop will provide a history and overview of what is currently known in the most advanced areas of food formulation, development, and manufacturing. Opportunities for cross-fertilization and “new from old” idea generation will be highlighted via reviews of key fundamental scientific principles and cutting edge case studies of commercial and academic developments.
Starting with a history of the main types of food materials, as well as the methods used to transform food sources into finished products and achieve novel effects, this workshop will survey cutting-edge research in the key areas of food processing, food structure and texture, and control over nutrition and aesthetics. Both small-scale development and commercially viable large-scale processes, and how to bridge them, will be covered. Emphasis will be placed on physical approaches to controlling food properties and performance, but also the ability to exploit and preserve chemical and biological aspects using physical techniques.
Objective
This workshop will approach the study and development of foods by treating them as fascinating materials, with complex properties, that can be harnessed and utilized in novel ways. The workshop will cover a broad range of food types using a universal framework for thinking about a food’s material properties, preparation, and performance in a given application. Advances in related fields like colloidal technology and advanced materials will be used to broaden the set of resources practitioners can use to solve future research and development questions. The workshop will identify diverse resources for attendees to provide the next generation of research and development innovations. The workshop will be informative and lively, provide numerous visual examples and hands-on demonstrations, and mix lectures with discussions and attendee questions. Examples of the types of videos and demos that will be used are shown below for the making of artificial caviar.
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Workshop Contents
Introduction/Overview/history (3/4 h)
Foods: their building blocks and construction processes at the small and large scale. How did we progress from simple food forms and processes to the level of technology and advancement we all take for granted today?
Demo 1 - Plastic bread? (3/4 h)
Gluten as a food microstructural element, an elastic polymer, and a topic of discussion in medicine. How do we think about gluten as a food building block, use it to understand other food microstructures, and find alternatives?
Food Structure and Texture (3/4 h)
Whenever food is prepared, a structure is being built that evolves and interacts with its environment as it ages and with our body as we eat it. How do we design and make these structures, what materials can we use, and how do we assess their performance throughout a product’s lifetime? How can food structure impact our health and well-being?
Demo 2 - Ice cream! (3/4 h)
Ice cream is a fantastic example of a microstructured fluid and a tasty treat. What variations are possible to put a new spin on this universal dessert and how do we understand the science of making, preserving, eating, and improving on frozen desserts? Gelatos, soft serve, popsicles, whipped toppings, and a preview of some all-new frozen and complex food structures.
Processes for Encapsulation and Delivery of Sensory, Flavor, and Nutrition (3/4 h)
Nature does an amazing job of developing nutrients and other beneficial materials, all while protecting these substances against degradation and unfavorable interactions. Commercial methods and processes exist for many applications and we will review these with numerous examples.
Demo 3 - Gelling and Spherification (3/4 h)
How can we create and test encapsulated materials for their ability to protect our ingredients and deliver benefit to a consumer? Learn to make artificial caviar with any flavor and how to control its texture, consistency, and enjoyment. Spray-dried powders, gel capsules, Jell-o, and waxes.
Processing, Scale-up, and Mixing of Foods (3/4 h)
How do we treat foods and edible materials differently on the large scale from the small scale? Accomplishing seemingly simple steps like mixing, pumping, heating, and altering structures can be very different in a manufacturing context versus the home or lab. We will discuss the fascinating ways that foods can flow and behave when mixed, pumped, kneaded, and left on the shelf or in the refrigerator.
Demo 4 - Novel materials from unusual sources (3/4 h)
Food innovation comes from many unexpected places. An overview will be given of opportunities and resources for new material discoveries and a case study will be presented on the Australian Lupin and its potential for nutritional and technological innovation. Manipulation and optimization of product texture will also be demonstrated using this example.
Frontiers and Molecular Gastronomy (3/4 h)
New materials and techniques are exploding onto the scene for food companies and their partners. We will balance coverage here of new technologies, reapplication of legacy materials, and the trend of Molecular Gastronomy and its impact on personal and commercial experiences. Numerous demonstrations will be used to show how to create edible natural structures resembling dirt, sand, and stones!
Starting with a history of the main types of food materials, as well as the methods used to transform food sources into finished products and achieve novel effects, this workshop will survey cutting-edge research in the key areas of food processing, food structure and texture, and control over nutrition and aesthetics. Both small-scale development and commercially viable large-scale processes, and how to bridge them, will be covered. Emphasis will be placed on physical approaches to controlling food properties and performance, but also the ability to exploit and preserve chemical and biological aspects using physical techniques.
Objective
This workshop will approach the study and development of foods by treating them as fascinating materials, with complex properties, that can be harnessed and utilized in novel ways. The workshop will cover a broad range of food types using a universal framework for thinking about a food’s material properties, preparation, and performance in a given application. Advances in related fields like colloidal technology and advanced materials will be used to broaden the set of resources practitioners can use to solve future research and development questions. The workshop will identify diverse resources for attendees to provide the next generation of research and development innovations. The workshop will be informative and lively, provide numerous visual examples and hands-on demonstrations, and mix lectures with discussions and attendee questions. Examples of the types of videos and demos that will be used are shown below for the making of artificial caviar.
pic
Workshop Contents
Introduction/Overview/history (3/4 h)
Foods: their building blocks and construction processes at the small and large scale. How did we progress from simple food forms and processes to the level of technology and advancement we all take for granted today?
Demo 1 - Plastic bread? (3/4 h)
Gluten as a food microstructural element, an elastic polymer, and a topic of discussion in medicine. How do we think about gluten as a food building block, use it to understand other food microstructures, and find alternatives?
Food Structure and Texture (3/4 h)
Whenever food is prepared, a structure is being built that evolves and interacts with its environment as it ages and with our body as we eat it. How do we design and make these structures, what materials can we use, and how do we assess their performance throughout a product’s lifetime? How can food structure impact our health and well-being?
Demo 2 - Ice cream! (3/4 h)
Ice cream is a fantastic example of a microstructured fluid and a tasty treat. What variations are possible to put a new spin on this universal dessert and how do we understand the science of making, preserving, eating, and improving on frozen desserts? Gelatos, soft serve, popsicles, whipped toppings, and a preview of some all-new frozen and complex food structures.
Processes for Encapsulation and Delivery of Sensory, Flavor, and Nutrition (3/4 h)
Nature does an amazing job of developing nutrients and other beneficial materials, all while protecting these substances against degradation and unfavorable interactions. Commercial methods and processes exist for many applications and we will review these with numerous examples.
Demo 3 - Gelling and Spherification (3/4 h)
How can we create and test encapsulated materials for their ability to protect our ingredients and deliver benefit to a consumer? Learn to make artificial caviar with any flavor and how to control its texture, consistency, and enjoyment. Spray-dried powders, gel capsules, Jell-o, and waxes.
Processing, Scale-up, and Mixing of Foods (3/4 h)
How do we treat foods and edible materials differently on the large scale from the small scale? Accomplishing seemingly simple steps like mixing, pumping, heating, and altering structures can be very different in a manufacturing context versus the home or lab. We will discuss the fascinating ways that foods can flow and behave when mixed, pumped, kneaded, and left on the shelf or in the refrigerator.
Demo 4 - Novel materials from unusual sources (3/4 h)
Food innovation comes from many unexpected places. An overview will be given of opportunities and resources for new material discoveries and a case study will be presented on the Australian Lupin and its potential for nutritional and technological innovation. Manipulation and optimization of product texture will also be demonstrated using this example.
Frontiers and Molecular Gastronomy (3/4 h)
New materials and techniques are exploding onto the scene for food companies and their partners. We will balance coverage here of new technologies, reapplication of legacy materials, and the trend of Molecular Gastronomy and its impact on personal and commercial experiences. Numerous demonstrations will be used to show how to create edible natural structures resembling dirt, sand, and stones!
