Advanced analytics for food microstructure determination
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: School of Food Science and Nutrition
Abstract
This is an experimental physics project combining food science with soft matter physics, providing a holistic approach to snack food design from a microstructure perspective. The main goal is to understand how the micro- and nano-structure and correlated nano-mechanics of manufactured food products relate to their macro scale properties. Foods can be thought of as complex functional polymers, mixtures of carbohydrates, fats and proteins with a rich structure where small variations in composition of the blend can result in obvious differences in the final product. However, the scientific understanding of food properties is still poorly understood, as well as how those final properties are achieved. The student will build the fundamental microstructural understanding of carbohydrate and protein based snack products, developing model systems, characterising their microstructure and resulting texture providing key unlocks to the food industry by utilising the advanced analytics and expertise within the SOFI CDT, and cutting edge techniques being developed in the School of Physics and Astronomy. Specifically, in this project, the mechanical and rheological properties of the snack products will be locally characterized - in the range 10 nm - 50 um for the fine structure, and bulk rheology for the overall structure.
Over the last three years PepsiCo and the University of Leeds have worked together to explore the micro- and nano-mechanics of heterogeneous starch based products, which have revealed incredibly complex systems, requiring multiple techniques. We combine the very latest developments in Atomic Force Microscopy based high resolution mechanical mapping (PF-QNM, allowing measurement of modulus and dissipation across a continuous frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 8 kHz) together with temperature scans to investigate physical transformations within the materials, such as the glass transition, gelation and retrogradation. Whilst the materials can be identified via their mechanical signals, this must be verified by chemical mapping, for which we use micro-RAMAN mapping, and more recently nano-IR. In March 2018 we are installing a new correlative AFM-confocal scanning laser microscope (with Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging), capable of simultaneous scanning of the optical and AFM image at the same pixel. This powerful system will be the first of its kind in the UK. To understand how the nano-mechanics links to the macro, or 'real-world' scale we perform bulk mechanical testing using DMTA and Instron, and bulk thermal properties using DSC. Finally, to provide a full breakdown of internal molecular dynamics we will use broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
The scientific question being addressed in this work will be the characterisation of the plant cell wall down to the nanoscale, in terms of structure and mechanics, and how this structure behaves during food processing. The plant cell wall of different species of tubers and legumes can be affected by variety, and on location/climate/temperature during growth. We wish to understand how this new knowledge of cell wall structure correlates with final product quality, nutritional uptake/digestibility and ease of processing/manufacture. The plant cell wall expertise is provided by Dr Caroline Orfila.
Over the last three years PepsiCo and the University of Leeds have worked together to explore the micro- and nano-mechanics of heterogeneous starch based products, which have revealed incredibly complex systems, requiring multiple techniques. We combine the very latest developments in Atomic Force Microscopy based high resolution mechanical mapping (PF-QNM, allowing measurement of modulus and dissipation across a continuous frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 8 kHz) together with temperature scans to investigate physical transformations within the materials, such as the glass transition, gelation and retrogradation. Whilst the materials can be identified via their mechanical signals, this must be verified by chemical mapping, for which we use micro-RAMAN mapping, and more recently nano-IR. In March 2018 we are installing a new correlative AFM-confocal scanning laser microscope (with Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging), capable of simultaneous scanning of the optical and AFM image at the same pixel. This powerful system will be the first of its kind in the UK. To understand how the nano-mechanics links to the macro, or 'real-world' scale we perform bulk mechanical testing using DMTA and Instron, and bulk thermal properties using DSC. Finally, to provide a full breakdown of internal molecular dynamics we will use broadband dielectric spectroscopy.
The scientific question being addressed in this work will be the characterisation of the plant cell wall down to the nanoscale, in terms of structure and mechanics, and how this structure behaves during food processing. The plant cell wall of different species of tubers and legumes can be affected by variety, and on location/climate/temperature during growth. We wish to understand how this new knowledge of cell wall structure correlates with final product quality, nutritional uptake/digestibility and ease of processing/manufacture. The plant cell wall expertise is provided by Dr Caroline Orfila.
Planned Impact
SOFI CDT impact is driven by:
1. PEOPLE. The SOFI CDT will have a significant economic and (responsible) societal impact, the greatest of which, will be the students themselves, who will graduate having benefited from a broad and deep scientific education as well as an innovative and enterprise-focussed training program. The training programme is built directly on the UK-wide industrial gap analysis and co-developed by industrial partners. As such it inherently captures the training elements required by the industrial SOFI sector. The network of partnerships will facilitate impact through their engagement in the extensive training programme and through the co-supervision of PhD projects. Cohort training in Responsible Innovation will be embedded from the outset, ensuring students carry a responsible and forward-thinking attitude to research and innovation throughout their careers. The students trained in this programme will learn the skill sets required of the next generation of enterprise leaders in UK plc and pass this to future employers.
2. PROJECTS. The PhD research projects themselves are impact pathways. Whether at the "Industrial Doctorate" end of the spectrum or focussed on fundamental science, all projects have an industrial co-supervisor. Industrial support for every project maximises the possibility of economic impact and the production of IP. Additional opportunities for impact arises from the connectivity and critical mass of the CDT - typically a company may be involved in chains of projects ("serial PhDs" in the main proposal) building from fundamental to applied, overlapping and running throughout the lifetime of the CDT. A key aspect of societal impact is public understanding of science and in addition to reporting project results via the SOFI website, newsletter, partnership meetings and annual CDT conference, students will have be trained in audience-targeted communication and will take part in extensive public communication and outreach activities to publicise their research. The CDT will also drive research impact by carrying our research into the barriers to impact. A research theme with PhD projects jointly supervised by Durham Business School and industrial partners will explore barriers to innovation and commercialisation of SOFI sector research.
3. PARTNERSHIPS. Pathways to impact involve collaborative research with industrial beneficaries large (multinational) and small (SMEs) alike. Managing and nuturing partnerships to maximise impact is a key function of CDT management and our Industrial Advisory Board will advise on potential research impact. Engagement with (in some cases competing) multinationals builds on long expertise and requires sensitive management of IP and confidentiality. Engagement with SMEs often presents different challenges and a detailed strategy to maximise CDT engagement with the SME community has been described in the case for support. SME representation (Ryan, Epigem) on our International Advisory Board will ensure SME engagement and impact remains a core CDT objective.
4. PLATFORMS. The CDT itself constitutes a platform greater than the sum of its parts. The industrial consortium has requested that in addition to other roles they form an "industrial club" along the lines of that run by the UK Polymer IRC. The impact potential of a CDT based industrial club arises from: (i) the opportunity to connect to academics whose expertise fits urgent as well as long-term research needs, (ii) the opportunity to exchange generic best practice in research and innovation and (iii) a forum to catalyse new industry-industry partnerships.
5. PRODUCTS. It is patently true that fundamental areas of science are identified by partner companies, driven by the knowledge that markets emerge once technological challenges have been overcome. It is an expectation that discoveries in fundamental science made within the CDT will drive new product markets and SOFI-sector spin outs.
1. PEOPLE. The SOFI CDT will have a significant economic and (responsible) societal impact, the greatest of which, will be the students themselves, who will graduate having benefited from a broad and deep scientific education as well as an innovative and enterprise-focussed training program. The training programme is built directly on the UK-wide industrial gap analysis and co-developed by industrial partners. As such it inherently captures the training elements required by the industrial SOFI sector. The network of partnerships will facilitate impact through their engagement in the extensive training programme and through the co-supervision of PhD projects. Cohort training in Responsible Innovation will be embedded from the outset, ensuring students carry a responsible and forward-thinking attitude to research and innovation throughout their careers. The students trained in this programme will learn the skill sets required of the next generation of enterprise leaders in UK plc and pass this to future employers.
2. PROJECTS. The PhD research projects themselves are impact pathways. Whether at the "Industrial Doctorate" end of the spectrum or focussed on fundamental science, all projects have an industrial co-supervisor. Industrial support for every project maximises the possibility of economic impact and the production of IP. Additional opportunities for impact arises from the connectivity and critical mass of the CDT - typically a company may be involved in chains of projects ("serial PhDs" in the main proposal) building from fundamental to applied, overlapping and running throughout the lifetime of the CDT. A key aspect of societal impact is public understanding of science and in addition to reporting project results via the SOFI website, newsletter, partnership meetings and annual CDT conference, students will have be trained in audience-targeted communication and will take part in extensive public communication and outreach activities to publicise their research. The CDT will also drive research impact by carrying our research into the barriers to impact. A research theme with PhD projects jointly supervised by Durham Business School and industrial partners will explore barriers to innovation and commercialisation of SOFI sector research.
3. PARTNERSHIPS. Pathways to impact involve collaborative research with industrial beneficaries large (multinational) and small (SMEs) alike. Managing and nuturing partnerships to maximise impact is a key function of CDT management and our Industrial Advisory Board will advise on potential research impact. Engagement with (in some cases competing) multinationals builds on long expertise and requires sensitive management of IP and confidentiality. Engagement with SMEs often presents different challenges and a detailed strategy to maximise CDT engagement with the SME community has been described in the case for support. SME representation (Ryan, Epigem) on our International Advisory Board will ensure SME engagement and impact remains a core CDT objective.
4. PLATFORMS. The CDT itself constitutes a platform greater than the sum of its parts. The industrial consortium has requested that in addition to other roles they form an "industrial club" along the lines of that run by the UK Polymer IRC. The impact potential of a CDT based industrial club arises from: (i) the opportunity to connect to academics whose expertise fits urgent as well as long-term research needs, (ii) the opportunity to exchange generic best practice in research and innovation and (iii) a forum to catalyse new industry-industry partnerships.
5. PRODUCTS. It is patently true that fundamental areas of science are identified by partner companies, driven by the knowledge that markets emerge once technological challenges have been overcome. It is an expectation that discoveries in fundamental science made within the CDT will drive new product markets and SOFI-sector spin outs.
