Advances in Optical Sorting of Cereal Grains
Organizer: Stephen Delwiche, USDA-ARS, U.S.A.; Francesco Dell'Endice, QualySense, Switzerland
Sponsored By: Spectroscopic Methods Committee
Session Type: Symposia—Hands-on Interactive Learning Format
The cereal grains industry has traditionally relied on screening, gravity separation, and aspiration to remove foreign material and unsound kernels from mill streams. With advances in optics, imagery, and computer processing, sorting and removal of material at a more refined level is now achievable. Applications now include the removal scab damaged kernels and separation of non-glutinous from glutinous species. In addition to the underlying physics of transmitted or reflected light response from kernels that define whether recognition of a particular condition of the individual kernel is possible, the rate of throughput and risk of erroneous classification (false positives or false negatives) govern the design of seed sorting instrumentation for inspection, research, or commercial operations. The proposed symposium (or workshop) will delve into these constraints and give an update on the state of the art of such methodologies for the cereals industry. Designed to be hands-on in structure, as well as informative through presentation, the symposium will feature demonstrations of optically based sorting equipment.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand tradeoffs between throughput rate, degree of classification challenge, and risk (type I and type II errors).
- Decide whether a cleaning or sorting operation is better suited for optical or traditional mechanical methodologies.
- Appreciate the processing time constraints on single kernel interrogation (morphology, color, texture, vibrational spectroscopy).
Best Be Gluten-free: Inside the Controversy
Organizer: Katharina Scherf, Deutsche Forschungsanstalt fur Lebensmittelchemie, Germany
Sponsored by: Protein Division; Protein & Enzymes Technical Committee
Session Type: Symposia—Roundtable Format
In the last decade, the market for gluten-free products has moved from the niche market it originally was to the more mainstream market, now that about 30% of Americans try to avoid gluten in their diet. Associated with this transition is the challenge of processing larger amounts of gluten-free ingredients whilst keeping them free from contamination. Novel developments in product development have helped ensure that gluten-free products are of better quality also to the average consumer. This shift is reflected by changing marketing perspectives that no longer target only gluten-sensitive individuals. While some think that it’d be preferable for everyone to live gluten-free, others think that the regulatory threshold of 20 mg gluten per kg is still too high to protect gluten-sensitive patients. Different countries around the world advocate lower thresholds and the pros and cons of such a change will be discussed as well.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Learn about the latest developments in gluten-free product development, processing and marketing.
- Understand the difference between consumers who need to follow a strict gluten-free diet due to health reasons and others who chose to do so for lifestyle reasons.
- Discuss regulatory issues related to possibly lowering the 20-mg gluten/kg threshold for gluten-free products from a global perspective.
Chemical Imaging: Potential Benefit to Evaluate Production, Processing Efficiency, and Product Purity
Organizer: David Wetzel, Kansas State University, U.S.A.
Session Type: Symposia—With Distance Presentations
Four speakers will contribute their first-hand experience and findings regarding chemical imaging. Vibrational spectroscopic imaging reveals localized chemical compositional differences within the area targeted. Topic 1 - Microspectroscopic high resolution mid-IR and near IR chemical imaging of cross sectional fields of view of plant and other biological materials. Topic 2 - Quantitative chemical imaging of heterogeneous flour stream mixtures within a thumbnail field of view. Topic 3 – Short wavelength near IR and visible aerial view of growing wheat and other grain crops from overhead drone observation. Topic 4 – Spatially resolved mid-IR microspectroscopy to enable structural discrimination and characterization of a wide variety of natural products. The individual presentations and subsequent discussion will include the benefits and limitations of multiple instrumental techniques for discerning various heterogeneous materials of differing chemical composition on multiple scales. The audience will learn how these individual imaging techniques work.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the technology and appreciate the benefits of the emerging analytical experimental techniques of chemical imaging.
- Learn from the practical examples presented by leaders in the field of chemical imaging to potential adaptation of chemical imaging for their own specific cereal chemistry related discipline.
- Understand the chemistry that allows chemical imaging to demonstrate differentiation between different materials.
Clean Label Formulation: Strategies and Functional Aspects
Organizer: Alejandro Perez-Gonzalez, Delavau Food Partners, U.S.A.
Sponsored by: Carbohydrate Division
Session Type: Symposia—Traditional Format
The demand for foods with “clean label” ingredient statements is a growing trend in the development of grain-based products. Consumers are increasingly demanding the use of more wholesome alternatives to traditional ingredients like dough conditioners, chemically derived products and preservatives. Attendees will learn about advances on integrating clean label options into formulations. The session will discuss approaches to develop ingredients with improved functionality and understand their impact on processability, finished product quality and shelf stability. Topics will include wheat glutenin subunit combinations as a replacement of functional ingredients; enzymes as a replacement of traditional conditioners and their impact on dough rheology; the use of clean label starch and flour texturizers, and approaches to improve whole grain flour stability while maintaining a clean label.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Learn of diverse technologies for clean label formulation including enzymes, wheat tempering pre-treatment, flour and starch texturizers, and alteration of gluten composition.
- Understand the impact of clean label technologies on food processing, dough rheology, finished product attributes, and shelf stability.
- Learn about current technical challenges and future opportunities in clean label ingredients and formulations.
Communicating Food Waste and Prevention Strategies
Organizer: Griffiths Atungulu, University of Arkansas, U.S.A.
Session Type: Symposia—Traditional Format
The current situation about food wastage is grim - about 95% investment of agricultural resource in food production while only 5% in food preservation! There is a glass ceiling to how much we can produce versus our growing global population. We need to rethink on how good we can be to preserve what we are able to produce. Otherwise we cannot "produce" ourselves out of an impending crisis. This talk will stimulate consumers, producers and processors to be more "conservative" with what we have in effort to maximize the quality of human, animal and plant life through the food resources we have. Four speakers to address the challenges and potential solutions will be drawn from the following representative regions: North America, Africa, Asian and Europe.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand that there is a glass ceiling to rate of global food production versus demand.
- Appreciate that increased preservation efforts will translate to high quality human, animal and plant life.
- Appreciate that worldwide food preservation efforts translate to global food and political safety.
Dietary Fiber: New Regulations, Methods, Resolving Concerns
Organizer: Jonathan DeVries, DeVries & Associates, U.S.A.
Sponsored by: Dietary Fiber and Other Carbohydrates Committee and the Bioactive Compounds Committee
Session Type: Symposia—With Distance Presentations
Activity has accelerated in the areas of dietary fiber measurement and demonstration of clinical efficacy due to recent changes in regulations. The FDA definition of dietary fiber (DF), modeled on that of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), divides DF into non-digestible polysaccharides and oligosaccharides (DP < 3) that are intact and intrinsic in plants; and that which is “isolated or synthetic” This symposium, will address the issues associated with matching analytical methodology with the ever-changing definition of dietary fiber. Aspects of U.S. dietary fiber regulations, demonstrating the physiological benefits of specific fibers and the evolving methodology to meet regulatory requirements will be discussed. Fits two AACC focus areas: Researching Health Benefits of Grain and Grain Components/Supporting Quality, Food Safety & Regulatory.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the new labeling regulations with regard to dietary fiber.
- Learn about the impacts the regulation changes will have on ingredient and food processing companies, large and small.
- Consider the path forward on dietary fiber, both with regard to international harmonization and commensurate analytical methodology.
Enzymes in Baking and Cereal Science: A Review of Key Applications
Organizer: Dilek Austin, Novozymes North America, U.S.A. and Bram Pareyt, Puratos Group, Belgium
Sponsored by: Protein Division; Carbohydrate Division
Session Type: Symposia—Traditional Format
Ingredient replacement strategies, particularly the potential of enzymes, have been a focus area for AACC in recent years. The global industrial baking enzymes market can be broadly categorized according to their ability to catalyze the breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, and generate specific structural changes in these components without directly altering other molecules. Their use brings improvement of functional properties and quality of the baked products. This workshop will highlight the most powerful uses of enzymes in cereals and baked goods, sharing mechanistic insights and practical applications from leaders in enzyme research and development from both industry and academia.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Have a in-depth understanding of how enzymes can be used to manipulate end baked product characteristics.
- Apply their learning from this session to develop and/or improve the baked good texture and liking scores.
- Understand and apply enzymes to widen their clean label portfolio
Food Selection According to Food Processing: Fabulous or Flawed?
Organizer: Julie Jones, St. Catherine University, U.S.A.
Session Type: Symposia—Interactive Workshop
“Choose minimally processed food; avoid processed and ultra-processed food” are recommendations not only from the internet, but also from public health researchers and respected affiliates of public health bodies (FAO/WHO). The Brazilian researcher Montiero and colleagues purport that such advice will address obesity and chronic disease. The rise in this scheme and data supporting it will be tracked and critiqued. Its four categories: ‘minimally processed,’ ‘processed ingredients,’ ‘processed’ ‘ultra-processed,’ will be compared with traditional food science definitions to show that some foods categorized as ‘minimally processed’ undergo numerous processing steps, while others may not be readily incorporated because they require much time, money and cooking skill. Cereal scientists should be concerned about such a scheme because almost all breads and cereal products are deemed as ‘processed’ and ‘ultra-processed.’ Such a scheme can increase consumer confusion, while failing to improve nutrition. The Monteiro system will be compared to well-researched dietary guidance systems such as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH). It will show that these vetted approaches achieve optimal, affordable diets with foods from all food groups, have greater likelihood of meeting fiber, cereal fiber and nutrient requirements with wise choices from all levels of processing and enrichment and fortification levels.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Delineate the rise in recommendations based on a Monteiro scheme by international public health authorities and health promotion bodies (Pan American Health Organization (FAO subsidiary) to avoid processed and ultra-processed food and to be aware that nearly all breads and cereal products are deemed as processed or ultra-processed.
- Prepare a communication plan that shows the number of processing steps has little to do with nutritional quality of cereal products and that processing makes grain-based and other foods more available, less costly and in many cases more sustainable and easier to incorporate into diets.
- Communicate and defend with data the role of a balanced diet patterns such as DASH, MyPlate or the New Nordic Diet with their balance of enriched, fortified and whole grain products that make diets better not worse, and show that processing makes these foods available to all socioeconomic segments.
Game Changers in Nutrition
Organizer: Vicky Solah, Curtin University, Australia
Sponsored by: Nutrition Division
Session Type: Symposia—Interactive Workshop
This session will look new research on genetics, childhood nutrition, microbiota and the effect on individual nutritional profiles to set the scene for future research. The workshop will involve tables of people answering a set question -'speed brainstorming’- with the help of a facilitator.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the role of an individual's genes in nutrition.
- Understand the role of individual microbiota in nutrition.
- Understand how what happens in childhood influence nutrition.
Link Between Dietary Fiber, Colonic Microbiota and Health
Organizer: Yunus Tuncil, Purdue University, U.S.A.
Sponsored by: Carbohydrate Division
Session Type: Symposia—Traditional Format
The human colon is home to trillions of microorganisms. The composition of this microbial ecology strongly influences health through stimulating the immune system, preventing pathogen colonization and generating short chain fatty acids. Disruption of this community structure, however, can lead to formation of detrimental health outcomes such as inflammatory bowel diseases, cancer, and obesity. Recent advances revealed that dietary fibers shape the colonic microbial composition and even determine which microbial groups are favored. This is because the fiber utilization ability of microorganisms depends on their gene content that encode carbohydrases for specific types of fibers. Therefore, there has been an increasing interest to manipulate the colonic microbiota composition via dietary fibers as a way to improve health. However, little is known about how this might be achieved in a predicted way. To do so, a global framework needs to be developed by a multidisciplinary team, which includes carbohydrate specialists, microbiologists, and clinicians. This special session aims to focus on connections among such disciplines. In this respect, both microbiologists and carbohydrate specialists have been invited who will discuss potential opportunities to manipulate the gut microbiota ecosystem for improved health.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Learn how dietary fibers can affect the colonic microbiota composition related to the human health.
- Understand how different chemical and physical structures of dietary fibers show variable effects on colonic microbiota composition.
- Learn the strategies which possibly manipulate the colonic microbiota composition through noninvasive routes (diet) as a way to improve health.
Moving Through the Plateau of Rice Quality with Omics Technologies
Organizer: Melissa Fitzgerald, University of Queensland, Australia
Sponsored by: Rice Division
Session Type: Symposia—Traditional Format
Rice quality is measured by a number of rapid throughput tests that give a dataset to breeders. However, the set of assays is not very discriminating, and two varieties of rice that differ by consumer sensory profiling, are often exactly the same when defined by the set of assays most quality labs undertake. This symposium will present the future needs for high quality rice, and then how this can be done by harnessing the sciences of genomics, proteomics and metabolomics to identify new traits of quality and to develop that knowledge into selection tools.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understand the need for high quality rice in the future, as globalisation, climate change and economics change.
- Understand the value of new omics technology in providing new understandings of rice quality.
- Strategies to develop ways to deliver those tools to quality evaluation programs.
New Approaches to Cereal Protein Analysis
Organizer: Alessandra Marti, University of Milan, Italy and Jayne Bock, University of Guelph, Canada
Sponsored by: Protein Division
Session Type: Symposia—Roundtable Format
There have been several developments in cereal protein analysis over the past few years that go beyond SDS-PAGE and HPLC techniques. Proteomics are contributing to a better understanding of the proteins behind celiac disease and gluten intolerance. Rheological study of protein aggregation kinetics is yielding information relating gluten functionality and flour quality. Gold nanoparticles are being used to explore thiol interactions among proteins. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been used to explore protein conformation and how it relates to dough rheology. This symposium will focus on these techniques and how to harness their potential for a deeper understanding of cereal proteins across a range of applications. Breakout sessions will allow presenters to go into greater detail on methodology and application with audience members.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Gain an understanding of new analytical techniques for proteins.
- Learn when and how to apply new techniques to cereal proteins.
- Gain insights to protein chemistry and functionality through data collected with new techniques.
Pulses
Organizer: Dilek Uzunalioglu, Ingredion, U.S.A. / Matthew Nosworthy, University of Manitoba, Canada
Sponsored by: Carbohydrate Division
Session Type: Symposia—Traditional Format
Advances in starch and fibers from pulses- utilizing vegetable protein waste stream / Consequences of Processing Methods on the Nutritional and Rheological Properties of Pulse Crops. Check back in the future for more details.
Using Oral Processing and Mouth-Behavior to Drive Development in Better Cereal-Food Products
Organizer: Matthew Yurgec, Ingredion, Inc., U.S.A.
Sponsored By: Rheology Division
Session Type: Symposia—Hands-on Interactive Learning Format
Being able to accurately characterize the texture properties of a food product are key to ensuring the product is perceived well by consumers with repeat purchase intent. One method of doing this is utilizing the concept of oral processing, which encompasses the full eating experience from the time the product enters a consumer’s mouth to the time the product is swallowed. This involves jaw behavior, tongue activity, salivary flow rate and product breakdown mechanics. The first presenter will discuss how oral processing methodology and modeling can be used to develop a cereal food product enriched in plant protein specifically for the elderly, who have challenges associated with their dentition and their oral process. The second presenter will discuss how consumers have preferred eating behaviors based on oral processing, which further provides insights into how consumer perceptions differ between groups of people and to how this impacts the success or the failure of a new product. Finally, the final presenter will show how the oral processing concept can be used in the development of a product to be able to solve challenges related to texture preference and develop a better eating experience.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Understanding the concept of oral processing and methodologies that exist to better understand the oral breakdown properties of starch or cereal based food products.
- Understand that food products are consumed differently by different groups of the population, which will have a direct impact on whether or not the product is perceived well and ultimately whether or not the product is successful.
- Use concepts of oral processing and mouth-behavior into product development processes that will help drive the development of food products or ingredients that can lead to increased consumer acceptance or product success.