Scientists in the Food Processing Group are working on unit operation technologies in the processing of agricultural produce in collaboration with the food industry and academia. Our objectives are to develop novel processing technologies and data management system for establishing "smart" food supply chains, taking advantage of our expertise on electric treatment (e.g., radio frequency heating, pulsed field treatment), nano/micro-emulsification, powder processing, high hydrostatic pressure processing and other relevant technologies.
In collaboration with plant breeding specialists, freezing resistance mechanisms of fruits and vegetables will be elucidated, and optimized technologies for refrigeration and drying of specific plants will be developed. Plant protein processing is intensively studied for value-added foods such as fermented plant protein products in collaboration with the Biomaterials Development Group.
Toward the development of "3D-AI Chef Machine (automated processing/cooking system equipped with artificial intelligence)", data-driven processing/cooking system should be established. Agricultural products of surplus/out-of-specification are primary processed by drying or powder processing so that they can be stored for a long time. And then through the data-driven system, the products will be processed into food products with designed food quality (e.g., texture) responding to consumers' demands.
(Variety name: Fukunoko)
