Food science goes nuclear

Food science is going nuclear and The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), which is Australia's only nuclear research and development organisation, is currently commissioning a new world-class research reactor and neutron beam instruments that will allow it to conduct research into this new area in nuclear science.

'Food Science' was recently launched by ANSTO in collaboration with CSIRO, Food Science Australia and the University of Queensland with the aim of assisting researchers and industry in this field with advice, guidance and methodology to gain a structural understanding of food - to bring a materials science approach to food science. ANSTO's Food Science program is designed to investigate the molecular structure of what we eat, and in turn help improve food safety, quality and nutrition.

Applications

In this program of research, the ANSTO reactor will be used to generate streams of neutrons which will then be tightly directed onto food materials and the small angle scattering collected. Operating at very high resolution, these studies will provide new and detailed structural information on food and ingredient systems showing, for example, the changes that occur during different processing stages.

A particular advantage of this technique is its ability to probe length scales intermediate between those of the atomic scale (biochemical, XRD and nuclear magnetic resonance approaches) and the macroscopic granule (optical and scanning electron microscopy). These mesoscopic length scales are often vital to understanding the macroscopic phenomena and the key to making significant improvements in formulations through gaining an enhanced understanding of the underlying science. By doing so, this can rapidly reduce the time for developing a new product and getting that product into the marketplace.

Current ANSTO projects in this area include an investigation of the influence of processing on starch and of the effect of moisture content on the physical properties of food proteins. To date, it has been possible to understand the structural changes that occur in different starch varieties after extrusion and digestion. The long-term benefits of the starch research are focussed on reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and diabetes.

Proteins are considered to be a key component in weight loss and, in food, proteins are used for emulsifying, for their anti-microbial properties, texture and handling. It is well known that industrial processing, commonly involving dehydration and subsequent re-hydration of food products and ingredients, can have adverse effects on the functionality of component proteins.

Through linking food nanostructure with biochemical and physical properties, the aim of the research is to provide industry with design rules and criteria for selection of proteins based on application.

Facilities

Coming online in 2007 are two very exciting developments. The first is Australia's new 20 MW world-class research reactor, OPAL, together with nine neutron-scattering instruments. This will allow state-of-the-art research to be undertaken, including studies of food. Such superior facilities are illustrated by the four orders of magnitude enhancement in measuring small-angle neutron scattering - a technique that features highly in ANSTO's Food Science research program.

In addition, a complementary suite of laboratory-based X-ray instruments is available. Secondly, ANSTO will also shortly have a National Deuteration Facility. Central to the usefulness of neutron scattering techniques for characterising organic molecules is the ability to manipulate contrast within and between molecules by substituting deuterium for hydrogen.

The facility will provide capabilities for the production (fermentation), purification and characterisation of deuterated biomolecules, including polymers, sugars and surfactants and a wider range of organic molecules of industrial significance. These techniques will serve to enhance the quality and quantity of the neutron-scattering studies being undertaken in food science.

In addition to these highly specialised techniques, ANSTO also offers state-of-the-art materials characterisation facilities including a very well-equipped metallography laboratory, X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy (contact AFM, intermittent mode AFM, scanning tunnelling microscopy, lateral force microscopy and magnetic or electrostatic force microscopy), thermo-gravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry and solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance.

ANSTO also has the technology to determine particle size and shape, density and size distribution, surface area, bulk density and porosity and flow properties. In addition, spray drying and extrusion facilities are available as well as extensive destructive test methods.

For further information, please visit: http://www.ansto.gov.au/ansto/bragg/projects/food_science.html

*Dr Gilbert is the project leader, NBIP Small-Angle Neutron Scattering, Food Science, Bragg Institute, ANSTO