Location: Dairy and Functional Foods Research
2021 Annual Report
Objectives
1: Integrate new processes into the Fluid Milk Process Model (FMPM) to determine the effects of reductions in energy use, water use or waste on commercial dairy plant economics and greenhouse gas emissions.
1a: Develop benchmark simulations for configurations of stirred, set and strained curd yogurt processing plants in the U.S. that quantify energy use, economics, and greenhouse gas emissions, validated using data from industry.
1b: Use process simulation for evaluation of possible alternatives of whey utilization for the strained curd method of yogurt manufacture.
2: Integrate properties of edible films and coatings from dairy and food processing wastes with formulation strategies to better target commercial food and nonfood applications.
2a: Investigate thermal and mechanical properties of dairy protein-based edible films and coatings in real-life storage and utilization conditions.
2b: Apply new property findings to the investigation of useful and/or sustainable applications utilizing edible milk protein films.
3: Investigate the effects of different film-making technologies to manipulate the physical and functional properties of films and coatings made from agricultural materials.
3a: Investigate the effect of protein conformation on the ability to electrospin caseinates in aqueous solution and in the presence of a polysaccharide.
3b: Investigate the use of fluid milk, nonfat dry milk and milk protein concentrates as a source for production of electrospun fibers.
3c: Investigate the effects of edible and non-edible additives to the electrospun polysaccharide-caseinate fibers in aqueous solution.
4. Investigate techniques for separating components of dairy waste to determine their potential as ingredients. [C1,PS1A]
5. Investigate technologies for large-scale production of the ingredients identified in Objective 4, with products targeted to food applications. [C1, PS1A].
Approach
Research will be conducted to extend the use of the Fluid Milk Process Model (FMPM) to simulate different types of U.S. dairy production plants to identify the main sources of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, propose ways to reduce water usage, and utilize waste streams more efficiently, either by water recovery or recovery of valuable constituents. Simulation results will be validated with data from industry, university and other partners. New edible packaging films and coatings from dairy proteins that can improve food quality and functionality, protect foods from spoilage and extend shelf - life, increase nutrition, reduce landfill waste, and utilize protein-rich surpluses and by-products of the dairy industry to boost their value such as nonfat-dry milk, or its derivatives casein and whey, will be designed with an emphasis on formulation and film-processing technique, for performance under commonly encountered storage and ambient conditions. Finally, those same protein-rich surpluses and by-products will be blended with other edible polymers then structurally modified using the novel electrospinning technology, to create micro- and nanofibers that can form new highly-value-added food and non-food products. This research is expected to help the US dairy and other food industries improve their sustainability, productivity, and profitability while providing new and better products to US consumers.
Progress Report
Collaborative research with Carnegie Mellon University is ongoing to characterize the gene(s) encoding the novel bacteriocin produced by Streptococcus thermophilus strain ST134. Several knock-out strains have been constructed and one strain, where several genes were removed, showed a loss in antimicrobial activity. Other knock-out strains will be constructed.
An in-house collaborative research study is ongoing to determine the novel antimicrobial activities of raw cheese whey fermented to a pH less than 4. The lactic acid bacteria species within the whey and the antimicrobial activities associated with the Lactobacillus strains isolated from several raw whey samples are being characterized.
Studies were performed to show that the amount of thermophilin 110 naturally produced by Streptococcus thermophilus B59671 does not inhibit the growth of bacterial species associated with a healthy oral cavity, suggesting the strain can be investigated further as a potential probiotic for oral health.
The current waste disposal practices in the ice cream industry were investigated through interviews with representatives of four manufacturers. Various specialists in feed regulation were also contacted to understand the limitations that the Food Safety Modernization Act places on use of dairy by-products in animal feed.
Films made from aqueous solutions of either sodium or calcium caseinates, with glycerol added as plasticizer, at high pH, were tested after two years of storage at 23C and 50% relative humidity. Initially, the films were clear. The films became slightly stronger and less elastic with time, most likely due to changes in moisture content which could not be tested at this time.
Accomplishments
Review Publications
Nguyen, A., Boakye, P.G., Besong, S.S., Tomasula, M.M., Lumor, S.E. 2021. Improvement of physicochemical properties of reduced-cholesterol butter by the addition of beta-sitosteryl oleate. Journal of Food Science. 86(2):404-410. https://doi.org/10.1111/1750-3841.15573.
Garcia, R.A., Qi, P.X., Essandoh, M., Bumanlag, L.P. 2020. Enhancement of protein flocculant properties through carboxyl group methylation and the relationship with protein structural changes. Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology. 0(0):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/01932691.2020.1793163.
Garcia, R.A., McAuliffe, T., Bumanlag, L.P., Siers, S., Kimball, B. 2021. Adaptation of an artificial bait to an automated aerial delivery system for landscape-scale brown treesnake suppression. Biological Invasions. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02567-8.
Essandoh, M., Garcia, R.A., Palochik, V.L., Gayle, M.R. 2020. Simultaneous adsorption of acidic and basic dyes onto magnetized polypeptidylated-hemoglobin composites. Separation and Purification Technology. 255(117701):1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2020.117701.
Ghazisaidi, H., Garcia, R.A., Tran, H., Yuan, R., Allen, D. 2020. Enhancing biosludge dewaterability with hemoglobin from waste blood as a bioflocculant. Polymers. 12(11):2755. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112755.
