Next Generation Biopolymers for the Food Market

There is an increasing demand for safe, high-quality food that is shelf stable, natural, and relies less on imported ingredients. We are developing new ingredients to meet this demand which will provide enhanced heat stability and increased freshness for packaged foods, and will reduce water loss (which is perceived as a defect, leading to waste as products expire on store shelves or are thrown out by consumers).In this project we will evaluate the performance of biopolymers in different food matrices by testing their heat tolerance profiles, their ability to stabilize prepared foods that undergo pasteurization (e.g., raw milk products), and their ability to stabilize emulsions. We will also evaluate biopolymer moisture binding properties and test candidates for the ability to reduce water separation in food matrices.Our ultimate goal is to commercialize improved biopolymers. Our innovations will benefit existing U.S. agriculture production and infrastructure. Our process uses U.S. agricultural feedstock for manufacturing, and renewable ethanol as a processing agent so our work may enable the conversion of existing domestic facilities for higher value products. We aim to develop food ingredients that increase food stability, reduce waste, protect the US market from global supply chain disruption, and lower consumer and retailer costs.