Modification of hydrocolloids to produce novel and enhanced food products
Submitting Institution
Glyndŵr UniversityUnit of Assessment
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Metallurgy and MaterialsSummary Impact Type
TechnologicalResearch Subject Area(s)
Chemical Sciences: Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)
Engineering: Materials Engineering
Summary of the impact
Research into the characterisation, functional properties and
applications of hydrocolloids which improves the stability of beverage
products has been transferred to end users through the University's
Phillips Hydrocolloids Research Centre. The associated development of
industry standards for acacia gum supply has resulted in more than 44
companies since 2008 directly using the University's analytical services
or adopting its methodologies, enabling improvements in productivity,
product stability and costs. The Gum Arabic Board of Sudan invited the
University to assist in improving gum arabic industry practices and
methodologies for processing, storage and traceability from source in
supply of consistent and quality materials, producing benefits in terms of
volume of business.
Underpinning research
A key challenge in the University's research into the characterisation,
functional properties and applications of hydrocolloids is to control the
built-in variation present in natural hydrocolloids, necessary for the
production of consistent product/s and the development of new
formulations. The emphasis of current research is to develop processes for
the modification of hydrocolloids to meet specific industrial
requirements.
Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) is the most widely used emulsifier in
beverage emulsion but suffers from natural built-in variation which can be
influenced by many factors such as location, climate and age of the tree.
A key paper (Paper 1, 1993) giving an insight on the
structure function relationship of gum arabic was produced by Williams
(Director of the University's Centre for Water Soluble Polymers) and
colleagues. Hydrophobic fractionation of gum arabic revealed the presence
of three different fractions with different molecular weight and protein
content. Furthermore, they were able to identify the main fraction
responsible for emulsifying oil in water emulsions typically used in the
beverage industry.
Subsequent research carried out from 1998 - 2005 to further identify the
difference between various samples obtained from various locations as well
as the effect of processing (e.g. spray drying) led to establishing a
routine method for the characterisation of gum arabic by gel permeation
chromatography linked to multi angle laser light scattering, refractive
index and UV detectors. As a result it was possible to determine the
variation in crude and processed samples of gum arabic and clearly
identify the effect of processing. (Paper 2).
By linking the structural characteristics of the main fractions present
in gum Arabic, as well as the effect of processing, a new process was
invented in 2007 by Al-Assaf (Paper 3), enabling the modification
of these hydrocolloids without using chemical reagents and maintaining the
biocompatibility. The method is based on increasing the proportion of the
active ingredient responsible for emulsification. A process described as
maturation treatment increases the proportion of the active emulsifying
component and essentially mimics the natural process by which the active
component builds up naturally in the plant.
Al-Assaf and colleagues have further confirmed the mechanism (Paper 4)
of aggregation by direct comparison with another patented process [US
Patent 6,610,810 B2] we developed which relies on introducing C-C bond
between two polymeric chains.
The detailed emulsification mechanism of a range of natural food
emulsifiers was examined by Al-Assaf and Catellani of the Institut
National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), France and others. The
University's ability to provide well characterised natural food
emulsifiers and modified forms was combined with the measuring the
interfacial properties at both air/liquid and liquid/liquid interfaces and
was described in series of collaborative papers. The results were
interpreted jointly to correlate the interfacial properties with the
structural parameters to specifically identify the mechanism of
emulsification for a wide range of food emulsifiers which assisted the
design of new or improved formulations (Paper 5).
The maturation technology together with the understanding of the
molecular and interfacial properties of hydrocolloids was applied to corn
fibre gum (Paper 6). The results indicate that our process is
applicable to other proteinaceous hydrocolloids and also show that
organisation such as US Department of Agriculture is interested in
applying this technology to materials currently produced in 1000MT
quantity and treated as a waste product because it could not be used
without our process.
Professor Peter Williams — Professor of Hydrocolloids (1978 - present)
Professor Saphwan Al-Assaf - (2007 - present) (PDRA from 1998)
References to the research
Available on request if not available to the REF panel as open access
publications
1- Osman, M. E., Menzies, A. R., Williams, P. A., Phillips, G. O., and
Baldwin T. C. (1993), `The molecular characterisation of the
polysaccharide gum from Acacia senegal',
Carbohydrate Research, Vol.246, No.1, pp.303-318.
2- Al-Assaf, S., Glyn O. Phillips, G.O., and Williams, P.A. (2005),
`Studies on Acacia Exudate Gums. Part I: The Molecular Weight of Acacia
senegal Gum Exudate', Food Hydrocolloids Vol.19, pp.647-660.
3- Al-Assaf, S., Phillips, G.O., Aoki, H. and Sasaki, Y. (2007),
`Characterization and properties of Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. var. senegal
with enhanced properties (Acacia(sen) SUPER GUM™) Part 1: Controlled
maturation of Acacia senegal var. senegal to increase
viscoelasticity, produce a hydrogel form and convert a poor into a good
emulsifier', Food Hydrocolloids Vol.21, pp.319-328. DOI:
10.1016/j.foodhyd.2006.04.011.
4- Al-Assaf, S., Sakata, M., McKenna, C., Aoki, H. and Phillips, G.O.
(2009), 'Molecular associations in acacia gums', Structural Chemistry
Vol.20, pp.325-336. DOI: 10.1007/s11224-009-9430-3.
5- Castellani, O., Al-Assaf, S., Axelos, M., Phillips, G.O. and Anton, M.
(2010), `Natural Hydrocolloids with Emulsifying Capacity. Part 2 -
Adsorption Properties at n-Hexadecane — Water Interface', Food
Hydrocolloids Vol.24, 121-130. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodhyd.2009.07.006.
6- Cirre, J., Al-Assaf, S.A., Phillips, G.O., Yadav, M.P. and Hicks, K.B.
(2013), `Improved emulsification performance of Corn Fibre Gum following
maturation treatment. Food Hydrocolloids, Vol.36, pp.122-128. DOI:
10.1016/j.foodhyd.2013.05.002.
Details of the impact
The research resulted in the patenting, development and launch by
Japanese food ingredients company San Ei Gen FFI Inc. of the product
Supergum™ (United States Patent 7462710), prior to 2008. The
further impact since 2008 concerns other companies' use of the
University's analytical services (enabled by the underpinning research)
and the University's support to the Gum Arabic Board of Sudan in its work
towards in enhancing the quality profile of gum Arabic products for
export. The research described above enabled Al-Assaf to develop gum
arabic industrial standards: exact protocols to follow in terms of
measuring the structural parameters to the model beverage emulsion to
stability, with a certificate issued confirming the attributes of the
materials tested.
a) Use of analytical services
The research into the properties and characterisation of acacia gum
enabled Prof Al-Assaf and colleagues to develop new methodologies for
fast, accurate and reliable estimate of the structural characteristics
associated with good and poor emulsifiers. These include the graphical
presentation of key structural characteristics with performance further
confirmed by reporting on functionality testing of model beverage
emulsion.
Since 2008 more than 44 companies have used the University's analytical
service for characterization and properties of acacia gum enabling them to
receive detailed and additional information about the raw material's
suitability for the intended application and/or new formulations. Examples
are: Nestlé, Doehler, Givuadan, Kerry Ingredients.
Doehler GmbH, Germany is a technology-based natural ingredients,
ingredient systems and integrated solutions for the food and beverage
industry. Its external innovation network is supported by the University's
Phillips Hydrocolloid Research Centre. The company reports that the
support provided by PHRC has resulted in benefits in terms of [text
removed for publication]. (reference a)
b) Supporting the Gum Arabic Board of Sudan in enhancing the quality
profile of gum Arabic products for export
The benefits of this research and the associated development of new
methodologies for fast, accurate and reliable estimate of the structural
characteristics associated with good and poor emulsifiers have also now
been extended to supply sources in Sudan, South Sudan and Kenya. This has
been done by providing detailed instructions and staff training to ensure
consistency of sampling and reliable subsequent supply worldwide. Al-Assaf
presented an invited lecture detailing the methodologies and techniques
described above at a key workshop organized by the Government of Southern
Sudan (Juba 21-23rd July 09) attended by a range of producer
organisations, NGOs and governmental bodies (reference b). As a
result of the workshop the UN Food Agriculture Organisation commissioned
Al-Assaf in collaboration with the Netherlands Development Organisation
(SNV) to train staff and set up a centre to enhance the quality assurance
of products sourced from South Sudan. Al-Assaf delivered specific
workshops and staff training courses to a number of Sudanese companies to
specifically improve their operation: Almoawana Development Co Ltd (2009),
Valmar International (2010), Massaie Investment Co Ltd (2011); Nopec
Development Co Ltd, Sudan 2012), Dangate Danjadeed (2012), Albakry Factory
(2012), Elanan Trading Ltd (2011) (reference c). Subsequently, a
workshop (30th October 2011) entitled "Good Practice of Gum
Arabic collection and Processing" organised by the Gum Arabic Board was
delivered to all major suppliers and exporters of gum Arabic in Sudan.
Through this work, the University has according to the Gum Arabic Board
helped to implement their policy to guarantee the supply of validated and
quality material suitable for specific applications (reference c).
New guidelines were introduced by the Gum Arabic Board to grade the
exporters according to facilities and resources they have; this became a
condition for renewal of export licences. The Ministry of Trade together
with the Gum Arabic Board visited a number of companies to inspect and
their comments about level of improvements in the industry have been
attributed to the work with the above mentioned companies.
In 2011 Nopec Development Co Ltd established a new technical laboratory
in its factory based in Khartoum supported by Phillips Hydrocolloids
Research Centre as a Technical Adviser to enhance company's quality policy
aims through implementing a traceability programme. This has enabled the
company to achieve improved inspection outcomes and to provide its
customers with the high quality of Gum Arabic that meets their needs, and
expectations. The company has renewed its agreement with PHRC until
December 2014, and sales volume has increased from 4,000 tonnes in 2011 to
8,000 already achieved and could reach to 9,000 tonnes by the end of 2013
(reference d).
Similarly, Elanan Trading Co has also established a technical laboratory
supported by PHRC to enhance its quality profile (references e, f).
San Ei Gen FFI (Japan) and Doehler GmBH use the testing and accreditation
methodologies set up by the University and implemented at source with
supplier companies in Sudan. Systematic sampling is undertaken on
pre-shipment batches. This way it has been possible for the above
mentioned users to obtain the same quality from the pre-shipment samples
(1Kg) with the subsequent delivered quantities (in MT's). This has never
been the case before (reference g).
Sources to corroborate the impact
a) Managing Director and VP R&D, Production & Quality Management,
Doehler GmbH
b)
http://www.snvworld.org/en/regions/world/publications?filter=t.english/j.2009/agriculture&page=1
c) http://news.sudanvisiondaily.com/details.html?rsnpid=201713)
d) Managing Director, Nopec Development Ltd
e) http://www.elananco.com/anan/index.php/quality
f) General Manager, Elanan Trading Exports and Imports Company Ltd
g) Manager, Fifth Production Section, San Ei Gen FFI Inc.