Innovative zero-energy membrane technologies to reduce water consumption in the dairy industry. The Australian dairy industry not only plays a critical role in our way of life, but processed dairy products contribute to 12% or $3.27b to Australia's export revenue. It has learnt to adapt to changing market demands through innovative membrane technologies, but now energy and water are key issues. This project aims to reduce water consumption in dairy processing by treating waste streams using nove ....Innovative zero-energy membrane technologies to reduce water consumption in the dairy industry. The Australian dairy industry not only plays a critical role in our way of life, but processed dairy products contribute to 12% or $3.27b to Australia's export revenue. It has learnt to adapt to changing market demands through innovative membrane technologies, but now energy and water are key issues. This project aims to reduce water consumption in dairy processing by treating waste streams using novel membrane processes including membrane distillation. The energy is supplied from low grade waste heat, offsetting the need to supply more power to the plant. Reducing the need for water in a zero-energy way will ensure the thriving dairy industry remains cost competitive and an integral part of Australia's culture and economy.Read moreRead less
Towards New Functionality in Dairy Ingredients. The Australian dairy industry plays a significant part in the nation’s economy, with almost $3 billion in export revenue in 2016-2017. Powdered dairy products extend shelf life and ease of transport, with >20% annual growth in premium products, such as milk protein concentrates and infant formula powders. This project aims to support the development of value-added dairy powders by investigating the impact of a novel high pressure processing technol ....Towards New Functionality in Dairy Ingredients. The Australian dairy industry plays a significant part in the nation’s economy, with almost $3 billion in export revenue in 2016-2017. Powdered dairy products extend shelf life and ease of transport, with >20% annual growth in premium products, such as milk protein concentrates and infant formula powders. This project aims to support the development of value-added dairy powders by investigating the impact of a novel high pressure processing technology in enhancing the properties of dairy powders and/or introducing new functionality. Successful outcomes will help expand the offering of high value dairy ingredients and thus increase the global competitiveness of Australian dairy manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Engineering Nanostructured Bio-inspired Products. New nanostructured products that draw on biology promise to revolutionise our lives and economy. Designer emulsions and self-assembling particles inspired by viruses are two such products that form the focus for this research programme. The constitutive behaviour of bio-molecular films that control emulsion performance will be characterised and linked to molecular properties and manufacturing conditions. A broad-based technology platform for t ....Engineering Nanostructured Bio-inspired Products. New nanostructured products that draw on biology promise to revolutionise our lives and economy. Designer emulsions and self-assembling particles inspired by viruses are two such products that form the focus for this research programme. The constitutive behaviour of bio-molecular films that control emulsion performance will be characterised and linked to molecular properties and manufacturing conditions. A broad-based technology platform for the in vitro creation of self-assembling biological nanoparticles will also be developed. Key outcomes will be valuable IPR and fundamental engineering science knowledge to ensure that the value chain for this class of products can deliver commercial outcomes.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775513
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Advanced Process Tomography Research Facility for Multiphase System Studies. The establishment of an advanced process tomography facility at UNSW has several important national benefits, including; increased capacity of the collaborating institutions to train highly qualified personnel to meet new and growing demands in the processing industries; the transfer of research-based cheap and efficient technologies to our industries to enhance their position in a competitive global market; the improve ....Advanced Process Tomography Research Facility for Multiphase System Studies. The establishment of an advanced process tomography facility at UNSW has several important national benefits, including; increased capacity of the collaborating institutions to train highly qualified personnel to meet new and growing demands in the processing industries; the transfer of research-based cheap and efficient technologies to our industries to enhance their position in a competitive global market; the improvement in our culture and living standards through superior and inexpensive food, biomedical, water, environmental, materials and military products; and the strengthening of Australian position, through international linkage projects, as a world leader in the development of novel processing technologies.Read moreRead less
Application of a Novel Reflux Classifier for Separating Nut Shell Fragments from Powdered Food Mixtures. An important operation in the food industry is the physical separation of valuable particles from a mixture containing waste materials, such as shell fragments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of a novel gas-solid fluidised bed system, utilising parallel inclined plates to radically amplify the differential segregation rates to produce separations based on particle ....Application of a Novel Reflux Classifier for Separating Nut Shell Fragments from Powdered Food Mixtures. An important operation in the food industry is the physical separation of valuable particles from a mixture containing waste materials, such as shell fragments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of a novel gas-solid fluidised bed system, utilising parallel inclined plates to radically amplify the differential segregation rates to produce separations based on particle size. Our aim is to develop a fundamental understanding of the principles governing the nature of this system. The project should result in considerable technological and economic benefits for the food industry, a well trained and educated person at the postgraduate level, and a stronger collaborative link between the University and Sanitarium.Read moreRead less
Plant based foods: Towards sustainable and acceptable meat analogues. The project aims to address the need for engineering plant-based food products to deliver a sensory experience akin to meat. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the structural drivers for emulating meat-like texture and taste within burger products. Expected outcomes of this project include new ingredients and food characterisation methodologies, including rheology and sensory, which can be employed in rational ....Plant based foods: Towards sustainable and acceptable meat analogues. The project aims to address the need for engineering plant-based food products to deliver a sensory experience akin to meat. The project expects to generate new knowledge on the structural drivers for emulating meat-like texture and taste within burger products. Expected outcomes of this project include new ingredients and food characterisation methodologies, including rheology and sensory, which can be employed in rational food structure design. This should provide significant benefits in enhancing the consumer acceptance of plant-based foods that is required to support the rapidly growing market opportunity for them and sustainable food production.Read moreRead less
Optimising Removal of Proteinaceous Foulants from Membranes. Removal of proteinacous foulants from membrane systems imposes both significant economic costs in terms of chemical usage as well as significant environmental costs in terms of water usage and production of effluents from the cleaning and rinsing waters. The outcome of this project should allow us to develop methods for the prediction and optimisation of membrane cleaning performance of relevance to major Australian industries includin ....Optimising Removal of Proteinaceous Foulants from Membranes. Removal of proteinacous foulants from membrane systems imposes both significant economic costs in terms of chemical usage as well as significant environmental costs in terms of water usage and production of effluents from the cleaning and rinsing waters. The outcome of this project should allow us to develop methods for the prediction and optimisation of membrane cleaning performance of relevance to major Australian industries including the dairy, food processing and water and waste water treatment industries.Read moreRead less
The Development of New Carrier Technologies for Spray-Dried Fruit Extracts. This project aims to develop new carrier techniques for spray drying fruit extracts based on the use of natural fibres, with the aim of overcoming a key problem in the operation of spray dryers for producing powders, the deposition of particles on walls. Carriers are non-sticky materials that effectively dilute the stickiness of any materials. The significance is that it will use waste products from fruit processing (th ....The Development of New Carrier Technologies for Spray-Dried Fruit Extracts. This project aims to develop new carrier techniques for spray drying fruit extracts based on the use of natural fibres, with the aim of overcoming a key problem in the operation of spray dryers for producing powders, the deposition of particles on walls. Carriers are non-sticky materials that effectively dilute the stickiness of any materials. The significance is that it will use waste products from fruit processing (the fibres from skins) to overcome this problem, and it will also be possible to dry sticky materials using material from the fruit itself, rather than additives such as maltodextrin.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC140100026
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,997,000.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for the Australian Food Processing Industry in the 21st Century. ARC Training Centre for the Australian Food Processing Industry in the 21st Century. The Training Centre will educate a new generation of engineers and scientists and foster the capacity of Australian food industries to further develop advanced technologies in manufacturing and product improvement. The key objective is to support industry production of nutraceuticals for the promotion of health and well-being. I ....ARC Training Centre for the Australian Food Processing Industry in the 21st Century. ARC Training Centre for the Australian Food Processing Industry in the 21st Century. The Training Centre will educate a new generation of engineers and scientists and foster the capacity of Australian food industries to further develop advanced technologies in manufacturing and product improvement. The key objective is to support industry production of nutraceuticals for the promotion of health and well-being. In enabling the production of these nutraceuticals the Training Centre will design cost effective and sustainable processes that minimise waste-products, enhance efficiency and minimize the energy consumption. These high value products have enormous potential globally to boost not only partner company revenues but to significantly increase Australian exports in agribusiness.Read moreRead less
Improving the scale-up of spray drying for bioactive extracts and fibres. The project will develop new processing techniques that will contribute to better functional foods and bioactive products from fruit and vegetable wastes. The total national crop of fruit and vegetables produces over 3 million tonnes of wastes, where the bioactive materials in the wastes have a potential value of $3 billion/year.