Keynote, Zero hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3)
Strengthening food security, food safety and the entrepreneurial spirit within the region and beyond
Andrea Goldson-Barnaby * & Zoie Aimey The University of the West Indies, Mona
As our population continues to soar, there is the need for the creation of sustainable agricultural practices. This starts not only at the farm by reducing post-harvest loses but also in the creation of value-added products. Loses occurs in the field as well as during processing. Research and development have led to new and emerging food processing techniques. Consumers are asking for more convenience foods with less thermal processing. New processing techniques such as Cryogenic Freezing and High Pressure Processing enable us to create products which maintain more of their nutritional and sensorial properties. During processing we also need to ensure the safety of our foods. In my presentation today I will be highlighting research conducted through the MSc in Food and Agro Processing Technology Programme at The University of the West Indies. Our research has investigated the conversion of waste to value added products, evaluated food safety concerns and seeks to find alternative ways of processing our foods. Blighia sapida (ackee), is a niche crop in Jamaica earning over US$29.25 million annually. The processing of ackee however produces a significant quantity of waste arilli, seeds and pods which can be converted to value added products. Through our research we have investigated the production of an edible oil from the arilli of the fruit. Thermal studies conducted on the oil suggests that it is stable and can be considered for commercial application. Aril oil and extracts from the pods of the fruit exhibit high free radical scavenging activity and may be an untapped source for medicinally active compounds. Alternative processing methods for the fruit were also evaluated.
© The Author(s), 2023
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