Invited Paper SU+2D+MS+NS-TuA1
Protecting Food and Water Quality: Considerations for Materials Innovation

Tuesday, October 31, 2017, 2:20 pm, Room 5 & 6

Innovation in materials and membranes provides opportunity for enhancing water and food safety, diversifying and expanding water and food sources, protecting nutrient quality and bio-availability, and improving human health and well-being. Food and water are transitioned from their original sources into resources for animal feed and human food through production, processing, packaging, and distribution/retail stages. Throughout these stages, membranes and materials for physical and chemical separations, microbiological control, analysis and measurement, capture and containment are required.

Synergistic partnerships, among scientific disciplines and between private-public entities, encourage innovation in the design and applications of materials and membranes for discoveries and advancements in water and food processing and packaging. The objective of this discussion is to showcase the engagement of chemists, engineers, and food scientists in approaching and resolving challenges relating to water and food processing, safety, and quality and the relationship to the consumer. Three featured examples, relating to membranes and materials, include:

• Aquaculture: Recirculating water for the purpose of raising fish has high economic and global impact by increasing sustainable supply of high quality food proteins for feeding the growing global population. Challenges include the need for removing biosolids, small molecular weight molecules, and bacteria that influence fish health and quality of the fish as a food source.
• Water Safety from Source and Supplier to the Consumer: Protecting public health is the primary role of water treatment. Changes in water disinfectant treatment, e.g. chlorine to chloramine, affect material stability, safety and performance and can lead to significant economic impacts and consumer concerns.
• Food Packaging Functionality: Protecting food and beverage freshness from processing to purchase requires understanding of the food system, the process, and storage conditions. Innovative materials that interfere with light energy can protect beverage and food quality for retaining freshness and nutrient retention for enhancing human health.

Expanding our scientific continuum from molecule to materials through process, package and consumer perspective enriches and guides scientific discovery.