Projects
An integrated material science and kinetic approach towards understanding the aging of Common beans during postharvest storage KU Leuven
Legumes, including beans are a highly nutritious food widely consumed in developing countries (as a staple) and are a growing part of diets in developed countries, and with the predicted world population growth are likely to become even a greater part of diets. Their full utilisation is nonetheless hampered by the development of a physiological defect (hard-to-cook defect) during prolonged storage at high temperatures and humidity (typical of ...
Postharvest technology to extend the storage and shelf life of durian fruit KU Leuven
Durian fruit, also called the ‘king of fruit’, is characterized by a strong aroma and thorn-covered rind. As it is a climacteric fruit, ripening is initiated as a consequence of ethylene signaling. The aroma of durian fruit is mainly characterized by sulphur-based volatiles that develop during fruit ripening. Most durian fruit is commercialised fresh, but there is also an interest in postharvest technologies to extend their storage and shelf ...
Bioaccessibility and digestion of nutrients in Bambara groundnuts as affected by postharvest storage and processing KU Leuven
Indigenous pulses are a locally adapted and sustainable solution that can improve food security in developing countries. In addition, malnutrition remains an unresolved challenge, which continues to be addressed. Pulses are commonly stored for long after harvest. Hence, they are a reliable food source in times of famine. However, upon postharvest storage of pulses, several biochemical reactions can occur as described by the hard-to-cook (HTC) ...
Optimal Design of Dynamic Experiments: Towards more efficient experimentation in postharvest storage of fruit and vegetables KU Leuven
Living systems are rife with variability. Well-chosen experimental designs are necessary to deal with this variability when modeling such systems. Models for living systems often rely on knowledge of physical, chemical and biological laws, such as mass balances, transport phenomena and reaction kinetics, and are often described by a system of non-linear differential equations. So, the structure of a model can often be determined from first ...
Microbiological hazards associated with the use of water in the post-harvest handling and processing operations of fresh and frozen fruits, vegetables and herbs (ffFVHs) Ghent University
This tender main objective is to gain insights into the characteristics of the water and practices followed by the industry to maintain water quality used during the post-harvest handling and processing operations for fresh and frozen fruit, vegetables and herbs (ffFVHs). The information obtained should allow having an overview of different water quality scenarios in industry settings.
Unraveling the trichothecene degradation pathway for valorization in pre- and post-harvest remediation Ghent University
Mycotoxins are toxic molecules produced by fungi which can contaminate crops on the field as well as food and feed stocks during storage. Consuming contaminated food or feed is harmful to both humans and animals. To combat this issue, farmers and feed pro
Post harvest application of biological control organisms (BCOs) against fruit storage disease Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In the control of storage diseases of apple and pear, several methods are available for the fruit grower. The available pre- and post-harvest treatments, however, all have their limitations. Biological control of storage diseases using biological control organisms (BCOs) provides a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative and opens perspectives for further integrated production. The ...
Sustainable storage of grains by implementing a novel protectant and and versatile application technology Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
This European project aims to store grains in a sustainable way with minimal post-harvest losses by preventing insect infestations. NovIGRain aims to (1) develop a new type of plant protection product (PPP) and application technology with special attention for possible resistance, (2) develop a decision-supporting tool for grain storage management, and (3) raise awareness about resistance to plant protection ...
Microbial quality and storage of edible insects. KU Leuven
Since the introduction of edible insects and insect-based products on the Belgian and European markets, specific questions regarding legislation, food safety, processing and preservation, etc. arose. This PhD project aimed to support the edible insect sector on filling these lacunas in a microbiological perspective. Hence, the goal of this dissertation was to obtain insight in the microbiota of freshly reared, raw insects for food with ...