Why Choose Food Research Lab's FRL as Your Food Product Development (FPD) Consultant and Partner?

There are several options in almost every product area in today’s market, and the difficulty is in coming up with unique items that stand out and connect with customers. Food Research Lab's Food Research Lab takes a holistic approach to creating food and beverage products. We define, demographically target, and build effective goods through a sequential process for category selection and comprehension. The client can visit the lab to learn the process. We offer unlimited rounds of revisions to ensure customer satisfaction. The final product prototype, along with the documentation process, including the video (through email), will be shipped to the client, and in case the client is not satisfied with the video, a food technology consultant will visit the place for the product demo at the client’s costs.

What are the different forms that you deliver the Food Product Formulations?

The food industry is witnessing a new form of consumption. Keeping that in mind, we can formulate the products in the form of ready-to-eat, ready-to-drink, ready-to-mix, ready-to-serve, and ready-to-cook food products. We use ingredients that offer an added value to the development and improve its indulgence and sustainability in terms of its functional ingredients, plant-based food dyes, and natural preservatives with a clean label.

What are the sectors Food Research Lab cover?

We cover a wide range of sectors such as soups, sauces and dips, chips, tortillas, dry beverage powder, plant-based products, masalas, puddings, instant mixes and many more.

How is sensory testing been carried out?

Our sensory examination leads to the precise formulation and recipe recommendations. We develop data-driven design models based on sensory research and customer insights. The fact-based design methodology used by Food Research Lab reduces risk and gives our clients market confidence while cutting development time in half. With our dedicated sensory lab facility, our team takes satisfaction in creating and optimizing successful products in the marketplace, generating a favourable return on investment, and developing brand advocates.

Electro Hydrodynamic Drying

Home
Insights
Electro Hydrodynamic Drying

Introduction

Drying is one of the most common process technologies for preserving heat-sensitive plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables.
One such innovative drying technology is electro hydrodynamic (EHD) drying. EHD drying has recently gained significant interest as an alternative to standard convective drying. It is particularly suitable for drying heat-sensitive foods, such as fruits and vegetables[1].
An advantage with respect to the drying process includes a shorter drying time when compared to hot-air and solar dryers at low or ambient temperatures (Precoppe et al., 2015; Bechoff et al., 2010; Pirnazari et al., 2014)[2].
A further advantage is that the drying process is reported to have a lower energy consumption, so lower carbon emissions (Esehaghbeygi et al., 2014; Taghian Dinani et al., 2014a; Yang & Ding, 2016).
Other reported advantages regarding product quality include better retention of nutritional content, flavor, and color, as well as lower shrinkage and higher rehydration capacity (Bajgai et al., 2006; Defraeye & Martynenko, 2018; Elmizadeh et al., 2017; Esehaghbeygi et al., 2014; Ni et al., 2019; Pirnazari et al., 2014)[3].

Electro Hydrodynamic Drying

Electro hydrodynamics – Use of air ions in a strong electric field to Increase heat and mass transfer [4].

Electro Hydrodynamic Drying – Non thermal processing technology

EHD drying – Uses the synergistic effect of high voltage and corona wind velocity

Mechanism Of EHD Drying

1.Impingement of electric wind on food material[4].

2.Generation impact

3.Turbulence of water (greater just below the emitter electrode)

4.Water Molecules acquire sufficient energy

5.Phase changing of water from liquid to vapor

6.Generation Of concentration gradient between the concentric layers

7.Diffusion of water from outer layers to inner layers

8.Drying of entire food material.

Applications In Food Materials[4][5]

S.No	Food	Findings from EHD drying
1	Potato slabs	Rapid drying rate
2	Rice	No effect on germination characteristics
3	Shrimp	Less shrinkage Better rehydration Better color Softer body
4	Banana slices	Less shrinkage Better rehydration Better color

Conclusion

Electrohydrodynamic drying is a novel technology with higher drying rates as compared to conventional techniques.
It is an energy efficient technique with reduced power consumption.
It leads to increase quality retention and lesser quality deterioration of foods.
The lower energy consumption leads to reduce cost of drying. However, an economic analysis, which has not been performed yet is essential in order to know detailed cost involved.
Thus, electro hydrdynamic drying proves to be an ideal drying technology with great potential of applications in the food industry.