| Crop | Dry Bean, Lentil, Pea |
|---|---|
| Start Date | 2014 |
| End Date | 2014 |
| Principal Investigator | Qi, Jiancheng , Food Development Centre |
| MPSG Financial Support | $23,000 |
| Total Project Funding | $26,000 |
| Report | Development of Pulse Based Gluten-Free Shelf-Stable Ready-To-Eat Meals |
Research Objectives
Develop an innovative gluten-free, natural, preservative-free and 100% vegetarian shelf-stable ready-to-eat meal with a variety of pulses and wild rice that will deliver a balanced nutritional value, great and unique taste profile, multiple health benefits and convenience to the consumer using retort technology for thermal processing of the product.
Project Description
Pulses are gluten-free, low in fat and rich in dietary fibre containing both soluble and insoluble fibre, complex carbohydrates and protein, and are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Retorting or canning has been the technology of choice for commercial sterilization of shelf-stable low-acid foods which can be stored for months or years without any addition of preservatives. The retort pouch is a flexible laminated food package that can withstand thermal processing up to 130°C, offering shelf stability of metal cans, coupled with preservation of texture and nutrient value associated with frozen foods. In this study, ten pulse-based gluten-free, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat meal prototype products were developed. They all have acceptable sensory profiles, containing a mixture of edible beans, soybeans, and wild rice along with other natural food ingredients.