NMR relaxation tools for improving and protecting quality of dairy products

Project Information

NMR-IMPROV

Grant agreement ID: 101131564

DOI

10.3030/101131564

EC signature date 18 September 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2027

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 1 361 600,00

Coordinated by

UNIWERSYTET WARMINSKO MAZURSKI W OLSZTYNIE
Poland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - NMR-IMPROV (NMR relaxation tools for improving and protecting quality of dairy products)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

NMR-IMPROV introduces an innovative approach to examining the properties of dairy products through advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxation techniques, including Fast Field Cycling and Time-Domain NMR.
This concept is based on the understanding that the macroscopic properties of dairy products are determined by the molecular dynamics of their individual components, such as macromolecules and water. By investigating
these molecular interactions, NMR-IMPROV aims to create guidelines that ensure optimal rheological properties, textures, and overall product quality, while preventing issues like aggregation and phase separation,
and helping verify product authenticity. The knowledge gained will be used to address challenges in dairy technology, particularly in the development and storage of fermented, plant-based, and personalized products,
as well as those made from locally sourced raw materials. NMR-IMPROV seeks to position NMR relaxation as an effective tool for evaluating the quality and authenticity of dairy products.
NMR-IMPROV fosters collaboration between academic experts in NMR relaxation and food scientists and engineers, aiming to translate these advanced techniques from research labs to the dairy industry.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In order to exploit NMR relaxometry to reveal the dynamical and structural properties of dairy products, dedicated NMR relaxation models have been formulated and implemented in a robust tool for advanced data analysis. In parallel with the theoretical work, the consortium has developed procedures for combining Fast Field Cycling NMR and Time-Domain NMR
to make full use of the potential complementarity of the two methods. Extensive NMR relaxation studies have been performed on a variety of dairy products of different origin and state, from liquids such as milk to solids such as powders and hard cheeses. The developed approach has made it possible to investigate the dynamics of different molecular fractions present
in dairy products in terms of both the timescale of motion and the mechanism of dynamical processes related to interactions between the molecular fractions. Studies were conducted on both "classical" and plant-based dairy analogues, revealing dynamic effects associated with the organisation of macromolecular matrices and hydrocolloid-stabilised networks. An important aspect of the studies is the variety of products,
which include different geographical origins and manufacturing processes. The NMR studies were often accompanied by rheological investigations and characterisation using a series of conventional methods.
This strategy has enabled the molecular properties of dairy products to be linked to their 'macroscopic' performance. The experimental data have been included in a database to provide references for the quality and authenticity of specific dairy products.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

One of the key achievements of NMR-IMPROV so far is the development of models of NMR relaxation processes that take into account the presence of several molecular fractions (leading to multiple relaxation pathways) and the complex dynamics resulting from confinement effects. It is surprising that mathematical models developed for model systems have turned out to describe the molecular properties of food (dairy) products with such high accuracy.
It is also worth pointing out that the obtained parameters have been directly linked to the viscoelastic and rheological properties of dairy products. To our knowledge, this is the first example of such a wide range of comprehensive applications of NMR methods in food science. Following this approach, characteristic relaxation features have been identified for several product categories (e.g. different types of yoghurt) or plant-based products, providing a promising means of authenticating their origin.
In parallel, the approach exploited by the consortium provided information about the molecular behaviour of dairy products that is not available by other methods. For instance, one can identify the dimensionality of water molecules entraphed in the macromolecular matrix or determine their residence lifetime on the matrix surface.

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