Project description
Investigating the aroma and flavour of Freekeh
Worldwide production of freekeh – sometimes spelt frikeh or farik (meaning rubbed in Arabic) – is on the rise. While this ancient wheat product, which boasts a unique preparation method and flavour, is growing in popularity, little is known about its aroma and flavour profiles. The EU-funded AnaFree project will research both these profiles for freekeh, particularly the compounds imparting its smoky attributes and their precursors. The project will also explore the sensory perception of consuming freekeh dishes and evaluate its consumer acceptability. AnaFree will study the use of this ancient wheat in modern cuisine. Additionally, it will delve into production methods using common cereals like rye and barley or by adding different smoke sources.
Objective
Analysis of Freekeh Aroma, Sensory-perception and Preparation Methods
Freekeh (Arabic, ‘rubbed’) is an ancient wheat product with a unique preparation method and flavor profile. It is essentially immature durum wheat (Triticum turgidum) grains, harvested while plants are green and the seeds are soft. The plants are stacked and then set on fire (usually in situ) to rid of stalks, awns and leaves. Bushels are then threshed, grains separated from the chaff, dried and cracked. The production process lends a smoky, complex aroma to the finished product, described as nutty, earthy and smoky. Compared to dried mature Durum Freekeh is richer in fiber, protein, sugars and Mn and has a low glycemic index. Timing of harvest determines much of the quality, since protein, fiber and antioxidants decrease while phytate levels increase in parallel to seed maturation. Additionally, sugars are converted into starch as the grains fill, making seeds that are in the milk-ripe to mid-dough-ripe stages optimal. Worldwide production is rising (>300K ton/yr), demand in western country increases and it is also used in Haute Cuisine. Although its popularity, Freekeh has not been studied for its aroma/flavor profiles. I believe this product could serve as an interesting model for both basic and applicable research that has been, to date, underrepresented in food science. I propose to:
a. Investigate the aroma/flavor profiles of Freekeh (e.g. volatile compounds, sugars and organic acids). Special focus will be given to compounds imparting its smoky attributes and their precursors.
b. Analyze the sensory perception of consuming Freekeh dishes and to evaluate its consumer acceptability.
c. Test the production method of Freekeh by utilizing common cereals (Rye, Barley, Spelt) or by adding different smoke sources.
d. Evaluating the use of Freekeh in modern cuisine.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology materials engineering fibers
- natural sciences chemical sciences organic chemistry organic acids
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins
- agricultural sciences agriculture, forestry, and fisheries agriculture grains and oilseeds cereals
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2019
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.