No description available.

Submitted by Marco Antonio Oliveira da Silva (maosilva@ipen.br) on 2016-12-22T12:14:15Z No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-22T12:14:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / A irradiação de alimentos é um meio de preservação de alimentos onde se utiliza uma técnica de processamento que expõe os alimentos a uma radiação ionizante controlada de alta energia. O tratamento realizado com o uso das radiações ionizantes em alimentos tem muitas aplicações tecnologicamente e tecnicamente viáveis incluindo a capacidade de melhorar a segurança microbiológica, reduzir os níveis de bactérias patogénicas, inibir a germinação de tubérculos, aplicação fitossanitária, conservar alimentos armazenados ou a estabilidade de armazenamento e também é utilizada para aumentar a vida de prateleira de determinados produtos devido à redução da contaminação por microrganismos. Em função do aumento do comércio internacional de alimentos e das crescentes exigências regulatórias dos mercados consumidores, cada vez mais países importadores e exportadores têm demonstrando interesse na irradiação de alimentos e desenvolvido pesquisas na aplicação prática desta tecnologia e de métodos de detecção do tratamento. Inúmeras pesquisas foram realizadas mundialmente, resultando em eficientes protocolos para identificar quais alimentos foram ou não irradiados. Até então, o \"mito\" que alimentos irradiados não poderiam ser detectados e que não eram formados quaisquer produtos únicos da radiação foi substituído pelo conhecimento que muitas mudanças podem ocorrer nos alimentos irradiados e essas mudanças poderiam ser utilizadas como ferramentas para identificar essa tecnologia. O processamento por radiação resulta em formações de padrões característicos de hidrocarbonetos saturados, aldeídos, metil e etil ésteres e 2-alcilciclobutanonas, dependendo da composição do ácido graxo do lipídio que compõe o alimento. Com isso a proposta do trabalho foi levantar dados para comparar os efeitos das diferentes doses de radiação gama e de elétrons em alimentos que possuem gordura para verificar as possíveis alterações decorrentes do uso da irradiação, como a presença de 2-Alcilciclobutanonas e também, mostrar os principais equipamentos utilizados para a irradiação de alimentos e suas categorias, com o objetivo de informar o publico em geral. / Dissertação (Mestrado em Tecnologia Nuclear) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Este trabalho teve por finalidade avaliar os efeitos de temperatura nos metabolismos de couves-flores e rúculas inteiras e minimamente processadas e diferentes materiais de embalagem na sua qualidade. No primeiro experimento, couves-flores, seus floretes, rúculas e suas folhas foram mantidos a 1º, 5º e 11ºC e determinados suas taxas de respiração, produção de etileno e quocientes de temperatura (Q10). No segundo, os floretes foram colocados em embalagens de filmes de polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD), poliolefínicos coextrusados (PD – 941 e Clysar) e de policloreto de vinila, PVC esticável de 12 e 20 mm, envolvendo bandejas de poliestireno expandido mantidos a 5ºC. Análises físicas, químicas, físico-químicas, microbiológicas e sensoriais foram realizadas. No terceiro, folhas de rúculas foram colocadas em embalagens de filme de polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD), laminado de polipropileno/polietileno (PP/PE), poliolefínicos coextrusados (PD – 900 e Clysar) e de policloreto de vinila, PVC esticável de 20 mm, envolvendo bandejas de poliestireno expandido e armazenados a 5ºC. Análises físicas, químicas, físico-químicas, microbiológicas e sensoriais foram realizadas. As taxas respiratórias das couves-flores inteiras e minimamente processadas foram iguais em quaisquer das temperaturas estudadas e sempre decrescentes até o 16º dia. A 1º e a 5ºC, tiveram a mesma taxa respiratória, diferindo das mantidas a 11ºC. Na faixa de 1º a 11ºC, o Q10 foi o mesmo para floretes e couves-flores; 2,1 e 2,2, respectivamente. Comportamento distinto tiveram as rúculas inteiras e as folhas soltas, pois, a 1ºC e a 5ºC, as taxas respiratórias foram significativamente iguais. A 11ºC, a partir do 4º dia, as folhas soltas começaram a apresentar taxas de respiração superiores às das inteiras, chegando a ser o dobro nos 14º e 16º dias de armazenamento. O Q10 médio para as rúculas inteiras situou-se ao redor de 3,54 e para as folhas soltas, 5,74, na faixa de 1º a 11ºC. Não foi detectada produção de etileno. As embalagens para floretes de couves-flores tiveram pouca ou nenhuma influência em seu pH, acidez, ºBrix, luminosidade, croma, Hue e firmeza. A embalagem PD – 941 foi a melhor por manter uma atmosfera modificada próxima à da recomendada para couves-flores (2-3% O2 e CO2 < 5%) e permitir menores perdas de vitamina C e melhores notas para vários atributos sensoriais de qualidade. Todas as embalagens mantiveram níveis de coliformes totais, bolores e leveduras bem abaixo dos limites permitidos pela Legislação Brasileira. As folhas de rúculas apresentaram níveis de coliformes totais ao redor de 10 5 UFC/g de produto no 10º dia a 5ºC, tornando-as impróprias para o consumo. Nestes 10 dias, as embalagens de PEBD e PP/PE se destacaram em relação às outras por reterem melhor a vitamina C e a coloração verde das folhas, por alcançarem melhores valores para sólidos solúveis, firmeza, presença de odor estranho, qualidade geral das folhas, deterioração e murchamento. As atmosferas modificadas desenvolvidas no interior destas embalagens, 5 a 7% O2 e 10 a 15% CO2, talvez sejam as mais indicadas para a conservação de rúculas minimamente processadas a 5ºC. / This work aimed at evaluating the effects of temperature on the metabolism of minimally processed and intact cauliflowers and salad rockets, and of different packaging materials on the quality of cauliflower florets and loose salad rocket minimally processed leaves. In the first experiment, intact cauliflowers, florets, intact salad rockets and loose salad rocket leaves were held at 1º, 5º and 11ºC and their respiration rates, ethylene production and temperature quotients (Q10) determined. In the second experiment, the florets were packed in low density polyethylene film (PEBD), co-extruded polyolefins (PD – 941 and Clysar AFG) and in 12 and 20 mm polyvinyl chloride (PVC) overwrapping expanded polystyrene trays, and maintained at 5ºC/85-95% relative humidity for 14 days. In the third experiment, loose salad rocket leaves were held under the same conditions in bags of low density polyethylene film (PEBD), laminated polypropylene/polyethylene film (PP/PE), co-extruded polyolefins, PD – 900 and Clysar HP and in expanded polystyrene trays overwrapped with 20 mm polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In the second and third experiments, physical, chemical, physical-chemical, microbiological and sensory analyses were performed. The respiration rates of both intact and fresh-cut cauliflowers declined over the 16-day period and were significantly the same at all temperatures studied. At 1º and 5ºC the respiration rates were the same but differed from those (cauliflower and florets) at 11ºC. From 1º to 11ºC, the Q10 for the cauliflowers was 2.2 and for the florets, 2.1. In contrast, the intact and fresh-cut salad rocket respiration rates were the same at 1º and 5ºC. At 11ºC, the fresh-cut salad rocket showed higher respiration rates than the intact ones as from the 4 th day. By the end of the experiment (14 th and 16 th days) the respiration rates of the fresh-cut salad rockets were twice those of the intact salad rockets, whose Q10 was about 3.45 from 1° to 11°C as compared to 5.74 for the fresh cut product. No ethylene production was detected by any sample at any temperature. The packaging materials had little or no effect on pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, luminosity, chroma, hue and firmness of the florets at 5ºC. PD – 941 seemed to be the best packaging for florets, maintaining the atmosphere closest to that recommended for intact cauliflower (2-3%O2, CO2 < 5%), showing the lowest vitamin C losses and the best scores for several of the quality attributes. In general, all the packaging materials kept the yeast and mold counts low and the total coliform counts far below the maximum values permitted by the Brazilian Legislation, during 14 days at 5ºC, except for fresh-cut salad rocket leaves, which presented 10 5 CFU/g total coliforms by the 10 th day, being inappropriate for consumption. For 10 day periods, PEBD and PP/PE were the best packaging materials for green color and vitamin C retention, higher soluble solids, firmness, lack of off-odors, overall quality, decay and shriveling. The modified atmosphere generated inside these packaging materials (5-7% O2, 10-15% CO2) seemed the best for maintaining the quality of fresh-cut salad rockets held at 5ºC.

Ce projet de recherche a reçu le soutien d’une Bourse d’études supérieures du Canada Frederick Banting et Charles Best, offerte par les Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC).

Ce travail porte sur la production de bio-huile par liquéfaction hydrothermale de résidus agroalimentaires, réalisée en réacteur batch. L’objectif est d’étudier l’influence des paramètres opératoires sur la production de bio-huile, et de contribuer à la compréhension des mécanismes de conversion hydrothermale de la biomasse. La liquéfaction hydrothermale des résidus agroalimentaires a été étudiée à partir de l’exemple des drêches de cassis, résidus de pressage des baies. Une étude paramétrique a évalué l’influence de la température, du temps de réaction, de la concentration de biomasse et de l’ajout d’hydroxyde de sodium sur le rendement des produits. Cette étude a permis d’identifier des conditions opératoires favorables à la production de bio-huile, dont le rendement peut notamment bénéficier du recyclage de la phase aqueuse en tant que solvant réactionnel (rendement maximal de bio-huile : 31 %). La caractérisation physico-chimique de la bio-huile montre que celle-ci possède certaines propriétés proches du pétrole brut et de certains fiouls lourds, notamment grâce à sa faible teneur en oxygène en comparaison des huiles de pyrolyse. La bio-huile peut être considérée comme un bio-pétrole brut, mais nécessite toutefois un raffinage conséquent avant de potentielles applications. La conversion hydrothermale de molécules modèles, sélectionnées à partir de l’analyse de la composition des drêches de cassis, a été étudiée à une température de 300 °C et un temps de réaction de 60 min. Cinq monomères modèles (glucose, xylose, acide glutamique, guaiacol et acide linoléique) et deux polymères modèles (cellulose microcristalline et lignine alkali) ont été choisis pour cette étude. Une méthodologie basée sur les plans d’expérience de mélange a été mise en œuvre, afin d’aboutir à la construction de schémas réactionnels, et à l’élaboration de corrélations modélisant les rendements des produits en fonction de la composition initiale des mélanges. L’analyse des produits montre que la conversion hydrothermale des résidus agroalimentaires résulte principalement de dégradations primaires et d’interactions binaires entre les composants de la biomasse. Les corrélations obtenues à partir des composés modèles permettent de décrire avec un bon accord les rendements des produits de conversion hydrothermale de mélanges modèles et de plusieurs résidus agroalimentaires : drêches de brasserie, marc de raisin et akènes de framboise. / This work presents a study of hydrothermal liquefaction of food processing residues using a batch reactor, to produce bio-oil. The objective is to study the influence of operating conditions on bio-oil production, and to contribute to the understanding of the reaction mechanisms occurring during hydrothermal conversion of biomass. Hydrothermal liquefaction of food processing residues was studied using blackcurrant pomace, a berry pressing residue, as an example. A parametric study evaluated the influence of temperature, holding time, biomass concentration and the use of sodium hydroxide as additive on the yields of products. This study allowed the identification of favorable operating conditions to produce bio-oil. The bio-oil yield can in particular benefit from recycling the aqueous phase as reaction solvent (maximum bio-oil yield: 31%). Physicochemical characterization of the bio-oil showed that it has some similarities with heavy crude oil and heavy oils, especially thanks to a lower oxygen content than pyrolysis oils. The bio-oil can be considered as a bio-heavy crude oil, but it still requires significant upgrading before any potential applications. Hydrothermal conversion of model molecules, selected from the characterization of blackcurrant pomace, was studied at a temperature of 300 °C and a holding time of 60 min. Five model monomers (glucose, xylose, glutamic acid, guaiacol and linoleic acid) and two model polymers (microcrystalline cellulose and alkali lignin) were chosen for this study. A mixture design of experiments methodology was followed, to combine reactivity studies with the elaboration of correlations describing the mass yields of products as a function of the initial mixture composition. Analysis of the products shows that hydrothermal conversion of food processing residues is mainly due to degradations of individual compounds and binary interactions between components of biomass. The correlations obtained from the model compounds describe with good accuracy the mass yields of the products from hydrothermal conversion of a model mixture and several food processing residues: brewer’s spent grains, grape marc and raspberry achenes.

Abstracts in English and Zulu / The main objective of this study was to investigate the impact of innovative marketing on the performance of Ghanaian food processing SMEs. The research study was carried out in response to the scholarly and managerial interest in the construct of innovative marketing as a novel competitive tool and its effect on performance in food processing SME organisations. This research study examined the effect of the six components of innovative marketing (i.e. marketing mix variables (MV), marketing modification (MM), integrated marketing (IM), customer focus (CF), market focus (MF) and value proposition (VP) on the four components of food processing SME performance i.e. financial performance (FP), customer performance (CP), internal business process performance (IBPP) and learning & growth performance (LGP). The research study was carried out on 225 food processing SMEs on the registered list of the National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The study was quantitative in nature with the use of questionnaires distributed to 225 owners/managers of food processing SMEs in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Through an extensive literature review, a conceptual framework and empirical result from 225 food processing SMEs in Ghana, the research study employed exploratory factor analysis along with structural equation modelling – path analysis to evaluate the proposed model for understanding the relationships among the constructs. The collected data was analysed through descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 23 and STATA version 15.1. The reliability of innovative marketing and food processing performance factors were determined using Composite Reliability and Cronbach’s alpha and the validity of the factors of innovative marketing and food processing SMEs were also ascertained using convergent and discriminant validity methods. The research study established that SMEs in the food processing sector in Ghana exhibit high levels of five innovative marketing factors (i.e. market focus, value proposition, customer focus, integrated marketing and marketing mix variables) which impact on all four factors of food processing SME performance (i.e. financial performance, customer performance, internal business process performance and learning and growth performance) whereas marketing modification, a factor of innovative marketing, indicated insignificant association with food processing SME performance. The recommendation of the conducted research study made a clear statement that food processing SMEs in Ghana should maintain a positive attitude towards innovative marketing, and also negate the effect of innovative marketing challenges to achieve high performance. The conclusions that were drawn from the conducted research study indicated that the main research objective had been achieved. Hence, innovative marketing positively influences the performance of food processing SMEs in Ghana. / Inhloso enkulu yalolu cwaningo bekungukuphenya umthelela wokumaketha okusha ekusebenzeni kwama-SME wokucubungula ukudla waseGhana. Ucwaningo lwenziwe kuphendulwa intshisekelo yezifundiswa nezokuphatha ekwakheni ukumaketha okusha njengethuluzi lokuncintisana lenoveli nomphumela walo ekusebenzeni ezinhlanganweni zokucubungula ukudla kwama-SME. Lolu cwaningo lubheke umphumelela wezinto eziyisithupha zokumaketha okusha (isbokuguquguqukayo kokuhlanganiswa kokumaketha (MV), ukuguqulwa kokumaketha (MM), ukumaketha okuhlanganisiwe (IM), ukugxila kwamakhasimende (CF), ukugxila emakethe (MF), nokuphakanyiswa kwevelu (VP) ezingxenyeni ezine zokulungiswa kokudla ukusebenza kwe-SME okungukuthi, ukusebenza kwezezimali (FP), ukusebenza kwamakhasimende (CP), ukusebenza kwenqubo yebhizinisi yangaphakathi (IBPP), nokusebenza kokufunda nokukhula (LGP). Ucwaningo lwenziwe kuma-SME wokucubungula ukudla angama-225 ohlwini olubhalisiwe lweNational Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) esifundeni esiseMpumalanga yeGhana. Lolu cwaningo belunobuningi ngokwendalo ngokusetshenziswa kwamaphepha emibuzo anikezwe abanikazi/abaphathi abangama-225 bokucubungula ukudla ama-SME esifundeni esiseMpumalanga yeGhana. Ngokubuyekezwa okubanzi kwezincwadi, uhlaka lomqondo kanye nomphumela wezobuciko kusuka kuma-SME wokucubungula ukudla angama-225 eGhana, ucwaningo lwasebenzisa ukuhlaziywa kwezici zokuhlola kanye nokuhlelwa kwesimo sokulinganisa - indlela yokuhlola imodeli ehlongozwayo yokuqonda ubudlelwano phakathi kokwakhiwa. Imininingwane eqoqiwe yahlaziywa ngezibalo ezichazayo kanye nasekuhlaziyweni okuningi kokuhlehla kusetshenziswa i-Statistical Package ye-Social Science (SPSS) inguqulo 23 kanye ne-STATA version 15.1. Ukuthembeka kokumaketha okusha kanye nokusebenza kokucubungula ukudla kunqunywe kusetshenziswa i-Composite. Ukuthembeka kanye ne-alpha kaCronbach nokuba semthethweni kwezici zokumaketha okusha nokuqhutshwa kokudla kwama-SME nakho kwaqinisekiswa kusetshenziswa izindlela zokuqinisekisa nezokunbandlulula. Ucwaningo luye lwaveza ukuthi ama-SME emkhakheni wokulungiswa kokudla eGhana akhombisa amazing aphezulu wezinto ezinhlanu ezintsha zokumaketha (okusho ukugxila emakethe, ukuphakanyiswa kwenani, ukugxila kwamakhasimende, ukumaketha okuhlanganisiwe kanye nokuxubana kokuxubana kokumaketha) okunomthelela kuzo zonke izici ezine zokulungiswa kokudla ukusebenza kwe-SME (okusho ukusebenza kwezezimali, ukusebenza kwamakhasimende, ukusebenza kwenqubo yebhizinisi yangaphakathi nokusebenza kokufunda nokukhula), kanti, ukuguqulwa kokumaketha, okuyisici sokumaketha okusha, kukhombisa ukuzihlanganisa okungabalulekile nokusebenza kokudla kwe-SME. Incomo yocwaningo olwenziwe yenze isitatimende esicacile sokuthi ama-SME okucubungula ukudla eGhana kufanele agcine isimo esihle mayelana nokukhangisa okusha, futhi angaphikisi nomphumela wezinselelo ezintsha zokumaketha ukuza kuzuzwe ukusebenza okuphezulu. Iziphetho ezithathwe ocwaningweni olwenziwe zikhombisile ukuthi inhloso enkulu yocwaningo seyifeziwe. Ngakho-ke, ukumaketha okusha kunomthelela omuhle ekusebenzeni kokulungiswa kokudla kwama-SME eGhana. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Management Studies (Marketing))

The risk of poor food safety is a major focus for managers in the food manufacturing industry. Despite industry-led and regulatory efforts to improve the overall food safety of US packaged consumer foods, product recalls and market withdrawals are increasing. This is especially true for the most frequent cause for food recall: the undeclared allergen. With industry trends leaning toward adoption of third-party food safety management certifications, a popular food safety code from the Safe Quality Foods Institute is evaluated using Systems Analysis. Three changes to the food safety code are proposed to address three of the top causes for an allergen-related recall in the United States. In practice, the SQF code should make better use of control theory to reduce delays in production monitoring activities, should make better use of purposeful action in the implementation of a HACCP plan to ensure continuing validity of the plan, and SQFI needs to consider adding an organizational assessment for food safety culture.

No description available.

Manual inspection is a prevailing practice for quality assessment of poultry meat, but it is labor-intensive, tedious, and subjective. This thesis aims to assess the efficacy of an emerging structured illumination reflectance imaging (SIRI) technique with machine learning approaches for assessing WS and microbial spoilage in broiler breast meat. Broiler breast meat samples were imaged by an in house-assembled SIRI platform under sinusoidal illumination. In first experiment, handcrafted texture features were extracted from direct component (DC, corresponding to conventional uniform illumination) and amplitude component (AC, unique to the use of sinusoidal illumination) images retrieved from raw SIRI pattern images build linear discriminant analysis (LDA) models for classifying normal and defective samples. A further validation experiment was performed using deep learning as a feature extractor followed by LDA. The third experiment was on microbial spoilage assessment of broiler meat, deep learning models were used to extract features from DC and AC images builds on classifiers. Overall, this research has demonstrated consistent improvements of AC over DC images in assessing WS and spoilage of broiler meat and that SIRI is a promising tool for poultry meat quality detection.

<p>Unsafe food is responsible for causing more than 600 million cases of foodborne illnesses and 420,000 deaths each year. These foodborne illnesses have direct impact on growth and development in children, food and nutrition security, national economies, and sustainable development. Food manufactures, research institutions, governments, and consumers, together, play a pivotal role in establishing and implementing effective food safety systems. <em>Salmonella</em> spp. and <em>Listeria monocytogenes</em> are recognized as major threats to global food safety and security among other 31 known and unknown pathogens associated with foodborne illnesses and deaths. Since these pathogens can be transmitted through contaminated food and water, contaminated environmental surfaces, and subsequently from environment to food via cross-contamination, there is an urgent need for data-driven approaches to identify key points of contamination along the food systems to suggest interventions. While it is important to enhance food safety research in developed economies, developing capacity to enable conditions for food safety research translation and practice in developing economies is crucial for global food safety. In this dissertation, we presented three different research projects as summarized below-</p> <p>In Chapter 2 “Evaluating the efficacy of celery powder in ready-to-eat deli style turkey breast against <em>L. monocytogenes</em> under ideal and temperature abuse conditions”. In this study, we artificially inoculated “clean label” deli style turkey breast formulated with celery powder to evaluate the efficacy of this natural antimicrobial in inhibiting the growth of this pathogen. We stored the inoculated samples at ideal (4 °C) and abuse temperature conditions (7 °C, 10 °C, and 15 °C) for 21 d mimicking the possible temperature abuse along the cold chain, transportation, and at consumer refrigerator. Our findings indicated that although deli meat samples stored at 4 °C and 7 °C did not achieve significant growth of <em>L. monocytogenes;</em> increasing temperatures to 10 °C and 15 °C led to significant increase in the growth rate of this pathogen. This study evaluates the use and effectiveness of celery powder as an antimicrobial used by deli meat processors against <em>L. monocytogenes</em> in deli products. These data underscore the importance of maintaining refrigeration temperatures to complement the efficacy of antimicrobials. </p> <p>Chapter 3 “Investigating sanitary solutions to <em>L. monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica</em> ser. Typhimurium, and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> dry surface biofilms”. In this study, we developed <em>in vitro</em> mono- and mix-culture dry surface biofilm (DSB) models of <em>L. monocytogenes, Salmonella enterica</em> ser. Typhimurium, and <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> leveraging the EPA MLB SOP MB-19 standard protocol using the CDC Biofilm Reactor and evaluated sanitation control strategies currently adopted by low-moisture food (LMF) food processors to determine their ability to inactive DSB, a decidedly difficult reservoir to eliminate. This study targets multiple biological hazards in a research area with very limited publicly available data and is the first of its kind to refine mono- and multi-species <em>in vitro</em> DSB models that mimic LMF facility conditions and combinations of relevant microorganisms for use cases (e.g., EPA adoption). The findings from this study indicated that these foodborne pathogens could form DSBs and serve as a source of pathogen reservoir and cross-contamination. Results from the efficacy testing of sanitizer and microfiber swabbing suggested that current sanitation practices may not be sufficient to remove or inactivate DSBs. This study will define future needs and new strategies to improve confidence in sanitation efficacy with private sector practitioners.</p> <p>Chapter 4 “Enhancing research for development opportunities for Minority Serving Institutions: a case study in food safety”. Most developing economies have limited viable food safety systems due to underdeveloped research capabilities, competing resource demands, and insufficient enabling conditions, which undermines food security. United States Minority Serving Institution (MSIs) researchers and outreach specialists are familiar with and arguably best positioned to address global food safety and security challenges and needs, but MSIs implement limited research for development programs (e.g., U.S. university-led Feed the Future (FTF) Innovation Labs (ILs) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)) aimed to solve these challenges. Recognizing this opportunity, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Safety (FSIL) led by Purdue University in partnership with Cornell University, created and implemented an MSI-led research partnerships for global food safety research programs. In this chapter, we put together the process of a three-stage Request for Applications (RFA) process, which included non-competitive and competitive stages to encourage partnership and to refine ideas.  At the end of this process, seven individuals were invited to submit full proposals; two were funded. Intentional research opportunities and partnerships are essential to strengthen MSI competitiveness for research for development programs that develop and scale technologies to address urgent global agriculture, food security, and safety challenges.</p>