Food Science covers all kinds of sciences related to food, and its basis is on a wide range of fields. One study examined each substance in food in detail, and another studied the palatability of consumers when they eat food, in which the sizes of the objectives range from nanometer to centimeter order. Additionally, it involves non-equilibrium processes in the digestion, absorption and processing of food, making experimental observations difficult. As a solution to these problems, Quantum Beam Food Science, food science research using quantum beams, is attracting attention. For example, one advantage is selective observation: specific sites can be selective detected by deuteration labelling in neutron experiments, and specific elements can be selectively observed by using hard X-ray XAFS. In addition to the type of quantum beam, we can selectively obtain the information we want by changing the method, such as observing the local structure at a specific position by using a micro-beam, or extracting only the interface information by applying reflectometry.
This project aims to address unresolved issues in traditional food science by combining various quantum beams and experimental techniques, including (1) structural analysis of solid-liquid interfaces by neutron reflectometry, (2) structural analysis using X-ray and neutron small-angle scattering, and (3) non-destructive chemical state analysis and microspectroscopy of relatively heavy elements using hard X-ray XAFS. The multifaceted experimental results obtained in this way are shared with the researchers with various backgrounds in the project to address many questions for a new food science frontier.
KEK IMSS：N. Yamada, H. Abe, N. Shimizu, H. Takagi, H. Oshita, H. Seto
S. Ueno(Hiroshima Univ.), M. Ohnuma(Hokkaido Univ.), Y. Kawabata(Rakuno Gakuen Univ.), T. Kohzuma(Ibaraki Univ.), N. Sato(Kyoto Univ.), Y. Takenaka(AIST), H. Nakagawa(JAEA), F. Nemoto(National Defense acad.), M. HIDAKA(Tohoku Univ.), A. Hoshikawa(Ibaraki Univ.), G. Matsuba(Yamagata Univ.)
Neutron Reflectometry (NR), small angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAXS/ SANS), hard x-ray XAFS
Investigation of chocolate by rheo-NR
Investigation of spinach by XAFS
