Sbir phase II: rapid food biomass dehydration process utilizing zeolite filters to retain food nutrient profiles

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $980,360 Cooperative Agreement on April 1, 2025 under its Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) program to Startle Innovation LLC in Davis, CA. The project aims to develop a commercial prototype for a rapid food biomass dehydration process that utilizes zeolite filters to retain food nutrient profiles. The prototype will include a new desiccant filter, drying chamber, and microwave chamber. Key project objectives are to test the full prototype system, understand and maximize energy savings of the filter dehydration process, and conduct nutritional analyses of dried food samples. The overall goal is to create a cost-effective drying technology that can improve the competitiveness of U.S. farmers and agricultural industries while potentially reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preserving food nutritional value.

Abstract

The broader/commercial impact of this small business innovation research (sbir) phase II project is to improve the competitiveness of US farmers and US agricultural industries by creating a new drying technology primarily for food but also for other commodities. This new technology is cost effective compared to other existing technologies, and can directly and indirectly help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. IT also expands the spectrum of available industrial drying methods and may help retain the overall consistency of important components of the food source. All of these features will make food more nutritional and more affordable. The project improves collaboration among multiple business and technological sectors in the country. And IT can make US seaweed farmers economically viable, open new market opportunities and new product development, and lead to job creation as these companies thrive and grow. This small business innovation research (sbir) phase II project acknowledges the outsized negative impact the high cost of drying commodities has on many sectors, including US farmers and agricultural industries. Extending from a phase i project that demonstrated the concept of our new technology, this phase II project focuses on creating a commercial prototype that can dry important commodities like seaweed quickly, cost-effectively, reliably, and safely while potentially preserving their nutritional value. This new commercial prototype will include three parts: a new desiccant filter, a drying chamber, and a microwave chamber. The phase II project will focus on conducting tests of the full prototype system, understanding and maximizing energy savings of the filter dehydration process as a function of humidity level, time, heat, and pressure, and finally by conducting nutritional analyses and characterization of seaweed samples. This technology will undergo techno-economic analysis (tea) in phase II. The resulting novel material and methods will comprise a commercially viable novel drying method that will make IT possible to quickly dry seaweed at a mild temperature to preserve all nutrients while consuming a minimal amount of electricity. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are planned for this award.