Sbir phase i: turmeric assisted pressure sterilization

This National Science Foundation (NSF) Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships (CFDA 47.084) Project Grant awarded to Rainbow Hospitality LLC (DBA Curry Fresh) aims to develop a "Turmeric Assisted Pressure Sterilization" (TAPS) technology to extend the shelf-life of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. The $302,965 award, with a performance period from Apr 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026, will focus on testing TAPS for its efficacy in preserving the taste, flavor, and nutrients of RTE foods at ambient temperatures, with the goal of reducing RTE food waste by 20% over the next 10 years. The project intends to demonstrate that the TAPS process can achieve commercial sterilization at lower pressures and higher temperatures compared to traditional pressure sterilization, leveraging the natural antioxidant properties of turmeric.

Abstract

The broader/commercial impacts of this small business innovation research (sbir) phase i project would be two-fold: potential reduction of packaged ready-to-eat (RTE) food waste, and broader availability of packaged food in its original taste, flavor, and nutrients. The amount of food wasted in the U.S. Annually is equivalent to 130 billion meals, with an approximate value of nearly $218 billion. A significant percentage of this food waste happens in the fresh/produce section of the supermarkets due to the shorter shelf-life of various food items from 10 to 30 days. These foods are typically processed via retort cooking at 250-degree f, or freezing, or making food acidic (below PH 4.6). These technologies are energy consuming, expensive, and lead to loss of most of the nutrients. The proposed turmeric assisted pressure sterilization (taps) is aiming to be the first technology that can extend this shelf-life to over 180 days without compromising on original taste, flavor and nutrient of food items with the goal of bringing RTE food items from the colder sections of the supermarket (below 40-degree f) to the shelf-stable section (about 70-degree f). By doing so, the company aspires to reduce RTE food waste by 20% in the next 10 years. This sbir phase i project aims to lay the groundwork for establishing taps as a breakthrough pressure sterilization technology. Traditional pressure sterilization is carried out at pressures around 6000 bars and 40-degree f. This project intends to show that in the presence of natural antioxidants such as turmeric, the same level of sterilization can be achieved at pressures close to 3000 bar and 70-degree f. The project, therefore, will focus on preparing and testing a variety of RTE foods under the taps conditions and assessing their efficacy by third-party for shelf life, nutrient preservation, and risks to food safety and quality when challenged with common microorganisms. Besides turmeric, the experiments will also involve the use of other natural antioxidants, including a commercially available curcuminoid extract that has enhanced bioavailability and stability compared to standard curcumin and is colorless, odorless and tasteless, further expanding the potential applicability of taps to a much wider range of cuisines. 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 not planned for this award.