Establishing a strong and lasting international training network for innovation in food and juice industries: a 4d-research approach for fruit juice processing
HiStabJuice is a European intersectoral and interdisciplinary network offering research training to 11 ESRs, which is relevant to the entire food industry worldwide. Initiated by the International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association (IFU), the ETN combines the scientific expertise of 5 universities and 2 research institutions with the technological experience of 10 industry partners from7 EU countries. This ETN stands out by its exceptionally high industrial involvement that ensures training in real world ability and in solving key problems with exceptional analytical and technological skills combined with training in key transferable skills for public and private sector employment. The ESRs will work together on the evaluation of various factors influencing colour stability in fruit juices, focussing on raw materials and preservation techniques, as well as associated effects, deleterious to the health benefits of the final products. Pioneering aspects include the first empirical analysis of the contribution to colour stability and nutritional value of thermostable enzymes, fruit variety, ripeness, harvest time, traditional and modern preserving techniques (pasteurization, freezing, pulsed electric field, ohmic heating, high pressure processing), which will be evaluated in a 4D approach (microbes, enzymes, nutrients and chemical-physical parameters). Upon conclusion of the action, the ESRs will have established a universal, empirical system for deciding which fruit types to harvest at which times, at which stage of the ripening process, and which preservation method will give the best colour and nutrient stability. In line with the Horizon2020 strategic priority of Open Science this knowledge will be freely accessible. This has the potential to revolutionise the fruit juice industry and will fortify the European industry for decades to come. The participation of IFU guarantees unsurpassed intercommunication between the ETN and industry stakeholders across the EU.