Page 152 - FoodFocusThailand No.210 SEPTEMBER 2023

SITE VISIT

Different approaches through research for better
problem solving
Dr. Kittiwut Kasemwong, Research Team Leader of Nano
Agricultural Chemistry and Processing Research Team, from
NANOTEC, has chosen a proprietary unique freezing method
that can extend the shelf life of lime juice for up to 2 years while
maintaining its quality to be similar to that of freshly squeezed
juice. In order to maintain the quality of the lime juice, most
processes require the mitigation of certain enzyme activities in
the lime juice through pasteurization or the application of ultra-
high temperature (UHT). However, this process affects the quality
of the juice, and to solve this problem, the research team has
developed a more efficient freezing process by adapting the
freezing process from the existing blast freezer and determining
the appropriate temperature and time conditions until frozen lime
juice with hexagonal crystals can be produced. Upon verification
of the enzyme activity through enzyme markers, it was found
that it was reduced by more than 50 percent, which is more
efficient than the normal freezing process, which could only
reduce the activities by 10-20 percent. The innovative process
has also discovered that if the frozen lime juice is thawed and
examined for sensory properties, its characteristics are similar
Manee Manao: Frozen lime juice with beneath to freshly squeezed lime juice. In addition, lime juice that went
innovations and ideas through this unique freezing process, when thawed, could be
Mr. Ketkong Porntaweewat, CEO, and Mr. Viriya stored for up to 1-2 weeks and kept refrigerated for up to 2-3
Porntaweewat, Managing Director of Chiangmai Bioveggie months.
Co., Ltd., are executives of a company that focuses on
agricultural product processing. Before becoming ‘Manee Precise aroma and taste standards through
Manao’, a freshly-squeezed frozen lime juice that is free from electronic nose technology (E-nose)
additives, they had foreseen the volatility of lime prices that Assessments of smell and taste quality through humans are
affects farmers and consumers alike, as well as oversupply limited in terms of accuracy and the amount of testing that
issues that contributed towards falling prices and low yield sometimes cannot be controlled. Therefore, the company and
problems during the dry season thus causing a shortage of the NANOTEC research team developed an intelligent lime
limes in the market which contributes to a significant increase odor-taste quality assessment device, or Lime ID, which is a
in the price of limes. However, in the past 3-4 years, the technology that combines electronic nose technology (E-nose)
company has introduced Tahitian seedless limes, which are with artificial intelligence, to assess the characteristics of fresh
squeezed for their juice and then subsequently frozen to lime juice. This technology consists of 3 parts: the olfactory
extend their shelf life. With this process in place, the company receptor, a sensor to detect odor and taste, which then sends
has set the average price of frozen lime juice to be stable the information to the receptor to digitize the signal to the
throughout the year, thus facilitating the control of production processing unit. The data obtained will be statistically compared
costs of restaurant operators and ensuring a steady supply with the odor and taste database compiled by the research team
of lime juice throughout the year. based on consumer acceptance scores. The test results will be
Producing frozen lime juice starts with bringing the citrus displayed as a score of 1-9. The Manee Manao products
fruit to the washer to wash away foreign matters. Subsequently, constantly achieve a score of 7-9, which is the level accepted
they are then soaked in chlorine-infused water according to by consumers and the market.
the pre-established ratio to reduce the number of The innovation and technology involved in the production of
microorganisms attached to the skin, then sent to the Manee Manao is an interesting case study for fruit juices or other
production plant for further processing. The plant’s lime juicer fresh vegetable entrepreneurs that often encounter issues with
is designed to accommodate all sizes of limes, reducing the deteriorating produce, similar to lime juice. Close collaboration
sorting process. The resulting lime juice is inspected for with NSTDA’s National Nanotechnology Center, which is fully
quality and taste and adjusted to ensure that it is within the facilitated in terms of personnel, research equipment, informative
standard criteria, and then packed and frozen during the knowledge, and research in several fields, can support
night before being shipped and sold the next day. However, entrepreneurs to overcome various challenges and differentiate
as inconsistent storage temperature may affect the juice’s their products through innovations that will eventually help
color, smell, and taste, the company has cooperated with mitigate the cost of importing technology from abroad.
the NSTDA’s National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC)
research team in developing a freezing process to maintain
better the quality of the frozen freshly squeezed lime juice
products.
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