On August 10th, the “Eleventh Five-Year” National 863 Program in the field of modern agricultural technology “Food Non-thermal Processing Technology and Equipment” successfully passed the acceptance test. China successfully developed a water-based medium frame direct-sealed, large-capacity, intelligent food ultra-high pressure. A series of non-thermal processing technologies and equipments with independent intellectual property rights, such as processing equipment, and the first industrialized development and application of food ultra-high pressure technology in China, thus breaking the developed countries such as the United States, Spain and Japan for nearly 20 years. The passive situation of technical blockade and equipment monopoly indicates that China has achieved leap-forward development in non-thermal processing theory, key technology research and large-scale equipment development and industrialization application in a short period of time.

“Non-thermal processing is an emerging food processing technology, mainly used for sterilization and blunt enzymes, including ultra-high pressure, high-voltage pulsed electric field, high-pressure carbon dioxide, ionizing radiation, pulsed magnetic field and other technologies for food processing.” Team leader, China Hu Xiaosong, professor of the Agricultural University and director of the Engineering Research Center of the Ministry of Education of Fruits and Vegetables, told reporters that compared with the traditional "hot processing", food "non-thermal processing" has the characteristics of low sterilization temperature and better preservation of the original color and flavor of food. In particular, it has a good protective effect on the functional and nutrient components of heat-sensitive foods. At the same time, non-thermal processing also has less environmental pollution, less processing energy consumption and pollution emissions. Therefore, the application of non-thermal processing technology in the food industry has become a new growth point and driving force for the international food processing industry.

Hu Xiaosong said that the successful development of China's food ultra-high pressure processing technology and equipment has not only opened up new development space in food manufacturing equipment, but also mainly in new fruit and vegetable food, livestock and poultry meat products, aquatic products, especially The fields of traditional flavor foods, ready-to-eat foods, ready-to-eat foods and convenient Chinese dishes have broad prospects for food development and can form emerging industries with great potential.

“The results of ultra-high pressure technology have been completed in just two years, but the sales of commercial ultra-high pressure equipment has exceeded 50 sets (sets), and began to export in batches. It is estimated that in 2010, foreign exchange earned by export will exceed USD 2.2 million, and domestic sales will exceed 8,000. Ten thousand yuan, the market prospects are very broad." Hu Xiaosong said.

In fact, the “technical revolution” of the international food technology industry triggered by non-thermal processing has already begun. In recent years, developed countries have generally attached importance to the development of food non-thermal processing technology. The EU has set up funding for research in the field of non-thermal processing technology in its fifth and sixth framework projects (FP5 and FP6). The FP6 framework project alone funds 23 million euros for two non-thermal processing projects. The United States has placed more emphasis on non-thermal processing technology research, including the US military, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration. At present, non-thermal processing technologies such as ultra-high pressure and high-pressure carbon dioxide have been rapidly applied in developed countries. The United States, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and other countries have passed the food safety evaluation of non-thermal processing technology, and approved the technology for commercial applications in the fields of fruits and vegetables, meat products, aquatic products.

It is reported that the Ministry of Science and Technology has always paid great attention to the development trend of food non-thermal processing technology for many years. Since the "Ninth Five-Year Plan", it has set up a research plan for non-thermal processing technology for foods such as ultra-high pressure technology, and in the "Eleventh Five-Year" countries. The 863 Program and the Science and Technology Support Program set up special topics for the research of non-thermal processing technology and equipment, giving priority support, enhancing China's independent innovation capability in agricultural bio-manufacturing and food fine processing technology, and building “green, efficient, healthy, and "Safety" is a technological innovation system for new technologies, new processes, new equipment and new products for the food industry. Through the funding and smooth implementation of these programs, China has established a research team engaged in non-thermal processing. China Agricultural University, South China University of Technology, Jilin University, Jiangsu University, Hefei University of Technology, Jiangnan University and Baotou Science and Technology Development Corporation have formed a non-thermal processing technology alliance closely integrated with industry, academia and research, and the basic theoretical research and key in non-thermal processing. New breakthroughs have been made in the field of technology applications.

Cao Jianlin, deputy director of the Ministry of Science and Technology, pointed out at the project acceptance meeting that in the future, it is necessary to further strengthen the research and development of methods and methods for modern food equipment with original innovation, and to do real original work; to improve experimental equipment, focus on theoretical basic research and high-tech research; Further strengthen teamwork with different disciplines with strong advantages to achieve cross-disciplinary development, so that China's food equipment industry will develop by leaps and bounds in the next few years, forming a new industrial economic growth point.