Typically, hydrothermal carbonisation is performed by raising the temperature of a material to around 200вЊ under high pressure and in the presence of water. However, it is far less commonly used for treating animal waste. This method, which converts biomass into useful carbon-rich materials, has been widely used to convert plant matter into a coal-like biofuel called hydrochar. In a recent study, they explored a technique known as hydrothermal carbonisation. Most of this seafood waste ends up in landfill, or is simply dumped back into the ocean вЂ“ causing serious environmental problems.Дr Raghavan and his colleagues have been working to address this problem by developing methods that transform this waste into useful materials. Studies have shown that almost half of harvested seafood is wasted. During processing, the less desirable parts of fish, such as the head, scales, fins and bones, are typically discarded. However, as seafood is particularly perishable, much work goes into maximising its shelf life. Seafood makes up a huge proportion of the food consumed worldwide.

To address these issues, Dr Vijaya Raghavan and his research team at McGill University have been investigating various aspects of the food processing industry, in order to develop and optimise methods.Д¬onverting Seafood Waste into Useful Products On top of this, different processing methods can alter food on a chemical level, which can lead to negative health impacts.

However, certain aspects of food processing raise concerns over both environmental sustainability and the health of consumers.ДЇor example, the food processing industry generates a phenomenal amount of waste each year, both in terms of packaging materials and wasted food. Without food processing, the needs of urban populations would be difficult to fulfil, and our selection of foods would be extremely limited, particularly in winter. Such preservation techniques allow consumers to enjoy fish well beyond the harvest season and far from where the fish were caught. Additionally, fish processing often involves gutting, deboning and washing, to obtain fresh meat that can be either transformed into safe and palatable products, or frozen or smoked to preserve the meat for months, or even years. Food processing methods offer a range of important benefits, such as extending shelf life, and providing foods that are more palatable or edible than their unprocessed counterparts.ДЇor instance, the various processing steps involved in converting wheat crops into loaves of bread вЂ“ from harvesting and milling, to kneading and baking вЂ“ unlock the nutrition contained within the raw grain, converting it into an edible form. Today, almost all of the food we consume has been processed in some way. Dr Vijaya Raghavan and his research group at McGill University, Montreal, have been applying their expertise in chemistry and engineering to develop and optimise food processing techniques, to ensure the future health of people and the environment.

Therefore, it is vitally important to develop new food processing methods that consider human health while producing minimal waste. On top of this, the way that food is processed can have negative impacts on the health of consumers. The food processing industry generates enormous quantities of waste every year.