Summary Flavours can be among the most valuable ingredients in any food formula. Even small amounts of some aroma substance can be expensive, and because they are usually delicate and volatile, preserving them is often a top concern of food manufacturers. Encapsulation describes different processes to cover an active compound with a protective wall material and it can be employed to treat flavours so as to impart some degree of protection against evaporation, reaction, or migration in a food. Encapsulation of flavours has been attempted and commercialized using many different methods such as spray drying, spray chilling or spray cooling, extrusion, freeze drying, coacervation and molecular inclusion. The choice of appropriate microencapsulation technique depends upon the end use of the product and the processing conditions involved in the manufacturing product. This overview describes each method cited above in terms of the basic chemical and/or physical principles involved and covers mechanisms of flavour release from food matrices.

Flavour encapsulation and controlled release - a review.

CuO nanostructures: Synthesis, characterization, growth mechanisms, fundamental properties, and applications

Thermal comfort and building energy consumption implications - A review

Microgrids and Active Distribution Networks offer a potential solution for sustainable, energy-efficient power supply to cater for increasing load growth, supplying power to remote areas, generation of clean power and reduction in emission of greenhouse gases & particulates as per Kyoto protocol.

Microgrids and Active Distribution Networks

Advances in heat pump systems: A review

Achieving better energy-efficient air conditioning - A review of technologies and strategies

Development of micro power generators – A review

Combustion and emissions characteristics of diesel engine fueled by biodiesel at partial load conditions

Drying is an indispensable process in many food industries. The drive towards improved drying technologies is spurred by the needs to produce better quality products. Improvement in quality of most food products translates into significant increase in their market value. The recent development of new hybrid drying technologies to improve food quality is in line with the present trend of ‘quality’ enhancement with reduced environmental impact. This review paper summarises some recent developments in hybrid drying technologies of interest to food industry. Numerous emerging technologies are listed and discussed in detail. The potential application areas for these hybrid drying technologies in product quality enhancement are identified.

Kian Jon Chua

Papers

Advances in heat pump systems: A review

Achieving better energy-efficient air conditioning - A review of technologies and strategies

Development of micro power generators – A review

Combustion and emissions characteristics of diesel engine fueled by biodiesel at partial load conditions

New hybrid drying technologies for heat sensitive foodstuffs