The Food Science and Processing Research Center, Shenzhen University was founded in 2017, with Professor Wu Chi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, serving as its director. Affiliated with the College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering at Shenzhen University, our center aims to integrate production, education, research, and application. We research macromolecule-related food science and processing, focusing on the separation, purification and processing of plant proteins, starch and cellulose. Our committment is to the development of new products, technologies, and processes, as well as the transition of our research achievements into industrial applications.

The Research Center currently has a total area of 600 square meters of office and laboratory space. We have established a number of scientific research platforms for the separation, processing, analysis and detection of plant-based foods, equipped with instruments such as HAAKE twin-screw extruder, HAAKE rotational rheometer, Thermo Scientific high-speed floor-standing centrifuge, Agilent multi-heart-cutting two-dimensional ultra-high performance liquid chromatography, Scientz JY92-IIDN high-intensity ultrasonic cell disruptor, Thermo Scientific high-speed refrigerated centrifuge, Thermo Scientific ultra-high-speed desktop centrifuge, Thermo Scientific Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, and SCIENTZ-18ND freeze dryer.

Our main research covers fundamental and applied scientific issues in extrusion processing of food macromolecules, the structural modification of food macromolecules and the effects of their self-assembly behavior on digestibility and absorption, application of proteomics in plant-based food processing, research and application of biological preservation technologies, and product innovation of healthy staple foods, coarse cereals, and tuber crops.

Distinctive features of the team: Core members specialize in polymer physical chemistry, chemical engineering, molecular biology, food science and other disciplines, forming an interdisciplinary innovative team. All core members have overseas study experience.

The long-term goals of the center are to (i) establish a new health food industry with plant proteins replacing animal proteins, (ii) cultivate new interdisciplinary professionals in food science and processing for our country, and (iii) contribute to the development of the health food industry and the improvement of our nation's nutritional structure.