Washington State University has received a $4 million grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish a Center of Excellence for Food Safety Processing Technologies.

WSU will also use several other grants to create the center, which will help introduce laboratory developments in food processing to the industry.

Centers of excellence are virtual centers that support research and help companies access new technology and develop new products, said Juming Tang, WSU professor of food engineering.

WSU has been working on microwave-assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) and microwave-assisted pasteurization systems (MAPS), which use a combination of microwave heat and a hot water tunnel to rapidly heat packaged food to sterilization or pasteurization temperatures before quickly cooling it, according to the university.

Using the new processes, high-quality, shelf-stable food can be created and packaged without using additives. The new systems preserve the natural color, taste and texture of the food.

WSU has licensed the technology to 915 Labs, which is commercializing it.

The university also received a $7.2 million investment in March from the Australian government to adopt MATS technology. WSU and 915 Labs will provide the system to Australia’s Ministry of Defense.

According to WSU, the investments will help provide improved ready-to-eat meals for soldiers and “convenience-oriented consumers.”

Tang said the technology can be used on a wide variety of foods.

Much research conducted in university laboratories does not directly transfer to industry use, Tang said. Researchers can develop and demonstrate concepts, but “there is a gap we need to bridge, and (the grant funding) helps us bridge that gap,” he said.

The equipment the university developed needs to be made larger to produce food on a larger scale, Tang said. Researchers must also understand food company protocols and adapt the technology to meet regulatory requirements.

WSU recently held a kickoff meeting for the center, and will form alliances with other companies.

The university will host a five-day boot camp in August for industry members so they can learn about WSU’s processes.