Culinary Smoke Generation for Smoked Foods

The smoke generator is the process unit operation that precedes the smokehouse where food is either hot or cold smoked. It is an ancient technology traditionally used to preserve and flavour food. In recent years rising awareness of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons has result in the European Union placing limits on the PAH content in smoked foods. We are interested in the environmental conditions under which smoke is generated to influence the balance between flavour and PAH content. This PhD project will develop a mechanistic model of the kinetics of smoke generation including the effects of environment and of mass and heat transport for new prototype smoke generators. The project will include experimental work, model development and validation. The project will sit alongside another PhD project in the food flavour area and a post-doctoral fellow who will co-ordinate the prototype smoke generator development. The supervision team includes Prof Jim Jones and Prof Richard Archer of Massey University and Dr Graham Eyres of University of Otago.

Interested students with appropriate qualifications (1st class or 2nd class Div 1 honours degree, or a master’s degree in chemical engineering, food engineering or equivalent) should contact Professor Jim Jones and supply a detailed CV with an academic transcript.