Dr. Qiang Liu

Image Qiang Liu
Research Scientist

Starch and Bioplastic

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
93 Stone Rd W, Guelph, ON N1G 5C9

Current research and/or projects

Dr. Liu’s research is focused on applying established scientific concepts to understand how changes in the physical, chemical and nutritional properties of starch/protein materials (derived from various Canadian grown plant crops) occur as they are subjected to different processing conditions for food and non-food applications; the factors influencing glycemic index of Pulse and Potato; starch and modified starch, plant protein for bioplastic and pharmaceutical applications. His research provided important technical support to Canada’s agriculture sector and offered critical expertise in relation to the use of plant biopolymer in food processing, bio-based materials, and influenced the direction-making on research and development of agriculture sector and its industry. His newly established bioplastic lab is now fully capable of conducting a national program in bioplastic with well-recognized expertise and modern infrastructure to address government research priority on bioproducts.

Research and/or project statements

  • Canadian pulse starch as a clean label food ingredient and viable alternative to current commercial starches for food uses
  • Characterization and enhanced release of bioactives in pulse/grain processing by-products for novel functional food ingredients with greater bioavailability and health benefits
  • Understanding and revitalizing the Indigenous Three Sisters-based cropping systems in support of nutrition
  • Design of sustainable agricultural mulch film using Biocarbon and other biopolymers as feedstocks for agriculture system

Professional activities / interests

  • Starch chemistry: structure, functional properties and food applications
  • Starch structure modification for nutritional and industrial applications
  • Resistant starch and low glycemic index starch from Canadian grown crops
  • Plant polymers-based bioplastics and biocomposites: formulation, processing, characterization and industrial applications

Education and awards

Ph.D. Food Science & Technology, Laval University

M.Eng. Polymer, East China University of Science and Technology, China

B.Eng. Polymer Composites, East China University of Science and Technology, China

International experience and/or work

Post-Doctoral Associate, Dept. of Material Sci. & Eng., 7/98-6/99, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA

Post-Doctoral Associate, Dept. of Food Science, 6/97-6/98, The Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA

Lecturer and assistant professor, Dept. of Polymer Materials, 8/84 - 8/92, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China

Key publications

  1. Jeong, D., Hong, J.S., Liu, Q., Choi, H.D., Chung, H.J. (2021). The effects of different levels of heat-treated legume flour on nutritional, physical, textural, and sensory properties of gluten-free muffins. Cereal Chemistry, [online] 98(2), 392-404. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cche.10379

    2021 - View publication details

  2. Park, G.Y., Liu, Q., Hong, J.S., Chung, H.J. (2021). Anti-staling and quality characteristics of Korean rice cake affected by mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf powder fortification. Journal of Cereal Science, [online] 97 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcs.2020.103133

    2021 - View publication details

  3. Wulff, D., Chan, A., Liu, Q., Gu, F.X., Aucoin, M.G. (2020). Characterizing internal cavity modulation of corn starch microcapsules. Heliyon, [online] 6(10), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05294

    2020 - View publication details

  4. Samarakoon, E.R.J., Waduge, R., Liu, Q., Shahidi, F., Banoub, J.H. (2020). Impact of annealing on the hierarchical structure and physicochemical properties of waxy starches of different botanical origins, 303 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125344

    2020 - View publication details

  5. Lu, Z.H., Donner, E., Liu, Q. (2018). Effect of roasted pea flour/starch and encapsulated pea starch incorporation on the in vitro starch digestibility of pea breads. Food Chemistry, [online] 245 71-78. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2017.10.037

    2018 - View publication details

  6. Zhang, Y., Liu, Q., Rempel, C. (2018). Processing and characteristics of canola protein-based biodegradable packaging: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, [online] 58(3), 475-485. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2016.1193463

    2018 - View publication details

  7. Dupuis, J.H., Tsao, R., Yada, R.Y., Liu, Q. (2017). Physicochemical properties and in vitro digestibility of potato starch after inclusion with vanillic acid. Food Science and Technology - LWT, [online] 85 218-224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2017.07.010

    2017 - View publication details

  8. Ramdath, D.D., Liu, Q., Donner, E., Hawke, A., Kalinga, D., Winberg, J., Wolever, T.M.S. (2017). Investigating the relationship between lentil carbohydrate fractions and in vivo postprandial blood glucose response by use of the natural variation in starch fractions among 20 lentil varieties. Food and Function, [online] 8(10), 3783-3791. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c7fo00972k

    2017 - View publication details

  9. Raghunathan, R., Hoover, R., Waduge, R., Liu, Q., Warkentin, T.D. (2017). Impact of molecular structure on the physicochemical properties of starches isolated from different field pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars grown in Saskatchewan, Canada, 221 1514-1521. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.10.142

    2017 - View publication details

  10. Waduge, R.N., Warkentin, T.D., Donner, E., Cao, R., Ramdath, D.D., Liu, Q. (2017). Structure, physicochemical properties, and in vitro starch digestibility of yellow pea flour modified with different organic acids. Cereal Chemistry, [online] 94(1), 142-150. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/CCHEM-03-16-0068-FI

    2017 - View publication details

  11. Pinhero, R.G., Tsao, R., Liu, Q., Sullivan, J.A., Bizimungu, B., and Yada, R.Y. (2016). "Protein and Phenolic Contents and Antioxidant Activities of 14 Early Maturing Potatoes as Affected by Processing.", American Journal of Plant Sciences, 7, pp. 69-81. doi : 10.4236/ajps.2016.71008

    2016 - View publication details

  12. Maaran, S., Hoover, R., Vamadevan, V., Waduge, R.N., Liu, Q. (2016). In vitro amylolysis of pulse and hylon VII starches explained in terms of their composition, morphology, granule architecture and interaction between hydrolysed starch chains, 192 1098-1108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.07.103

    2016 - View publication details

  13. Pinhero, R.G., Waduge, R.N., Liu, Q., Sullivan, J.A., Tsao, R., Bizimungu, B., Yada, R.Y. (2016). Evaluation of nutritional profiles of starch and dry matter from early potato varieties and its estimated glycemic impact, 203 356-366. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.02.040

    2016 - View publication details

  14. Du, Y., Li, S., Zhang, Y., Rempel, C., Liu, Q. (2016). Treatments of protein for biopolymer production in view of processability and physical properties: A review. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, [online] 133(17), http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.43351

    2016 - View publication details

  15. Chen, P.X., Dupuis, J.H., Marcone, M.F., Pauls, P.K., Liu, R., Liu, Q., Tang, Y., Zhang, B., Tsao, R. (2015). Physicochemical Properties and in Vitro Digestibility of Cooked Regular and Nondarkening Cranberry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and Their Effects on Bioaccessibility, Phenolic Composition, and Antioxidant Activity. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, [online] 63(48), 10448-10458. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b04005

    2015 - View publication details

  16. Du, Y., Chen, F., Zhang, Y., Rempel, C., Thompson, M.R., Liu, Q. (2015). Potato protein isolate-based biopolymers. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, [online] 132(44), http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.42723

    2015 - View publication details

  17. Zhang, B., Deng, Z., Ramdath, D.D., Tang, Y., Chen, P.X., Liu, R., Liu, Q., Tsao, R. (2015). Phenolic profiles of 20 Canadian lentil cultivars and their contribution to antioxidant activity and inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase and pancreatic lipase. Food Chemistry, [online] 172 862-872. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.09.144

    2015 - View publication details

  18. Vamadevan, V. and Liu, Q. (2014). "Starch, Starch Architecture and Structure.", .

    2014 - View publication details

  19. Zhang, B., Deng, Z., Tang, Y., Chen, P.X., Liu, R., Ramdath, D.D., Liu, Q., Hernandez, M., Tsao, R. (2014). Effect of domestic cooking on carotenoids, tocopherols, fatty acids, phenolics, and antioxidant activities of lentils (Lens culinaris). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, [online] 62(52), 12585-12594. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf504181r

    2014 - View publication details

  20. Maaran, S., Hoover, R., Liu, Q., and Donner, E.A. (2014). "How is pulse starch digestibility influenced by their molecular and supramolecular structure?", Canadian Nutrition Society: Scientific Abstracts from the 5th Annual Scientific Meeting. (Abstract)

    2014 - View publication details

Contact

Research facility

Guelph Research and Development Centre
93 Stone Road West
Guelph, ON N1G 5C9
Canada

Expertise

Agriculture›Agri-Food
Agriculture›Bioproducts
Agriculture›Food Science›Starch-based functional food bioproducts
Agriculture›Food Science›Starch-based functional food industrial uses
Agriculture›Food Science›Starch-based functional food ingredients
Food›Agriculture
Food›Cooking
Food›Nutrition›Macronutrients
Materials›Biopolymers

Affiliations

  • Adjunct Associate Professor, McMaster University
  • Adjunct Professor and Associate Graduate Faculty, University of Guelph

Language

English
French