THE POTENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF MANY WATER-INSOLUBLE BIOACTIVE FOOD COMPOUNDS WITH DISEASE-FIGHTING POTENTIAL ARE NOT FULLY REALIZED DUE TO THEIR LOW BIOAVAILABILITY (THE FRACTION OF THE NUTRIENT ABSORBED AND UTILIZED IN THE HUMAN BODY UPON DIGESTION). CURCUMIN HAS RECEIVED MUCH ATTENTION AS HEALTH-PROMOTING FOOD INGREDIENTS FOR THEIR GUT HEALTH-IMPROVING PROPERTIES. HOWEVER INCORPORATION OF CURCUMIN INTO FOODS IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE BECAUSE CURCUMIN IS A CRYSTALLINE POWDER THAT IS INSOLUBLE IN WATER AS WELL AS IN THE AQUEOUS PHASE OF THE INTESTINAL JUICE. CONSEQUENTLY CURCUMIN ADDED TO FOODS IS NOT BIOAVAILABLE. IN THE ABSENCE OF METHODS TO IMPROVE BIOAVAILABILITY OF CURCUMIN CURCUMIN'S POTENTIAL FOR EFFICIENTLY IMPROVING HUMAN HEALTH WILL REMAIN UNTAPPED.TO FILL THIS GAP OUR LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO DEVELOP SIMPLE EFFICIENT AND GREEN STRATEGIES TO ENHANCE THE BIOAVAILABILITY OF WATER INSOLUBLE BIOACTIVES. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP AN INNOVATIVE AND GREEN MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY TO FORM FIRST-OF-THEIR-KIND CURCUMIN WITH IMPROVED BIOAVAILABILITY TO BE USED AS NOVEL FOOD INGREDIENTS.THIS TECHNOLOGY WILL ENABLE FOOD MANUFACTURERS TO ADD WATER-INSOLUBLE BIOACTIVES INTO FOODS TO PRODUCE HEALTH-PROMOTING FOODS IN A CLEAN SIMPLE AND EFFICIENT MANNER AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF VARIOUS WATER-INSOLUBLE BIOACTIVES. THIS PROJECT WILL BOLSTER THE FOOD INDUSTRY BY TRANSFERRING THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NOVEL FOOD INGREDIENTS TO FOOD MANUFACTURERS AND BY MAXIMIZING THE USE OF BIOACTIVES DERIVED FROM AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.