Research projects

About

Techniques and testing methods to identify transfer and removal of allergens from reusable packaging, and challenging emerging products with potential new allergens.

About

This project expects to develop a routine method that will allow us to track microbial population dynamics in food produce from its place of origin through to consumption. By understanding what time points and spatial surfaces are critical to the hygiene and longevity of the food product, this will allow us select key microbes to target during the cleaning and hygiene routines. Using non-culturable methods such as 16S Illumina Sequencing we hope to produce a better understanding of the microbiome by not selecting for any time, temperature, or chemical pressures. Upon collection and breakdown of this data we hope to establish a method of understanding the microflora and show a number of applications within food factory hygiene control.

Outputs

• R&D 482 - Using next-generation sequencing to track microbial population dynamics through food production
• RSS 2022:2a - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 1: Population studies and culture-based biases
• RSS 2022:2b - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 2: Tracking factory hygiene
• RSS 2022:2c - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 3: Product maturation and population development
• RSS 2022:2d - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 4: Shelf-life and population dynamics

About

The goal of this work is to establish an accurate model for the minimum pasteurisation requirements of beer. Current pasteurisation regimes for beer have been challenged by Rachon et al. (2018) and shown to excessively heat beer products, far above the level required to ensure destruction of all spoilage microorganisms. High levels of pasteurisation may result in deleterious effects to the organoleptic properties of the beer, and potentially waste time, energy and result in higher costs. Supplying our clients with a ready-to-use model for the accurate pasteurisation of beer will enable massive savings and have a positive impact on sustainability action.

About

Advanced microbial profiling (AMP) allows the environmental (microbial) load of a factory (or other premises) to be easily analysed in detail – including the presence of organisms that are difficult to culture. This extra information has the potential to deliver insights into the microbial ecology of a factory, insights previously unobtainable, which should facilitate better control. For example, it may allow the development of more targeted cleaning regimes.

Outputs

• R&D 482 - Using next-generation sequencing to track microbial population dynamics through food production
• RSS 2022:2a - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 1: Population studies and culture-based biases
• RSS 2022:2b - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 2: Tracking factory hygiene
• RSS 2022:2c - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 3: Product maturation and population development
• RSS 2022:2d - ‘Factory to fridge’ bacterial population profiling 4: Shelf-life and population dynamics

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About

PROSEED alternative protein products aim to valorise abundant wine industry side stream towards higher value circular applications within a number of value chains. In fact, the new products will be the result of an innovative bioprocess - using spent grape seeds as starting point - which will find a new life as ingredient in the food and beverage industry, replacing animal-based as well as imported ingredients. The project is co-funded by the EIT Food and focuses on the production and commercialisation of one circular-based environmentally and economically sustainable new protein product. CBHU's activity is related to co-creation activtites with companies and consumers.

About

This project is a PhD studentship being co-funded with the University of Nottingham & University of Adelaide. As the title suggests, this project is about using new technologies like virtual and augmented reality to connect consumers. Virtual reality generally means creating a completely computer rendered environment. Augmented reality generally means overlaying digital content with what the users sees in the real world. For example, holding your phone over an image triggers an animation to run on your phone or it might initiate a video about your product when the phone is held over your product label.

About

Prevention of DIABetes with OLEanolic Acid. The main aim of the project is to create a new food Oleanolic acid enriched extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) able to fight against the emergence of diabetes, generating a new food product that allow to improve health of consumers. CBHU’s activities related to the legal aspects of its labelling and consumer studies on sensory claims.

About

Control of viruses in the food industry is not only about cleaning them off surfaces. They are also present in foods and are increasingly being linked to outbreaks. This project is designed to explore the response of viruses to control measures such as pasteurisation in food products.

About

Natural antimicrobials such as ferments and vinegars provide a route to establishing a clean-label product without compromising on inhibition of microbial activity. Natural antimicrobials must be shown to be effective against the target organisms before they can be used commercially. This project will develop a range of tests and show proof of concept for natural antimicrobial testing.

About

'European food chain supply to reduce GHG emissions by 2050'
The focus of the ENOUGH project is to contribute to the EU Farm to Fork Strategy by identifying how the food industry can:

• Reduce GHG-emissions by at least 50% by 2050 compared with 1990 levels.
• Achieve climate neutrality for food businesses by reducing energy use and increasing energy efficiency by 2030.
• Improve the overall integrated sustainability of food systems (including social/health, climate/environmental and economic aspects) whilst at the same time meeting societal goals.
• Increase awareness among policymakers, businesses, investors, entrepreneurs, institutions, stakeholders and citizens of selected innovative systemic solutions and their potential for uptake at the EU scale.ű

About

In line with the new CAP post2020, the F2F Strategy and the Green Deal, the EU4Advice Project will develop enabling methodologies and tools to connect short food supply chains (SFSCs) advisors in a common network with the aim of fostering the upscaling of consumer-producer chains across Europe. The main objective of EU4Advice project is to settle the foundations and structures required to ensure effective capacity building of SFSC actors through fluent knowledge transfer. Applying the principles of the interactive innovation model, EU4Advice project aims to boost the role of advisors as catalysers of the knowledge flow from research to practice, through the creation of an EU network of advisors with knowledge and expertise on SFSC issues, and the implementation of measures towards the effective integration of SFSC advisors into national AKIS by implementing new governance models that facilitates the integration of SFSCs advisory services. EU4Advice clearly deals with the important goals of the Farm2Fork Strategy, as it is intended to promote the most sustainable and empowering SFSC models, which constitute a promising and emerging sustainable alternative to globalized food systems, with strong potential to empower both producers and consumers while, at the same time, reducing the environmental footprint and enhancing the competitiveness of the agri-food system.

About

This project is a PhD studentship that we are sponsoring at the University of Lincoln. The project is looking at where robotics and AI could play a role in factory hygiene i.e. factory cleaning operations. It is looking at a number of potential areas including using artificial intelligence to schedule cleaning tasks more effectively, looking at where robots could completely replace human operators and where robots could be used to simplify and improve the job for workers by operating in collaboration with them.

Outputs

• Processing, operations and preservation MIG webinar - Spring 2022

About

The RIS* PD (Regional Innovation Scheme Professional Development) is a multidimensional educational program run by EIT Food, created to up-skill as well as to re-skill the farmers, SMEs employees, and young professionals, considered to be the game changers of the food sector in their regions. The main purpose of this program is to invite career progressors from the agri-food world, men and equally treated women, to turn their innovative ideas into action, to become entrepreneurs in their business and lead sustainability challenges in their geographical areas. Fully integrated and interactive workshops are designed to provide participants with mainstream tools, best real-time NPD techniques and management practices from the extended network of EIT Food partner companies and Rising Food Stars.

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An important new project looking at the risks from pathogens in low/no alc beverages. Traditional alcoholic beers are safe but once the alcohol is removed then there can be increased risks. This project seeks to demonstrate any presence of pathogens in commercial products and seeks to produce data to enable safe products to be manufactured in the future.

About

The aim of this project is to develop a new service to characterise foods using tribology. This is an instrumental method that seeks to objectively measure the perception of 'mouth-feel' when a product is consumed.