A project involving Spain’s Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology has come up with three innovative food processing technologies that could be applied to a range of foods including fruit juices, smoothies, ice cream and ready meals.

The objective of the i3-food project is to implement a trio of innovative food processing technologies in industrial conditions, guaranteeing a maximum and fast uptake of the market.

The IRTA has worked for three years in the development and dissemination of this project which has been supported by the European Commission under the H2020 framework Program for Research and Technological Development at a total cost of €2.3 million.

IRTA has been part of a European consortium, along with three research and technology organizations (DIL, Wageningen University Research and Fraunhofer ISI) and six companies (Elea, DMK, Foodcase, Entex, Hoogesteger and Ërdbar).

 
These three food processing technologies are:

• The Pulsed Electric Field Preservation (PEF-P) that uses short electric pulses to assure microbial inactivation in food products, while preserving the fresh characteristics (e.g., fruit juices or smoothies)
• The High Pressure Thermal Sterilization (HPTS) that uses high pressure to reduce the thermal impact on the products, as compared to other thermal sterilization processes (ready-to-eat-meals)
• Low Shear Extrusion (LS-Extrusion) at a low temperature based on planetary roller extruder, that improves sensory qualities in products (ice cream).

These three food processing technologies have in common their novelty, their clear advantages for the food industry and their difficulties for implementation.

From the i3-food project, IRTA says it has identified those barriers and designed a plan to help in a wider implementation of these technologies. Although these technologies have been developed in recent years and technical advantages have been made regarding time savings, energy savings, extending of shelf life for ‘ready to use’ products, the implementation of these technologies in industrial food production is still rather limited.

There are a variety of reasons including low acceptance or rejection by consumers to non-open market access or lack of knowledge and information among food producers on how to integrate novel technologies.

Taking the risk and investing in an improvement of their processing lines is one of the main hurdles for the industry, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in food processing. There is neither the time nor the resources available that are needed for the implementation of new non-standard processes, according to the IRTA.

i3-food project milestones
Overcoming the technological bottleneck: One of the project’s objectives was to resolve the lack of continuous process control in these novel technologies – very important when a little difference in temperature can suppose great energy save or a safer and better product (e.g., by avoiding under or overtreatment). The project has developed validated sensors (or sensor type measurements) to control the process on line.

 
Developing an optimal process control: A fully and evaluated HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) concept has been developed for each technology, providing interested stakeholders with a systematic preventive approach to food safety from biological, chemical, and physical hazards in production processes and design measurements to reduce these risks to a safe level.

 
Achieving a strategy for application and market uptaking: The focus of i3-food is applied research, so one of the project’s objective was the application of each technology under real-life operating conditions. Regarding this, the market barriers and market entrance hurdles (as user demands, or consumer acceptance) for the implementation of the i3-food technologies have been analyzed. Also, the project has explored the application opportunities beyond known use cases, taking into account economic, ecological and social aspects.

All of this to achieve a cutting edge strategy for overcoming the market barriers and ensure a maximum market uptake. For a fast and easy market penetration, the consortium has performed an analysis of the innovation environment and identification of opportunities, leading to three roadmaps for market uptake (one roadmap per technology).
 

Transferring the knowledge to consumers and producers: All this research and hard work needs to be presented to interested stakeholders, food sector companies and consumers, ensuring that they all can learn about the features and benefits of the i3-food assessed technologies.Over the last three years, the consortium has disseminated the project activity online and also at international food sector events across the world.

As part of the i3-food project, several food companies performed confidential tests with their products using any of the three target processing technologies. Since last December, more than ten companies of the food sector have already participated in these tests.