Technology Options for Sustainable Food Processing

Technology Options for Sustainable Food Processing STOA workshop “How to feed the world in 2050?” Ben Langelaan, 04 December 2013

Scope of this study: Food Processing The conversion of agro-raw materials with the purpose to: • Make a sufficiently stable food product that is safe for human consumption (microbiologically and chemically) • Give the product the required intrinsic quality aspects, e.g. digestibility, nutrient content, flavour, colour and texture • Add value to the product on other aspects, e.g. convenience, lifestyle and marketing Consumer Retailer Carrier Processor DC retailer Grower

Outline • Line 1 • Level 2 • Line 2 • Level 2 • Level 2 • Level 3 • Level 3 • Line 3 • Line 4

Technology options studyFood Processing • Expert judgment for the potential of new and emerging technologies to enhance sustainability in the food processing sector • Sustainability as such is hardly a driver for innovation • A specific focus on technology options that support the competitiveness of the European food processing industry on the following areas: • New and better food products • Resource efficient manufacturing processes • Integrated and transparent supply chains • Enhanced innovation capacity

Areas of improvement

Improve shelf life, maintain fresh quality NovelQ keeps food delicious • Challenge • Novel processing methods for the production and distribution of high-quality and safe foods • Solution • Building and leading this EU project with 37 public and private partners • Develop and successfully demonstrate quality improving novel processing techniques • PoC, prototyping, implementation, including Packaging, QA and consumer testing • Result • New mild preservation with improved food quality, same safety and similar shelf life • 3 validated and demonstrated novel processing techniques on real food • Strategic Novel technology Knowledge Chain

Product innovation: Fresh & shelf life Hoogesteger ‘sejuices’ Europe One partner to convert a technique into an unique production process and support the implementation. Thanks Food & Biobased Research! Michiel van ‘t Hek, General Manager Hoogesteger • Challenge • Increaseshelf life of fresh fruit juices • Solution • Development of new, non-thermal, mild processing technique • Implementation of unique full scaleproduction line (8000 l/hr) • Result • 11 different juices, indistinguishablefromfreshjuice, withthree weeks shelf life • Similarproductionscostsduetoless spillage andeasedlogistics • Expanding market from the Netherlands to Western Europe

Freshness for longer 18 monthsago Pulsed Electric Fields technology as alternativeforthermalpasteurisation Lesswaste in the supply chain, more flexibility

22-11-12 Smart & transparent supply chain Smart Monitoring in the supply chain • Avoiding losses of fresh produce / • usage of all products: • Controlling and predicting quality Antenna RF communication IC Printed battery CMOS sensor IC • Controlling: • Temperature, RH • CO2 (vegetables) • O2 (meat, fish) • pH & volatiles (meat) • ethylene

QUEST – Energy reduction in reefer transport Maersk Line refrigerates with a difference • Challenge • Reduce energy consumption of reefer containers carrying perishable commodities such as fruit, flower bulbs and meat • Solution • Cooling technology, ICT and quality attributes of fresh produce • Result • 65% energy savings without affecting quality • CO2emissions reduced by 500.000 tonnes annually • Competitive advantage with long-term environmental strategy

Advanced product development Ojah eat Plenti • Challenge • Develop a meat substitute with a bite • Solution • Development of new texturisation process and product • Consumer acceptance testing • Result • Chicken like product from only soymeal and water • Spin off company with own production facility

Process Efficiency Wheat fractionation Courtesy Atze Jan van der Goot, Remko Boom

Application functionalfractions in products Advantages: - more efficientuse of rawmaterials - lessdryingrequired - functionalfractionsinstead of “chemical” purity - optional: use of semi-dry ingredientsinstead of powders Courtesy Atze Jan van der Goot, Remko Boom

Technology options – conclusions (1) • Short term: stimulate eco-efficient processing, create direct savings, e.g., through operational excellence programmes, provision of benchmark data and advanced process control strategies • Further direct savings through implementation of more advanced technologies like: • Adaptive refrigeration • Dry processing routes • Food microsystems)

Technology options – conclusions (2) • Largest impact: technologies that address the main inefficiencies in the food processing sector: • Food losses • Suboptimal utilisation of by-products • Unnecessary quality decay within the supply chain • Examples of such technologies: • Smart sensors and RFID tags that allow for quality control over the entire supply chain • Technologies for advanced product development (e.g., meat replacers) • Mild preservation and separation technologies • Required: extension of the knowledge basis and easy access to pilot and demonstration equipment

Thank you for your attention Ben.Langelaan@wur.nl

Technology Options for Sustainable Food Processing