Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGBWe work in an interdisciplinary team establishing new processes for the hygienization and sterilization of biogenic products, for example pasteurization by means of pressure change methods and microwave heating, or for extracting functional components from biogenic raw materials or residues by means of electrophoretic, high-pressure extraction and fractionation methods – from the conception phase, through trials on a laboratory scale, followed by technical scale-up to piloting on an industrial scale.
Food processing technology
Range of services
We focus our research work on the special requirements of food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. We design processes and plants with a view to hygienic principles and to production in compliance with international guidelines. In order to implement our plant concepts we work together with a network of qualified firms from the field of mechanical engineering and plant construction.
- Scientific evaluation, consulting and test trials for aspects of high pressure pasteurization/sterilization for fluid media
- Scientific advice and test trials on aspects of microwave pasteurization/sterilization for fluid products
- Optimizing processes with regard to microbial stability, ensuring that valuable ingredients are not destroyed in the process; energy efficiency
- Product-related evaluation of high pressure and microwave pasteurization/sterilization; wide range of analyses
- Developing hygienic and GMP-compliant processes and plants together with risk analyses for the processes under investigation
- Layout and specification of process by an interdisciplinary team with background on process engineering, food technology, mechanical engineering, chemistry, microbiology and electric engineering
- Laboratory plants for test trials
- Design specification of process unit and components, e.g. by integrated combination of 3D-CAD design and numeric modeling of fluids, electromagnetical fields, heat transfer etc. with latest software releases
- Assisting and monitoring our clients from first test trials up to commissioning of a plant
Infrastructure and technical equipment
A chemical-physical laboratory and several pilot plants are at our disposal for trials and further developments.
Our group uses state of the art software to run theoretical preliminary trials for multiphase processes such as on how solid particles react in a fluid flow. Software packages enable us to calculate high frequency electromagnetic fields in room environments and design antennas to create these fields.
Design and simulation software
- SolidWorks
- CST Microwave Studio
- COMSOL MultiPhysics®
- Design-Expert