I3-Food - Innovative technologies for the food industry

i3-food is an European project, with participation of IRTA, which main objective is the implementation of 3 innovative food processing technologies, assuring the validation of optimum process control under industrial conditions.  The 3 different technologies used are:- Pulsed electric field preservation of liquid food products (e.g. fruit juices or smoothies)- High pressure thermal sterilization for ready to eat meals- Low shear extrusion of cold food products (e.g. ice cream) In order to guarantee an integrated and complete product, they have a unique setting of partners where the research side, application and the industry side are working together. In all of these three technologies a full control of the process, of the food processing process is needed. To achieve that kind of control, sensors are needed; which must be able to tell what is going on in the process. It takes a deep analysis, because the right sensor must be installed to the right process and is also very important to know how to implement it. The involvement of companies in I3–Food is extremely important to verify technologies under real–world conditions; but first, the Project needs some steps to assure the correct operation of the technologies. Firstly the companies try the technology with demonstrations and semi – industrial scale situations where if they have control on that, then they can ask their partners to implement it, but never before the trials. The I3–Food Consortium is eager to have these 3 new innovative technologies ready and to present them for the application in the food processing industry, because not only do them offer, as said, a full control of the processes, but also they reduce the usage of energy, reduce or even escape the use of chemical preservation, etc. Innovation in food processing is crucial to keep, even better to improve, the competitiveness of companies.  This project is supported by the European Commission under the H2020 Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.The video shows an interview to Peter Holl, Project leader.