Innovative Food Process Engineering

© INT LT

Food process engineering and the optimization of production processes are core research areas of our work. We concentrate on making industrial processes more efficient, resource-saving and sustainable. In doing so, we look at various technological approaches that can improve both the quality of products and the efficiency of manufacturing processes.

A particular focus is on the cutting of food and the cleaning of food technology systems. In these areas, we investigate the interactions between materials, machines and processes in order to increase the efficiency and feasibility of the processes. Our findings are gradually transferred from model systems to more complex, real-life applications, working closely with food companies and their suppliers to develop practical solutions.

Current projects

© Manuel Helbig

DBU - SMESA

The project develops a standardized catalog of methods for analyzing cleaning-relevant soil properties in food production. By selectively choosing and optimizing cleaning processes, resource consumption is to be minimized and industrial applicability improved. Learn more

© Fraunhofer IVV

IGF - FlexPig

The aim is to develop contour-adaptive suspension pigs for cleaning pipeline systems in food production. These should minimize mixed phases during product changes, adapt to complex pipeline geometries, and provide a safe and resource-efficient alternative to conventional cleaning pigs through their food-based composition. Learn more

© Franz Dammaß

DFG - Cutting

The project investigates friction mechanisms in food cutting to better understand their impact on process stability and cut quality. Based on experimental analyses and model-based simulations, optimized process parameters will be derived to enable energy-efficient and high-quality cutting processes. Learn more

Recently finished projects:

• ReMoVe - Increasing the resource efficiency of cleaning processes in food industry with modular model soil (03/2021 - 08/2023)

• Identification of physical-chemical properties of soils for structure-based cleaning optimisation in the food industry 2 - StReo 2 (02/2020 - 05/2023)

• Experimental and computational analysis of rate dependence during cutting of viscoelastic natural materials (07/2019 - 02/2023)

An overview of all current and completed projects can be found here.