Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV
Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV

Pilot plant process development for plant raw materials

Crushing – Separation – Extraction – Drying

We use sustainable raw materials for a broad range of applications.

Based on the raw material characterization, we develop and optimize products and processes for the food industry and for technical applications. Reliable manufacturing processes ensure consistent product quality.
 

Clean labeling with plant raw materials

Let us help you improve the sustainability of your products by using biobased raw materials. Maintain focus on the recyclability and biodegradability of your products. Utilize plant ingredients in your food products. Optimize the efficacy and shelf life of your technical products  with functional ingredients from raw and residual plant materials.

We can help you improve your biobased products

  • We will gladly help you select the best plant raw materials for your products.

  • Material functionalities are customized to your products via targeted modifications.

  • We develop application-ready formulations in model recipes.

  • The sample production of plant ingredients and biobased additives can be performed on a laboratory scale up to small pilot plant level (2 m³).

  • We test product applications for you in our pilot plant for plant raw materials, our food pilot plant, and our pilot plant for packaging materials.


Our pilot plant facilities along with personnel and utilities are made available to partners at fixed daily rates. All production steps in the chain from the raw material to the end product can be carried out at the Fraunhofer IVV.

360° Tour trough our pilot plant areas

Food ingredients pilot plant

With the mouse button held down, you can move 360° virtually through our food ingredients pilot plant.

With double click you get full screen mode.

Grinding and dry fractionation

With the mouse button held down, you can move 360° virtually through our pilot plant.

With double click you get full screen mode.

Spray dryer

With the mouse button held down, you can move 360° virtually through our pilot plant.

With double click you get full screen mode.

Recovery and processing of plant raw materials

Lupinenfraktionen für funktioneller Zutaten
Raw material fractions recovered from lupine seeds: Plant oil, plant protein flour, plant protein isolate, pressed flakes

Our development work focuses on the following plant raw materials: oil seeds, leguminous plants, cereals, pseudo-cereals, fruit, and vegetables as well as waste materials and secondary materials from the food industry and agricultural sector.

Based on our extensive knowledge of plant raw materials we develop and optimize efficient methods for wet and dry fractionation. We also modify other processes for the purification and stabilization of plant intermediate products (e.g. membrane methods, spray drying) depending on the particular requirements.

This allows us to recover high-quality plant proteins, plant oils, secondary plant substances, plant fibers, and dietary fiber.

 

Processing methods for plant raw materials
 

  • Dry seed preparation in the pilot plant mill
    Equipment for crushing and the separation of dry solid materials including dehulling, milling, flaking, sieving, classification

  • Aqueous and solvent-based extraction methods including
  • Separation methods
    • Ultra-filtration plant (filter area 10 m², flux 240 l/m²h at 1 bar, 10 kD)
    • Dynamic cross flow filtration unit (explosion-proof, 0.81 m²)
       
  • Concentration and drying
    • Rotary evaporator (up to 20 l, 20 mbar)
    • Drying units (spray dryer, freeze dryer, belt dryer, cabinet dryer)
       
  • Pilot plant facilities for oil
    • Screw press for the mechanical deoiling of seeds
    • Purification unit for plant oil including degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization

Functionalization and modification of plant raw materials

Enzymatic, chemical, and physical methods

Section of an airlift step reactor
Enzymatic modification of plant oil in the airlift loop reactor

Foods and technical products require their components to have effective functionalities. In many cases the starting property profiles of plant isolates, concentrates, and extracts are inadequate for these materials to be directly used in the target products. We modify and functionalize plant raw materials using gentle enzymatic, chemical, and physical methods.

The application properties of the functionalized intermediate products (e.g. solubility, emulsifying properties, foaming behavior, gel formation properties, adhesion, film formation, tribological properties) are studied in model formulations.

In the area of foods this can be, for example, in meat substitute products, milk substitute products, beverages, pasta products, and baked products.

Model formulations in the technical area include biodegradable lubricants, adhesives, and pigments.