[ Food Industry ]
[ Food Industry ]
In June 2023 , GEA inaugurated its New Food technology center in Hildesheim , Germany , as a development center for a more sustainable food industry . Source : GEA / Mike Henning
High-tech facility for alternative proteins
A state-of-the-art technology centre in Wisconsin , USA , will be home to an end-to-end process line developing alternative proteins in response to demand from the booming ‘ new food ’ industry .
By Joanne McIntyre , Stainless Steel World an urgent need for scaling facilities like ours ,” says Arpad Csay , who leads GEA ’ s North American new food business . “ The GEA platform in Janesville will enable manufacturers to conduct their scaling and testing work without investing in their own capital-intensive infrastructure . In this way , we will help overcome scaling challenges and accelerate the industry ’ s growth .”
GEA has invested EUR 18 million in a technology centre for alternative proteins in the USA . The new food innovation centre on the GEA Campus in Janesville , USA , will evaluate processes for producing new food on a transferable pilot scale and test production using cell cultures and microbial fermentation in conjunction with upstream and downstream process steps . The 10,000 m 2 facility will be housed in an extension of the existing GEA building . The technology centre will develop sustainable meat , dairy , seafood and egg alternatives . There is significant demand for the technology in the fast-growing US ‘ new food ’ market . The new food tech hub will pilot microbial , cell-based and plant-based foods . GEA ’ s state-of-the-art technologies and a team of biotechnology experts form the basis for scaling new food for industrial production . The new campus is scheduled to open in the spring of 2025 .
Technology boost for new food The USA is one of the countries promoting the development of sustainable food options through favourable regulation and openness to innovative food technologies . For example , the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) already approved cell-cultivated chicken meat in 2022 , and last year confirmed that the use of precision-fermented milk proteins in foods is safe . “ A number of new food pioneers in the USA are already writing innovation history . When it comes to industrial production , the market is still on the starting blocks . GEA ’ s new food centre bridges a gap in the innovation landscape , driving forward the development of complementary proteins through technology ,” says Dr Reimar Gutte , Senior Vice President Liquid and Fermentation Technologies , leading New Food at GEA . “ Most new food companies are located in North America , and the bulk of the investments in alternative proteins flow into this region . Consequently , there is
Biologization of the food industry Beyond testing and validating processes , GEA also intends to promote the training of biotechnology specialists in the 10,000 m 2 building . Attached to the GEA site for homogenizers , separators , pumps and valves , which opened in December 2023 , the new food experts will enhance knowledge sharing with other disciplines . This project marks GEA ’ s second investment in a new food hub , which fast-tracks innovations from the lab to commercial-scale manufacturing . Prior to this , GEA inaugurated its technology center focusing on cell cultivation and fermentation in Hildesheim , Germany , in June 2023 .
New food : growth driver for industry The novel food movement addresses the challenges posed by the megatrends of climate change , food security and ethics , and healthy nutrition . That is why new food has been identified as one of the growth drivers in the GEA Mission 26 strategy .
24 Stainless Steel World June 2024 www . stainless-steel-world . net