nir-vana innovation network

A Spanish technology center, funded in 1994, offers transversal, integrated and innovative solutions to companies to improve their processes, developments, systems and products. It operates in five economic sectors: i) industry, ii) energy and environment, iii) construction and infrastructure, iv) agro-food, and v) health and quality of life.

Extrusion systems have been used in food processing for over 50 years. The method combines mixing of the ingredients and heating. It is commonly used to produce breakfast cereals, bread, snacks or pet food. This technology improve nutritional and functional properties.

The technological center has a wide experience in the optimization of production processes by applying new or improve methodologies and technologies. One of the main line of applied research of the center is the development of new formulations with added-value ingredients or by-products from other food processes, such as beer brewing waste, wine waste, mill waste or fruit and vegetables peels.

The technology center offers its facilities and know-how to companies interested in:
- Developing new products: using new raw materials or by-products (from their own value-chain or others).
- Modifying flour or starch to obtain new functional proprieties.
- Adding value to a current product varying any ingredient, proportion or parameter.

Pilot scale facilities are available to produce small industrial production (minimum 30 kg).

Partners are sought for:
- Technical cooperation agreement with companies, especially pet food industries or human food industries: flour, cereals, snacks producers or breakfast cereals producers.
- Research cooperation agreement with entities (companies, universities or research and technology centers) interested in participate in EU funding programs in topics related to revalorization of by-products or developing added-value products.

Advantages & innovations

Extrusion systems are capable to return an added-value product starting from the same raw material by changing slightly the parameters of the process. The system is easy to scale-up and produces homogeneous products with finely structures. The technological center offers its facilities to tests new formulas and ingredients, evading the company to stop the commercial production, and avoiding potential cross contamination within its regular production lines in the factory. The cross contamination acquires significant importance in the case of substances or products that want to be tested that cause allergies or intolerances. The extrusion pilot plant is equipped with: - Twin-screw extrusion technology capable of productions of 25 kg/h. Highly flexible: the same processing line is able to process various types of raw materials and mix formulations, and to produce a wide range of end products. - Hot air convection dryer. - Mixer. - Coating system. - Different mill types. - Laboratory: nutritional, physical-chemical and microbiological analysis. Complete characterization of modified material.

Stage of development

Available for demonstration

Partner sought

Technical Cooperation Agreement: - Partners sought are pet food industries or human food industries: flour, cereals, legumes, snacks producers and breakfast cereals producers. - The type of cooperation depends on the needs of the company: to develop new products, reutilization of by-products, optimization of the process, new formulation… Research Cooperation Agreement: - Any type of entity: companies, universities or research and technology centers - Interested in developing an international R&D project.