Sensors, Flavour Development & Culinary Enjoyment

The project Sustainable Surfaces & Membranes started 1st January 2016. The INTERREG project is funded for three years. In it, German and Dutch partners from industry and science, among which are three universities, work together to develop high tech systems and new materials. The partners concentrate on the two work priorities antimicrobial surfaces for different purposes ("Antimicrobial") and a broad range of innovative, customised membrane technologies ("Membranes"). One central project goal in the field of "Membranes" is the development of innovative membrane-based storage options for food in private households, allowing for features like moisture control during food storage. To achieve this, it is necessary to understand the biochemical, microbiological and physical processes that take place during storage in order to be able to influence them. In this context, the Institute of Sustainable Nutrition provides food-related information in the form of a knowledge database and performs storage tests with newly developed storage products. The innovative products that have been developed have to fulfil both technical requirements and be microbially and sensory suitable for food storage. iSuN will assess the microbial and sensory suitability scientifically and compare it to the suitability of conventional forms of storage.

In the context of the contest Ernährung.NRW, the iSuN develops a simple, cost-effective and fast basic in-house sensors self-training instrument together with 15 cooperation partnes from the food industry. It consists of an online benchmarking database as well as a training suitcase with samples.