Product development and reformulation

In collaboration with companies in the feed and food industry, they conduct research into the ingredients, recipes (of combined food products as well) and properties of the ingredients - in sum the entire product matrix. They are able to predict changes on the basis of models and make improvements whenever an ingredient, process parameter or preparation method is altered. In doing so, they link up experience from everyday praxis to the latest scientific insights.

Research areas

Seven areas of research have been defined to provide insight into:

• Product application: the entire process of the development of a product or reformulated product.
• Physical-chemical properties of foodstuffs at all levels: from the molecular up to the macroscopic and sensory. Companies are able to manage the characteristics of their products better on the basis of this knowledge. Physical models provide knowledge on how an ingredient and the composition will behave and what the relationship between structure and function is.
• Protein technology: functional and molecular properties of animal and vegetable proteins in relation to their application.
• Carbohydrate technology: functional and molecular properties of carbohydrates in relation to the composition and characteristics of products.
• Taste and aroma: Achieving the desired taste and aroma for a product; when developing a new product, after reformulating a product, or when removing unwanted tastes or aromas.
• Measuring the physical properties of products/foodstuffs. A link to how a particular foodstuff is experienced (texture versus mouthfeel)
• Developing the structure, for example material properties for 3D printing or shear cell technology.

Reformulating product contents

A broad research approach, with investigation from the outset into process, sustainability, contents and consumer science, assists in launching products onto the market more rapidly. This is how Wageningen experts work on reformulating the contents of existing products to make them healthier (with less sugar, salt and/or fat), to improve the product quality (food safety, longer shelf-life), or to ensure that they are clean label (as little processing and as few artificial additives as possible).