Food Science & Biotechnology

The aim of the project is the detection of novel active ingredients in fungi that can be activated by light. These components can, for example, form the basis for light-activated drugs. This FWF project is carried out in cooperation with the Institute for Pharmacy / Pharmacognosy at the University of Innsbruck. The MCI acts as a national research partner. In addition to supporting cell-based investigations, LED lighting systems are being developed for this project at MCI and scientific input is being given with regard to lighting technology.

The innovation degree of this project lies above all in the recording of the changing characteristics of the final products, in the use of new raw materials for Bäckerei Therese Mölk and the optimization of the fermentation duration (long-term guidance). The challenge of this project is to process organic and, at best, regional cereals into bread by means of various technological techniques (e.g., pre-doughs, long-term dough handling, starter cultures) and thereby achieve a proven nutritional advantage over conventional baked goods. The aim is to identify a preparation and processing process with the associated raw materials and selected starter cultures. These raw materials should make their ingredients such as minerals and trace elements for the human body more usable. The reduction of FODMAPs (fermentable oligo-, di- and monosaccharides as well as polyols) and phytic acid plays an important role. It should lead to products that are more digestible for humans.

The growth of cells on medically relevant surfaces should be controlled by depositing precisely defined nanoparticles. In the FAENOMENAL project, scientific experts in nanotechnology from the University of Innsbruck and the Biotechnology Department from MCI work together with the industrial partners PhysTech Coating Technology GmbH, a Tyrolean company specializing in thin-film technology, and MED-EL Elektromedizinische Geräte Gesellschaft mbH, a large-scale Tyrolean company, spin-off of the University of Innsbruck and potential users.

130 t of passage residues occur at A. Darbo AG each year. In the context of this research project, the question arises of how these can be further processed, what can be gained from them or what benefit / value can be given to this residue. It should be noted that a framework condition for the project is to refrain from using it as a food ingredient.

In the Interreg project AB 116, the influence of different packaging on minced meat was investigated. Various packaging materials and their influence on the quality of the packaged goods were analysed with invasively and non-invasively measurements. It remains that two research question was open (1) if the results can also be transferred to other foods and (2) to what extent the packaging optimizations have an impact on an ecologically sustainable assessment, too. The newly formed consortium takes the experience from the QualiMeat project into these submitted QualiCheese projects. The major focus will be the answer to the questions about the influence of the manufacturing process and packaging as a sustainability assessment as well as the description of sensory perception and possible differences, which will process within three years after approval: (1) Shelf life optimization of semi-hard cheese taking into account ecologically sustainable packaging solutions. The attention here is on the modelling of material, energy, and auxiliary materials, preparation of material flow cost analyses and LCA analyses, in particular with regard to the overall ecological effects, and the transparent description of the SWOT of alpine cheese production's overall life cycle phases. (2) Factors of the packaging (e.g. different packaging materials or atmospheres) are tested in experimental tests with regard to their effect on the product. (3) Analysis of the quality parameters (of the packaging material and the goods) by means of microbial, invasive, and non-invasive measurement methods as well as sensors. The project will generate results for producers, packaging companies, and marketers, with the involvement of consumers and the public. Overall, different phases of the project, interdisciplinary evaluations, e.g. weight sum modelling, will consider. The start of project should start as soon as possible. The project beginn should be September 1, 2023 and will continue until August 31, 2026.

The efficiency of water disinfection will be increased by serial and parallel application of UVA, UVB and UVC radiation. At the same time, inactivation and repair mechanisms will be studied in pure cultures, mixed cultures and environmental samples. Findings on the synergistic effects of the UV spectrum will be used to develop innovative UV LED systems for energy efficient, cost effective and environmentally friendly water treatment.

Background: This industry project is dedicated to developing innovations in-can preservation that will ensure access to safe, compatible and high quality products (paints and coatings) in the future. To this end, it is necessary to prevent the growth of germs in these products. In this project, container preservation is a key technology for achieving the above goals. Biocides extend shelf life and prevent the growth of mold, fungi and algae. They therefore make an important contribution to consumer protection, resource conservation and cost savings. This is all the more important as products must remain stable throughout storage, transport and use to avoid waste and conserve resources (including energy). Extreme hygiene measures (e.g. sterilization) are also often energy-intensive, and thermal preservation is not possible due to temperature sensitivity. Despite these advantages, the use of biocidal active ingredients is critically debated. Increasingly stringent restrictions on biocidal active ingredients are severely limiting in-can preservation technology. By reducing the number of active ingredients and the maximum concentrations that can be used, the use of this technology will be inhibited or eliminated, resulting in enormous quality problems for the entire paint and coatings industry. Topics of the project: The aim of the InCanPress project is to develop innovations at the level of biocidal products based on a reduction in the availability of nutrients (including water), a reduction in the initial bacterial load, a purely physical effect or the use of production or packaging technologies that can improve hygiene. The project also aims to develop a new, innovative container/can preservation system that is created in combination with the container. This could include containers that reduce/eliminate recontamination after opening, or convenience-oriented solutions that address both sustainability and economics. The aim of the project is to develop innovative solutions that are tailored to both product and customer groups and that offer additional benefits without compromising product protection and quality. This holistic approach is necessary for sustainable solutions in the future. Stakeholders along the entire value chain will be involved to develop an optimal solution for all stakeholders.

Due to the current geopolitical situation and the need to overcome the climate crisis, the need to permanently replace natural gas imports from Russia and to expand renewable energy sources is increasingly coming to the fore. Hydrogen (H2) plays a central role in the energy transition in many areas, but competitive production requires not only the technology but also comprehensive analyses of the necessary framework conditions. This project aims to promote the biosynthesis of hydrogen from organic biomass using dark fermentation. For the first time, a bacterium newly discovered in Tyrol - Thermoactinomyces mirandus - will be used for the biosynthesis. It is known that T. mirandus produces H2 from lactose under anaerobic, thermophilic conditions, but this process has only been investigated on a laboratory scale and has not been optimized for production efficiency. This question will now be investigated in detail by first cultivating T. mirandus on a small scale under varying conditions (carbon source, temperature, pH, etc.). The process modeling aims at maximizing or intensifying the H2 yield. In parallel, well-studied reference strains will be cultivated and optimized to directly compare the synthesis rates with those of T. mirandus. Subsequently, T. mirandus will be introduced into the process together with selected reference strains as a mixed culture and analyzed again for production efficiency and yield. This should provide the basis for scaling up the process from laboratory to larger scale. In addition to different sugars, the possibility of using renewable raw materials (including organic or food waste) as the starting substrate for the biosynthesis will also be tested, which is an important pillar in the development of green H2. To further emphasize the economic efficiency of the process, a two-step process will be established in which methane is produced in addition to hydrogen through a series connection of dark fermentation and anaerobic fermentation, thereby achieving a consistently positive net energy balance. In addition, the enzymes underlying H2 biosynthesis will be analyzed in more detail in order to develop commercially available and highly efficient enzymes that have the potential to save the fermentation route and generate H2 in a cost-optimized manner. In summary, the aim is to create the basis for the production of climate-neutral hydrogen from locally available, renewable raw materials, which not only reduces dependence on energy imports, but also strengthens regional supply security and an environmentally friendly recycling economy.

Apple pomace is one of the main waste materials from apple juice production and describes the solid residues that remain after pressing. Pomace can contain up to 30% of the fruit and consists mainly of peels, pits and stems. Because of their high fiber content, apple pomace is often used as a roughage substitute, but it is low in protein and high in sugar, making it unsuitable as a feed substitute. Although apple pomace is a waste product, it contains many valuable ingredients such as antioxidants, pectins, and waxes. Due to the presence of many relevant ingredients, apple pomace is extremely attractive for further use. However, the technological implementation and optimization of the extraction process is extremely complex. On the one hand, the usability of the extraction potential of the marc is limited by the development of microorganisms due to a high moisture content and, on the other hand, existing extraction protocols from the literature must be optimized for the chemical and physical properties of the marc from regional apple varieties in order to achieve the highest possible yield. For this reason it is necessary to pursue different strategies in technological development.

The analysis of mustard flavoring is a very broad concern (beginning with soil, crop, manufacturing, and storage influences) whose purpose is to provide an understanding of the molecular and biochemical relationships involved in mustard production. Furthermore, the research always tries to identify quality-assurance measures that should help to secure short, medium and long-term economic success. The occurrence of gas formation and off-flavoring has been observed in the end product table mustard, e.g. with an altered gas formation, myrosinase activity or p-cresol concentration. The aim of the follow-up project is to describe the depth of these analyzes in more detail, in particular the formation of heat, as well as to concretize any conditions (soil conditions, influence of production and storage, etc.).

The packaging of meat contributes to central tasks in logistics and storage and is also interacting with the quality of the filling. In the InterReg project QualiMeat the interactions by foils on the packaged meat should now be examined more closely, as well as the application of optimized slides in the packaging process.

Global economic and anthropogenic changes make the development of future-oriented and sustainable technologies and processes inevitable. Nanotechnology, one of the key technologies of the 21st century, offers a promising approach. Due to the size dependence of key physical, chemical and biological properties of nanoparticles, they offer the possibility to create functional surfaces with modifiable properties. This will be exploited in this project with the development of nanoparticle coatings and lead to innovative applications in the fields of optics, life sciences and environmental technology. The patented size-selected nanoparticle technology can be used to produce coatings with well-defined nanoparticles. The nanoparticles are generated in multi-charged helium nanodroplets and then deposited onto the surface to be coated. Various process parameters can be used to adjust the composition, particle size, and film thickness to tailor the specific properties of the coatings to the desired application. In a second approach, metal nanoparticles are produced by biosynthesis. Microorganisms can be used to produce nanoparticles in an environmentally friendly and resource-efficient manner. The speed of synthesis and the size distribution of the nanoparticles can be controlled by varying the synthesis parameters, such as temperature or light conditions. This makes it possible to create advanced materials with improved properties. Based on this universal nanoparticle coating technology, this project aims to produce materials with modified physical, chemical and biological properties and to optimize them for applications in the fields of optics, life sciences and environmental technology. The focus of this project is on the production of coatings with special optical properties, bioactive surfaces and functionalized membrane surfaces.

The project focuses on the analysis of various plant-based raw materials for the Tyrolean food industry, including vegetable-derived proteins and fibers as future raw materials for food production.

The qualification seminar BrauTech 2 is the follow-up project to BrauTech and is also aimed at a group of Austrian CraftBeer producers. Central topic of this project is the geothermal technology, which could not be sufficiently treated in the first project due to the thematic scope. This area includes many issues, such as correct yeast management, selection of the right yeast strains and their effects on the final product, fermentation process and associated mis-processes, as well as the subsequent complex of preservation of the products. The range of product development already started in the first project, as well as gained insights into the malting, the technical part of the brewing process and about the used raw materials, are supplemented in the context of the objective project over the manifold possibilities of the different yeasts. Especially in the brewing process, yeast is credited with a multitude of important properties, such as the emergence of numerous aroma substances that are characteristic of the beers, and which further complement the broad variety of products.

Bioeconomy has an enormous potential for Green Growth and professional development, and thus is considered as a key discipline of the 21st century. EU's bioeconomy strategy addresses the production of renewable biological resources and their conversion into vital products. Expanding bioeconomy, particularly in rural areas, represents a major development potential. In the Alpine regions, this potential can however only be harnessed if the actors and municipalities cooperate closely and pursue shared objectives. The overall objective of AlpBioEco is to foster the sustainability of the local economy in the Alpine Space by the valorisation of innovative bioeconomical potentials along bio-based food and botanical extract value chains (VCs). It contributes to the framework conditions for innovation, resulting in eco-innovative business ideas and concepts for SMEs. By implementing and stimulating eco-innovations in practice, exemplarily 3 VCs are analysed, while a cross-sectoral multi-level stakeholder approach is applied. SMEs, clusters and initiatives, administration and politics as well as academia work together. A communication strategy on the basis of the quadruple helix approach strengthens the awareness of bioeconomy in Alpine regions. Within a validation report the approach of eco-innovation along bio-based food production VCs in Alpine regions is provided. Thus, AlpBioEco increases capacities of SMEs to jointly develop bio-based products. Through concepts of 'Open Innovation', it intensifies transnational cooperation for eco-innovations in the bio-based economy. In sum, AlpBioEco contributes to a better cohesion and integrated territorial development since rural regions become connected in new bio-based VCs. Thereby high value jobs will be induced in the agricultural sector. On a macro-regional level, AlpBioEco contributes to a lower disparity of the Alpine Space. This project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg Alpine Space programme. Support from the European Union: 1.820.666 € Further Information: http://www.alpine-space.eu/projects/alpbioeco/en/home