Product Protection and Analytics

Better estimation of overall burdens of humans, animals and the environmment by perfluoroalkyland polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Due to their unique properties perfluoroalkyl- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are widely utilised in specialty chemistry as well as in consumer products of any kind. The extreme stability of PFAS leads to their accumulation in the environment and organisms.

The topic "food scanner" is gaining in importance. The European Commission has also recognised the importance of this issue.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden has filed a patent application for an idea that not only enables the analysis of foodstuffs with a smartphone.

Ripeness assessment with the aid of a near-infrared spectrometer. Even visually perfect fruits and vegetables can have very large differences in quality when it comes to taste and shelf life. Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS in Dresden can use near-infrared spectral analysis to find out how ripe a pear or tomato is.

Compact measurement systems for rapid food testing. Measurement systems for food tests should be deployable on site and provide reliable results in a short time. A compact gas chromatography system developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM and Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME determines volatile organic compounds (VOCs) quickly and reliably.

Tea e.g. promises enjoyment and well-being. In Germany, every citizen drinks an average of about 70 liters a year. To ensure this enjoyment, it must be processed to meet the highest quality requirements.

The winegrowers of Cleebronn & Güglingen tested a new sorting method from Fraunhofer Research during the grape harvest. The multiple award-winning winemakers are always looking for new ways to improve their products even further. Fraunhofer IOSB in Karlsruhe has been a renowned specialist for many years when it comes to the automatic sorting of bulk materials. As their latest application, the researchers have now developed a process with which grapes can be optimally utilized.

The traceability of food or sensitive goods such as pharmaceuticals is becoming increasingly important in times of globalized markets. With modern technology, production and logistics in the food industry can be efficiently and seamlessly monitored, documented and controlled.

Just as naturally as we expect inexpensive food in the supermarket, we assume that the food on offer meets the highest quality standards. This is only possible because food is produced according to industrial standards. As the demands placed on products continue to rise, so do the requirements for their inspection and for the sorting that is often necessary.

In the light section method, a light line is projected onto the test object and recorded with a special camera at an angle to the projection direction. A height profile is calculated from the course of the light line. By moving the object through the light line, the entire surface can be recorded. Shadowing by structures can be avoided by using multiple cameras or lasers.

How to test new foods and active ingredients

How do certain active ingredients pass through the intestinal barrier? Do intestinal diseases have an influence on food intake?
These and similar questions can be answered with the help of in vitro intestinal models developed at the Fraunhofer Translational Center for Regenerative Therapies TLC-RT.

How fresh is the food? Has the cold chain been maintained?

By means of supraparticles, which are easily integrated into or onto packaging or other products (also recyclable/compostable), numerous sensory functions such as time-temperature indicators (TTI), freshness/gases or mechanical effects can be detected and read out visually or also digitally. At the same time, packaging remains recyclable.

Plant pests are a major threat to crop production worldwide. This has increased dramatically in recent years, with between 20 and 40 percent of global crop production lost to pests. Globalization, trade and climate change play an important role here. Researchers at Fraunhofer IME are therefore developing simple tests for the detection of plant pathogens, e.g. potato viruses.

MESHFREE meets the challenges of the food industry with innovative simulation. The software solution can be used to calculate and virtually implement almost all processes and procedures that are the focus of the industry in practice.