Research and development in the fields of food processing and food-borne bioactive molecules
The Université Laval food technology laboratory provides researchers and private businesses with a broad array of food processing equipment that they can use to test various processes (heat, separation, concentration, drying). Lab researchers can use dairy, meat and plant product processing equipment to create new products, purify molecules of interest and test innovative processes. The analytical laboratories of the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF), located on the same site, also offer a full range of food and biomolecule analysis services to meet clients’ needs. The presence of expert food researchers allows public and private partners to develop innovative research partnerships.
Food product development, process validation, biomolecule separation and purification
- Agriculture, animal science and food
- Education
- Manufacturing and processing
Specialized labs and equipment
| Specialized lab | Equipment | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Heat processes | Scraped surface heat exchanger | Crystallization and plasticizing |
| Falling film evaporator | Liquid concentration | |
| HTST pasteurizers / UHT sterilizers | Various thermal technologies: tubular heat exchanger, ActiJoule heating, plate heat exchanger, induction heating | |
| Food can sterilizer (15- to 20-can capacity and automatic seamer) | Batch sterilization | |
| Separation processes | Basket centrifuge | Clarification and separation of particles |
| Continuous settling clarifier | ||
| Cream separator | ||
| CO2 supercritical fluid extractor | Solvent-free extraction of volatile compounds | |
| Juice extractor | ||
| Oil extractor | ||
| Electrodialysis unit | Demineralization, concentration of compounds | |
| Membrane filtration equipment | Reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, microfiltration | |
| Drying processes | Spray dryer | |
| Tray dryer | ||
| Air dryer | ||
| Fluidized bed | ||
| Freeze dryers | ||
| Fermentation processes | 1- to 22-litre-capacity biofermenters | Computerized monitoring |
| 50-litre-capacity microbrewery | Vats, fermentation rooms, bottler, CO2 injector | |
| Grinding, cutting, chopping | Mills (disc, hammer, roll, air-jet) | Reduction in particle size in dry and wet matrices |
| Meat grinder | ||
| Slicer | ||
| Mixing, emulsification, homogenization | 5- to 20-litre capacity mixers | |
| 25-litre-capacity Tetra Pak mixer-emulsifier | Particle dispersion, deaeration, direct or indirect heating, batch pasteurization | |
| 5-litre-capacity Stephan mixer-emulsifier | ||
| Colloid mill | ||
| High-pressure homogenizers (1- to 160-litre/hour flow) | Homogenization, emulsification, cell lysis | |
| Two-pass homogenizer | Homogenization | |
| Packing, conservation | Vacuum packer | With or without gas injection |
| Sterile automatic filling machine | Two programmable ports | |
| Programmable chambers (controlled temperature, humidity, light) | ||
| Cheese making technology | 10-litre-capacity experimental tanks | Computerized monitoring |
| 220-litre-capacity cheese vat | ||
| Meat products technology | Brine injector | Single- or multi-needle automatic brine injection |
| Stuffing machines | Stuffing of casings (sausages, salami, etc.) | |
| Meat saw |