Food Technology Laboratory

Université Laval, Québec, Québec
What the facility does

Research and development in the fields of food processing and food-borne bioactive molecules

Areas of expertise

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.

Research services

Food product development, process validation, biomolecule separation and purification

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Education
  • Manufacturing and processing
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