Advanced Continuous Flow Ohmic Heating for Solid-Liquid Foods: Balancing Quality, Safety, Sustainability, and Intelligent Process Control

Our project aims to enhance food quality and nutrition, improve food safety, promote sustainability, and boost energy efficiency in food processing techniques through the development and application of an innovative Continuous Flow Ohmic Heater (CFOH) equipped with cutting-edge process controls

The enhanced CFOH system will incorporate additional heat treatment capabilities, making it applicable across various food processing segments. By addressing the challenges faced by the food industry, such as uneven heating, reduced food quality through over-processing, energy inefficiencies, and potential negative environmental impacts, this innovative technology is poised to transform conventional heating and processing methods.

The project is a collaborative effort between industrial and academic partners, combining their expertise to jointly develop a scalable, advanced, and energy-efficient heating solution. The interdisciplinary approach will bridge the gap between research and practical applications, accelerating the technology's progress toward an industrial operational environment within the food manufacturing industry.

The project will be executed in six work packages (WPs), each addressing a crucial aspect of the development process. WP1 focuses on leadership and project management, ensuring the project's smooth execution and timely completion. WP2 involves enhancing and further developing the existing CFOH technology. WP3 is dedicated to the validation and optimisation of the enhanced CFOH system. In WP4, the development of the advanced intelligent control system takes place.WP5 scales up at an R&D facility and evaluates the improved food quality achieved by the enhanced CFOH, while WP6 addresses the evaluation and exploitation of the technology, promoting its adoption across the food industry.

The innovation of this project lies in the enhancement of the current CFOH technology by incorporating advanced process controls including the use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, which ensure consistent heating and optimal food quality. Additionally, the advanced model-based process controls will provide optimal process control, further improving food quality and safety.

The successful implementation of the enhanced CFOH system will have far-reaching implications for the food industry. It will not only improve food quality and safety but also promote sustainability and energy efficiency. This technology has the potential to create new business opportunities, secure jobs, and contribute to the UK's energy security. By providing a significant return on investment for the IUK funding requested, this project will deliver substantial benefits to both the industry and the environment.

In summary, this project represents a significant step forward in improving food quality and nutrition through sustainable and energy-efficient food processing.