Technical section
The Food Laboratory supports food product research, formulation, testing, process development, advisory services and pilot plant trials from ideation through commercialization.
Laboratory profile
Comprising professionally trained food scientists and nutritionists, the Food Laboratory is UIRI's focal point in food product research and development.
Its work spans the product cycle from ideation through commercialization and applies technologies including freeze-drying, ultrasonic raw milk analysis, rapid plate freezing, modified atmospheric packaging and fluidized bed drying.
Services
The Food Laboratory provides technical services that support product design, process development, testing, field projects, training and commercialization readiness.
Future prospects
Future prospects include setting up a comprehensive packaging facility to support food processors who currently import packaging materials.
The laboratory also plans to popularize extrusion technology and continue research into nutraceutical products from indigenous plants such as lemon grass, lemon balm, peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon, hibiscus, lavender and thyme.
