Lab technologiesFermentation
Fermentation is flavour, preservation and the technology behind new proteins at the same time. In our fermentation room, with a shaker incubator and a controlled 5-litre bioreactor, we develop fermentation processes for foods, ingredients and food-related microorganisms, and measure them over time.
5 L bioreactorpH · T · DOstarter cultureskinetics
What we develop here
- Fermented dairy (yogurt, kefir) and fermented plant-based alternatives.
- Pickled and fermented vegetables, fermented sauces and beverages.
- Fermentation for ingredients: biomass, single-cell proteins, metabolites.
- Selection of starter cultures, incubation conditions, and the stop-and-cool step.
- Kinetics: pH, acidity, temperature and dissolved oxygen tracked through the fermentation, as the basis for a fermentation model and for scale-up.
Safety and stability
A live fermented product keeps changing on the shelf. We design the hurdles (pH, aw, refrigeration, packaging) together with the fermentation itself, and test shelf life against the relevant mechanism: post-acidification, whey separation, texture change or microbial stability. Accredited microbiological tests are run by an external laboratory.
What you get at the end of the trial
pH, acidity and temperature curves for every run, samples from defined time points, a comparison of the starters or conditions tested, and a recommendation on incubation conditions and the stop step. When the goal is scale-up, the data feeds a kinetic model that estimates behaviour in a larger vessel.
Frequently asked questions
Can we work with our own cultures or strains?
Yes, subject to the lab safety procedures and the classification of the microorganism. Pathogenic strains, or strains that require a higher biosafety level, do not enter the lab. We discuss the details before work starts.
What is the difference between a shaker-incubator trial and a bioreactor run?
In the shaker incubator you run many small samples in parallel to screen conditions: strains, temperatures, medium compositions. In the bioreactor you run one point under full control of pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen, and measure the kinetics used for a model and for scale-up. Usually both steps are used, in that order.
Let's put your idea on the bench
A short first conversation: the product or challenge, the market, where you are, and what's already known. Then we ask for a short brief and come back with a proposal.
Talk to usQuestions about cost, timelines or who owns the formula? Read the FAQ