The innovative new “PDX” patented steam injection technology offers a major opportunity for revolutionary advances in food processing. It has already made an initial impact through salt and fat reduction and faster more efficient processing, but this has been achieved without full scientific understanding, largely by trial and error. Olympus Automation Ltd, together with its leading academic and industry partners, plan to realise the following objectives through this project: i) To gain a full scientific understanding of the operating envelope of the technology and to optimise its operation based on the ingredients or type of ingredients used to gain nutritional advantage, e.g. salt and fat reduction, and to minimise production time; ii) Research and develop methodology that identifies the parameters that drive key product characteristics and resultant nutritional impact; iii) Use knowledge gained to rank existing products in terms of potential nutritional benefits and monetary savings; iv) Use knowledge gained to model and develop a new generation of products and processes to unlock exciting new food opportunities not possible utilising current food process technologies

The FILMS project aims to improve the sealing of ready made meals, particularly chilld foods through the use of laser sealing technology. THis approach replaces existing heat sealing approaches and offers both greater flexibility and much lower energy costs. However, of more significance to the end customer is that the process will deliver more securely sealed food packs (less premature food wastage) while also providing a consistent peelability. The project partners are Marks and Spencer, Proseal, R U Robots and the University of Lincoln.