Case studies
Research and development
Fish food innovation: Substituting sustainable plant sourced proteins for fishmeal (FFINN)
Sustainability of fish feed needs to be improved. This can be achieved by replacing the fishmeal component with sustainable plant protein sources. However, fish fed on the plant proteins currently available may grow more slowly due to their poorer bioavailability in comparison with fishmeal. This is a major obstacle to their increased use. Innovatively, this project will apply UK-based fermentation technology known to improve the bioavailability of plant proteins from its application in other markets. Suitable plant protein sources, including crops grown in the UK, will be identified and fermented to increase nutrient availability, achieving superior protein conversion, growth and meat quality while increasing sustainability.
Effective Delivery of Dietary Publication
This project aims to address the probiotic market and problems with making claims on their efficacy. Currently EFSA has rejected any health claims to be made on probiotics sold in Europe. One of the main reasons for this being a lack of demonstrable cause and effect data.
The probiotic dietary supplementation is a £15bn global industry, the one overriding challenge that has not been solved is the development of a rapid, in-vivo (in body) assay for proving the efficacy of probiotic delivery in the gut. This means that there is a real need to develop a quick test which can show if, and how well, a probiotic is acting in the gut. This project aims to produce a commercialisable probiotic delivery system for optimal gut health – with proven efficacy.
Coated metal hybrides for energy storage applications
Hydrogen is accepted as an integral part of the move towards clean, sustainable energy systems. One of the main issues yet to be resolved in a commercially viable way is that of gas storage. The safest option is the use of solid hydrides that can absorb and release hydrogen on demand. However, storage systems must combine optimum gas kinetics with the practicalities of system manufacturing. This means that, while the move towards high surface to volume nano-particulates appears attractive, handling and containing these materials presents enormous difficulties.
An alternative approach was proposed and addressed successfully in a TSB TI Feasibility Study; this validated the concept that, for Mg (high T) and FeTi (low T) hydrides, coated large particles aided kinetics and required no activation. Larger particles allow good fluidisation of the beds aiding permeation and the coatings meant that they could be handled safely in air.
The proposed project aims to build on this technology by integrating other hydrides, catalysts and conducting fillers into the powders to address specific requirements (eg kinetics) by providing diffusion pathways and improved thermal conductivity. This will result in innovative advanced materials that can be tested on real systems.
There is a wide range of potential applications for the developed technology; initial applications are in static energy storage systems. It is intended to demonstrate the technology by utilising it in: (1) the exothermic-endothermic hydrogenation-dehydrogenation cycle as a heat store for concentrated solar power and (2) domestic heat stores, (3) static hydrogen storage for capturing excess electricity generation.
Other funded work includes two funded SPARK awards from the Biosciences KTN to investigate the use of Soda-Lo ® in cheese with Reeseheath College and the measurement of the activity of vitamin k2 with The University of Nottingham.
An alternative approach was proposed and addressed successfully in a TSB TI Feasibility Study; this validated the concept that, for Mg (high T) and FeTi (low T) hydrides, coated large particles aided kinetics and required no activation. Larger particles allow good fluidisation of the beds aiding permeation and the coatings meant that they could be handled safely in air.
The proposed project aims to build on this technology by integrating other hydrides, catalysts and conducting fillers into the powders to address specific requirements (eg kinetics) by providing diffusion pathways and improved thermal conductivity. This will result in innovative advanced materials that can be tested on real systems.
There is a wide range of potential applications for the developed technology; initial applications are in static energy storage systems. It is intended to demonstrate the technology by utilising it in: (1) the exothermic-endothermic hydrogenation-dehydrogenation cycle as a heat store for concentrated solar power and (2) domestic heat stores, (3) static hydrogen storage for capturing excess electricity generation.
Other funded work includes two funded SPARK awards from the Biosciences KTN to investigate the use of Soda-Lo ® in cheese with Reeseheath College and the measurement of the activity of vitamin k2 with The University of Nottingham.
From idea to Commercial Product or Service
Endurocut (development, sales, potential)
Eminate's Endurocut coating formulation is applied to disposable processing and packaging blades used within the food industry in order to improve their performance. The hard ceramic coating imparts extended wear, reduced friction and anti-corrosion properties to the cutting blade. This offers life extension of up to ten times depending upon the application, with the added benefits of reducing costly downtime and maintenance of cutting tolerances. The coating is inert and ultra thin and meets UK/EU and US FDA food safety guidelines. Coated components have been supplied on a commercial basis to a range of companies, including Jacksons Bakeries, Kerry Foods, Golden Wonder, Freshtime and Bakkavor.