Knowledge and innovation for a green transition in the food sector

In order to develop innovative and sustainable foods, it is necessary to fully understand their complex structures and how they change during processing. This requires new characterization methods with precision in terms of chemical composition, length scale and time resolution. The lack of such methods has so far limited development and innovation in the food sector. With the access to European Spallation Source (ESS) and MAX IV and the research environment created around them in Lund, the food sector has a unique opportunity to increase competence, knowledge building and the power of innovation. In Skåne, with its fertile soils, the food sector is of particular importance and the sector accounts for a large part of export revenues.

Northern Lights on Food aims to ensure that food industry are given the conditions to build knowledge and increase their individual level of competence on how they can drive innovation and green conversion. Northern Lights on Food will:

  • Lay the foundation for a regional innovation environment (center formation), by establishing a strong network and a development plan

  • Develop new knowledge about the structure of new plant-based raw materials and how these are affected by processing, processing and distribution the basis for innovation work for green conversion

  • Increase the level of competence of food companies around new innovation opportunities, which are made possible via ESS and MAX IV

  • Strengthen the entrepreneurship support system, by developing the synergy and connections to the ESS and MAX IV opportunities

Project 1 - The structure of food raw material

Project 2 - The food structure process: mechanisms of design for the future

Project 3 - Materials in contact with food

Project 4 - Food structure: Health & Wellness

Project 5 - New healthy and fiber-rich plant based food ingredients

 

Target Groups

Norhtern Lights on Food’s primary target group is food researchers and product developers from food companies, research infrastructures and universities / institutes. Special efforts are made to help and support SMEs to access the advanced technologies of ESS and MAX IV, and in particular those with challenges of such a nature that innovation and green conversion are necessary.

Large companies have expressed strong interest in the Northern Lights on Food and can act as locomotives for the smaller ones and the sector as a whole as well as ensuring the relevance of the activities. The activities are generally open to all companies in the industry and invited to participate in the network. Companies’ commitment, interests and needs will determine their active participatory knowledge building.

Expected Long-term Effects

The project will have a broad impact in the entire food sector, which includes the structure of the food raw material, the food structure during processing, materials in contact with food and the structure of food, health and well-being. The target group will be able to take part in and utilize results from basic research and applied research as well as provide future researchers in the food field with unique cutting-edge expertise.

The long-term vision is the establishment of European Food Laboratory in Science Village Scandinavia next to MAX IV and ESS, for world-leading food research and related applications. This will be a concrete and natural focal point for expanding cooperation between industry and academic partners.