Population growth, and a rising demand for sustainable, energy efficient, food production has resulted in the need to develop rapid, lower-energy consuming processing technologies. 

In 2021, the FDF announced that “emissions associated with food and drink consumed in the UK account for around 21% of the UK’s total carbon footprint.”

To increase sustainability in food production, we’ve developed a ‘living lab’ approach to research and innovation.  This is to support the creation of new, energy efficient food system innovations and ready technology for adoption across the sector.

What we did

In 2018, following a grant from the EU, experts from our National Centre for Excellence in Food Engineering, led by Dr Hongwei Zhang, collaborated with six other leading universities in Europe as part of the MEFPROC project.

As part of this ambitious project, we developed an on-site ‘Continuous Flow Ohmic Heater’ (CFOH) pilot plant in collaboration with OHM-E Technology.

Ohmic Heating, a type of Moderate Electric Field (MEF) processing, is a method of heating food by passing a direct electric current through it. In doing so, the food acts as a conductor, allowing electrical energy to dissipate directly into the food.  This direct application of electricity, if from renewable resources, can improve process sustainability and help the food industry achieve net-zero.

Researchers from our NCEFE were also responsible for developing digital modelling tools to test the impact of CFOH on yield and energy consumption levels compared to existing conventional food processing systems.

The Result

The CFOH is one of the most advanced Ohmic heating systems in Europe. It has the capability to control the flow rate, power, voltage or energy delivered to achieve a target treatment temperature.  

Our exploration of adaptive modelling techniques across a range of CFOH inputs and outputs demonstrated the energy saving potential of this method, with results showing significant heat time reduction and over 90% energy efficiency. 

Next steps

This pilot scale innovation has led to three PhD projects as well as NCEFE’s pivotal role in the South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre, connecting academic expertise with local businesses, public sector organisations and charities to overcome sustainability challenges. 

The pilot study has presented opportunities to explore other challenges faced by the food industry, such as uneven heating, reduced food quality through over-processing, which could inform future spending on food processing technology. 

The project has also enabled us to secure further funding through Innovate UK as part of the Better Food for All competition.  

This research will be developed through a partnership with Premier Foods. Within this project, we will be testing application of CFOH technology on a range of the company’s sauces to assess how effectively it ensures consistent heating while maintaining optimal nutritional quality. The outcomes of this research will also inform the redesign of Premier Food’s sauce plant.

The CFOH will enable Premier Foods and other food manufacturers to achieve a balance between enhanced food nutrition, and reduced carbon impact.