DIL
Profile
The German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL) is a private, independent and non-profit research provider. With around 150 member companies from the food industry and related fields, DIL operates as a research institute working in the areas of product development, process development and analytics.
DIL considers placing itself into the innovation framework of EIT Food as the unique opportunity to support its partners in the innovation process and to establish new collaborations along the entire food value chain system.
Competences & Capabilities
At the interface between applied science and engineering practice, DIL fosters the knowledge transfer from research to the industry. In particular, the key capabilities are:
- Process development including design, construction and manufacturing of machinery and equipment
- Technology transfer from lab to pilot to industrial scale applications
- Novel process technologies: Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF), High Pressure Processing (HPP), Extrusion+ and robotics
- Processing of alternative proteins, meat, chocolate and dairy products
- Advanced chemical, microbiological and physical food analytics
- Life Cycle Assessment and Consumer Behavior
Expertise related to the EIT Food Strategic Pillars
DIL’s applied research and development aims to convert R&D knowledge into industry-ready solutions for food production. The institute is organized in the following Business Units and Research Platforms:
- Food Safety
- Automation Technology
- Machine Development
- Food Physics
- Product Innovation
- Structure and Functionality
- Biotechnology
- Advanced Research
Contact: Dr. Volker Lammers, Group Leader Process Engineering
DIL is embedded in a multi-layer network communicating to the food industry and relevant fields, based on > 150 members. DIL coordinates the INTERREG VA program Food2020, addressing > 1000 SMEs in the DE and NL, as well as the Lower Saxony Competence Center Food Industry (NieKE) with 450 SMEs.
An open LCA tool delivers quantitative information on sustainability and environmental impact of selected food products broader public and end user.
The Food Data Group links consumer behavior and the nutritional characteristics of food with sociodemographic and geographic features.
Contact: Dr. Peter Holl, Senior Manager EU Programmes
Business and Innovation Park Quakenbrück (BIQ): Since 2015, companies and entrepreneurs are being provided with the opportunity to locate at the BIQ site of approximately 2’700 square meters and benefit from the capabilities available at DIL.
BIQ and DIL support partners in the development and transfer of innovative ideas into business applications.
Regular scouting work-shops are performed in close collaboration with universities in order to identify best ideas for potential start-ups.
Split-off: Elea GmbH, a Rising Food Star (novel PEF applications).
Contact: Dr. Mehmet Cicek, Sustainability Assessment
Since spring 2017, DIL conducts certificate course “quality management in the food and feed industry”. This 12 months on-the-jobqualification educates young and experienced professional food technologists, food scientists or product and process engineers in the fields of quality management systems and analytical tools/ methods as well as novel legal and scientific aspects.
DIL does also provide trainings, workshops and symposia for professionals on extrusion, High Pressure Preservation, Pulsed Electrical Fields, other novel process technologies for food and feed, multi-hurdle-technology, food safety, nutrition, allergen management, and bioeconomy.
Contact: Dr. Mehmet Cicek, Sustainability Assessment