FOOD2020 project eAlgae.2 presents first results

Mid-term meeting of FOOD2020 project eAlgae.2 took place on 4^th of April

The mid-term meeting of the FOOD2020 project eAlgae.2 took place at the facilities of the German partner Elea in Quakenbrück on 4^th of April. In the frame of the project eAlgae.2 the German partner Elea Vertriebs- und Vermarktungsgesellschaft and the Dutch partner Algae Holland B.V. work on Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) treatment of algae. As the project started in 2018, the first results were presented in this meeting. During the last months the trials were performed and showed promising results, where the project partners see potential.

The application of Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) is already well implemented in potato and juice industry. The main aim of this project is to develop a new area of application for the technology focusing on the implementation of PEF system in algae processing. This includes the development of a new process, named PEF assisted algae processing. Therefore, growth stimulation and the extraction of different valuable components are considered. Nowadays, the demand of algae products, such as fatty acid or amino acids, is increasing and therefore, the market is growing. Within the project Spirulina and Chlorella are analyzed.

Elea as the world leading supplier of PEF units has a broad knowledge in installing industrial PEF systems. Moreover, because of strong R&D department, Elea is also an expert in finding the correct parameters for the PEF treatment and analyzing the final product. In cooperation with Algae Holland, who is expert in Algae processing a perfect team has been built for the project.

FOOD2020 is implemented within the INTERREG programme Deutschland-Nederland and is co-financed by the European Union, the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Innovation, Digitalisierung und Energie of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Ministerium für Bundes- und Europaangelegenheiten und Regionale Entwicklung of Lower Saxony, the Dutch Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat and the provinces of Drenthe, Fryslân, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant and Overijssel. It is supported by the programme management of the Ems Dollart Region. Lead partner is the DIL Deutsches Institut für Lebensmitteltechnik e.V. in Quakenbrück.

Further information can be found at: www.food2020.eu