Final Report Summary - FOODMANUFUTURE (Conceptual Design of a Food Manufacturing Research Infrastructure to boost up innovation in Food Industry)
Executive Summary:
In order to maintain and increase the number of jobs in Europe, novel and smart manufacturing technologies are needed, that can increase competiveness by lowering production costs and improving sustainability in the manufacturing and distribution in order to make it attractive to keep manufacturing plants in Europe. The Food sector is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in Europe and food export out of Europe is essential for European economy, but is lacking behind other manufacturing sectors regarding implementation of new technology. The FoodManufuture project has provided a basis for decision making for a European Food Manufacturing Research Infrastructure that can provide the food sector and the manufacturing technology sector the newest technological knowledge and support the adaptation to fit the specific requirements for food manufacturing. The overall objective of the FoodManufuture project was, over 2 years (2012-13), to perform a Conceptual Design Study for a Food Manufacturing Infrastructure that may boost competitiveness and innovativeness of the food manufacturing sector through cutting-edge research, dedicated and involving knowledge transfer, and motivating education.
The proposed infrastructure is a distributed, flexible, industry driven membership organization. It will form trans disciplinary platforms within prioritized areas, such as robotics, sustainability, new business models, virtual augmented reality, pilot sized factories and/or other prioritized areas. It will build on existing research infrastructure elements as a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions. It will facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how.
The project has involved stakeholders from industries, academia, public and private decision makers from the food sector and the production technologies sector in order to meet the needs of both sectors in a cross-disciplinary approach. The consortium is based on, but not restricted to, wide-spread networks of public and private stakeholders from the ETPs Food for Life and MANUFUTURE. Joining forces of the food sector and the manufacturing solutions sector, sharing, aligning, combining and defining challenges and solutions was more efficient than done separately.
Serving the basis for the final conceptual design study, the intermediate objectives were to
• Identify cutting-edge visions for the sector
• Identify the future needs for research infrastructures
• Review of the available research infrastructures and identify of the gaps
• Describe the concept of the most promising infrastructure
In a bottom-up process the stakeholders have created cutting-edge visions for the sector regarding manufacturing technologies, food chain management, sustainability, business models, technology transfer and education. Available solutions for meeting the short term needs of the food processing industry and gaps in the necessary research infrastructures for meeting the long term research needs of the food processing and the manufacturing industries were identified. Available research infrastructures that may cover the needs were identifies as were the gaps in infrastructures that need to be filled. Access to subscribe to the HightechEurope database was established. Based on the identified solutions and gaps, models were elaborated and validated. The final Conceptual Design Report presents the most promising model for the new research infrastructure, technical and economic figures and proposes optional funding solutions.
The dissemination program including the involvement of stakeholders at national and European level from the two sectors has created the attention Europe wide in both sectors and promoted the final Conceptual Design Report at events in 9 countries, at the final event in Brussels, in the widespread networks of the 2 ETP’s and at several meetings and events.
Project Context and Objectives:
2.1 Context
European Food Manufacturing in 2025 may be far more automatized, sustainable, flexible, and intelligent and based on novel business models. How and why? What are the needs and which needs may be covered from inventions made for other sectors? These are some of the questions in focus. Based on visions, mapping and analyses made with and by stakeholders from the food sector and from the manufacturing technologies sector, FoodManufuture has performed a Conceptual Design Study for a European Food Factory of the Future. This new (virtual) research infrastructure should build on existing infrastructures and give access from any part of Europe. The research infrastructure will provide easy access to state of the art test facilities and thus aims at boosting competitiveness and innovativeness of the food manufacturing sector through cutting-edge research, dedicated and involving knowledge transfer, and motivating education. Based on the input received from the consortium of FoodManufuture and involvement of the widespread networks of the European Technology Platforms ETP MANUFUTURE and ETP Food for Life and many other stakeholders and experts, the concept has been outlined in the Conceptual Design Report (CDR).
2.2 Aim of FoodManufuture
The conceptual design report (CDR) aims to present a valuable, relevant concept for a new research infrastructure to serve the current and future needs of the European food industry: the Food Factory of the Future (FFoF). It should not be considered to be a ready-made solution for the food processing and manufacturing sectors, but should act as basis for further discussion with private and political decision makers in order to implement complementary ideas or suggestions. The CDR will visualize that our approach has a high potential for future Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure actions by proposing integration of and access to existing national research infrastructures. Where limitations are recognized alternative strategies have been proposed.
The Food Factory of the Future will present itself as a privileged field for testing, piloting, and demonstrating new and emerging food production innovations. In order to meet the need to extract more value from the R&D and innovation investments, a critical aspect in the current period of severe economic crisis, Horizon2020 will offer stronger support to the market take-up of innovation. Moreover, from a global perspective the development of new markets is for the food industry with increasing export rates of high importance. This will imply a higher focus on the realization of proof-of-concepts, pilot lines and demonstration plants, as well as new business models for the sector. It will imply as well a better use of the potential of research infrastructures, as well as setting technical standards, and pre-commercial procurement as will be provided by this research infrastructure. The pilots and demonstrators network provided by the FFoF aims at fostering synergies between food researchers and production technologies developers, where technologies are integrated and demonstrated in real or quasi-real settings.
2.3 Objectives
The main objective of the project and thus of FFoF is to improve the competitiveness in the European food sector and manufacturing sector. Therefore we propose that a new research infrastructure will be designed that offers appropriate capabilities, services and activities that can be utilized by the industry (large and small) and researchers and will finally boost innovation in the food processing and the manufacturing technologies sector.
The project has involved stakeholders from industries, academia, public and private decision makers from the food sector and the production technologies sector in order to meet the needs of both sectors in a cross-disciplinary approach. The consortium is based on, but not restricted to, wide-spread networks of public and private stakeholders from the ETPs Food for Life and MANUFUTURE. Joining forces of the food sector and the manufacturing solutions sector, sharing, aligning, combining and defining challenges and solutions was more efficient than done separately.
Serving the basis for the final conceptual design study, the intermediate objectives were to
• Identify cutting-edge visions for the sector
• Identify the future needs for research infrastructures
• Review of the available research infrastructures and identify of the gaps
• Describe the concept of the most promising infrastructure
In a bottom-up process the stakeholders have created cutting-edge visions for the sector regarding manufacturing technologies, food chain management, sustainability, business models, technology transfer and education. Available solutions for meeting the short term needs of the food processing industry and gaps in the necessary research infrastructures for meeting the long term research needs of the food processing and the manufacturing industries were identified. Available research infrastructures that may cover the needs were identifies as were the gaps in infrastructures that need to be filled. Access to subscribe to the HightechEurope database was established. Based on the identified solutions and gaps, models were elaborated and validated. The most promising model was identified in a Success Model Building workshop. The organizational model was refined with the results from interviews with 38 industry experts from the food processing and manufacturing sector all over. Further organizational aspects and technical issues for the FFoF were collected and integrated to the organizational model. This formed the basis for a road mapping workshop. Further prerequisite for the road mapping workshop was derived from the vision scenarios (WP2) and the gap analysis (WP 3) and especially from the strategic approach for the FFoF.
Based on the findings, the final Conceptual Design Report presents the most promising model for the new research infrastructure, technical and economic figures and proposes optional funding solutions.
The dissemination program including the involvement of stakeholders at national and European level from the two sectors has created the attention Europe wide in both sectors and promoted the final Conceptual Design Report at events in 9 countries, at the final event in Brussels, in the widespread networks of the 2 ETP’s and at several meetings and events.
2.4. Concept of the proposed Research Infrastructure Food Factory of the Future
The proposed infrastructure is a distributed, flexible, industry driven membership organization. It will form trans-disciplinary platforms within prioritized areas. In the process 8 prioritized gaps in research infrastructures were identified. 5 of these were developed further (please see the first 5 bullets below):
1. Pilot size factories to develop manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
2. Pilot plants for implementation of robotics and automation in food production
3. Collection of business models on innovation practices in the food production sector
4. Virtual/augmented reality for simulation and training
5. Assessment of environmental impact of food processing
6. Research facilities for radical innovations in food technology
7. Nanotechnology to produce tailor made surfaces
8. Improved packaging solutions for food applications
Based on the verified list of gaps identified with priority I. in WP3, the following RI Platforms were consequently further elaborated through developing technical specifications in WP4 to describe technical requirements for the design of the FFoF.
Platforms covering each of the prioritized areas will build on existing research infrastructure elements as well as new elements to fill the gaps. This will serve a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions. It will facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how.
The main beneficiary of the new research infrastructure will be the food processing industry and manufacturing technologies industry dealing with food related issues, which explicitly includes SMEs. These main beneficiaries can be members or customers of the FFoF. To achieve the aim and to meet the challenges, the FFoF will:
• form an inspiring network of innovative existing pilot size factories and pilot plants to develop and demonstrate manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
• build on existing RI elements (e.g. research facilities, test bed facilities, services, etc.) as a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions
• be a distributed location.
• facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how by industry and meet expectations and needs of the main RI beneficiaries in a long term perspective
• focus on applied research and transfer cutting edge technologies and information from the manufacturing sector to the food sector and supporting basic research to applied research by considering education and training have an inclusive membership which is open to a broad range of members
• give open access to industry especially to small and medium sized enterprises to utilize the FFoF
• have a flexible structure to adapt its focus on future demands and challenges create trust among involved stakeholders in the food manufacturing sector
• provide a balance between confidentiality and exploitation
• be industry driven. This will be reflected in the overall management structure, in the decision making rules and the operational structure
• be funded by a mixed funding scheme from public and private interested parties
• have platforms dealing with key topics identified as gaps of the existing research infrastructure in Europe such as FFoF platforms
The FFoF platforms will deal with key topics identified as gaps in current research infrastructures (see above). These platforms will consists of an own sub-network with stakeholders from science and industry, if needed also from society and public authorities. Each platform will describe how they can give added value to the industry as main beneficiary of the FFoF by respective key activities and services. The main part of this exercise is the description of new FFoF elements which are currently missing at research institutions to complete the overall picture.
Additionally, education, training and knowledge & technology transfer units will be set up to facilitate innovation processes. These units can be platform specific or serving all platforms.
3. Value proposition for stakeholders
The new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to the food processing and manufacturing industry by:
• Providing a meeting place for the food producing sector and the machineries and equipment manufacturing sector to foster the dialogue between both sectors, in order to identify new ways to interact and to boost interdisciplinary research activities.
• Identifying for the manufacturing sector new fields of application within the food sector and hence, giving both sectors access to new customers in Europe.
• Giving access to technologies and demonstration activities to maximize the utilization of knowledge generated in academia.
• Offering the industry customized staff training activities.
• Having an transparent and fair intellectual property rights (IPR) regime
The new FFoF will meet and take into account the social, economic and ecological challenges the food and manufacturing sectors are facing today (e.g. sustainable food production, healthy and safe food and reduction of food waste) according to its policy and activities impact of the new RI is expected to foster the following areas:
• Employment: sustain and create jobs
• Consumer expectations: healthy and safe foods
• Economy: Create new business through products, processes and services with higher added value considering the pricing pressure in the sector
• Environment: Promoting sustainability in production and respecting environment and ensure a more effective use of resources
• Business: Building up trust among stakeholders in the food processing chain
• Foster entrepreneurship
• Knowledge and education: create and maintain new advanced knowledge and skills in Europe on high added-value processes and technologies, as well as entrepreneurial skills.
Consequently, the new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to European consumer who will have better food produced in a more sustainable way and the European food industry which will be more competitive.
In sum, the design of an efficient, flexible and targeted research driven Food Factory of the Future will enable the food sector to obtain an increased benefit from the European research results and hereby fulfilling the crucial need of adding value to the food sector in Europe through increased growth and competitiveness in both the food and manufacturing sector.
Project Results:
3.1 Overall approach
The basic idea of the FP7-funded project FoodManufuture is that a systematic combination of resources, capabilities and competences of the European Technology Platforms for Food (ETP Food for Life) and for Manufacturing technologies (ETP MANUFUTURE) at research, at business and at technology transfer level, will create new ideas for inter-disciplinary research and innovation and new tools for chain and business management. 13 partners from both ETPs drafted an overall methodical approach to achieve a conceptual design study of a research infrastructure for the Food Factory of the Future this was implemented by project beneficiaries. Input and feedback was given by several further experts.
The logic sequence to distill the CDR consists of 3 consecutive Work Packages (WPs):
• in Work Package 2, and as a starting point for this CDR, the main vision scenarios have been compiled describing the general conditions the food manufacturing industry is seen to operate in the future. They were discussed and formulated by a substantial group of European Food and Manufacturing representatives during the course of a large workshop:
• in Work Package 3, the final aim was the identification of gaps in research infrastructures which have been deduced by comparison of an inventory of necessary research infrastructures with an inventory of available, already existing research infrastructures, based on identified challenges in the food industry. Consultation of stakeholders was again mandatory
• Work Package 4 paved the way for defining the success model in terms of location, membership, management structure and technical requirements for the design of the FFoF. Other critical dimensions were derived out of a process aided again by experts out of wide fields of knowledge.
This conceptual approach was completed by the work packages 1 (Project Management) and 5 (European Dimension Support and Dissemination).
3.2 Vision Scenarios
A point of departure for the CDR is four future vision scenarios for the food-manufacturing sector, which were developed at the beginning of the project. The purpose of the vision scenarios is to create a palette of possible future scenarios illustrating the conditions under which the food manufacturing industry will have to operate in the future.
The vision scenarios depart from a list of manufacturing key research and innovation areas defined by the project beneficiaries, based on priorities defined in the Strategic Research Agendas of the 2 ETPs. The eight research- and innovation areas were:
1. Energy and material saving, alternative material sources
2. Cost efficiency sources
3. Flexible production and services, automation and/or monitoring systems sources
4. Food chain management, logistics and retail sources
5. New functionalities including smart packaging, hygiene control, etc. sources
6. Development of innovative and high quality food products sources
7. Business model sources
8. Technology transfer and education sources
Based on these key research and innovation areas, the vision scenarios were developed based on numerous inputs from a broad variety of stakeholders within the Food and Manufacturing sector. The most important has been the large workshop in Copenhagen in March 2012, where more than 60 representatives from the European Food and Manufacturing sectors joined forces in an effort to discuss and formulate the vision scenarios for the common future of the Food and Manufacturing sectors in Europe.
The full description of the vision scenarios can be found in Deliverable 2.4 ‘Final report on food manufacturing vision scenarios’. The key elements in the four vision scenarios are described below:
3.2.1. The Global Micro System
The Global Micro System can be seen as a self-supplying partnership among a number of partners/entities in a defined narrow regional area. The Global Micro System is a partnership among partners all along the value chain, also embracing energy suppliers, waste handling, recycle facilities, logistics, etc.
Key characteristics:
• narrow regional anchoring
• self-sustaining system
• close collaboration and adaption between parties
3.2.2. Ingredients Based Food
The basic assumption in this scenario is that raw materials for food and drinks will be produced at the most optimal location and then will be processed into a set of ingredients. Then, these ingredients will then be transported to other locations, where they will be mixed into different Ingredients Based Food products.
The optimal location for the production of raw materials would be determined by the availability of the natural resources, climate, wage level etc. This could be cattle farming in the most fertile areas or the growing of fruits at the warmest locations.
In the Ingredients Based Food scenario, the process of breaking down the raw materials will be refined significantly. It will be possible to process in a more advanced way meat, vegetables, seafood, etc., than today, and thus, to create a much larger variety of ingredients, not only in terms of flavour but also with different nutritional. In time it might be possible to produce many of the ingredients in a laboratory and thus will be independent of actual farming, etc.
Key characteristics:
• a mix of ingredients “extracted” from raw materials creates end product
• ingredients are a tradable global commodity
• end user might define the meal solution (flavour, nutrition, volume, etc.)
3.2.3. The Integrated Value Chain
In the Integrated Value Chain the different partners have adapted their systems and operations to fit into the rest of the value chain. It can be optimised to an extent where the entire value chain can be perceived as one sole system.
The Integrated Value Chain can be organised on different geographical levels from large global value chains to small regional value chains. Strong multinational brand owners might own large parts of the value chain and thus dominate the Integrated Value Chain. But it can also be a close collaboration between smaller and more equal partners.
Key characteristics:
• parties in the value chain are linked together
• high level of knowledge sharing
• value chain can be globally dispersed
3.2.4. The Disintegrated Value Chain
The basic assumptions in The Disintegrated Value Chain are that the market is based on pure and open trade. Materials and processes are perceived as pure and well-defined commodities that can be traded worldwide.
There is no static value chain based on long lasting relations. Instead the value chain is split into a number of independent entities that trade commodities in partnership can deliver the wanted products under the right conditions.
Key characteristics:
• products and services will be commoditized and traded in a global market
• there is no static value chain
• volume flexibility is high
3.2.5. Conclusions for scenarios
The complexity of the food industry and its dynamic context make almost endless number of scenarios possible. More scenarios could be developed and could be valid. The four vision scenarios presented here are generic and were derived from the experts’ opinion; they can, however, overlap and can be combined in numerous ways. It is important to stress that these scenarios should not be seen as the final and only solutions for the future of European Food Manufacturing sector. We believe that the future visions for the European Food Manufacturing sector should be developed within the boundaries of these four scenarios.
3.3. Gap analysis
3.3.1. The methodological approach
In order to draft a model for a new research infrastructure, including facilities, resources and services, a stepwise methodological approach has been followed to identify current and future needs of the European food industry and gaps in research infrastructures to fulfil these needs. This process consists of three key pillars:
• Identification of the future needs for research infrastructure: The four vision scenarios, as defined in WP2, as well as available documents describing current and future needs are analysed by four working groups within WP3 made up of representatives of the two (food and manufacturing) sectors to identify the overall needs, available options, challenges and gaps. These working groups are organized to assign specific responsibilities for considering different aspects of research infrastructures to different WP beneficiaries to ensure that all these aspects are assessed systematically.
• Review of available research infrastructures and identification of the gaps: Available, relevant (elements of) research infrastructures in Europe are collected and compared with the list of necessary research infrastructures produced in the previous step. By evaluating the necessity and feasibility of the missing elements of the research infrastructures, a list of gaps in research infrastructures are defined. After screening this preliminary list for its feasibility and potency to improve competitiveness, the priorities, the potential obstacles and the required resources/infrastructures are determined and listed.
• Verification of the findings on gaps: The list of suggested gaps are further reviewed in the national consultations held in nine countries (Denmark, France, Hungary, Sweden, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Spain, and The Netherlands) during the autumn 2012, and at the 1st Consultation European Stakeholder Event held in Brussels in October 2012. The outcomes of these consultation events, as well as further work within the WGs to characterize the gaps, were used to update the research infrastructure list, and verify and update the list of gaps and priorities.
This methodology aggregates a strong scientific and industrial involvement across Europe. By exploiting excellence from food and manufacturing solutions research areas, the suggested infrastructure will build on scientific excellence which will be fostered by novel trans-disciplinary approaches. Through a bottom up, user-driven European stakeholder approach, the commitment and feedback from the industries, the infrastructure will meet the needs of the food sector and the manufacturing solutions sector and thus increase their science based innovation capacity.
3.3.2. Long and short term needs
The future needs cannot be established without identifying of the current needs of the food sector which are yet to be served with appropriate manufacturing solutions. This provides an opportunity for identification of the currently available manufacturing solutions which have already been developed for other sectors but not adapted to the food manufacturing industry.
To follow the methodological approach elaborated in the project, long and short-term future needs were collected and analysed. The results were discussed with stakeholders on national workshops in 9 countries and at an international stakeholder event.
Inventories describing the needs and the solutions were prepared; almost 80 needs and challenges of the food sector and 70 potential manufacturing solutions were identified. The priorities, the potential obstacles, required resources and the infrastructure for the Food Factory of the Future to transfer the available manufacturing solutions were also collected and published in Deliverable D3.6 ‘Integrated summary of long and ort term future needs for research infrastructures’.
The research needs of the food processing industry, for manufacturing solutions, and the manufacturing sector, for developing and adapting these solutions, were grouped around the following main subjects:
Sustainable food manufacturing
• New machinery and plant with efficient use of resources and reduction of environmental impact: energy, water, material (increasing yield) and time
• Adaptation of lean technology
• Waste utilization and valorisation coupled with purchase of raw material
- heat recovery
- cleaning of waste water
- recovery of valuable materials
- manufacturing solutions for improved waste management
o reducing the environmental impact of cleaning, alternatives for using chemicals
o solutions to support sustainability of business activities of SMEs, local food manufacturers
• Business models for reduction of investment and maintenance costs of machinery
- payment proportional to their use
- shared use of machinery
- cost effective machinery provision for seasonal production
- modular design
- cost information considering investment and maintenance costs
• ICT, logistic solutions to support the market access (local, national and international) of SMEs
- design and measure sustainability performance
• Simple, practical tools for calculation and evaluation of environmental impact, alternatives in production methods, systems, technologies, changes, along the whole chain
• Databases for calculation of environmental impact
• Application of sustainability approach for the whole product development cycle
- optimizing food package volume and light weight packages
Smart process design, process control, ICT enabled manufacturing – improving productivity
• ICT enabled intelligent manufacturing and tools for transparency, process control systems, sensors, data transfer systems and computing facilities for large amount of data, activators and expert systems
• Self-learning, self-adaptive techniques (machine learning, artificial intelligence)
- automatisation
- robotisation of activities along the food chain
• Adapted to different sizes of operation
- Intelligent network of equipment within a processing line and along the food supply chain
- Virtual design for simulation and modelling of processes, whole systems and chains
- ICT solutions to optimize food supply and purchasing in the food chain
- ICT solutions for improving logistic systems – flexibility and control of time, temperature and humidity
Advanced food processing equipment and technologies
• Technologies for development of new sensory properties, food microstructure and edible-films
• Flexible, easily reconfigurable, upgradable equipment and manufacturing systems
- fast adaptation to new variations
- agile manufacturing
- better exploitation of operation time – effective maintenance systems
- novel packaging materials and forms, edible packaging, biodegradable packaging, intelligent and active packaging, optimisation of package volume and, light weight packaging
- model foods for testing equipment
Food hygiene, food safety and quality
• More sensitive foreign body detection and removing systems applicable for a wider scope, multifunctional
• solutions
• Rapid detection and testing methods
• New surfaces: from nanotechnology and other techniques
- dry and water free, water saving cleaning, self-cleaning surface of equipment, walls, ceilings,
- floors, drains, surfaces appropriate for ultrasonic cleaning
- heavy duty and organic acid resistant floors
- reduction of friction, elimination of lubricants and leakage of food
- antimicrobial protective clothing
• Easily dismountable equipment, improved surfaces, for better cleaning and disinfection
- smart use of cleaning chemicals
- flexible and mobile high risk area units
- serving consumer’s needs, transparency systems and solutions based on ICT, RFID for informed
- decisions
- web applications and services for the end consumers
• Intelligent hypermarket – consumer information systems
• Purchasing, virtual hypermarket
- ICT solutions for improved traceability for complex traceability problems (cut meat, grain, bulk food)
• application of the new functions of the Future Internet for focused, screened information – content based browsing
• Effective removal of contamination from food powders and fresh produce
Ensuring freshness, increasing shelf-life with hygiene and packaging solutions
• Solutions for extending shelf-life
• Rapid detection of freshness
Innovation methods, knowledge and technology transfer
• Practical training facilities, the learning factory
• ICT based and virtual training systems
• Knowledge management
- portals for collection, structuring and sharing of reproducible knowledge
– new, focused information collection, structuring systems based on the functions of the FI and content based browsing
For the Research Infrastructure for the Food Factory of the Future was found important to ensure that they:
• are attractive for both the researchers and the industry and enable testing of the practical applicability
• of new results and solutions. Thus they stimulate closer collaboration between the research and
• development providers and the industry
• enable collaboration of trans-disciplinary research and development teams
• made of shared physical and virtual pilot production and testing facilities with high flexibility, where several variations of new ideas can be explored at reasonable effort and cost.
3.3.3. Current research infrastructure
An inventory of the available RIs in Europe was done during the initial phase of Work Package 2. Soon, it was realized that a review of all existing RIs is a tremendous challenge that could not be finalized within the project lifetime. Nevertheless, the consortium was ambitious to continuously update the list of existing RIs during the subsequent consultation processes in Europe. The still incomplete review of the existing RIs is summarized in the Deliverable 3.11 “Draft summary inventory of gaps in research infrastructure”. However, to overcome the current non-transparent overview, from a global perspective of existing RIs in food manufacturing in Europe, beneficiaries of the consortium as well as other stakeholders were asked to continue with this exercise.
The online knowledge database Food Tech Innovation Portal (Food TIP), set up by the FP7 funded NoE HighTech Europe (www.foodtech-portal.eu) serves as an excellent basis to get an overview of existing research institutions, companies and facilities in the food processing and food manufacturing sector in the long-term. To achieve this comprehensive overview it is highly recommended to describe missing RIs in the free accessible Food TIP.
Exemplary collected RIs were divided into four categories in the Deliverable 3.11:
• RIs with core activities in the food sector
• RIs with core activities in the manufacturing sector
• RIs in ICT solutions
• RIs in Environmental issues and Sustainable manufacturing
A future RI will probably consist of various elements. An analysis of missing RIs respectively RI elements in the current research landscape is part of the gap analysis. As a preparatory work for this gap analysis elements of existing RIs were categorized into the following:
• pilot plants: food processing equipment and their assemblies
• advanced (analytical) equipment, sensors for food processing research and process control
• databases and collections
• e-infrastructure, networks, computing facilities, screening and structuring of information
• knowledge and technology transfer
• new business models for manufacturing solutions, machinery and operation
• competence centre / trained and skilled staff
An exemplary extract from the inventory of Deliverable 3.11 is given in the following chapters.
RIs with core activities in the food sector
A range of technical labs, sensory labs and industrial pilot plants are available throughout Europe. They are distributed around Europe and cover a wide range of topics, such as process efficiency, product and process innovation, product safety and quality. Few have full pilot plants able to produce food products in sufficient amounts for sensorial evaluation or shelf-life studies.
Much of the research infrastructure become specialized in few core technologies. For example the Netherlands (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, TNO) has unique sets of equipment such as super-heated steam and monodisperse powder 3D printing. Campden BRI constitutes a research infrastructure in microbiology, hygiene, and chemistry, and has a leading-edge sensory analysis suite. Thermal and non-thermal conservation and modification processes are in focus at the Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin) where a wide range of equipment can be found. SIK – The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology has a unique set of microwave and infrared equipment for food applications at different size scale, in addition to capacities to evaluate food properties and environmental impact of food processing. It has also a fully equipped meat processing plant. A “from farm to fork” perspective is implemented at the Institute for Food and Agriculture Research and Technology (IRTA) in the areas of food technology, product quality and food safety, as well as functionality and nutrition. In the agro-industrial production sector ENEA - the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development is an important research infrastructure to help the food industry to innovate and evolve. Leatherhead Food Research offers expertise in food legislation, market intelligence, business and technical information, and training. It has a pilot plant with a wide range of general processing equipment. DIL-German Institute of Food Technologies has facilities for ultrasound, ohmic heating, pulsed electric fields, high pressure technology, runs a platform to adapt robotics to food processing and provides full-scale industrial test beds or emulated industrial laboratory facilities.
An e-Infrastructure (HighTech Europe) aims at establishing a first European Institute for Food Processing. The research infrastructure facilitates implementation of high-tech processing solutions in the food sector by building a portal where food companies can search for and learn about innovations and technical solutions (www.foodtech-portal.eu).
RIs with core activities in the manufacturing sector
As for the research infrastructures in the food sector, the available research infrastructures in the manufacturing sector cover a wide range of topics and activities, such as innovations in polymer and composite processing (PIEP (Portugal)) and development of technologies for biomass and waste conversion (Piattaforma Integrata per l’uso di Biomasse e rifiuti di origine vegetalE, PIBE (Italy)). Also in Italy, a pilot plant is being developed where innovative intelligent, flexible and automatic manufacturing solutions can be developed (ITIA-CNR). This will operate as a learning factory to train students and skilled operators in areas such as robotics and human-robot cooperation, virtual/augmented reality and system engineering and integration. Also, related business models in the field of de-manufacturing of mechatronics processes will be designed and tested.
Technology transfer in some form is included in most research infrastructures. However, some organizations have been created to act as interfaces between academia and industry and are dedicated to technology transfer, training and innovations (INESC Porto and INEGI from Portugal). A production technologies cluster (PRODUTECH) promotes cooperation, innovation and internationalization in the manufacturing sector.
To utilize innovations in manufacturing, a consortium of research institutes and universities across Europe manages the European Manufacturing Survey (EMS). EMS covers a core of indicators on the innovation fields: i) technical modernization of value-adding processes, ii) introduction of innovative organizational concepts and processes, and iii) new business models for complementing the product portfolio with innovative services.
RIs in ICT solutions
Improved and reliable ICT solutions are key issues for the Food Factory of the Future. There is an available research infrastructure for improved performance, reliability and production costs regarding internet applications, which will build a core platform for the Future Internet (FI-WARE). The platform will increase the global competiveness of the European ICT economy. An Open Innovation Lab will be created to nurture future innovations. Also, a pan-European data network (GÉANT) seeks to shape the Internet of the future by developing an advanced portfolio of technologies. Services, tools and network capabilities will be created for the researchers of tomorrow.
Computer power is essential for many research sectors, and a research infrastructure on High Performance Computing (HPC-Europa2) is giving the research community in Europe access to first-class supercomputers and advanced computational services. In this way, transnational access to HPC systems available in Europe is realized. Also, the European Grid Infrastructure (EGI) is an e-Infrastructure providing access to computing and storage resources across Europe, linked by high-performance networks.
In order to centralize the available information resources in Europe, a platform (Collaborative European Digital/Archival Infrastructure, CENDARI) is created with the aim to provide access to previously fragmented European information resources, such as archives and libraries. New e-science tools and services will be developed to support transnational and comparative cross-disciplinary work.
RIs in Environmental issues and Sustainable manufacturing
In the area of sustainability there is a growing requirement of data and information. Currently, most of the data is stored locally, and cannot be shared with the rest of the scientific community. Therefore, there is a large demand for research infrastructures to connect the already existing infrastructures. Some of the available research infrastructures in this field aim for a joint approach. Distributed Infrastructure for EXPErimentation in Ecosystem Research (EXPEER) is a project which federates already existing infrastructures in the field of Ecosystem Research, in order to improve the research capacity. Also, EXPEER facilitates access to experimental and observational platforms as well as analytical and modelling facilities. A similar approach is used for several research infrastructures, such as:
• the InGOS project (Integrated non-CO2 Greenhouse gas Observation System), which integrates existing infrastructures in the area of non-CO2 substances
• IS-ENES (Infrastructure for the European Network for Earth System Modelling) that aims for development of a common distributed modelling research infrastructure for Earth System Modelling. This project will create a virtual modelling resource centre using state-of-the-art technologies, to allow research groups across Europe to have access to their data and resources
• the Infrastructure for the Measurement of the European Carbon Cycle (IMECC) provides databases and tools on the relationship between atmospheric carbon and the terrestrial biosphere. It strives towards an integrated and accessible European carbon data assimilation system
In sustainability assessment methodology data on attitudinal and behavioural changes in social, political and moral climate data are important. This can be used to analyse the impact of food manufacturing. The European Social Survey Infrastructure (ESSi) improves social measurement in Europe and provides an infrastructure for such data and methodologies. The impacts on human health and the environment of nanotechnologies are handled at the European Centre of the Sustainable Impact of Nanotechnology (ECSIN).
A European Platform on LCA improves the credibility, acceptance and practice of LCA in business and public authorities. This research infrastructure will ensure better coherence across LCA instruments and robust decision support.
3.3.4. Gaps in food manufacturing research infrastructure
One of the main aims of the project was to identify the gaps in the necessary Research Infrastructure for the current and future food manufacturing industry in Europe. The research infrastructure should include facilities, resources and services necessary to serve the needs of the food industry in order to fulfil the future vision scenarios of the Food Factory of the Future.
The identified needs and solutions have been intended to be paired in order to find the gaps and identify the necessary enabling elements of research infrastructure. Several available research infrastructure elements have been collected across Europe both in the food and the manufacturing sectors having suitable competences. Based on the available research infrastructure compared with the necessary ones, missing elements of research infrastructure were identified. They were then discussed in terms of importance, necessity and feasibility and a priority list was proposed based on their ratings.
The inventory of needs and solutions and the list of gaps were discussed and verified during the national consultations held in nine countries and at the 1st stakeholder event. The following elements of research infrastructure were considered to be necessary to eliminate the major gaps in the available research infrastructure for food manufacturing in Europe:
Gaps in existing RI that have been identified with Priority I
1.1 Pilot size factories to develop manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
1.2 Pilot plants for implementation of robotics and automation in food production
1.3 Collection of business models on innovation practices in the food production sector
1.4 Virtual/augmented reality for simulation and training
1.5 Research facilities for radical innovations in food technology
1.6 Nanotechnology to produce tailor made surfaces
1.7 Improved packaging solutions for food applications
1.8 Assessment of environmental impact of food processing
Gaps in existing RI that have been identified with Priority II
2.1 Material sensing and characterization
2.2 Databases on shelf-life extension
2.3 Novel piping materials
2.4 Database for informing the public about the effects of over-processing of food products
2.5 Value added products from waste
2.6 Time series data on macroeconomic performance and forecast tables
2.7 Reliable and disaggregated economic data coupled with environmental data
2.8 Robust economic models for running simulations
Characterization of gaps in Research Infrastructure based on the typical parts and constituents of the “Food Factory of the Future” were preformed (D3.14 Verified inventory of gaps in research infrastructure and its Annex: Characterization of gaps in research infrastructure). General infrastructure elements which are necessary for all Research Infrastructures and distributed sites:
• All pilot plants should have adequate supporting e-infrastructure, such as authentication and authorization technologies and policies, middleware, data infrastructures and persistent data storage grid, cloud and virtualization services which enable advanced computation, data handling and networking capacities, 3D visualization techniques, access to services supporting the use of Internet of Things, appropriate virtual remote access to the pilot scale equipment and remote instruments to enable cost effective sharing of them, which can substantially reduce the human and financial costs of research.
• There is a need for a package with standardized software and audio-visual technical facilities for webinars and videoconferences at each site for broadcasting good, reliable quality pictures and sound. Compatible, simpler packages should be made available at the receiver side, e.g. at the users of knowledge transfer and training services. These enable reduction of the cost of practical demonstrations, training and professional consultations by reducing the need for personal attendance and improve access to training.
• Food handling and food hygiene facilities at each non-food processing base elements of Research Infrastructures.
3.4 Conceptual Design of the Food Factory of the Future
3.4.1 Methodology
The objective of this part was to develop a strategy and derive a Conceptual Design Report CDR for the new research infrastructure on the Food Factory of the Future, through the drafting of feasible models and strategic visionary debates among high-level experts from industry, research and society, based on insights generated in WP2 and WP3.
For the Infrastructure model drafting a “Success Model Building Workshop” was held. During the Success Model Building Workshop three models were validated and one of the three models was chosen. The result of the Success Model Building is a feasible model for the design of the FFoF that fully reflects the most ambitious aspirations formulated in the vision scenarios (WP 2) and addresses the gaps for the food manufacturing sector identified in the gap analysis in WP 3. This model was compiled by potential stakeholders (external experts from industry, science and society as well as the project beneficiaries as experts.
The model was further refined with the experts opinion from industry. These in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 industry experts from the food processing and manufacturing sector. The results from these interviews were included to the success model. Parallel to the interviews further organizational aspects and technical issues for the FFoF were collected and integrated to the organizational model. This refined organizational model of the FFoF was used as the basis for the road mapping workshop.
For the Success-Model Building a road mapping workshop was held, mainly based on the organizational model for the Food Factory of the Future. Further prerequisite for the road mapping workshop was derived from the vision scenarios (WP2) and the gap analysis (WP 3) and especially from the strategic approach for the FFoF.
Based on the road mapping a first draft of structure of the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) was elaborated. This was presented and aligned with partners during a group meeting. Work on technical specifications of technologies prioritized for the FFoF were developed under consultation of 10 external technology experts. A first and a second draft of the CDR was sent out for commenting and improvement to all partners before finalized.
3.4.2 Infrastructure model drafting and success model building
On the basis of a consistency matrix of critical dimensions of an infrastructure model, and an intensive analysis of the research field, three draft models were selected. The priorities for the development of the models were to develop models that are plausible, realistic and internally consistent and thus represent real options for a future FFoF. At the same time they were meant to be as different from each other in order to offer a real choice and to promote discussions among the project beneficiaries about the most adequate organizational structure of the FFoF.
Model 1
This RI model is the most industry focused. Its main driver is its objective to promote applied research and technology transfer between companies from the two sectors. Rather than the promotion of basic research, this model is expected to focus on harvesting the low hanging fruits by promoting the technology transfer from one sector to another and from one company to another. This objective had a decisive influence on the options chosen for most of its dimensions.
Model 2
Like model 1, this model ties to promote knowledge transfer. However, in contrast to model 1, its main driver is to place knowledge and technology transfer on a much broader platform that does not only include industry, but also a large range and number of other actors from research, education and business actors as well as the food and manufacturing sector. Based on the assumption that innovation occurs wherever and whenever new combinations of actors and ideas are brought together, this models seeks to create a place and time for such innovations.
Model 3
The main driver of this model is the promotion of basic research. This RI is meant to work on the long-term challenges of the food manufacturing sector that may already be on the industry’s radars but which may not be concrete enough to win industrial funding.
In the Success Model Building Workshop the 3 models were validated and model 1 was chosen as the basis on which a model for the Food Factory of the Future was developed. Based on three ideal-typical sketches for research infrastructures the most important organizational dimensions for the FMRI were discussed and the best respective options were chosen
Finally the Conceptual Design Report presents the entire conceptual design of the FFoF.
3.4.3 Food Factory of the Future
The proposed infrastructure is a distributed, flexible, industry driven membership organization. It will form trans disciplinary platforms within prioritized areas. In the gap analysis 8 prioritized gaps in research infrastructures were identified of which the 5 first mentioned were developed further, providing detailed technical specifications describing technical requirements and for the design of identified RI elements:
1. Pilot size factories to develop manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
2. Pilot plants for implementation of robotics and automation in food production
3. Collection of business models on innovation practices in the food production sector
4. Virtual/augmented reality for simulation and training
5. Assessment of environmental impact of food processing
6. Research facilities for radical innovations in food technology
7. Nanotechnology to produce tailor made surfaces
8. Improved packaging solutions for food applications
Platforms covering each of the prioritized areas will build on existing research infrastructure elements as well as new elements to fill the gaps. This will serve a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions. It will facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how.
The FFoF platforms will deal with key topics identified as gaps in current research infrastructures (see above). These platforms will consists of an own sub-network with stakeholders from science and industry, if needed also from society and public authorities. Each platform will describe how they can give added value to the industry as main beneficiary of the FFoF by respective key activities and services. The main part of this exercise is the description of new FFoF elements which are currently missing at research institutions to complete the overall picture.
Additionally, education, training and knowledge & technology transfer units will be set up to facilitate innovation processes. These units can be platform specific or serving all platforms.
The main beneficiary of the new research infrastructure will be the food processing industry and manufacturing technologies industry dealing with food related issues, which explicitly includes SMEs. These main beneficiaries can be members or customers of the FFoF. To achieve the aim and to meet the challenges, the FFoF will:
• form an inspiring network of innovative existing pilot size factories and pilot plants to develop and demonstrate manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
• build on existing RI elements (e.g. research facilities, test bed facilities, services, etc.) as a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions
• be a distributed location.
• facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how by industry and meet expectations and needs of the main RI beneficiaries in a long term perspective
• focus on applied research and transfer cutting edge technologies and information from the manufacturing sector to the food sector and supporting basic research to applied research by considering education and training have an inclusive membership which is open to a broad range of members
• give open access to industry especially to small and medium sized enterprises to utilize the FFoF
• have a flexible structure to adapt its focus on future demands and challenges create trust among involved stakeholders in the food manufacturing sector
• provide a balance between confidentiality and exploitation
• be industry driven. This will be reflected in the overall management structure, in the decision making rules and the operational structure
• be funded by a mixed funding scheme from public and private interested parties
• have platforms dealing with key topics identified as gaps of the existing research infrastructure in Europe such as FFoF platforms
Potential Impact:
4 Impact
4.1. Value proposition for stakeholders
The new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to the food processing and manufacturing industry by:
• easy and affordable access to cutting edge technologies and facilities
• speeding up product development by food industry and speeding up development of equipment and solutions suitable for food industry
• providing a meeting place for the food producing sector, the machineries and equipment manufacturing sector to foster the dialogue between both sectors, in order to identify new ways to interact and to boost interdisciplinary research activities
• identifying for the manufacturing sector new fields of application within the food sector and hence, giving both sectors access to new customers and business opportunities in Europe
• giving access to technologies and demonstration activities to maximize the utilization of knowledge generated in academia
• offering the industry customized staff training activities
• having a transparent and fair intellectual property rights (IPR) regime
The new FFoF will meet and take into account the social, economic and ecological challenges the food and manufacturing sectors are facing today (e.g. sustainable food production, healthy and safe food and reduction of food waste) according to its policy and activities. The impact of the new RI is expected to foster the following areas:
• employment: sustain and create jobs
• consumer expectations: healthy and safe foods
• economy: create new business through products, processes and services with higher added value considering the pricing pressure in the sector
• environment: promoting sustainability in production, respecting the environment and ensure a more effective use of resources
• business: building up trust among stakeholders in the food processing chain
• entrepreneurship
• knowledge and education: create and maintain new advanced knowledge and skills in Europe on high added-value processes and technologies, as well as entrepreneurial skills
The Food Factory of the Future will be a place where the testing, demonstrating and piloting results from R&D projects will promote the exploitation of those results towards a market application. Consequently, the new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to European consumers who will have better food produced in a more sustainable way and the European food industry which will be more competitive.
4.2 Main dissemination activities
A logo, a website (www.foodmanufuture.eu) a powerpoint template a dissemination plan, and a flyer (D5.1-5) were in place within the first months of the project.
Extensive communication of FoodManufuture outcomes and progress has been carried out by the partners. National Technology Platforms Food for Life on June 2012 in Istanbul, during SIAL international Fair on October 2012 in Paris, EUREKA and Susfood, the ETPs’ Boards being good examples. Over the 2 years the beneficiaries have presented the FoodManufuture progress at 87 events all over Europe, given generic information (flyers, networking etc) at another 57 events, made 24 publications, and the webside has been linked in at least 9 webpages outside the project.
The final dissemination events in 9 countries took place in November-December 2013. The final dissemination event took place in Brussels on December 18 back to back to the ECOTROFOOD final event had more than 70 attendants from industry and other stakeholders of the 2 sectors. Here the executive summary was available for hand outs.
4.3 Other impact
Beside the main results leading to the FFoF description in the CDR, a number of the findings in the analyses and scenarios have already had impact. The findings of the needs and available solutions have been presented in various fora and been adopted or used as inspiration in strategies among others in EUREKA and in SUSFOOD. The partners continuously receive e-mails from beneficiaries that wish to join a continuation or ask for a presentation.
List of Websites:
www.foodmanufuture.eu
Contact information:
Scientific Coordinator: Lisbeth Munksgaard, Aalborg University: lmu@adm.aau.dk
Adm. project manager: Marlene Kræmmer Sparre, Aalborg University: mkk@adm.aau.dk
In order to maintain and increase the number of jobs in Europe, novel and smart manufacturing technologies are needed, that can increase competiveness by lowering production costs and improving sustainability in the manufacturing and distribution in order to make it attractive to keep manufacturing plants in Europe. The Food sector is one of the largest manufacturing sectors in Europe and food export out of Europe is essential for European economy, but is lacking behind other manufacturing sectors regarding implementation of new technology. The FoodManufuture project has provided a basis for decision making for a European Food Manufacturing Research Infrastructure that can provide the food sector and the manufacturing technology sector the newest technological knowledge and support the adaptation to fit the specific requirements for food manufacturing. The overall objective of the FoodManufuture project was, over 2 years (2012-13), to perform a Conceptual Design Study for a Food Manufacturing Infrastructure that may boost competitiveness and innovativeness of the food manufacturing sector through cutting-edge research, dedicated and involving knowledge transfer, and motivating education.
The proposed infrastructure is a distributed, flexible, industry driven membership organization. It will form trans disciplinary platforms within prioritized areas, such as robotics, sustainability, new business models, virtual augmented reality, pilot sized factories and/or other prioritized areas. It will build on existing research infrastructure elements as a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions. It will facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how.
The project has involved stakeholders from industries, academia, public and private decision makers from the food sector and the production technologies sector in order to meet the needs of both sectors in a cross-disciplinary approach. The consortium is based on, but not restricted to, wide-spread networks of public and private stakeholders from the ETPs Food for Life and MANUFUTURE. Joining forces of the food sector and the manufacturing solutions sector, sharing, aligning, combining and defining challenges and solutions was more efficient than done separately.
Serving the basis for the final conceptual design study, the intermediate objectives were to
• Identify cutting-edge visions for the sector
• Identify the future needs for research infrastructures
• Review of the available research infrastructures and identify of the gaps
• Describe the concept of the most promising infrastructure
In a bottom-up process the stakeholders have created cutting-edge visions for the sector regarding manufacturing technologies, food chain management, sustainability, business models, technology transfer and education. Available solutions for meeting the short term needs of the food processing industry and gaps in the necessary research infrastructures for meeting the long term research needs of the food processing and the manufacturing industries were identified. Available research infrastructures that may cover the needs were identifies as were the gaps in infrastructures that need to be filled. Access to subscribe to the HightechEurope database was established. Based on the identified solutions and gaps, models were elaborated and validated. The final Conceptual Design Report presents the most promising model for the new research infrastructure, technical and economic figures and proposes optional funding solutions.
The dissemination program including the involvement of stakeholders at national and European level from the two sectors has created the attention Europe wide in both sectors and promoted the final Conceptual Design Report at events in 9 countries, at the final event in Brussels, in the widespread networks of the 2 ETP’s and at several meetings and events.
Project Context and Objectives:
2.1 Context
European Food Manufacturing in 2025 may be far more automatized, sustainable, flexible, and intelligent and based on novel business models. How and why? What are the needs and which needs may be covered from inventions made for other sectors? These are some of the questions in focus. Based on visions, mapping and analyses made with and by stakeholders from the food sector and from the manufacturing technologies sector, FoodManufuture has performed a Conceptual Design Study for a European Food Factory of the Future. This new (virtual) research infrastructure should build on existing infrastructures and give access from any part of Europe. The research infrastructure will provide easy access to state of the art test facilities and thus aims at boosting competitiveness and innovativeness of the food manufacturing sector through cutting-edge research, dedicated and involving knowledge transfer, and motivating education. Based on the input received from the consortium of FoodManufuture and involvement of the widespread networks of the European Technology Platforms ETP MANUFUTURE and ETP Food for Life and many other stakeholders and experts, the concept has been outlined in the Conceptual Design Report (CDR).
2.2 Aim of FoodManufuture
The conceptual design report (CDR) aims to present a valuable, relevant concept for a new research infrastructure to serve the current and future needs of the European food industry: the Food Factory of the Future (FFoF). It should not be considered to be a ready-made solution for the food processing and manufacturing sectors, but should act as basis for further discussion with private and political decision makers in order to implement complementary ideas or suggestions. The CDR will visualize that our approach has a high potential for future Horizon 2020 Research Infrastructure actions by proposing integration of and access to existing national research infrastructures. Where limitations are recognized alternative strategies have been proposed.
The Food Factory of the Future will present itself as a privileged field for testing, piloting, and demonstrating new and emerging food production innovations. In order to meet the need to extract more value from the R&D and innovation investments, a critical aspect in the current period of severe economic crisis, Horizon2020 will offer stronger support to the market take-up of innovation. Moreover, from a global perspective the development of new markets is for the food industry with increasing export rates of high importance. This will imply a higher focus on the realization of proof-of-concepts, pilot lines and demonstration plants, as well as new business models for the sector. It will imply as well a better use of the potential of research infrastructures, as well as setting technical standards, and pre-commercial procurement as will be provided by this research infrastructure. The pilots and demonstrators network provided by the FFoF aims at fostering synergies between food researchers and production technologies developers, where technologies are integrated and demonstrated in real or quasi-real settings.
2.3 Objectives
The main objective of the project and thus of FFoF is to improve the competitiveness in the European food sector and manufacturing sector. Therefore we propose that a new research infrastructure will be designed that offers appropriate capabilities, services and activities that can be utilized by the industry (large and small) and researchers and will finally boost innovation in the food processing and the manufacturing technologies sector.
The project has involved stakeholders from industries, academia, public and private decision makers from the food sector and the production technologies sector in order to meet the needs of both sectors in a cross-disciplinary approach. The consortium is based on, but not restricted to, wide-spread networks of public and private stakeholders from the ETPs Food for Life and MANUFUTURE. Joining forces of the food sector and the manufacturing solutions sector, sharing, aligning, combining and defining challenges and solutions was more efficient than done separately.
Serving the basis for the final conceptual design study, the intermediate objectives were to
• Identify cutting-edge visions for the sector
• Identify the future needs for research infrastructures
• Review of the available research infrastructures and identify of the gaps
• Describe the concept of the most promising infrastructure
In a bottom-up process the stakeholders have created cutting-edge visions for the sector regarding manufacturing technologies, food chain management, sustainability, business models, technology transfer and education. Available solutions for meeting the short term needs of the food processing industry and gaps in the necessary research infrastructures for meeting the long term research needs of the food processing and the manufacturing industries were identified. Available research infrastructures that may cover the needs were identifies as were the gaps in infrastructures that need to be filled. Access to subscribe to the HightechEurope database was established. Based on the identified solutions and gaps, models were elaborated and validated. The most promising model was identified in a Success Model Building workshop. The organizational model was refined with the results from interviews with 38 industry experts from the food processing and manufacturing sector all over. Further organizational aspects and technical issues for the FFoF were collected and integrated to the organizational model. This formed the basis for a road mapping workshop. Further prerequisite for the road mapping workshop was derived from the vision scenarios (WP2) and the gap analysis (WP 3) and especially from the strategic approach for the FFoF.
Based on the findings, the final Conceptual Design Report presents the most promising model for the new research infrastructure, technical and economic figures and proposes optional funding solutions.
The dissemination program including the involvement of stakeholders at national and European level from the two sectors has created the attention Europe wide in both sectors and promoted the final Conceptual Design Report at events in 9 countries, at the final event in Brussels, in the widespread networks of the 2 ETP’s and at several meetings and events.
2.4. Concept of the proposed Research Infrastructure Food Factory of the Future
The proposed infrastructure is a distributed, flexible, industry driven membership organization. It will form trans-disciplinary platforms within prioritized areas. In the process 8 prioritized gaps in research infrastructures were identified. 5 of these were developed further (please see the first 5 bullets below):
1. Pilot size factories to develop manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
2. Pilot plants for implementation of robotics and automation in food production
3. Collection of business models on innovation practices in the food production sector
4. Virtual/augmented reality for simulation and training
5. Assessment of environmental impact of food processing
6. Research facilities for radical innovations in food technology
7. Nanotechnology to produce tailor made surfaces
8. Improved packaging solutions for food applications
Based on the verified list of gaps identified with priority I. in WP3, the following RI Platforms were consequently further elaborated through developing technical specifications in WP4 to describe technical requirements for the design of the FFoF.
Platforms covering each of the prioritized areas will build on existing research infrastructure elements as well as new elements to fill the gaps. This will serve a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions. It will facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how.
The main beneficiary of the new research infrastructure will be the food processing industry and manufacturing technologies industry dealing with food related issues, which explicitly includes SMEs. These main beneficiaries can be members or customers of the FFoF. To achieve the aim and to meet the challenges, the FFoF will:
• form an inspiring network of innovative existing pilot size factories and pilot plants to develop and demonstrate manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
• build on existing RI elements (e.g. research facilities, test bed facilities, services, etc.) as a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions
• be a distributed location.
• facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how by industry and meet expectations and needs of the main RI beneficiaries in a long term perspective
• focus on applied research and transfer cutting edge technologies and information from the manufacturing sector to the food sector and supporting basic research to applied research by considering education and training have an inclusive membership which is open to a broad range of members
• give open access to industry especially to small and medium sized enterprises to utilize the FFoF
• have a flexible structure to adapt its focus on future demands and challenges create trust among involved stakeholders in the food manufacturing sector
• provide a balance between confidentiality and exploitation
• be industry driven. This will be reflected in the overall management structure, in the decision making rules and the operational structure
• be funded by a mixed funding scheme from public and private interested parties
• have platforms dealing with key topics identified as gaps of the existing research infrastructure in Europe such as FFoF platforms
The FFoF platforms will deal with key topics identified as gaps in current research infrastructures (see above). These platforms will consists of an own sub-network with stakeholders from science and industry, if needed also from society and public authorities. Each platform will describe how they can give added value to the industry as main beneficiary of the FFoF by respective key activities and services. The main part of this exercise is the description of new FFoF elements which are currently missing at research institutions to complete the overall picture.
Additionally, education, training and knowledge & technology transfer units will be set up to facilitate innovation processes. These units can be platform specific or serving all platforms.
3. Value proposition for stakeholders
The new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to the food processing and manufacturing industry by:
• Providing a meeting place for the food producing sector and the machineries and equipment manufacturing sector to foster the dialogue between both sectors, in order to identify new ways to interact and to boost interdisciplinary research activities.
• Identifying for the manufacturing sector new fields of application within the food sector and hence, giving both sectors access to new customers in Europe.
• Giving access to technologies and demonstration activities to maximize the utilization of knowledge generated in academia.
• Offering the industry customized staff training activities.
• Having an transparent and fair intellectual property rights (IPR) regime
The new FFoF will meet and take into account the social, economic and ecological challenges the food and manufacturing sectors are facing today (e.g. sustainable food production, healthy and safe food and reduction of food waste) according to its policy and activities impact of the new RI is expected to foster the following areas:
• Employment: sustain and create jobs
• Consumer expectations: healthy and safe foods
• Economy: Create new business through products, processes and services with higher added value considering the pricing pressure in the sector
• Environment: Promoting sustainability in production and respecting environment and ensure a more effective use of resources
• Business: Building up trust among stakeholders in the food processing chain
• Foster entrepreneurship
• Knowledge and education: create and maintain new advanced knowledge and skills in Europe on high added-value processes and technologies, as well as entrepreneurial skills.
Consequently, the new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to European consumer who will have better food produced in a more sustainable way and the European food industry which will be more competitive.
In sum, the design of an efficient, flexible and targeted research driven Food Factory of the Future will enable the food sector to obtain an increased benefit from the European research results and hereby fulfilling the crucial need of adding value to the food sector in Europe through increased growth and competitiveness in both the food and manufacturing sector.
Project Results:
3.1 Overall approach
The basic idea of the FP7-funded project FoodManufuture is that a systematic combination of resources, capabilities and competences of the European Technology Platforms for Food (ETP Food for Life) and for Manufacturing technologies (ETP MANUFUTURE) at research, at business and at technology transfer level, will create new ideas for inter-disciplinary research and innovation and new tools for chain and business management. 13 partners from both ETPs drafted an overall methodical approach to achieve a conceptual design study of a research infrastructure for the Food Factory of the Future this was implemented by project beneficiaries. Input and feedback was given by several further experts.
The logic sequence to distill the CDR consists of 3 consecutive Work Packages (WPs):
• in Work Package 2, and as a starting point for this CDR, the main vision scenarios have been compiled describing the general conditions the food manufacturing industry is seen to operate in the future. They were discussed and formulated by a substantial group of European Food and Manufacturing representatives during the course of a large workshop:
• in Work Package 3, the final aim was the identification of gaps in research infrastructures which have been deduced by comparison of an inventory of necessary research infrastructures with an inventory of available, already existing research infrastructures, based on identified challenges in the food industry. Consultation of stakeholders was again mandatory
• Work Package 4 paved the way for defining the success model in terms of location, membership, management structure and technical requirements for the design of the FFoF. Other critical dimensions were derived out of a process aided again by experts out of wide fields of knowledge.
This conceptual approach was completed by the work packages 1 (Project Management) and 5 (European Dimension Support and Dissemination).
3.2 Vision Scenarios
A point of departure for the CDR is four future vision scenarios for the food-manufacturing sector, which were developed at the beginning of the project. The purpose of the vision scenarios is to create a palette of possible future scenarios illustrating the conditions under which the food manufacturing industry will have to operate in the future.
The vision scenarios depart from a list of manufacturing key research and innovation areas defined by the project beneficiaries, based on priorities defined in the Strategic Research Agendas of the 2 ETPs. The eight research- and innovation areas were:
1. Energy and material saving, alternative material sources
2. Cost efficiency sources
3. Flexible production and services, automation and/or monitoring systems sources
4. Food chain management, logistics and retail sources
5. New functionalities including smart packaging, hygiene control, etc. sources
6. Development of innovative and high quality food products sources
7. Business model sources
8. Technology transfer and education sources
Based on these key research and innovation areas, the vision scenarios were developed based on numerous inputs from a broad variety of stakeholders within the Food and Manufacturing sector. The most important has been the large workshop in Copenhagen in March 2012, where more than 60 representatives from the European Food and Manufacturing sectors joined forces in an effort to discuss and formulate the vision scenarios for the common future of the Food and Manufacturing sectors in Europe.
The full description of the vision scenarios can be found in Deliverable 2.4 ‘Final report on food manufacturing vision scenarios’. The key elements in the four vision scenarios are described below:
3.2.1. The Global Micro System
The Global Micro System can be seen as a self-supplying partnership among a number of partners/entities in a defined narrow regional area. The Global Micro System is a partnership among partners all along the value chain, also embracing energy suppliers, waste handling, recycle facilities, logistics, etc.
Key characteristics:
• narrow regional anchoring
• self-sustaining system
• close collaboration and adaption between parties
3.2.2. Ingredients Based Food
The basic assumption in this scenario is that raw materials for food and drinks will be produced at the most optimal location and then will be processed into a set of ingredients. Then, these ingredients will then be transported to other locations, where they will be mixed into different Ingredients Based Food products.
The optimal location for the production of raw materials would be determined by the availability of the natural resources, climate, wage level etc. This could be cattle farming in the most fertile areas or the growing of fruits at the warmest locations.
In the Ingredients Based Food scenario, the process of breaking down the raw materials will be refined significantly. It will be possible to process in a more advanced way meat, vegetables, seafood, etc., than today, and thus, to create a much larger variety of ingredients, not only in terms of flavour but also with different nutritional. In time it might be possible to produce many of the ingredients in a laboratory and thus will be independent of actual farming, etc.
Key characteristics:
• a mix of ingredients “extracted” from raw materials creates end product
• ingredients are a tradable global commodity
• end user might define the meal solution (flavour, nutrition, volume, etc.)
3.2.3. The Integrated Value Chain
In the Integrated Value Chain the different partners have adapted their systems and operations to fit into the rest of the value chain. It can be optimised to an extent where the entire value chain can be perceived as one sole system.
The Integrated Value Chain can be organised on different geographical levels from large global value chains to small regional value chains. Strong multinational brand owners might own large parts of the value chain and thus dominate the Integrated Value Chain. But it can also be a close collaboration between smaller and more equal partners.
Key characteristics:
• parties in the value chain are linked together
• high level of knowledge sharing
• value chain can be globally dispersed
3.2.4. The Disintegrated Value Chain
The basic assumptions in The Disintegrated Value Chain are that the market is based on pure and open trade. Materials and processes are perceived as pure and well-defined commodities that can be traded worldwide.
There is no static value chain based on long lasting relations. Instead the value chain is split into a number of independent entities that trade commodities in partnership can deliver the wanted products under the right conditions.
Key characteristics:
• products and services will be commoditized and traded in a global market
• there is no static value chain
• volume flexibility is high
3.2.5. Conclusions for scenarios
The complexity of the food industry and its dynamic context make almost endless number of scenarios possible. More scenarios could be developed and could be valid. The four vision scenarios presented here are generic and were derived from the experts’ opinion; they can, however, overlap and can be combined in numerous ways. It is important to stress that these scenarios should not be seen as the final and only solutions for the future of European Food Manufacturing sector. We believe that the future visions for the European Food Manufacturing sector should be developed within the boundaries of these four scenarios.
3.3. Gap analysis
3.3.1. The methodological approach
In order to draft a model for a new research infrastructure, including facilities, resources and services, a stepwise methodological approach has been followed to identify current and future needs of the European food industry and gaps in research infrastructures to fulfil these needs. This process consists of three key pillars:
• Identification of the future needs for research infrastructure: The four vision scenarios, as defined in WP2, as well as available documents describing current and future needs are analysed by four working groups within WP3 made up of representatives of the two (food and manufacturing) sectors to identify the overall needs, available options, challenges and gaps. These working groups are organized to assign specific responsibilities for considering different aspects of research infrastructures to different WP beneficiaries to ensure that all these aspects are assessed systematically.
• Review of available research infrastructures and identification of the gaps: Available, relevant (elements of) research infrastructures in Europe are collected and compared with the list of necessary research infrastructures produced in the previous step. By evaluating the necessity and feasibility of the missing elements of the research infrastructures, a list of gaps in research infrastructures are defined. After screening this preliminary list for its feasibility and potency to improve competitiveness, the priorities, the potential obstacles and the required resources/infrastructures are determined and listed.
• Verification of the findings on gaps: The list of suggested gaps are further reviewed in the national consultations held in nine countries (Denmark, France, Hungary, Sweden, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Spain, and The Netherlands) during the autumn 2012, and at the 1st Consultation European Stakeholder Event held in Brussels in October 2012. The outcomes of these consultation events, as well as further work within the WGs to characterize the gaps, were used to update the research infrastructure list, and verify and update the list of gaps and priorities.
This methodology aggregates a strong scientific and industrial involvement across Europe. By exploiting excellence from food and manufacturing solutions research areas, the suggested infrastructure will build on scientific excellence which will be fostered by novel trans-disciplinary approaches. Through a bottom up, user-driven European stakeholder approach, the commitment and feedback from the industries, the infrastructure will meet the needs of the food sector and the manufacturing solutions sector and thus increase their science based innovation capacity.
3.3.2. Long and short term needs
The future needs cannot be established without identifying of the current needs of the food sector which are yet to be served with appropriate manufacturing solutions. This provides an opportunity for identification of the currently available manufacturing solutions which have already been developed for other sectors but not adapted to the food manufacturing industry.
To follow the methodological approach elaborated in the project, long and short-term future needs were collected and analysed. The results were discussed with stakeholders on national workshops in 9 countries and at an international stakeholder event.
Inventories describing the needs and the solutions were prepared; almost 80 needs and challenges of the food sector and 70 potential manufacturing solutions were identified. The priorities, the potential obstacles, required resources and the infrastructure for the Food Factory of the Future to transfer the available manufacturing solutions were also collected and published in Deliverable D3.6 ‘Integrated summary of long and ort term future needs for research infrastructures’.
The research needs of the food processing industry, for manufacturing solutions, and the manufacturing sector, for developing and adapting these solutions, were grouped around the following main subjects:
Sustainable food manufacturing
• New machinery and plant with efficient use of resources and reduction of environmental impact: energy, water, material (increasing yield) and time
• Adaptation of lean technology
• Waste utilization and valorisation coupled with purchase of raw material
- heat recovery
- cleaning of waste water
- recovery of valuable materials
- manufacturing solutions for improved waste management
o reducing the environmental impact of cleaning, alternatives for using chemicals
o solutions to support sustainability of business activities of SMEs, local food manufacturers
• Business models for reduction of investment and maintenance costs of machinery
- payment proportional to their use
- shared use of machinery
- cost effective machinery provision for seasonal production
- modular design
- cost information considering investment and maintenance costs
• ICT, logistic solutions to support the market access (local, national and international) of SMEs
- design and measure sustainability performance
• Simple, practical tools for calculation and evaluation of environmental impact, alternatives in production methods, systems, technologies, changes, along the whole chain
• Databases for calculation of environmental impact
• Application of sustainability approach for the whole product development cycle
- optimizing food package volume and light weight packages
Smart process design, process control, ICT enabled manufacturing – improving productivity
• ICT enabled intelligent manufacturing and tools for transparency, process control systems, sensors, data transfer systems and computing facilities for large amount of data, activators and expert systems
• Self-learning, self-adaptive techniques (machine learning, artificial intelligence)
- automatisation
- robotisation of activities along the food chain
• Adapted to different sizes of operation
- Intelligent network of equipment within a processing line and along the food supply chain
- Virtual design for simulation and modelling of processes, whole systems and chains
- ICT solutions to optimize food supply and purchasing in the food chain
- ICT solutions for improving logistic systems – flexibility and control of time, temperature and humidity
Advanced food processing equipment and technologies
• Technologies for development of new sensory properties, food microstructure and edible-films
• Flexible, easily reconfigurable, upgradable equipment and manufacturing systems
- fast adaptation to new variations
- agile manufacturing
- better exploitation of operation time – effective maintenance systems
- novel packaging materials and forms, edible packaging, biodegradable packaging, intelligent and active packaging, optimisation of package volume and, light weight packaging
- model foods for testing equipment
Food hygiene, food safety and quality
• More sensitive foreign body detection and removing systems applicable for a wider scope, multifunctional
• solutions
• Rapid detection and testing methods
• New surfaces: from nanotechnology and other techniques
- dry and water free, water saving cleaning, self-cleaning surface of equipment, walls, ceilings,
- floors, drains, surfaces appropriate for ultrasonic cleaning
- heavy duty and organic acid resistant floors
- reduction of friction, elimination of lubricants and leakage of food
- antimicrobial protective clothing
• Easily dismountable equipment, improved surfaces, for better cleaning and disinfection
- smart use of cleaning chemicals
- flexible and mobile high risk area units
- serving consumer’s needs, transparency systems and solutions based on ICT, RFID for informed
- decisions
- web applications and services for the end consumers
• Intelligent hypermarket – consumer information systems
• Purchasing, virtual hypermarket
- ICT solutions for improved traceability for complex traceability problems (cut meat, grain, bulk food)
• application of the new functions of the Future Internet for focused, screened information – content based browsing
• Effective removal of contamination from food powders and fresh produce
Ensuring freshness, increasing shelf-life with hygiene and packaging solutions
• Solutions for extending shelf-life
• Rapid detection of freshness
Innovation methods, knowledge and technology transfer
• Practical training facilities, the learning factory
• ICT based and virtual training systems
• Knowledge management
- portals for collection, structuring and sharing of reproducible knowledge
– new, focused information collection, structuring systems based on the functions of the FI and content based browsing
For the Research Infrastructure for the Food Factory of the Future was found important to ensure that they:
• are attractive for both the researchers and the industry and enable testing of the practical applicability
• of new results and solutions. Thus they stimulate closer collaboration between the research and
• development providers and the industry
• enable collaboration of trans-disciplinary research and development teams
• made of shared physical and virtual pilot production and testing facilities with high flexibility, where several variations of new ideas can be explored at reasonable effort and cost.
3.3.3. Current research infrastructure
An inventory of the available RIs in Europe was done during the initial phase of Work Package 2. Soon, it was realized that a review of all existing RIs is a tremendous challenge that could not be finalized within the project lifetime. Nevertheless, the consortium was ambitious to continuously update the list of existing RIs during the subsequent consultation processes in Europe. The still incomplete review of the existing RIs is summarized in the Deliverable 3.11 “Draft summary inventory of gaps in research infrastructure”. However, to overcome the current non-transparent overview, from a global perspective of existing RIs in food manufacturing in Europe, beneficiaries of the consortium as well as other stakeholders were asked to continue with this exercise.
The online knowledge database Food Tech Innovation Portal (Food TIP), set up by the FP7 funded NoE HighTech Europe (www.foodtech-portal.eu) serves as an excellent basis to get an overview of existing research institutions, companies and facilities in the food processing and food manufacturing sector in the long-term. To achieve this comprehensive overview it is highly recommended to describe missing RIs in the free accessible Food TIP.
Exemplary collected RIs were divided into four categories in the Deliverable 3.11:
• RIs with core activities in the food sector
• RIs with core activities in the manufacturing sector
• RIs in ICT solutions
• RIs in Environmental issues and Sustainable manufacturing
A future RI will probably consist of various elements. An analysis of missing RIs respectively RI elements in the current research landscape is part of the gap analysis. As a preparatory work for this gap analysis elements of existing RIs were categorized into the following:
• pilot plants: food processing equipment and their assemblies
• advanced (analytical) equipment, sensors for food processing research and process control
• databases and collections
• e-infrastructure, networks, computing facilities, screening and structuring of information
• knowledge and technology transfer
• new business models for manufacturing solutions, machinery and operation
• competence centre / trained and skilled staff
An exemplary extract from the inventory of Deliverable 3.11 is given in the following chapters.
RIs with core activities in the food sector
A range of technical labs, sensory labs and industrial pilot plants are available throughout Europe. They are distributed around Europe and cover a wide range of topics, such as process efficiency, product and process innovation, product safety and quality. Few have full pilot plants able to produce food products in sufficient amounts for sensorial evaluation or shelf-life studies.
Much of the research infrastructure become specialized in few core technologies. For example the Netherlands (Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research, TNO) has unique sets of equipment such as super-heated steam and monodisperse powder 3D printing. Campden BRI constitutes a research infrastructure in microbiology, hygiene, and chemistry, and has a leading-edge sensory analysis suite. Thermal and non-thermal conservation and modification processes are in focus at the Berlin Institute of Technology (TU Berlin) where a wide range of equipment can be found. SIK – The Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology has a unique set of microwave and infrared equipment for food applications at different size scale, in addition to capacities to evaluate food properties and environmental impact of food processing. It has also a fully equipped meat processing plant. A “from farm to fork” perspective is implemented at the Institute for Food and Agriculture Research and Technology (IRTA) in the areas of food technology, product quality and food safety, as well as functionality and nutrition. In the agro-industrial production sector ENEA - the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development is an important research infrastructure to help the food industry to innovate and evolve. Leatherhead Food Research offers expertise in food legislation, market intelligence, business and technical information, and training. It has a pilot plant with a wide range of general processing equipment. DIL-German Institute of Food Technologies has facilities for ultrasound, ohmic heating, pulsed electric fields, high pressure technology, runs a platform to adapt robotics to food processing and provides full-scale industrial test beds or emulated industrial laboratory facilities.
An e-Infrastructure (HighTech Europe) aims at establishing a first European Institute for Food Processing. The research infrastructure facilitates implementation of high-tech processing solutions in the food sector by building a portal where food companies can search for and learn about innovations and technical solutions (www.foodtech-portal.eu).
RIs with core activities in the manufacturing sector
As for the research infrastructures in the food sector, the available research infrastructures in the manufacturing sector cover a wide range of topics and activities, such as innovations in polymer and composite processing (PIEP (Portugal)) and development of technologies for biomass and waste conversion (Piattaforma Integrata per l’uso di Biomasse e rifiuti di origine vegetalE, PIBE (Italy)). Also in Italy, a pilot plant is being developed where innovative intelligent, flexible and automatic manufacturing solutions can be developed (ITIA-CNR). This will operate as a learning factory to train students and skilled operators in areas such as robotics and human-robot cooperation, virtual/augmented reality and system engineering and integration. Also, related business models in the field of de-manufacturing of mechatronics processes will be designed and tested.
Technology transfer in some form is included in most research infrastructures. However, some organizations have been created to act as interfaces between academia and industry and are dedicated to technology transfer, training and innovations (INESC Porto and INEGI from Portugal). A production technologies cluster (PRODUTECH) promotes cooperation, innovation and internationalization in the manufacturing sector.
To utilize innovations in manufacturing, a consortium of research institutes and universities across Europe manages the European Manufacturing Survey (EMS). EMS covers a core of indicators on the innovation fields: i) technical modernization of value-adding processes, ii) introduction of innovative organizational concepts and processes, and iii) new business models for complementing the product portfolio with innovative services.
RIs in ICT solutions
Improved and reliable ICT solutions are key issues for the Food Factory of the Future. There is an available research infrastructure for improved performance, reliability and production costs regarding internet applications, which will build a core platform for the Future Internet (FI-WARE). The platform will increase the global competiveness of the European ICT economy. An Open Innovation Lab will be created to nurture future innovations. Also, a pan-European data network (GÉANT) seeks to shape the Internet of the future by developing an advanced portfolio of technologies. Services, tools and network capabilities will be created for the researchers of tomorrow.
Computer power is essential for many research sectors, and a research infrastructure on High Performance Computing (HPC-Europa2) is giving the research community in Europe access to first-class supercomputers and advanced computational services. In this way, transnational access to HPC systems available in Europe is realized. Also, the European Grid Infrastructure (EGI) is an e-Infrastructure providing access to computing and storage resources across Europe, linked by high-performance networks.
In order to centralize the available information resources in Europe, a platform (Collaborative European Digital/Archival Infrastructure, CENDARI) is created with the aim to provide access to previously fragmented European information resources, such as archives and libraries. New e-science tools and services will be developed to support transnational and comparative cross-disciplinary work.
RIs in Environmental issues and Sustainable manufacturing
In the area of sustainability there is a growing requirement of data and information. Currently, most of the data is stored locally, and cannot be shared with the rest of the scientific community. Therefore, there is a large demand for research infrastructures to connect the already existing infrastructures. Some of the available research infrastructures in this field aim for a joint approach. Distributed Infrastructure for EXPErimentation in Ecosystem Research (EXPEER) is a project which federates already existing infrastructures in the field of Ecosystem Research, in order to improve the research capacity. Also, EXPEER facilitates access to experimental and observational platforms as well as analytical and modelling facilities. A similar approach is used for several research infrastructures, such as:
• the InGOS project (Integrated non-CO2 Greenhouse gas Observation System), which integrates existing infrastructures in the area of non-CO2 substances
• IS-ENES (Infrastructure for the European Network for Earth System Modelling) that aims for development of a common distributed modelling research infrastructure for Earth System Modelling. This project will create a virtual modelling resource centre using state-of-the-art technologies, to allow research groups across Europe to have access to their data and resources
• the Infrastructure for the Measurement of the European Carbon Cycle (IMECC) provides databases and tools on the relationship between atmospheric carbon and the terrestrial biosphere. It strives towards an integrated and accessible European carbon data assimilation system
In sustainability assessment methodology data on attitudinal and behavioural changes in social, political and moral climate data are important. This can be used to analyse the impact of food manufacturing. The European Social Survey Infrastructure (ESSi) improves social measurement in Europe and provides an infrastructure for such data and methodologies. The impacts on human health and the environment of nanotechnologies are handled at the European Centre of the Sustainable Impact of Nanotechnology (ECSIN).
A European Platform on LCA improves the credibility, acceptance and practice of LCA in business and public authorities. This research infrastructure will ensure better coherence across LCA instruments and robust decision support.
3.3.4. Gaps in food manufacturing research infrastructure
One of the main aims of the project was to identify the gaps in the necessary Research Infrastructure for the current and future food manufacturing industry in Europe. The research infrastructure should include facilities, resources and services necessary to serve the needs of the food industry in order to fulfil the future vision scenarios of the Food Factory of the Future.
The identified needs and solutions have been intended to be paired in order to find the gaps and identify the necessary enabling elements of research infrastructure. Several available research infrastructure elements have been collected across Europe both in the food and the manufacturing sectors having suitable competences. Based on the available research infrastructure compared with the necessary ones, missing elements of research infrastructure were identified. They were then discussed in terms of importance, necessity and feasibility and a priority list was proposed based on their ratings.
The inventory of needs and solutions and the list of gaps were discussed and verified during the national consultations held in nine countries and at the 1st stakeholder event. The following elements of research infrastructure were considered to be necessary to eliminate the major gaps in the available research infrastructure for food manufacturing in Europe:
Gaps in existing RI that have been identified with Priority I
1.1 Pilot size factories to develop manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
1.2 Pilot plants for implementation of robotics and automation in food production
1.3 Collection of business models on innovation practices in the food production sector
1.4 Virtual/augmented reality for simulation and training
1.5 Research facilities for radical innovations in food technology
1.6 Nanotechnology to produce tailor made surfaces
1.7 Improved packaging solutions for food applications
1.8 Assessment of environmental impact of food processing
Gaps in existing RI that have been identified with Priority II
2.1 Material sensing and characterization
2.2 Databases on shelf-life extension
2.3 Novel piping materials
2.4 Database for informing the public about the effects of over-processing of food products
2.5 Value added products from waste
2.6 Time series data on macroeconomic performance and forecast tables
2.7 Reliable and disaggregated economic data coupled with environmental data
2.8 Robust economic models for running simulations
Characterization of gaps in Research Infrastructure based on the typical parts and constituents of the “Food Factory of the Future” were preformed (D3.14 Verified inventory of gaps in research infrastructure and its Annex: Characterization of gaps in research infrastructure). General infrastructure elements which are necessary for all Research Infrastructures and distributed sites:
• All pilot plants should have adequate supporting e-infrastructure, such as authentication and authorization technologies and policies, middleware, data infrastructures and persistent data storage grid, cloud and virtualization services which enable advanced computation, data handling and networking capacities, 3D visualization techniques, access to services supporting the use of Internet of Things, appropriate virtual remote access to the pilot scale equipment and remote instruments to enable cost effective sharing of them, which can substantially reduce the human and financial costs of research.
• There is a need for a package with standardized software and audio-visual technical facilities for webinars and videoconferences at each site for broadcasting good, reliable quality pictures and sound. Compatible, simpler packages should be made available at the receiver side, e.g. at the users of knowledge transfer and training services. These enable reduction of the cost of practical demonstrations, training and professional consultations by reducing the need for personal attendance and improve access to training.
• Food handling and food hygiene facilities at each non-food processing base elements of Research Infrastructures.
3.4 Conceptual Design of the Food Factory of the Future
3.4.1 Methodology
The objective of this part was to develop a strategy and derive a Conceptual Design Report CDR for the new research infrastructure on the Food Factory of the Future, through the drafting of feasible models and strategic visionary debates among high-level experts from industry, research and society, based on insights generated in WP2 and WP3.
For the Infrastructure model drafting a “Success Model Building Workshop” was held. During the Success Model Building Workshop three models were validated and one of the three models was chosen. The result of the Success Model Building is a feasible model for the design of the FFoF that fully reflects the most ambitious aspirations formulated in the vision scenarios (WP 2) and addresses the gaps for the food manufacturing sector identified in the gap analysis in WP 3. This model was compiled by potential stakeholders (external experts from industry, science and society as well as the project beneficiaries as experts.
The model was further refined with the experts opinion from industry. These in-depth interviews were conducted with 38 industry experts from the food processing and manufacturing sector. The results from these interviews were included to the success model. Parallel to the interviews further organizational aspects and technical issues for the FFoF were collected and integrated to the organizational model. This refined organizational model of the FFoF was used as the basis for the road mapping workshop.
For the Success-Model Building a road mapping workshop was held, mainly based on the organizational model for the Food Factory of the Future. Further prerequisite for the road mapping workshop was derived from the vision scenarios (WP2) and the gap analysis (WP 3) and especially from the strategic approach for the FFoF.
Based on the road mapping a first draft of structure of the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) was elaborated. This was presented and aligned with partners during a group meeting. Work on technical specifications of technologies prioritized for the FFoF were developed under consultation of 10 external technology experts. A first and a second draft of the CDR was sent out for commenting and improvement to all partners before finalized.
3.4.2 Infrastructure model drafting and success model building
On the basis of a consistency matrix of critical dimensions of an infrastructure model, and an intensive analysis of the research field, three draft models were selected. The priorities for the development of the models were to develop models that are plausible, realistic and internally consistent and thus represent real options for a future FFoF. At the same time they were meant to be as different from each other in order to offer a real choice and to promote discussions among the project beneficiaries about the most adequate organizational structure of the FFoF.
Model 1
This RI model is the most industry focused. Its main driver is its objective to promote applied research and technology transfer between companies from the two sectors. Rather than the promotion of basic research, this model is expected to focus on harvesting the low hanging fruits by promoting the technology transfer from one sector to another and from one company to another. This objective had a decisive influence on the options chosen for most of its dimensions.
Model 2
Like model 1, this model ties to promote knowledge transfer. However, in contrast to model 1, its main driver is to place knowledge and technology transfer on a much broader platform that does not only include industry, but also a large range and number of other actors from research, education and business actors as well as the food and manufacturing sector. Based on the assumption that innovation occurs wherever and whenever new combinations of actors and ideas are brought together, this models seeks to create a place and time for such innovations.
Model 3
The main driver of this model is the promotion of basic research. This RI is meant to work on the long-term challenges of the food manufacturing sector that may already be on the industry’s radars but which may not be concrete enough to win industrial funding.
In the Success Model Building Workshop the 3 models were validated and model 1 was chosen as the basis on which a model for the Food Factory of the Future was developed. Based on three ideal-typical sketches for research infrastructures the most important organizational dimensions for the FMRI were discussed and the best respective options were chosen
Finally the Conceptual Design Report presents the entire conceptual design of the FFoF.
3.4.3 Food Factory of the Future
The proposed infrastructure is a distributed, flexible, industry driven membership organization. It will form trans disciplinary platforms within prioritized areas. In the gap analysis 8 prioritized gaps in research infrastructures were identified of which the 5 first mentioned were developed further, providing detailed technical specifications describing technical requirements and for the design of identified RI elements:
1. Pilot size factories to develop manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
2. Pilot plants for implementation of robotics and automation in food production
3. Collection of business models on innovation practices in the food production sector
4. Virtual/augmented reality for simulation and training
5. Assessment of environmental impact of food processing
6. Research facilities for radical innovations in food technology
7. Nanotechnology to produce tailor made surfaces
8. Improved packaging solutions for food applications
Platforms covering each of the prioritized areas will build on existing research infrastructure elements as well as new elements to fill the gaps. This will serve a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions. It will facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how.
The FFoF platforms will deal with key topics identified as gaps in current research infrastructures (see above). These platforms will consists of an own sub-network with stakeholders from science and industry, if needed also from society and public authorities. Each platform will describe how they can give added value to the industry as main beneficiary of the FFoF by respective key activities and services. The main part of this exercise is the description of new FFoF elements which are currently missing at research institutions to complete the overall picture.
Additionally, education, training and knowledge & technology transfer units will be set up to facilitate innovation processes. These units can be platform specific or serving all platforms.
The main beneficiary of the new research infrastructure will be the food processing industry and manufacturing technologies industry dealing with food related issues, which explicitly includes SMEs. These main beneficiaries can be members or customers of the FFoF. To achieve the aim and to meet the challenges, the FFoF will:
• form an inspiring network of innovative existing pilot size factories and pilot plants to develop and demonstrate manufacturing solutions for the food processing industry
• build on existing RI elements (e.g. research facilities, test bed facilities, services, etc.) as a basis to develop a new generation of combined facilities, resources and related services to provide new manufacturing solutions
• be a distributed location.
• facilitate the utilization and maximization of capacities, knowledge and know-how by industry and meet expectations and needs of the main RI beneficiaries in a long term perspective
• focus on applied research and transfer cutting edge technologies and information from the manufacturing sector to the food sector and supporting basic research to applied research by considering education and training have an inclusive membership which is open to a broad range of members
• give open access to industry especially to small and medium sized enterprises to utilize the FFoF
• have a flexible structure to adapt its focus on future demands and challenges create trust among involved stakeholders in the food manufacturing sector
• provide a balance between confidentiality and exploitation
• be industry driven. This will be reflected in the overall management structure, in the decision making rules and the operational structure
• be funded by a mixed funding scheme from public and private interested parties
• have platforms dealing with key topics identified as gaps of the existing research infrastructure in Europe such as FFoF platforms
Potential Impact:
4 Impact
4.1. Value proposition for stakeholders
The new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to the food processing and manufacturing industry by:
• easy and affordable access to cutting edge technologies and facilities
• speeding up product development by food industry and speeding up development of equipment and solutions suitable for food industry
• providing a meeting place for the food producing sector, the machineries and equipment manufacturing sector to foster the dialogue between both sectors, in order to identify new ways to interact and to boost interdisciplinary research activities
• identifying for the manufacturing sector new fields of application within the food sector and hence, giving both sectors access to new customers and business opportunities in Europe
• giving access to technologies and demonstration activities to maximize the utilization of knowledge generated in academia
• offering the industry customized staff training activities
• having a transparent and fair intellectual property rights (IPR) regime
The new FFoF will meet and take into account the social, economic and ecological challenges the food and manufacturing sectors are facing today (e.g. sustainable food production, healthy and safe food and reduction of food waste) according to its policy and activities. The impact of the new RI is expected to foster the following areas:
• employment: sustain and create jobs
• consumer expectations: healthy and safe foods
• economy: create new business through products, processes and services with higher added value considering the pricing pressure in the sector
• environment: promoting sustainability in production, respecting the environment and ensure a more effective use of resources
• business: building up trust among stakeholders in the food processing chain
• entrepreneurship
• knowledge and education: create and maintain new advanced knowledge and skills in Europe on high added-value processes and technologies, as well as entrepreneurial skills
The Food Factory of the Future will be a place where the testing, demonstrating and piloting results from R&D projects will promote the exploitation of those results towards a market application. Consequently, the new Food Factory of the Future will give added value to European consumers who will have better food produced in a more sustainable way and the European food industry which will be more competitive.
4.2 Main dissemination activities
A logo, a website (www.foodmanufuture.eu) a powerpoint template a dissemination plan, and a flyer (D5.1-5) were in place within the first months of the project.
Extensive communication of FoodManufuture outcomes and progress has been carried out by the partners. National Technology Platforms Food for Life on June 2012 in Istanbul, during SIAL international Fair on October 2012 in Paris, EUREKA and Susfood, the ETPs’ Boards being good examples. Over the 2 years the beneficiaries have presented the FoodManufuture progress at 87 events all over Europe, given generic information (flyers, networking etc) at another 57 events, made 24 publications, and the webside has been linked in at least 9 webpages outside the project.
The final dissemination events in 9 countries took place in November-December 2013. The final dissemination event took place in Brussels on December 18 back to back to the ECOTROFOOD final event had more than 70 attendants from industry and other stakeholders of the 2 sectors. Here the executive summary was available for hand outs.
4.3 Other impact
Beside the main results leading to the FFoF description in the CDR, a number of the findings in the analyses and scenarios have already had impact. The findings of the needs and available solutions have been presented in various fora and been adopted or used as inspiration in strategies among others in EUREKA and in SUSFOOD. The partners continuously receive e-mails from beneficiaries that wish to join a continuation or ask for a presentation.
List of Websites:
www.foodmanufuture.eu
Contact information:
Scientific Coordinator: Lisbeth Munksgaard, Aalborg University: lmu@adm.aau.dk
Adm. project manager: Marlene Kræmmer Sparre, Aalborg University: mkk@adm.aau.dk