Other laboratories at the Technology Centre of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe: designed for interdisciplinary cooperation.
Enzyme laboratory
"At our enzyme laboratory we have created an infrastructure that enables us to choose suitable components from hundreds of enzymes. These we modify and put together in the form of individual solutions. We regard ourselves as enzyme designers."
Dr. Lutz Popper, Scientific Director
One of our core competences is developing enzymes and enzyme systems with precisely defined properties. Our company Mühlenchemie is a pioneer in the development of enzymes for flour treatment.
In cooperation with universities and partner firms we develop bacteria strains of our own for enzyme production. We process the resulting concentrates of special enzymes and standard enzyme preparations to make up multi-enzyme complexes for use in the production of baked goods, pasta or sweets and also beer and spirits. We test these enzyme compounds for their functionality and adjust them to meet our customers’ needs.
One of the latest innovations from our enzyme research is sulphydryl oxidase, an enzyme for crosslinking proteins. Several patent applications have been filed already or are currently being prepared.
Flour and rheology laboratory
“At our analytical baking laboratory we find new solutions for optimizing flour. By making a complete analysis of the flour we determine its characteristic data and rheological properties and complement these by testing its reaction to baking.”
Olaf Gerken, Head of the Baking Laboratory
Christoph Schricke, Head of Flour Treatment
Every year, 400 million tons of wheat are processed to make bread, biscuits and pasta. But cereals are subject to major quality fluctuations. We help to make flours with consistently good baking properties, and in some cases we fortify them with vitamins and minerals. We analyze cereal products with the latest generation of technical equipment. Our specialists use the results to give customers from over 100 countries recommendations they can implement directly in their production processes.
Trial bakery
“Individual convenience ingredients for baking are becoming more and more important for the efficient production of baked goods. We have a very well equipped trial bakery where we can simulate practically any bakery product in the world. It enables us to find a customized solution to meet any challenge.”
Gerhard Both, Head of Product Development – Pastry Goods
Our trial bakery for bread and pastry goods is equipped with the latest machines and testing devices. We use it to make fresh, refrigerated and frozen baked goods of all kinds. The focus of our specialist product development is on simulating a wide variety of production processes from different countries. Our work is supported by rheological, chemical and biochemical analyses of the flours used and the other raw materials in the adjacent Mühlenchemie laboratory.
The dairy laboratory: specific adjustment of milk-based products
“We give dairy products the individual look and feel consumers expect of branded products. To do that we control texture, flavour and appearance with systems made up of a diversity of active ingredients whose functionalities have synergistic effects.”
Thies J. Meier, Head of Research and Development - Milk, Ice Cream and Deli Foods
In our dairy laboratory we develop tailor-made stabilizing systems. Our modern pilot plant includes a UHT tubular heat exchanger for yoghurt, pudding and similar products, a UHT device for highly viscous foods like processed cheese, a whipping machine for mousse, various emulsifying machines with direct or indirect heating for cream cheese, and also high-pressure homogenizers. Our specialists then apply the results of our trials to the industrial-scale plant at our customers’ factories.
The meat laboratory: our own little butcher’s shop
“Our customers want to manufacture top-quality meat and sausage products at economical prices. We develop functional systems geared specifically to these requirements. In particular we offer innovative solutions for restructured meat products and for prolonging the shelf-life of meat and sausage.”
Friedemann Nau, Applications Manager – Meat Technology
Besides optimizing the shelf-life of products and creating efficient meat binding systems for convenience products, our core competences include developing sausage and ham specialities: French gourmet ham, finest quality German ham, English sandwich ham, Arabian poultry products, Italian pizza ham or Russian ham specialities. In our meat laboratory we develop special injection additives for these applications and recipes that we can modify and optimize as the customer wishes.
For our practical tests we have access to a large number of selected raw materials such as animal and vegetable proteins, thickening and gelling hydrocolloids, flavouring agents and phosphates. Besides a vacuum cutter and a micro-cutter, the meat laboratory’s technical equipment includes a combined cooking and smoking plant. In the large cold store we can test additives for ham injection at different temperatures with a 76-needle injector and a tumbler.
The deli food laboratory: new solutions to meet customers’ increasing demands
“Consumers are extremely particular about the quality and diversity of deli specialities, but manufacturers are experiencing financial pressure to rationalize production methods. In order to meet the demands of both sides we develop complexes of active ingredients for ready meals, soups, sauces, ketchups, mayonnaises and dressings in our own technical trials department.”
Rolf Bialek, Applications Manager – Deli Foods
Our technical department is equipped with the latest devices and pilot plant for making many deli specialities: mixing and emulsifying machines for mayonnaises and sauces, autoclaves for sterilized ready meals and tubular heat exchangers with high-pressure homogenizers for UHT sauces and soups are just a few examples. Our sister company Hydrosol draws on years of experience in formulations, process technology and the interactions of raw materials to create tailor-made stabilizing and texturizing systems. Highlights of this work include hydrocolloidal filling aids for ready meals, functional systems for deli salads and dressings and our dried hydrocolloid/egg compounds for the mayonnaise industry.
The ice cream laboratory: ice cream takes competence.
“Although emulsifiers and stabilizers only make up a small part of the ice cream, the right choice and composition of the individual components is decisive for the success or failure of the end product. We adjust all the relevant product attributes in close cooperation with our customers.”
Thies J. Meier, Head of Research and Development - Milk, Ice Cream and Deli Foods
Whether it is a case of standard or premium ice cream production, of optimizing an existing product or launching a new speciality – our sister company Hydrosol will help you fulfil even unusual wishes or requirements.
The trial spraying plant: spray drying, spray crystallization and microencapsulation
“On our trial spraying plant, that can be configured individually, our experts from the various disciplines carry out extensive tests for developing powdered products and optimizing formulations. We produce samples under realistic manufacturing conditions so that it is easy to up-scale them for industrial plant.”
Studio for food supplements
“Our laboratories offer excellent working conditions for the extensive analyses and tests needed for developing health and wellness products. We produce soy drinks, drinking gelatine, base powders, deoiled lecithin granulate, dietetic products, protein drinks for athletes, dry isotonic beverage bases and various types of functional bars – all in top quality.”
Astrid Pomrehn, Product Development – Food Supplements
Nutritionally valuable food supplements must have a pleasant flavour so that consumers are willing to buy them regularly. We taste the products – often together with our customers – to adjust the flavour, texture and form of administration to the proposed target group, taking regional preferences into account. The development and production of functional bars is part of our core business.
Lipids laboratory
“In the field of vegetable lipids and lecithins, especially, applications research is essential as a basis for innovation. Our work covers both human and animal nutrition.”
Roland Adelmann, Head of Lipids and Lecithin Research
In order to develop and enhance lecithin specialities and combinations of lipids we have a laboratory fitted with analytical equipment for quality control and numerous testing devices. Extensive trials on our pilot plant with hot and cold spraying technology enable us to devise customized solutions for converting oily substances into powder or crystalline structures with enhanced functionalities.