PRIMPACK – Processes, Plants and Packaging
PRIMPACK includes issues related to technologies and biotechnologies in production processes, innovation and sustainability of processes, plants for the food industry, systems and plants for packaging, information systems and logistics.
Strategic Objective 1 – Production processes to improve food quality and increase sustainability, safety and competitiveness.
It refers to the control of process and storage conditions, including predictive models to optimize safety and shelf-life and to define the best conditions of use, the assessment of biological, chemical and physical risk with the development of rapid and non-destructive methods. It is also important to have greater knowledge of the interactions between microorganisms, process, structure, chemical-physical properties and composition of raw materials, products, packaging systems and work environments, also with a view to promote diversification and product and process innovation (biotechnological, thermal and non-thermal); advanced technologies for the fractionation and / or isolation of functional and / or bioactive components, present in foods or by-products.
Strategic Objective 2 – Machines and plants for the food industry
Transfer, at industrial level, of non-thermal and thermal technologies with improved efficiency, with verification of the effectiveness in extending the shelf-life and maintaining the qualitative and organoleptic properties over time, with the same safety compared to traditional thermal technologies. Multidisciplinary redesign of processes, with the corresponding structures and equipment, for food in a low temperature regime, for integrated processes and for process control, introducing Key Enabling Technologies (KET). Use of innovative construction materials, dedicated software for the control of transformation and packaging processes and for project and operational optimization. Advanced mechanical design and hygienic design, for the reduction of times, costs and environmental impact for the cleaning and sanitization and packaging phases (filling food and drinks in the appropriate containers) of the systems and increase in process yields.
Strategic Objective 3 – Innovation of systems and plants for packaging
Evaluation of the technical and technological problems deriving from the introduction of non-traditional materials in normal packaging lines and related optimization of the phases of forming, filling and closing the containers (“new machines for new packaging”); evaluation of the performance of new materials, according to the specific needs of food protection and safety and evaluation of their shelf-life, also through the adoption of forecasting models and the LCA approach throughout the production process.
Strategic Objective 4 – ICT in the agri-food industry and technology transfer tools
Applications of ICT, following the trends developed in Industry 4.0 projects, to increase the sustainability of production and vertical communication between plant or machine with the customer’s MES, the efficiency of plants and machines through sensorization for diagnostics and prognostics of operation, improving preventive maintenance and trouble-shooting, improving traceability, managing the food supply chain and the resulting big data sets.
