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.”
Michael Strotmann, Applications Manager, Bread/Rolls
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.
Vitamin and micronutrient laboratory
“A team of experienced specialists is needed to design vitamin premixes and mineral mixtures for fortifying basic foods and other products such as baby food, cereals, beverages, dairy products or food supplements and test them for their intended applications.”
Sonja Postel, Product Development – Vitamins and Minerals
To do this we have compiled comprehensive information and know-how on active ingredients and carriers, food law, nutritional science and food technology. We test the fortification of new products with vitamins and minerals and prepare suggestions for affordable premixes. Compounding different vitamins, minerals, trace elements and amino acids is a discipline all of its own and demands a high degree of competence. We have built a pharmaceutical-type premix blending line specially for this purpose.
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.”
Dr. 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.