About the Food Pilot Plant Norway
At the Food Pilot Plant Norway, we work on research projects, teaching students and testing the production of everything from sour beer to Norwegian tapas cheese made from goat’s milk.
At NMBU, we have equipment for the small-scale production of foodstuffs, such as cheese vats, cheese presses, fermentation tanks, a brewery and juice presses.
Food Pilot Plant Norway also has laboratories that house a wide range of analysis equipment.
Why a food pilot plant?
Current food production has a much broader scope than in the past. Simply putting food on the table is no longer sufficient, society places ever higher demands on the sustainable utilisation of raw materials in Norway.
This means that we need to have an increased focus on utilising entire raw materials and use green technology when producing food products.
At Food Pilot Plant Norway, we investigate methods of more sustainable food production and the best possible utilisation of raw materials.
The Dairy
Food Pilot Plant Norway consists of several different processing halls. One of these is the dairy at NMBU.
Here we have equipment and professionals with varied expertise in processing milk, focusing on the production of milk for consumption, cultured milk products, ice cream, cheese and butter.
We can produce dairy products on a small and semi-large scale and we have advanced analysis equipment in our laboratories.
You will find infrastructure and equipment for research, innovation and teaching at our premises. We can also take on assignments for food manufacturers and other customers.
What we can offer to those who wish to use the facilities:
As a customer of Food Pilot Plant Norway, you will gain access to expertise, technology and specialist equipment.
Most of those who use the dairy come to us to test how they can make a dairy product on a pilot scale, or they want to conduct trials to find out the causes of quality-related problems or how raw materials can be better utilised.
We can help you analyse raw materials and products, and we can measure the rheological and sensory properties of the products.
Food manufacturers at all levels of the value chain can receive customised solutions based on their requirements.
At Food Pilot Plant Norway, we focus on finding methods of more sustainable food production and the best possible utilisation of raw materials. This is expertise that you can also benefit from.
Expertise
We have professionals with varied food expertise in areas such as:
- Food technology, chemistry and microbiology
- Manufacturing equipment
- Measurement methodology
- Analyses
Technology
Examples of equipment we have at the pilot facility:
- Heat treatment lines with a separator and homogeniser
- Ultrafiltration
- Membrane filtration
- Equipment for concentrating and powder production
- Vacuum evaporator
- Spray dryer
- Butter churn
- Cheese production equipment
- Cheese vats (200 L, 500 L and 1000 L)
- Cheese presses
- Maturation storage facility
- Equipment for producing fermented products
- Equipment for producing ice cream
- Analysis equipment
We will soon be:
- Upgrading the milk processing lines
- Upgrading the dairy
- Upgrading equipment for concentrated and spray-dried products
- Installing a new membrane filtration rig for milk fractionation
- Installing a production line for fermented products
The Brewery
Food Pilot Plant Norway’s brewery at NMBU conducts research, teaching and innovation. We can also take on assignments for food manufacturers and other customers.
Assignments
The brewery can also take on assignments for food manufacturers and other customers.
Our brewery is classed as a microbrewery and we have equipment for malting grains, and mashing and pressing fruit. Therefore, we are able to carry out brewing, malting and cider production on a small scale.
We can also help you measure the chemical, microbiological and sensory properties of your product.
As a customer of the brewery at Food Pilot Plant Norway, you will gain access to expertise, technology and specialist equipment.
Examples of equipment at the brewery:
- Malting facility
- Brewery
- Juice press
- Analysis equipment
We will soon invest in:
- Better malting equipment
- Temperature regulated fermentation rooms
- Bottling facility with foam stabilisation
Lab pilot biorefinery
The biorefining laboratory at NMBU is used for research, teaching and innovation.
We also take on assignments from external partners and businesses.
The biorefinery is a facility for processing and refining the vast majority of biomasses.
Among other things, the Lab pilot for biorefining can process residual raw materials and by-products that are not foodstuffs on a 30-50 litre scale.
You will find infrastructure and equipment for research, innovation and teaching at our NMBU premises. We can also take on assignments for external partners and other customers.
Contact person:
Assignments
The test facility is mainly used for research and teaching, but we can also take on assignments for food manufacturers and other customers.
As a customer of Food Pilot Plant Norway, you will gain access to expertise, technology and specialist equipment.
Food manufacturers at all levels of the value chain can receive customised solutions based on their requirements.
Contact person:
Contact
Do you wish to perform tests at our facilities? Get in touch!
Contact person: