All you need is a bunch of basil, garlic, toasted pine nuts, lots of olive oil, Parmesan and Pecorino cheese, and salt. These are the ingredients used to make pesto in many South Tyrolean homes on a hot summer’s day. But what sets homemade pesto apart from that made in a professional kitchen, and how can farmers and small food businesses create a top-quality, safe product? These questions were addressed at a know-how transfer event held in June 2023 at the Kitchen Lab, in collaboration with the South Tyrol Farmers’ Association and BASIS Vinschgau Venosta. Starting with an exploration of fruit compotes at the Culinary Craft Academy of BASIS Vinschgau Venosta, the “Showcasing Pesto! Quality vs. Shelf Life” event then turned its attention to traditional Italian pesto.

The real star of the show was an innovative vacuum cooker called Roboqbo. This multifunctional, all-in-one food processing machine standardises product development processes, thereby guaranteeing food safety and quality. It automatically transforms raw ingredients into finished products according to individually programmable process parameters and recipes. The Roboqbo can cook, chill, mix and chop. Its vacuum function and hermetically sealed cooking environment prevent evaporation and oxidisation, thereby preserving the quality of the finished product in terms of its nutrients, taste and texture. 

Thanks to a collaboration between NOI Techpark and the Culinary Craft Academy at BASIS Vinschgau Venosta, companies have been able to try out this technological innovation in the food industry for several months now, hiring a Roboqbo (for a list of Kitchen Lab equipment, see here). At NOI, we believe that it should be possible to request additional equipment and technology from our well-equipped testing kitchen, where staff will provide support and advice. In line with this, we also installed a Roboqbo in our Kitchen Lab for the South Tyrol Farmers' Association Know-How Transfer event. 

As with fruit compotes, the Roboqbo once again impressed with the depth of flavour of its pesto. In addition, a session combining technological insights and product knowledge explored the food safety risks that can be avoided by using standardised methods. Consequently, even those who already work with a Roboqbo were able to take home valuable insights and an improved recipe. 

Would you like to develop a product or perfect a recipe? Which technology have you been wanting to try? At our Kitchen Lab, almost anything is possible, and the Lab Bonus makes it cost-effective, too. Contact us and we’ll transform our laboratory into your bespoke testing kitchen. Tel.+39 0471 066 695 or KITCHENLAB@NOI.BZ.IT.