Far more than eating and drinking: with our research at NOI, we are pioneering the innovation of food, drinks and personalised health solutions. Nature is our role model. We decipher natural processes and ingredients. We study opportunities for reusing or reintegrating by-products in the production process, on behalf of sustainability and circularity. Optimal processing methods help maintain and promote the valuable properties of our food. We use knowledge about biomedicine to research solutions for tailor-made health care. Our goal: We want to develop food and precision health services that are a new opportunity for mankind and the planet. ​

The Food & Health innovation ecosystem is our area of activity. We promote, support and shape research and development projects together with companies, start-ups and experts. Researchers, students and specialists from various areas work together on three pillars of food development and health care.​

​RAW MATERIALS & BY-PRODUCTS​

High-quality food comes from high-quality ingredients. We focus on determining and improving the origin, nutritional value and functional properties of raw materials. One of our main objectives is to transfer as many valuable ingredients as possible into products. Where this is not possible, we analyse, extract and stabilise valuable substances from the by-products. The technologies in our network make it possible to recognise quality and identify it in consideration of future requirements. The claim: sustainability as a business model.​

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OPTIMAL PROCESSING & FERMENTATION

We use innovative technologies to research how raw materials and ingredients can be preserved and effectively processed. To do so, we develop optimal processes to promote the organoleptic and healthy properties of food. Our scientific teams also pay particular attention to researching fermentation processes, e.g. in sourdough, sauerkraut and alcoholic drinks. This traditional preservation process is guiding the food industry into the future. In this way we create the basis for improved taste, the desired consistency and optimised nutritional value.​

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OMICS & PRECISION HEALTH

Molecular biology is one of our areas of expertise. This applies for the food industry as well as health care. Omics technologies will shape research in the Food & Health area for years to come. Our research teams are already using these innovative technologies to analyse, understand and optimise molecular mechanisms. We are promoting this development and linking food innovation with biomedical research in order to develop healthy nutritional solutions – keyword personalised nutrition.​

We take a holistic approach to health care and develop solutions in the area of precision health on the basis of biomedical research. According to our philosophy “from sick care to healthcare”, intervention studies, bioinformatic methods and cell models pave the way for innovative health solutions. 

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STAKEHOLDERS AND LABORATORIES AT NOI 

The Laimburg Research Centre has been doing research on after-crop and fruit preservation technologies for 40 years. Together with the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, the centre delves into biotechnological strategies for fermentation processes and the geographical origin of agricultural products. The laboratories of the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano are specialised in extraction methods with supercritical CO₂. University researchers use a certified simulator to reproduce the microbial ecosystem of the human gastrointestinal track. This is used to research transformation processes, the improvement of the nutritional index and nutraceuticals. The Eurac Research Institute for Biomedicine researches how genetic predisposition, environment and lifestyle influence human health and the onset and development of diseases. A unique resource is the biodata from 13,000 participants in a long-term study in South Tyrol.

RAW MATERIALS & BY-PRODUCTS​

• Laboratory for Soil and Plant Analysis​

• Storage and Postharvest Biology​

• Food Technology​

• Laboratory of NMR-Spectroscopy​

• Fruit and Vegetable Processing​

• Sensory Science​

• Fermentation and Distillation​

• Laboratory of Residues and Contaminants​

• Laboratory of Flavours and Metabolites​

• Laboratory for Fodder Analysis​

• Molecular Biology​

• Kitchen Lab​

OPTIMAL PROCESSING & FERMENTATION​

• Micro4Food​

• Food Technology​

• Fermentation and Distillation​

• Food Microbiology​

• Laboratory of Flavours and Metabolites​

• Laboratory for Wine and Beverages Analysis​

• Enology​

• Oenolab​

• Sensory Science​

• Molecular Biology​

• Fruit and Vegetable Processing​

• Kitchen Lab​

OMICS & PRECISION HEALTH​

• Micro4Food​

• Institute for Biomedicine