Projects

According to OECD, Estonia is one of the EU countries where obesity and diabetes are most prevalent. According to WHO, every fifth child in Estonia is overweight. Therefore, our task is to help people reduce their consumption of sugar, salt, and fat, which are associated with obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. The Estonian food industry is already committed to food reformulation, transforming former sinners in to saints. For example, muffin, which has been a delightful dessert in the past, has now become a food with reduced sugar, extra fiber and with a Nutriscore value B. However, its health impact is noticeable only when the taste is equally enjoyable and consumers accept it. This reformulation project explores sweet-tasting and healthy peptides and oligosaccharides to replace added sugars, the synergy of flavor compounds and salt, and the effect of fats on flavour. We aim to have a positive impact on public health without compromising quality, safety and taste.

Field of Research: Develops eco-friendly, nonthermal processing methods (HIPEF, HHP) to enhance food safety, nutrient retention, and probiotic viability in plant-based juices, with emphasis on industrial scalability. Specialty: • Primary: Integration of nonthermal technologies (HIPEF+HHP) to achieve synergistic effects—enzyme inactivation, release of bound bioactives (e.g., carotenoids), and stabilization of probiotics in acidic, nutrient-rich juices. • Secondary: Application of in vitro digestion models to evaluate bioactive absorption and optimization of processes for industry-scale adoption. Contributions: Leads experimental design and process trials with HIPEF+HHP, and performs detailed HPLC/MS analysis of bioactive release and digestive stability. Bridges laboratory research with sustainable food processing, supporting nutrient-rich, waste-reducing, and consumer-friendly innovations.

Mycoprotein texturization technologies are being developed to create high-quality alternative meat and fish products. The work includes optimizing the composition and structure of prototypes and evaluating their quality. The technology will be scaled up from laboratory to industrial scale. The result will be an industrially applicable solution for developing mycoprotein-based products.

The aim of the project is to investigate how the properties of raw materials affect the fermentation of carrot juice in order to help the company better control and optimize the production process.

The aim of the project is to develop innovative gluten-free vegan confectionery with no added sugar, meeting the growing consumer demand for healthier sweets that support special dietary needs. The work includes developing suitable raw materials and recipes, optimizing texture and sensory properties, and evaluating product quality and stability.

The aim of the project was to identify the causes of the water accident in Kuressaare and the related drinking water pollution, and to propose solutions to prevent similar situations. The project activities included on-site observations, interviews with relevant parties, and simulation of the emergency situation using existing pressure and flow and water quality measurement data and hydraulic analyses performed using digital twins of water systems.

The existing solid face fermentation systems do not ensure the optimal oxygen supply, nor temperature, high microbial contamination risk is also common for those systems. The aim of current project is to develop a simple and cheap system for cultivation of fungi or mycelium equipped with oxygen and temperature control. That improves the growth rate and yield of fungal biomass. System is universal, in addition to cultivation of fungi it enables to carry out high temperature composting. We use 20 - 200 L polypropylene bags as cultivation vessels, that are equipped with process control head. This cultivation vessel enables sterilization, aseptic inoculation, aeration and cooling of growth substrate. Cultivation vessel is connected to control system for oxygen and temperature monitoring and process control at least in 4 individual cultivation vessels.

The program supports the development of green skills necessary for the food processing companies. In the course of the activity, the updating of the learning content related to the teaching of green skills in higher and vocational education, further and retraining for the development of green skills in order to prepare a workforce with broader knowledge and skills regarding the green economy for the introduction of new technologies and approaches, as well as the updating of professional standards and skill profiles or, if necessary, the creation of new ones, and the further training of vocational teachers-lecturers are supported.