Pilot plant trials & manufacturing scale up

With proven analytical experience and a network of well-equipped pilot scale plants and contract manufacturers, we support the smooth transition from concept to market-ready launch.

 

Scaling up your product from benchtop to manufacturing is a key part of the development process. It’s your opportunity to make sure the formulation is viable and transferable to a commercial environment. We can support you through this critical stage and ensure product quality is maintained. Our technical experts carry out a series of structured pilot scale and scale-up trials, each designed to explore how your product behaves under defined processing and packaging conditions.

By understanding the impact, we can then help you fine-tune your product formulation and manufacturing controls to achieve a successful outcome. Any problems that come up during the trials - such as changes to texture, appearance or viscosity - are quickly identified and resolved by our technical experts.

 

Of course, you also need to be confident that your product will always meet consumer expectations. That’s why we conduct post-trial shelf-life testing on products that are as close to the final format as possible - and that includes the packaging.

 

Using a range of targeted analytical techniques, we assess key characteristics including:

 

  • Aroma and flavour characterisation
  • Informal sensory assessment
  • Microbiological stability
  • Lipid oxidation stability
  • Specific ingredient stability
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Our ability to successfully balance consumer and commercial demands is why our food clients come back to us, time and again.

Marta Ahijado, RSSL - Head of Food R&D

Meet our team behind food innovation

Mark Auty

Internationally recognised food microstructure expert across multiple product categories. Published over 100 scientific papers. Winner of Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Scientist of the Year 2021. Fellow of the Institute for Food Science and Technology and the Royal Microscopical Society.

Carole Bingley

Extensive experience of product development and ingredient evaluation across numerous food categories including plant proteins, vegan meat and dairy alternatives, sweeteners and bulking agents. Fellow of the Institute for Food Science & Technology.

Fred Gates

Extensive experience in food research with particular focus on physical properties and the impact of food processing on product characteristics.

Robert Griffiths

Extensive experience in the analysis, uses and properties of Oils, Fats & Lipids in a variety of food and non-food applications. Current Chairman of the British Standards Institution (BSI) Oilseeds, Fats & Oils Committee. Member of the Society of Chemical Industry Lipids Committee

Barbara Hirst

An allergen management specialist, with broad analytical and technical expertise gained over 20 years in the food industry. Actively involved with industry, clinical and regulatory bodies, as well as patient support groups.

Daniele Leonarduzzi

Material Scientist with many years’ experience in a broad range of industries, linking physical attributes to key process and quality parameters in order to facilitate scale-up and speed up product launches

Ellen Norman

Wide range of chemical analysis experience, with a specialist interest in linking analysis to the process and product. Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and Chair of the Food and Drink Federation residues and contaminants committee.

Paul O'Nion

Experienced chromatographer specialising in flavour and taints analysis using multi-dimensional chromatography, mass spectrometry and troubleshooting. Member of the Industry Advisory Board for CAMS.

David Wright

Experienced materials scientist and microscopist specialising in packaging materials testing and material structure. A Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and Institute of Food Science and Technology.

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