Ingredient flexibility for smarter food reformulation
Ingredient flexibility is becoming essential as costs rise, ingredients change and sustainability targets grow. Food producers need to reformulate, but without losing taste, texture or processing performance. Wageningen University & Research helps make that possible.
Wageningen brings together strong expertise in protein technology, biopolymers, food informatics, process engineering and sensory science. This allows us to support companies in developing products that remain appealing, reliable and future-proof.
With our approach to smart reformulation, we help you:
- Reformulate products in all kinds of categories including bakery, dairy, plant-based and meat categories while maintaining taste and texture
- Use new or more sustainable ingredients, including plant-based materials and side-streams, without compromising product quality
- Predict how ingredient changes affect product behaviour using advanced modelling tools
- Improve product quality and processing performance with our knowledge of food structure, formulation, rheology and sensory evaluation
We look at the full picture: how each ingredient affects functionality, nutrition quality, processing, stability and sustainability. This ensures reformulation is efficient, reliable and ready for market.
By working with Wageningen University & Research, you gain access to a wide range of scientific disciplines, from food physics and biochemistry to sensory and data science, all focused on helping you develop products that meet consumer expectations, regulatory requirements and sustainability goals.
Discover our expertise
Postharvest quality and technology
We help companies and public-sector partners protect food quality, reduce postharvest losses and build resilient food systems through practical, evidence-based solutions for products, storage, cold chains and investments worldwide.
Postharvest quality and technology
We help companies and public-sector partners protect food quality, reduce postharvest losses and build resilient food systems through practical, evidence-based solutions for products, storage, cold chains and investments worldwide.
Food processing technology
We develop safe, innovative and sustainable food processing technologies that help the food industry deliver healthy products, while reducing environmental impact.
Food safety and shelf life
We help companies improve food safety and shelf life with science-based solutions for microbial control, predictive modelling, and hygienic processing.
Supply chain development and logistic design
The agri-food sector must deliver safe, high-quality products while moving towards net-zero and circular production. We design and optimise sustainable supply chains and agri-logistics systems that connect all actors from field to consumer – improving efficiency, reducing negative impact, and strengthening resilience across food systems.
Protein technology
We investigate and enhance the functionality of plant and animal proteins to support the development of tastier, higher-quality and more sustainable food products.
Agri-food computer vision and robotics
Agri-food companies constantly need to ensure consistent product quality. At Wageningen University & Research (WUR), we offer solutions for automated quality inspection of agri-food and bio-based products. We develop advanced solutions for agri-food sector using optical sensing, AI and robotics solutions.
Mild and energy-efficient compound recovery
Compound recovery can represent for over 70% of production costs in food and biobased processes. We design and deliver mild, energy-efficient separation and purification technologies, and integrated process solutions. These preserve the quality of target compounds while reducing costs and waste.
Dynamic, quality-driven food chains
Globally, a large share of food is lost before it reaches consumers. Inefficient logistics, poor alignment between supply and demand, and limited reuse of side streams lead to waste, financial losses, and unnecessary environmental impact.
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Why partner with WUR
We offer:
- Predictive modelling to reduce trial-and-error in reformulation
- Physics-based AI tools like PeNNs for ingredient flexibility
- Support across formulation, sensory quality and processing
- Solutions tailored to real-world supply and sustainability needs
- Expertise in both science and application
Get in touch
Wageningen works at the interface between fundamental and industrially driven applied research, together with industrial partners. If you are interested in collaborating with us, please contact us.
Focus areas
Fermentation and bioprocessing
Fermentation is a powerful method for next-gen food production. We support companies to design scalable, efficient and sustainable fermentative processes, from strain to scale.
Fermentation and bioprocessing
Fermentation is a powerful method for next-gen food production. We support companies to design scalable, efficient and sustainable fermentative processes, from strain to scale.
Health benefit substantiation for food
The food industry continuously strives to develop healthier products that align with consumer expectations and evolving regulations.
Wageningen University & Research supports companies to reformulate their products with trusted, evidence-based health benefit substantiation.
Ingredient flexibility for smarter food reformulation
Ingredient flexibility is becoming essential as costs rise, ingredients change and sustainability targets grow.
Food producers need to reformulate, but without losing taste, texture or processing performance. Wageningen University & Research helps make that possible.
Biobased or renewable materials and plastics
Industry demands materials and plastics that are sustainable, circular, fossil-free and safe.
We help manufacturers develop those materials without compromising on quality or economic viability. With over thirty years of experience, we develop high-performance, renewable materials based on biomass and side streams, such as agricultural and forestry residues.
Biobased chemicals for safe and circular materials
Industries face growing pressure to replace persistent and harmful substances with safe and sustainable alternatives. We closely work together with businesses to create and implement new circular materials that are non-hazardous and mechanically, or chemically, recyclable or (bio)degradable to the highest content possible.
We develop biobased chemicals and materials that are renewable, non-toxic and compliant with future regulations. Our techno-economic analyses make sure they’re also economically viable.
Industrial and agricultural water solutions
Water scarcity, rising treatment costs, rising energy consumption, and stricter environmental rules. These are the main challenges industries and agricultural businesses face when it comes to their water usage.
We help to overcome these challenges by developing water technologies that reduce costs, support regulatory compliance, and improve sustainability.
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