AgroBioTech is expanding cooperation with the private sector
02.08.2023
The research center AgroBioTech (ABT) of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra is expanding cooperation with the private sector.
It is launching new projects that translate the results of scientists' work into practice. A major milestone will be the Food Incubator, which the university launched as part of the project "Demand-oriented research for sustainable and innovative food, Drive4SIFood.
ABT is currently implementing a project with Tatranská likérka company, in the framework of which scientific and research workers are setting the shelf life of the prepared low-alcohol drink. The project entitled "Innovation of the production process in Tatranská likérka s.r.o." was supported by European funds through the Ministry of Economy.
Another new project, currently in the evaluation phase, deals with walnuts. Its subject is the development of innovative nut-based foods, namely spreads. As stated by the director of the AgroBioTech Research Center, Lucia Gabríny, "in the past, walnuts were grown in abundance in Slovakia, but in recent years, growers have not devoted themselves so much to them. We were approached by a company that produces walnuts and already has several products in its portfolio. We did analyzes and sensory testing for this company, and now we are preparing a project together, the research intent of which has already been approved in the first round."
A new project with the Piešťany Brewery was also approved in the first round. The ABT research center has its own experimental brewery, a micromalthouse and a complex beer analyzer, and in the past it has also collaborated with large breweries in the development of new recipes. "When breweries want to bring something new, they need thousands of liters to test one batch. With our miniature industrial brewery, we can brew one batch with a volume of 25 liters, which means that the input costs are significantly lower. In a similar way, we can also prepare experimental samples of malt for malt houses," explained L. Gabríny.
