Bioprocessing

The Bioprocessing Team specialises in the development of high value products from low value co-products. We also have past experience in the quality of rendering products, meat and bone meal, bone chips and tallow. The team has also broadened its work area to include dairy processing/bioactive purification and fermentation/protein expression in.

The team has facilities and equipment for extracting and separating high value proteins at lab scale and pilot scale. We have developed processes for extraction of bioactives from various tissues and organs. We have investigated production of food ingredients from meat, skin, and intestines. We have also developed processes for extraction of biotechnology grade ingredients from blood and lung.

The team performs analysis of protein and fat by various analytical techniques. This includes analysis of fatty acids by GC, GC-MS, and analysis of proteins by HPLC, PAGE, etc. We also perform some specialist analytical services such as polyamines (biogenic amines) and nucleotides.

Team Biography

The team was instigated in 1990 to develop new opportunities for the meat industry. It changed its name to BioDevelopments in 2000 to accommodate inclusion of animal behavioural activities but has subsequently reverted to its original name. This Team is now part of the Dairy Science Section based at AgResearch MIRINZ