Celabor is a Belgian SME offering scientific and technical support to companies in the field of agrifood (nutrition and extraction), packaging, environment and textiles. Celabor has more than 20 years of research experiences and has been involved in several EU and national projects and is eager to maintain its position at the cutting edge of scientific knowledge.
The “Food Technologies – Extraction” department of Celabor is equipped with a technological platform unique in Wallonia boasting an ATEX zone; a test hall constituted of pilot extraction equipment, a high performing laboratory and an experienced multidisciplinary team. This team is working on the development of extraction, fractionation and purification processes with a “green” orientation, the preparation of natural plant ingredients. One of the major activities of the “Extraction” department is focused on the biomass valorisation processes and recovery of the primary and secondary metabolite from co-product and industrial agro-waste.
Celabor’s “Packaging” department offers a wide range of tests and analyses for the development of new materials/ products (gas permeability, mechanical properties, optical properties, surface properties, accelerated ageing, biodegradation and compostability studies, food contact properties…). Packaging department research relates to the whole production chain of nanocellulose from the selection of raw materials to the development of the production process and the modification of nanocellulose material according to the needs of various applications.
CELABOR
Role in the project
WP1: CELABOR will involve as Work package leader of the WP3. Participation as partner and WP leader in the General assemblies.
WP3: Development and optimisation of the suitable extraction processes of the target components from biomass and characterisation of the obtained crude extracts. The “Food Technologies-Extraction” department is equipped with a technological platform boasting an ATEX zone, a test hall constituted of laboratory and pilot extraction machinery including, two pilot plants SFE-CO2. The SFE-CO2 extractor is designed for solid-fluid and liquid-fluid extraction of non-polar and moderately polar compounds (lipids, fatty acids, wax, terpenes, moderately polar polyphenols, etc.). For the extraction of polar and hydrophilic components, a laboratory and pilotscale Pressurised Solvent Extraction (PSE) units in Atex Zone for extraction and treatment of solid and semi-solid material, wastes and by-products with organic flammable solvents (alcohols, alkanes, acetates, Ketones, etc.,). This installation is used to perform Subcritical Water Extraction (SWE) processes to fractionate and recover sugars, polysaccharides and hemicellulose fractions. In addition to green extraction equipment, Celabor develop traditional and conventional extraction processes such as, solvent extraction and maceration. The extraction department is working on the development of some original processes such as debacterisation of liquids through Pressurized CO2, oil deodorisation, encapsulation of plant extracts, etc. Advanced analytical techniques, basically, chromatographic techniques, including, HPLC-DAD, HPLC-ELSD, UPLC-MS, UPLC-DAD-MS, GC-MS, GC-MS/MS, GC-FID, etc., are used for the characterisation of the obtained crude extracts and the identification of major constituents of each fraction.
Development and optimisation of fractionation and purification of target components from the obtained extracts (part1).
The “Food Technologies – Extraction” department is also equipped with a purification laboratory with various advanced preparative technologies for obtaining high productivities and extremely high purities, such as, Centrifugal Partition chromatography (CPC), Medium Pressure Liquid Chromatography (MPLC) and Prep-HPLC. The structural characterisation of the enriched fractions with target compounds or the isolated pure substances are determined by analytical chromatographic techniques, including, HPLC-DAD, HPLC-ELSD, UPLC-MS, UPLC-DAD-MS, GC-MS, GCMS/MS, GC-FID, etc.
Scaling up the developed extraction and purification processes (step 1 and 2) from laboratory to pilot scale.
The developed and optimized extraction, fractionation and purification processes are scaled up from laboratory to pilot-scale. Extraction parameters (pressure, temperature, extraction time, ratio solventplant material, etc.) are optimized on pilot-scale extractors (SFE-CO2 [5L/batch], SWE: [5L/batch], solvent extraction: [25L and 400 L/batch]).
WP4: The packaging department is equipped with a wide range of the state of the art facilities for nanocellulose production and functionalisation including: Chemical, enzymatic and twin-screw extrusion pre-treatment of cellulose pulp at lab scale and pilot scale using semi continuous reactors (from 25L to 400 L/batch) Cellulose defibrillation technologies using high pressure homogeniser (30L/h) or masuko grinder (up to 100 L /h)
WP6: The packaging testing laboratory at the Celabor has a range of physical test methods in the area of mechanics, optics, and permeation. These tests are essential for material development and quality assurance. The mechanical and physical packaging tests include: tensile measurements, seal and peel tests, impact resistance, penetration resistance
Permeability of packaging materials and packagings to water vapor and oxygen
The packaging department test and appraise the compliance of food packaging during all the manufacturing steps -from the production of the polymers and packaging materials to the designed packaging. Our knowledge of the relevant legislation and our analytical expertise and facilities allow us to address customer-specific issues and develop new analytical methods.
Migration tests, advice on food legislation, and evaluation of compliance in accordance with Framework Regulation (for plastic, recycled plastic and paper, active and intelligent packaging…)
WP9: Scientific dissemination