Sustainable Innovation Through Collaborative Research
Developing more sustainable powder processing technologies requires more than advanced equipment. It demands close collaboration between equipment manufacturers, universities, research institutes and industrial partners to better understand material behaviour and translate scientific insights into scalable industrial solutions.
As part of this commitment, Hosokawa Micron actively participates in collaborative research projects that address key challenges in sustainable process technology. One example is ECONEXT (Enabling protein CONcentrates for EXTrusion), a Dutch research consortium focused on making the production of plant-based protein ingredients significantly more energy efficient.
Towards More Sustainable Protein Production
The global demand for plant-based proteins continues to grow as the food industry seeks more sustainable alternatives to animal-derived ingredients. However, the conventional production route for plant protein concentrates—known as wet fractionation—requires large amounts of water and energy for separation and subsequent drying.
Dry fractionation offers a promising alternative. By eliminating much of the water-intensive processing, this technology can significantly reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while supporting the use of locally grown crops such as yellow peas and faba beans. Research indicates that dry-fractionated protein ingredients can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 87% compared with conventional wet processing.
Despite these environmental benefits, dry-fractionated protein concentrates still present technical challenges, including limited powder flowability, differences in viscosity, flavour development and final product texture. Addressing these challenges is the primary objective of the ECONEXT project.
Hosokawa's Contribution
Within the consortium, Hosokawa Micron contributes its expertise in powder processing, agglomeration and particle engineering, together with its pilot-scale processing facilities at the Hosokawa Test Centre in the Netherlands. The project builds on our extensive Research & Development activities, combining scientific collaboration with practical process engineering to develop innovative and sustainable industrial solutions.
Working alongside researchers from Wageningen University & Research, NIZO Food Research and the other consortium partners, extensive experimental programmes are carried out to investigate how powder processing influences the functional properties of dry-fractionated protein concentrates.
Rather than focusing solely on laboratory-scale research, the project evaluates processing technologies under realistic industrial conditions, helping to bridge the gap between scientific research and commercial production.
From Laboratory Research to Industrial Processing
During one intensive trial campaign at the Hosokawa Test Centre, more than 80 product samples were produced using different combinations of powder processing technologies and process parameters.
The programme included several Hosokawa technologies, including the Flexomix continuous agglomerator, Compactor, Bextruder and Extrudomix, enabling researchers to investigate how different processing routes influence powder flowability and downstream processing performance.
The objective is not simply to improve powder characteristics, but to identify process solutions that remain technically robust, economically viable and scalable for industrial production.
Optimising Powder Functionality
One important aspect of the project focuses on improving the flowability of dry-fractionated protein powders. Better powder flow ensures more stable feeding into extrusion equipment, resulting in improved process consistency and product quality.
At the same time, other consortium partners investigate complementary aspects such as flavour, texture and ingredient functionality. Combining these disciplines creates a comprehensive understanding of how processing conditions affect the final performance of plant-based protein ingredients.
By analysing both product quality and process efficiency—including production capacity and energy consumption—the consortium aims to develop practical solutions that can be implemented on an industrial scale.
Collaboration Accelerates Innovation
Complex sustainability challenges cannot be solved by individual organisations alone. Collaborative research enables equipment manufacturers, universities, food producers and technology specialists to combine expertise, share facilities and accelerate innovation.
For Hosokawa Micron, participation in projects such as ECONEXT provides valuable opportunities to:
- contribute to the development of more sustainable powder processing technologies;
- validate innovative process concepts under realistic industrial conditions;
- deepen our understanding of powder behaviour and process performance;
- translate scientific research into practical engineering solutions for customers worldwide.
Investing in the Future of Sustainable Powder Processing
Innovation has always been a core part of Hosokawa Micron's approach. By working closely with customers, universities and research organisations, we continue to develop technologies that improve process efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Collaborative research projects such as ECONEXT demonstrate how scientific knowledge, pilot-scale testing and industrial engineering can work together to create the next generation of sustainable powder processing solutions.
As new insights emerge throughout the project, they will continue to support the development of more energy-efficient, scalable and commercially viable processing technologies for the global food industry.
Develop Your Sustainable Process
Let our process specialists help you develop the optimal solution for your powder and bulk solids processing.
Sustainable process technologies
Hosokawa Micron B.V. is committed to sustainable and responsible process technology. Our ISO 14001 certification covers key environmental aspects such as air, soil, energy, waste, water, noise and hazardous substances. With an EcoVadis Silver Medal, we rank among the top 3% of EcoVadis-rated companies in the special machinery industry.
