The Unit of Processing and Biochemistry was founded in 1997. The unit’s principal activity focuses on traditional cultures (crab-apple and commercial cultivars of apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberries, red currants, black currants, gooseberries, raspberries), but is not limited to those; the unit carries out scientific research and research that is relevant to producers with cultures that are less common (sea buckthorn, Japanese quince, large-fruited cranberries) or wild fruit and berries (incl. sweet briar, blueberries, elder). In 2016, the unit began research in vegetable cultures. The research is conducted both locally and within the framework of international scientific research, collaborating with producers and giving them the opportunity to apply the results in practice.

The Unit of Processing and Biochemistry facilitates the practical conducting of bachelor's, master's and doctor's thesis for the students of Faculty of Biology and Faculty of Chemistry of University of Latvia, Faculty of Agriculture and Faculty of Food Technology of Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies, as well as the conducting of research work of the students of Dobele State Gymnasium.

Activity goal: to create new knowledge and products, to develop innovative technologies that promote sustainable development and competitive capacity of Latvian horticulture and food sectors.

Activity directions:

• Testing of cultivar suitability for various processing methods and new product, technology development;
• Determining the chemical composition of traditional and untraditional horticultural crops and their processed products;
• Research on horticultural crop storage (incl. controlled atmosphere conditions, research with 1-MCP).

Staff:

• Dalija Segliņa – Dr. Sc. Ing., head of unit, leading researcher (food processing technologies, development of new products)
• Pawel Gornas – Dr. Sc. Ing., leading researcher (food chemistry, liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography, mass spectrometry)
• Inta Krasnova – Dr. Sc. Ing., researcher (product development, composition analysis, evaluation)
• Karina Juhņeviča-Radenkova – Dr. Sc. Ing., researcher (fruit storage technologies, microbiology)
• Vitalijs Radenkovs – Dr. Sc. Ing., researcher (waste–free technology research, enzymatic hydrolysis)
• Anita Olšteine - M. Sc. Sal., assistant (food processing technologies)
• Inga Mišina – Bac., assistant (food chemistry)
• Kaspars Dukurs - food production technician (food processing technologies)
• Elise Urvaka – Bsc. Ing., assistant (liquid and supercritical fluid chromatography)

Current projects: 

Environment-friendly cultivation of emerging commercial fruit crop – Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) and waste-free methods of its processing;

State Research Programme Agricultural Resources for Sustainable Qualitative and Healthy Food Production in Latvia (AgroBioRes) project "Biological processes influencing sustainable fruit growing and widening possibilities for use of by-products";

 Interereg Baltic Sea Region program project „Advancement of non-technological innovation performance and innovation capacity in fruit growing and processing sector in selected Baltic Sea Region countries” (InnoFruit); 

 COST action No. CA15136 “European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health" (EUROCAROTEN);

 Interreg Latvia – Lithuania Programme project "Revival of old traditional fruit, vegetable and ornamental plants and their products: Heritage Gardens Tour" (Heritage Gardens, No. LLI-181) (2017 - 2019);

 EU Funding Activity 1.1.1.2 "Post-doctoral Research Aid" of the Specific Objective 1.1.1 "To increase the research and innovative capacity of scientific institutions of Latvia and the ability to attract external financing, investing in human resources and infrastructure" of the Operational Programme "Growth and Employment" project No. 1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/201 "The development of new synbiotic food products using enzymatic hydrolysis of plant by-product" (2017-2020)