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Unit Of Processing And Biochemistry

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:

Current projects: 

  • Production of biodegradable polymers from renewable sources for the development of edible coatings and packaging materials for fruits. No.19-00-A01612-000004 
  • Innovative, economically substantiated solutions to improve the efficiency of apple and raspberry production and fruit quality, No. 18-00-A01620-000025
  • Development of new vegetable - edamame growing technology in organic production, No. I7-00-401620-000004 
  • Experimental (Pilot) development of plant-derived organic milk ice-cream (hemp and soy) with various berry, fruit and vegetable additives 
  • Environment-friendly cultivation of emerging commercial fruit crop – Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) and waste-free methods of its processing;
  • 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"
  • COST action No. CA15136 “European network to advance carotenoid research and applications in agro-food and health" (EUROCAROTEN)