Diverse partnerships help lead to expanded technology offerings

For Canada’s plant-based food, ingredient and bio-products sector to reach its full potential, it needs the participation and innovation of a diverse range of companies along the full value chain. Such an active role in the sector can help not only drive growth within the Canadian economy, but also help companies meet their own commercialization and sustainability goals.

Such a collaborative working model is becoming more common as the Canadian plant-based sector grows, leading to companies such as NuWave Research, to make it an important element in developing their technology alongside that of their partners’. In addition to its independent work, NuWave Research has been a part of two Protein Industries Canada consortia: One focused on commercializing a micronutrient fertilizer made from plant-protein sidestream products, and the other on commercializing a plant-based salmon alternative.

“We focus on utilizing our patented vacuum microwave technology to help empower our partners to bring their product to the next stage of commercialization,” NuWave Research Quality Assurance Manager Rita Xu said. “We are committed to fostering innovation and sustainability, which is why we actively participate in partnerships with Protein Industries Canada. Our primary goals are to drive positive change by tackling challenges related to scalability and delivering superior quality end products within the agrifood sector.”

Both NuWave Research and their partners have been seeing the results of these efforts. While their partners have been reaching their goals related to product development and commercialization, NuWave Research has been able to fine-tune and expand on their microwave technology.

Focused on delivering vacuum microwave solutions, NuWave Research initially offered their partners solutions related to Microwave-Assisted Organic Synthesis, which facilitated the preparation of desired compounds and accelerated chemical reactions. As their partnerships evolved, however, so did NuWave Research’s technology.

This led to the development of Microwave Assisted Processing. This innovative technology can be applied to new applications, such as extraction, opening NuWave Research’s range to work with customers outside of the food industry.

“At NuWave Research, our mission is to bridge the gap between the science of vacuum microwave technology and the practical applications within the industry,” NuWave Research CEO Greg Stromotich said. “We collaborate with a diverse range of clients within the food industry, whether they seek to enhance production scalability or integrate new drying solutions to improve efficiency and product value.”

The development of the new Microwave Assisted Processing technology, as well as other successes within the partnerships, can’t be credited to a single element within the partnerships, but Xu said proper communication was essential in helping bring each to fruition.

“To achieve long-term and beneficial relationships, it is important to always clearly define your roles and objectives through collaboration and transparency in knowledge sharing,” Xu said.

To learn more about NuWave Research, visit https://www.nuwaveresearch.com/.