FreshTech Facility - Sensing, storage & robotics

Our unique ATP testing room allows evaluation of refrigerated transport systems under extreme conditions, from -20°C to +50°C. We measure insulation value, cooling capacity and energy consumption, as well as qualification measurements to validate transport solutions and ensure temperature stability throughout the supply chain.

We offer a full suite of sensing technologies to measure the external and internal product characteristics. Optical sensors, hyperspectral cameras and 3D imaging systems provide insights into firmness, colour, external and internal disorders and more. These measurements are processed using advanced data analysis techniques and Deep Learning, enabling automatic measurement systems and predictive shelf life modeling.

In addition to imaging and optical sensing, our facility supports advanced gas analysis to monitor the production and exchange of gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene, ethanol, and methanol. These measurements are essential for understanding respiration rates, ripening processes, and packaging performance.

Our climate-controlled environments are designed to replicate real-life conditions across the fresh supply chain, from harvest/productions and transport to retail and consumer use. This allows partners to test and validate their own sensing platforms and technologies under realistic scenarios, ensuring reliability and performance before market deployment.

Our robotics lab supports the development and testing of automated systems for sorting, packing and quality inspection. Robots can be equipped with sensors to perform real-time assessments while robotic pick and place systems demonstrate how food can be transferred from harvest crates directly into consumer packaging. This streamlines operations and reduces manual handling.

With 40 climate-controlled rooms and 150 airtight cylinders, we offer unmatched flexibility for testing storage and transport conditions. Our systems allows precise control over temperature, humidity and atmospheric conditions enabling researchers to simulate real-life scenarios across the food supply chain. This is particularly valuable to develop and validate new storage systems and sensing platforms under realistic conditions. One of the rooms is dedicated to Controlled Atmosphere Temperature Treatment (CATT), a non-chemical heat treatment combined with modified air composition, used for pest control and quarantine applications in export chains.  In addition, our infrastructure support advanced gas control and analysis. In combination with climate control and product-specific expertise new controlled atmosphere strategies and packaging solutions are developed.

After harvesting, transport and distribution, flowers only have a limited vase life. Ideally, they should keep blooming for as long as possible once they reach the consumer. The FreshTech & Robotics Facility has dedicated flowering rooms that simulate consumer environments. This allows researchers to test treatments and packaging that extend vase life and improve customer satisfaction.

Together with our industry partners, we develop and test next-generation packaging materials that offer a sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics used in food packaging. The FreshTech & Robotics Facility provides infrastructure to evaluate how this materials perform in preserving freshness, shelf life and meeting environmental goals. Techniques such as controlled atmosphere packaging, hot fill and mild processing are available to support the development of high-performance convenience packaging.

The Plaza is an inspirational space where a broad range of results and prototypes from various research projects are presented. Partners of Wageningen University & Research have the opportunity to make use of this facility themselves. It is the perfect place  for launching innovations, engaging stakeholders and building visibility around R&D efforts. Please get in touch with us for more information and availability.