Technology to ensure the commercial feasibility of new food products
GEA Application and Technology Center
A cell cultivation and fermentation pilot line to fast-track innovations from the lab to commercial-scale manufacturing.
The Application and Technology Center of Excellence (ATC) has been established as a central hub to support innovation in the emerging field of cellular agriculture. Located in Europe and North America, these facilities offer leading edge bioreactor and precision fermentation and allocated upstream and downstream technologies in a highly flexible, pilot scale setup, so you can trial and evaluate fermentation and cell cultivation processes, and work towards scale up.
Supported by decades of GEA expertise
To help accelerate process development for new food applications, GEA has established dedicated Application and Technology Centers in Germany and the U.S. These hubs bring together engineering and application expertise, giving you hands-on access to prototype cellular agriculture processes on a flexible, modular pilot-scale line.
The ATC allows you to evaluate and refine production at a pilot scale that translates to industrial processes. You can test both cell culture and microbial fermentation using 50–500 litre bioreactors, integrated with upstream and downstream processing steps.
In addition, the Janesville test centre offers a wide range of UHT options for beverage applications. With both indirect and direct heat treatment, liquids of varying viscosities and sensitivities can be processed and aseptically packaged on-site for further evaluation. This supports the development of shelf-stable products, helping improve distribution flexibility, reduce waste, and extend shelf life.
Janesville, US
Processes include: media preparation, media sterilization, cellular pre-/ production, cell lysis, cell separation, protein clarification/concentration and powder production.
No CAPEX, low OPEX
Partner with the ATC with no upfront investment. We’ll help prove your concept and support a clear path to scaling cell‑ and microbial‑based food or nutrition production.
Scaling up from lab bench to industrial manufacturing
Whatever the final product – whether a cultivated meat derived from bovine cells, or a metabolite produced by precision fermentation in recombinant organisms – the development of any cellular agriculture process will start at bench scale, using laboratory equipment that produces perhaps just a few liters or less of broth, with a low product yield. Early work is focused on demonstrating experimentally that the recipe and process can support cell growth and manufacture of the desired end product.
However, strong lab results don’t guarantee success at industrial scale. Cells that perform well in a controlled lab environment may behave very differently in large-scale systems designed to produce high volumes efficiently and consistently.
At scale, challenges such as reduced yields, slower growth, sensitivity to process conditions, high energy and resource costs, or inefficient downstream processing can quickly impact economic viability. If these issues aren’t addressed, commercial production can become too costly, making the final product difficult to bring to market.
Understanding your cells and processes
Our bioreactors can be configured for both aerobic and anaerobic cultivation, supporting a wide range of cell types and fermentation processes. The platform allows you to test key variables such as heat treatment, gassing, and feeding strategies, helping you better understand cell behaviour and reduce contamination risks between batches or when switching processes.
With this setup, you can map and refine your process step by step. By monitoring cell conditions, running mass balances, and comparing batch performance, you can identify where efficiencies are gained or lost. This makes it easier to adjust parameters, optimise sequencing, and troubleshoot issues as they arise.
At pilot scale, you also generate enough material for downstream testing, such as spray or freeze drying. Overall, the goal is to help you build robust, scalable processes and a strong foundation for future product development and investment.
The food science "playground"
How food science and testing can bring new life to old traditions.
This film was produced for GEA by BBC StoryWorks Commercial Productions.
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