Food R&D: Agrotec develops your products and processes
Agrotec, the food technical centre of South-West France
Food manufacturers, SMEs and start-ups: Agrotec supports your research and development projects, from raw material selection through to small-scale production. Our team provides its formulation expertise, its processing equipment and its technology hall to secure every stage of your product development.
Our food R&D services
Formulation and product development
Specifications, R&D trials, formulation, recipe adjustments: we develop your food product from the very first idea to the validated recipe, including tasting and validation in our sensory analysis laboratory.
Raw material sourcing and characterisation
Selection, characterisation and analysis of raw materials for the best possible choice from the design stage of your product.
Process development
Equipment definition, machine trials and validation of processing methods: pasteurisation schedules, sterilisation schedules, heat treatments.
Pilot runs and technology hall
Pilot production runs and access to our processing equipment platforms. See the list of available equipment.
Shelf-life studies
Use-by and best-before date determination, stability and ageing tests: we validate your product's shelf life before it reaches the market, including sensory monitoring over time.
Regulatory labelling
Mandatory information, claims, compliance of your food labelling with current regulations.
How a project unfolds
Specifications
Together we define your product objective, your technical and regulatory constraints, your budget and your timeline.
Trials and formulation
Our teams run laboratory trials and fine-tune the formulation until the target recipe is reached.
Validation
The product is validated through technical and sensory tests, in conjunction with our sensory analysis laboratory.
Pilot run and industrial transfer
We produce pilot runs in the technology hall and support you towards industrialisation, on your premises or at a partner's site.
Certified support that can be funded
CRT certification
Agrotec is certified as a Technological Resource Centre (CRT) by the French Ministry of Research. This certification attests to the quality of our R&D services and to our ability to support SMEs in their innovation projects.
Strategic advice and support
Beyond trials, Agrotec acts as a technical consultancy for the food industry: guiding your project, technology choices, introductions to the players in the sector.
Frequently asked questions about food R&D
What is a Technological Resource Centre (CRT)?
A CRT is a body certified by the French Ministry of Research to provide R&D services to companies, particularly SMEs. The certification guarantees a verified level of technical competence and professional ethics.
How long does it take to develop a food product?
It depends on the complexity of the formulation, the regulatory constraints and the number of trial iterations.
Can I come with just an idea, without a recipe?
Yes. Agrotec gets involved from the very start: concept definition, raw material sourcing, first formulations. You do not need a finished product to get started.
Are my recipes and results confidential?
Yes. Your formulations, trials and results belong to you and are covered by our confidentiality commitments.
The other services of the Agrotec technical centre
R&D is part of the complete support offered by Agrotec: raw material analysis, production, training, food safety, sensory analysis.
Let's talk about your project
Are you developing a new food product, looking to optimise a process or to validate a shelf life? Tell us about your project and we will propose the right support.
