During his visit to Lippe, the Minister President, together with State Parliament Representative Klaus Hansen, learned about the cutting-edge research in food technology being conducted at the Lemgo site. Professor Schneider emphasized the central role of food technology research in the sustainable transformation of global food systems: “Under the motto ‘OWL – where food meets IT,’ we are working with numerous companies to develop solutions that use digitalization and artificial intelligence to address the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity.”
One stop at the FFF was a presentation of the Smart Mashing Plant. This system for real-time quality control in food production—specifically in beer brewing—is groundbreaking because it utilizes state-of-the-art sensor technology and AI-supported technologies. It enables the development of self-optimizing systems for food production. “These systems respond flexibly to fluctuating raw material qualities, conserve resources by reducing food waste, and thus set new standards in production efficiency,” explained the institute director.
The Minister President then gained insights into the work of students in the Master’s program in Life Science Technologies, who are conducting research on the development of vegan cat food—an exciting challenge, given that cats, as carnivores, have a high carbon footprint. Under the guidance of Professor Dr. Susanne Struck and using a twin-screw extruder, students transformed plant-based proteins “live” into fibrous, meat-like structures that are edible not only for animals but also for humans. Prime Minister Wüst even tasted the innovative product and was impressed. While he wasn’t entirely convinced by the taste, he noted that, after all, “it has to taste good to the cats.”
At the station for the “Teig 4.0” project, which focuses on AI-supported process control and quality assurance in wheat dough processing, Hendrik Wüst learned how 3D scans are used to monitor and optimize the quality of baked goods. To conclude his tour, the Minister President visited the startup area of the Future Food Factory OWL. There, he was treated to freeze-dried marshmallows and raspberries, as well as a 3D-printed chocolate figure as a surprise.
The visit underscores the importance of the Future Food Factory OWL as a center for innovative research and practical development in food technology. Minister President Wüst was impressed by the innovative spirit and commitment of the university and its partners.
He also clearly enjoyed getting behind the wheel of the latest version of the TH OWL race car in the OWL Racing Team’s workshop at InnovationSPIN. The students were particularly proud to be able to explain to Hendrik Wüst the advantages of carbon components produced by a 3D printer. As the Minister President learned, the racing team brings together not only students from various disciplines working hand in hand, but also young people undergoing vocational training who attend vocational school right next door on campus. “This interdisciplinary collaboration fits the spirit of our institution,” as Professor Krahl emphasized.
