Latvia State Institute of Fruit-Growing                    

Dr. sc. ing. Dalija Segliņa
(head of unit)

Dr. sci. ing. Pawel Gornas

Mag. cib. hyg.  Inta Krasnova

Gunta Heidemane

Karina Juhņeviča

Anita Olšteine

Inga Mišina

Kaspars Dukurs

Experimental processing laboratory

Laboratory of biochemistry

Laboratory of fruit storage research

The unit of experimental fruit and berry processing of LSIFG was established in 1997.

The unit consists of:

Experimental processing laboratory

Laboratory of biochemistry

Laboratory of fruit storage research

Areas of work:

Testing of the suitability of cultivars for various ways of processing and development of new products (Experimental processing laboratory)

Analyses of the biochemical content of traditional and untraditional fruit and bery crops and their processed products  (Laboratory of biochemistry)

Evaluation of fruit and berry quality in dependence of storage regimes (temperature, CO₂ and O₂ concentration) (Laboratory of fruit storage research )

Research:

- work on traditional crops – apples, pears, plums, cherries, currants, gooseberries, raspberries.

- research done also with untraditional crops e.g. large-fruited cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) and seabuckthorns (Hippophae rhamnoides L.). A new recipe has been developed for processing cranberries– „ Frozen cranberries in sugar syrup”, which is aimed at the production of bread and pastries. As a result of research, in cooperation with processing enterprises, industrial production of seabuckthorn juice from local raw material has begun.

- processing of Japanese quince – as a result of an international project „Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) - a new European fruit crop for production of juice, flavour and fibre” (1998 – 2002) a technology was developed for production of candied Japanese quince.

- in the international program EUREKA project E! 3490 „Functional food ingredients from plant products” (2006 - 2008) research is done about the use of raspberry dry marc in the development of new functional food products.

- in the framework of the State research program „Innovative technologies for the development of high-value, safe and healthy food products from genetically, physiologically and biochemically various plant and animal material” - project „High-value Latvian berries: from cultivar to high-quality, healthy and safe product” (2006 – 2009) it is planned to work out new processing products from raspberries, black currants and seabuckthorn, using technologies which preserve the natural antioxidants.

- in the framework of the project „Specification of environment-friendly technologies in fruit and berry plantations in different soil, and climatic conditions” (2007 – 2011) research is done to develop new products from gooseberries and apples for the diversification of the Latvian market.

Cooperation

Fruit and berry processing enterprises in Latvia and other countries: „Lāči”, „Lienama”, „Pure Food”, „Dienvidi Plus”, „Satori Alfa”, „Herbe”, „Silvanols”, "Cidobe”, „DUO AG”, „Ruta” (Lietuva), „Kiviks Musteri” (Sweden) – testing of raw material, development of new products and recipes;

Faculty of Food Technology, Latvia University of Agriculture – testing of packing materials, sensory analyses;

Faculty of Chemistry, University of Latvia – chemical analyses.