About

Food Institute

The KTU Food Institute is changing the environment by relentlessly working to expand knowledge and innovative technological solutions for the well-being of humans within the preventive and sustainable food systems, while also developing the food supply capabilities for the growing needs of the world.

Scientific activity: development and improvement of balanced and healthy food and food technologies, development of sustainable food systems, ensuring the effectiveness of interaction between consumers and food producers.

Mission and vision

Mission

Our mission is motivating leaders in an inspirational and creative environment to conduct globally recognised research, to gather knowledge and to develop innovative technologies in food science, safety and legislation on national and international level.

Vision

KTU Food Institute as internationally and nationally recognized division of Kaunas University of Technology in the area of research in food science and technology. The institute is focused in meeting the needs of the various food systems and working towards producing and promoting highly qualified research.

Strategic goals:

1. Development and exchange of internationally recognised knowledge and technologies;
2. Driving the University’s activities towards humanity’s well-being and sustainable development of the country;
3. Sustainable development of the University, ensuring quality and efficiency of the activities.

About the Institute

Areas of activity of the Institute:

– Developing unique, interdisciplinary collaborations and establishing ambitious academic environment for food research activities;
– Carrying out research in close cooperation with national and international organizations and institutes, industry partners, other research bodies and individuals working in the field of individual sciences and innovations;
– Addressing the global social issues concerning food security.

KTU Food Institute is a pioneer of functional food science and technology research and innovation in Lithuania. In collaboration with the international scientific community, Dr. D. Sekmokienė and Dr. A. Liutkevičius, the scientists of the institute, developed the National Functional Food Concept (2003) and it was approved in Lithuania with the launch of functional food and technology development works with Lithuanian and foreign industry clients. The results of this activity: patents No. 5101 “Method of Production of Functional Drinks with Omega-3 Fatty Acids” (inventor Dr. A. Liutkevičius) and No. 6375 “Whey Drink” (2017) (inventors Dr. A. Liutkevičius and V. Speičienė).

Unique collection of microorganisms including lactic acid bacteria was created by the researchers of KTU Food Institute, and it is being used by scientists in the personalized nutrition development process and as preventative measures for food safety and food environmental safety assurance.

Food Research Center of the Food Institute consists of Microbiology and Chemistry Laboratories accredited according to LST EN ISO/IEC 17025. It is also an advisory, consultative and expert unit for business and public sector (led by Dr. G. Garmienė).

Scientists provide scientific consultations and services to national and international organizations. Researchers of the Institute have taken upon an advisory role in the SCAR Food Systems Committee (since 2016), the ISO Standards Committee (since 2010), the EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group), The European Network for Gastrointestinal Health Research (ENGIHR) and the European Committee for Research and Innovation (ECRI). The institute is involved in the activities of the technical committees of the Agricultural Science Council of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Standards Board (since 1999).

Apart from active participation in the abovementioned ventures, the institute is also working in the development of unique and contemporary analytical research equipment and boasts a competent team combined of all interested parties in the food science and technology community.

History

Established in 1957 in Kaunas as a national research laboratory for dairy products.

Lithuanian Food Institute was officially approved by the government and established on 21 June 1991. The main activity of Lithuanian Food Institute was to solve food industry problems and to provide scientific, practical and methodological services and solutions.
Gradually, the Institute was expanded to a higher quality of research and integrated with a higher educational institution.

4 April 2001 the Government of the Republic of Lithuania made a resolution to reorganize the Food institute of Lithuania and the founding rights were assigned to KTU.

In 2001 Food Institute and Institute of Biotechnology (Denmark) conducted a mutual project that helped to prepare Test Laboratory of the Food Institute for accreditation and also creation of Sensory Analysis Laboratory.

In 2002, the Lithuanian National Accreditation Bureau accredited Test Laboratory of Food Institute according to the LST EN ISO/IEC 17025 to conduct physical chemical and microbiological tests of food samples.

On 1 April 2003, according to the decision of the Government of Republic of Lithuania, Food institute was reorganized into the Science Institute of the University – KTU Food Institute with these defined activities:
• Research on food quality and safety management assurance systems
• Research on healthy and high quality food technologies

In 2016, KTU Food Institute moved to the KTU campus.