When we think of food production, we quickly think of large factories, outside the city. But imagine if a small container closer to the source could do the same? Producers of fruit and vegetables bring fresh goods and the processing is done on site. Juice is made, vegetables are dried and everything is packaged sustainably. The short chain approach creates business opportunities and consumers appreciate the benefits of locally processed food.

That is FOX: Food processing in a Box.

FOX is a unique collaboration between universities, research institutes, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), industries and organizations. The four-year project started in June 2019 and will run until November 2023. The project focuses on mild processing technologies, such as drying at low temperatures, and mild preservation techniques to achieve the optimal nutritional quality of the fruit and vegetable products. The innovative processing solutions are flexible, resource efficient, based on seasonality and demand. It takes into account the expectations of farmers and small food businesses, technical and economic feasibility, and the needs of the food chain and consumers.

FOX is working on the optimal use of vegetable side streams: the creation of high-quality food products and ingredients via mild processing technologies and the development of pre-processing technologies for side streams.