Fi &s

FI&S provides the food processing industry with food technological functionality by developing, producing and selling custom made blends and solving customers' problems. The technological functionalities FI&S has to offer include structure, texture, binding, coating, yield, improvement of shelf life, taste and color. By providing functionality to food processors, FI&S is able to make the products of its customers more valuable in terms of economy, customer experience, quantity, product quality, process quality, consistency, (food) safety, reliability and appearance.

FI&S operates a state-of-the-art product application laboratory with pilot scale equipment. The available individual equipment can be combined in different configurations in order to mimic virtually all processes in all segments of the food industry. Thanks to our application laboratory we can develop without disrupting our customers' day-to-day operations.
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TO APPLY STRUCTURE, TEXTURE, TASTE, SHELF LIFE AND YIELD
Salting is a technique that has been used for the preservation of meat for ages. Historically, the most important reason for salting meat has been to increase the shelf life, so meat could still be consumed outside of the slaughter season. Over the course of the years, the technology of salting and brining has evolved. Besides increasing shelf life, injection and tumbling mixes can provide other functionalities, such as applying structure, texture, taste and yield.

Injection Mixes
An injection mix, also known as a brine, can be injected into meat by means of a multi-needle bed which inserts the brine under pressure. The purpose of this method is to obtain a rapid and even distribution of the salt and other ingredients into the product. Injection mixes are developed to suit the needs of individual customers with regard to functionality, including yield, protein content, cooking yield, drip loss, ingredient declaration, taste, tenderizing effect and color.

Tumbling Mixes
After a piece of meat or fish has been injected with brine, the further distribution of the brine can be facilitated by massaging or tumbling the product. During the tumbling process, the brine is evenly distributed and the meat proteins are released from the product. To provide even more functionality, a tumbling mix can be added. The optimum result can be achieved by balancing the distribution of brine by means of maximum diffusion whilst minimizing damage to the muscle parts.

FI&S injection and tumbling mixes are fully customized to achieve the optimum functionality. The mixes are developed in accordance with our knowledgeable team and tested in our product application laboratory together with the customer until the best result is obtained.

We provide injection and tumbling mixes for meat, fish and vegetable/plant applications.
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TO EXPERIENCE TEXTURE, TASTE AND APPEARANCE
Ever since the Egyptians used herbs and spices to improve the taste of food and also its shelf life, the process of using spices has been important to mankind. In order to improve the flavor of your products, marinades and spices from all over the world can be used. Today marinades and spices improve the way consumers experience texture, taste and appearance.

Marinades
A marinade is an aromatic and often acidic liquid in which meat or fish is soaked before cooking. Besides adding flavor, marinades also increase the tenderness of the product. When meat gets in contact with an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, lemon juice or wine, the marinade breaks down the connective tissue of the meat which makes it more tender.

FI&S offers a range of wet marinades, as well as dry marinades and rubs that can be used for a variety of products such as meat, fish, tofu and vegetables. We develop marinades in any kind of flavor, color and acidity to help improve a customer's product.

Spices
Spices and herbs can also create unique taste and color sensations. FI&S offers an extensive assortment of spices and herbs that can be blended in any form to create a taste and appearance profile. These blends can be used in a wide variety of food products such as sauces, soups, meat, fish and instant meals.

Our marinade and spice blends are applicable for all segments including meat, fish, plant/vegetable, bakery, confectionery, savory and dairy.
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TO CREATE ADHESION, TEXTURE, APPEARANCE AND YIELD
Batters and coatings originate from the “schnitzel”, a product that first appeared during the 16th century in Vienna. According to the original recipe the meat was put into flour, dipped in liquid egg and then coated with breadcrumbs. From this original recipe, battered and coated products have come a long way and many new products have been developed. Batters and coatings provide functionality such as adhesion, texture, appearance and yield.

Batters
A batter is a liquid mixture of ingredients that is often used to
stick crumbs and breading on a product and can also be used as a stand-alone feature to coat a product. The batters of FI&S are suitable for all kinds of products and can be used in combination with different types of breadings or crumbs. Batters are designed for good adhesion, crispiness and coating stability. Other aspects such as taste, color, viscosity and dilution rates can be tailored to customer profiles, consumer experience and relevant process parameters.

Predust
Predust is a powder that is applied on the product prior to the batter or coating process. Predusts are used to improve adhesion of a coating in general, to improve the yield, to add flavor and to improve crispiness.

Coatings
After a predust and/or batter process, coating material is added to the product before further processing (e.g. cooking). There are many varieties of crumbs and breadings that are designed for perfect coatings in further processing steps, such as (deep-)fryers, ovens and microwaves. FI&S offers various coatings which can be customized
on crispiness, fat content, yield, texture, stability, color and taste.

We offer all the necessary products you need to create the perfect battered or coated products, either for meat, fish, plant/vegetable and dairy applications.
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TO PROVIDE BINDING, STRUCTURE, TEXTURE, TASTE AND APPEARANCE
The majority of processed food products needs binding support to enhance form, consistency, structure and bite. An example is making homemade meatballs in which eggs are used to make sure the meat, spices and breadcrumbs stick together. This also makes it easier to create the desired shape and form. The binding mixes FI&S has to offer provide different functionalities, such as binding, structure, texture, taste and appearance.

Binding mixes
In the food industry, binding mixes are widely used, when individual components of an end product need to be bound together. FI&S offers functional binding mixes to create the desired product and optimize the product's functionality in terms of texture, mouth feel, fat percentage, yield, taste and color. FI&S is experienced in developing suitable, custom made binding mixes.

Plant and Animal Protein
Various protein sources are used in industrial processes to optimize texture, juiciness, binding and stabilizing capabilities. The binding mixes of FI&S are known for their optimized protein functionality. This functionality comes from the combination of raw material and specific proteins that work in cooperation with binders and stabilizers. Proteins are available from different animal or plant sources.

Our binding mixes provide the desired functionality for different industries, including meat, fish, plant/vegetable, bakery and dairy.
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SERVICES

Custom R&D
FI&S operates a state-of-the-art product application laboratory with pilot scale equipment. The available individual equipment can be combined in different configurations in order to mimic virtually all processes in all segments of the food industry. Thanks to our application laboratory we can develop without disrupting our customers' day-to-day operations.

Our food and application technologists work in close cooperation with our sales managers and the production team to continuously meet the need of our customers and to solve their problems. This allows us to fully customize our products in order to achieve the optimum functionality. Our blends are developed in accordance with our knowledgeable team and tested in our product application laboratory together with the customer until the best result is obtained.

We develop custom made solutions and create value for our customers.

Toll blending
FI&S offers the specialty service of toll blending which enables us to custom blend complex chemical formulations to your exact specifications and provide any kind of packaging based on your preferences and specifications.

We also see to it that the packaging can withstand local circumstances and storage conditions in transit and at the final destination.

Application lab
FI&S has a Product Application Laboratory for Food Development (PAL-FD) at it's own R&D centre. A part of this application lab has been set up in cooperation with Teeuwissen, within the OP Zuid subsidy program.
FI&S operates this product application laboratory with (industrial) pilot scale equipment. The available individual equipment can be combined in different configurations in order to mimic virtually all food processors. Because of this, development can be done without disrupting the day-to-day operation of a customer's factory.

The existing facilities within FI&S have been upgraded and made available for use by partners, customers and external research institutes (e.g. HAS).
Three examples of the use of our lab by external researchers are the following studies, which have been conducted by the HAS and have been facilitated by the application lab of FI&S:
– functional properties of protein powders from chicken MSM residue and application possibilities in chicken fillets
– functional properties and application of mechanically separated pork meat
– possibilities for bactericidal treatments on MSM
If you are interested in one or more copies of this study, you can contact us by sending an email to info@fi-s.com.

Project By-products Business Lab Open Innovation Site (Byblos) ‘phase 1' has been made possible by contributions from the European Fund for Regional Development and the State as part of OP-Zuid.
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