The NanoBAK2 project is supported by the European Commission under the thematic of the 7th Research Framework Programme. This project aims to take up the successful research results from the earlier research project NanoBAK. It will scale up, demonstrate and disseminate the technical and economic innovation of a climate chamber for proofing and cooling with an innovative, energy-saving ultrasonic-based humidification system for the manufacture of high quality products in SME bakeries.

Overall objectives:

• Uptake of NanoBAK results and development of two pre-commercial climatic chambers (for proofing and cooling) for direct market application in the SME bakery sector
• Provision of an innovative, safe and energy efficient solution for bread-making processes in SME bakeries
• Increase of quality of all baked goods, especially with regard to avoidance of dehydration and of splattering of the crust by realization of permanent moistening

Scientific and technological objectives:

• Development and demonstration of two NanoBAK2 pre-commercial prototypes for proofing and cooling in the SME bakeries
• Integration of a ultrasonic humidification system in the prototype climatic chambers which can generate a relative humidity of up to 98%
• Development of the measurement and control system
• Assessment of potential benefits and risks of the process and the prototoypes for the users, environment and human health
• Simple handling, operating and maintenance of the prototypes
• Reduce the energy consumption for the proofing and cooling steps by 60%

Socio-economic objectives:

• To evaluate the eco- and cost-efficiency and overall performance of the approach and the prototypes
• To provide high quality bread products with reduced operation (energy) costs and therefore increased competitivenss of SME bakeries
• To increase the sales of SME bakeries due to higher production volumes and higher product quality by 5 - 7%
• To support providers of energy efficient cooling equipment and increase the development of innovative energy efficient equipment and production processes
• To strengthen the bakery sector and its social structures (stop the trend of decreasing number of SME bakeries in Europe)

Environmental objectives:

• Reduction of energy demand in current proofing/cooling processes by up to 60%
• Improvement of energy efficiency in bread making processes
• Apply the goals of the Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP) (EC 2004), by helping decouple industrial development from environmental impacts
• Evaluation of the economic and environmental aspects, as well as emissions and resource depletion, through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodologies