Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health

Cereal, Bakery and Feed Technology Research Group

Introduction and mission

The Cereal, Bakery and Feed Technology (CBFT) research group is part of the Food Technology division within Ghent University’s Faculty of Bioscience Engineering. The group is led by Prof. dr. ir. Mia Eeckhout, with support from Prof. dr. ir. Filip Van Bockstaele. Our team brings together academic expertise in cereal quality, processing from grain to flour and its applications in food (bakery) and feed. This knowledge is complemented by industry-driven research and service contract work in these areas. 

Our activities center on: 

  • Academic research in cereal science, bakery technology, and extrusion technology (both for food and feed) performed by pre- and post-doctoral researchers 

  • Industry-oriented research, including TETRA projects such as the recent PulseBake and Novobake initiatives, as well as bilateral scientific research projects with industrial partners 

  • Scientific and technical services for stakeholders in the grain and bakery industry and its suppliers  

Contact, projects and publications

The latest overview on projects and publications can be found on the UGent Research Explorer per Principal Investigator:

Infrastructure

CBFT, located at Campus Schoonmeersen Building C (Valentin Vaerwyckweg 1, 9000 Gent) operates a fully equipped laboratory, featuring a wide range of advanced instruments such as:  

  • Farinograph (Brabender) 

  • Extensograph (Brabender) 

  • Alveograph (Chopin) 

  • Mixolab (Chopin) 

  • SDMatic (Chopin) 

  • Glutomatic (Perten) 

  • Falling Number apparatus (Hagberg) (Perten) 

  • Rheometer (Anton Paar) with different modules incl. oscillatory rheology, viscometry and starch pasting

  • Laboratory-scale milling and sieve analysis 

  • Rapid moisture analysis using NIRS 

  • Gravimetric moisture and ash determination 

  • Extruder (Brabender) 

  • Bakery facility 

Additionally, our baking unit enables the standard Belgian baking test and product evaluation. Adjustments to the baking test protocol can also be made upon consultation.   

Education

The CBFT research group is actively involved in teaching courses within the Master of Science in de Biowetenschappen: Voedingsindustrie

Some courses we take the lead in:

  • Engineering technology
  • Rheology and Sensory Analysis
  • Technology and Functionality of Food components
  • Cereal Technology
  • Feed and Petfood Technology

Affiliated staff

  • Guido Rolandelli  

  • Celeste Verbeke 

  • Saad Jakhjoukh  

  • Justine Van der Vennet 

  • Katrijn Ingels  

  • Marina Van Hecke 

  • Griet Spaepen  

Contact 
For more information or inquiries about the service lab: cbft.fbw@ugent.be