About
The University of Idaho Food Technology Center (FTC) is a 7,000 square foot food processing facility located in Caldwell, designed to be a multipurpose food production and processing research facility. The center is administered by University of Idaho Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences under the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences with processing specialists on sight and access to faculty, state and local agency professionals to assist in project collaboration.
Our primary function is providing a facility that serves as both a production facility for entrepreneurs and a research facility for the food processing industry. We provide a variety of educational and technical support services in addition to a commercial processing facility (with equipment) which can be rented by the hour to entrepreneurial clientele wishing to produce their own packaged food products. We also have a pilot plant available for contract processing research projects and certified, Good Laboratory Practices Standards (GLP) food processing for the ag chemical industry seeking EPA chemical registration under FIFRA.
- Entrepreneurs interested in becoming an FTC client should complete this application.
- General questions about the FTC facility services or entrepreneurs with questions about becoming an FTC client should contact Cini Baumhoff or ftc@uidaho.edu.
- Anyone wishing to discuss pilot plant processing capabilities or GLP research should contact Joshua Bevan.
Equipment list
Hot/wet processing
- 10 gal electric jacketed kettle
- 75 gal steam kettle with agitator
- 150 gal steam kettle
- Dixie canning retort
- Waukesha food pump
- 40 quart VCM food processor
- 18 inch Waring immersion blenders
Dry blending/baking
- 60 quart Hobart mixer
- 20 quart Univex mixer
- Baking racks (multiple)
- Two – Commercial convection ovens
- Butcher boy ribbon blender
Bottling and packaging
- Simplex filler (wet product)
- All-Fill auger filler (dry product)
- Shrink tunnel plus handhelds
- Label applicator (round containers)
- Heat sealers (multiple styles)
Miscellaneous
- Scales (0.5g to 300 lbs)
- Hobart commercial dishwasher/sanitizer
- Forklifts, hand trucks & carts
- Walk-in cooler & freezer
Brewing/fermenting
- Bladder press
- Grape crusher destemmer
- Ss Brewtech fermenters
- Glycol chiller
- Hydrometers
- Carboys
Canning
- Dixie can sealer
- American pressure cooker
Hot/wet processing
- Steam jacketed kettles 35 - 150 L
- 35 L swept surface steam kettle
- Cleveland range steam cabinet
- Robot Coup — 45 quart food processor
- Suntech fruit press with hammermill
- Bladder Press
- K & K Steam peeler
- Hobart scrubber or abrasive peeler
- Langenskamp pulper finisher
- LanElec slicer
- Zummo juice extractor
- 7.5 L vacuum evaporator
- French fry cutter
- Weston meat grinder
- Deep fat fryer
Dryers
- Harvest Saver tray dryer
- Laboratory bin dryer
- Overton single drum dryer — 19”
Centrifuges/separators
- IEC centrifuge
- Sorvall Lynx 6000 centrifuge
- Cream separators
- Sweco sifter and screens
- Rimac mini husker
- Grainman rice mill
- Tyler sieve shaker
- Vacuum pumps
- Oil Press Company oil expeller
Miscellaneous
- Scales (0.002g to 300 lbs)
- Electric stove
- Table-top blenders, mixers and slicers
- Vacuum and impulse sealers
- Walk-in cooler and freezer
- pH meters
- Refractometers
- Moisture balances
- Water activity meter
- Digital tachometer
- Digital calipers
- Hydrometers
- Hygrometers
- Thermometers
- Temperature/data loggers
Mission Statement
The mission of the University of Idaho Food Technology Center is to provide a facility and resources to assist food companies with food related issues that involve processing, research and development, marketing, industry education and business strategy.