Facilities and Industry Services
NCFM Facilities and Industry Services
NCFM are proud to work with all stakeholders in the food manufacturing supply chain, including supporting operations across every stage of the product life-cycle, from farm to fork, and sea to plate. The benefit that NCFM delivers is its cross-functional approach to clients and researchers, considering their range of needs and wants.
To meet the requirements of the sector, NCFM has extensive laboratory and technical research facilities available to support academic and business innovation and development. The wide array of facilities provides the sector access to specialised equipment which can support research and development for food quality analysis, concept testing, sensory screening, and proximate analysis, plus much more.
In addition to technical facilities, NCFM also offers hire of a conference centre including a range of meeting rooms that allow clients to confidently host and deliver highly successful, efficiently organised conferences, seminars and exhibitions.
Alongside the extensive facilities available, NCFM also offers a range of industry services including business support, technical advice, and consultancy services to aid the future development of the food sector.
Explore this page for more information about the range of facilities available for hire and the opportunity to work with NCFM scientists.
Explore NCFM's Facilities and Industry Services
Microbiology Laboratory
NCFM provide expertise for environmental swabbing including traditional and ATP swabbing to determine surface level hygiene and highlight any contamination present in food operations. Our scientists are available to work with clients to help determine the microbiological quality of food and drink. This can also include a range of analysis methods and business support, such as shelf-life testing, air quality sampling, Allergen testing, help interpreting data, troubleshooting, product innovation and development advice.
Chemistry Laboratory
NCFM offer proximate analysis based on the current BSI ISO standards. In addition, our scientists also offers newer analytical techniques including fat determination, protein determination, moisture determination, rancidity and lipid oxidation, pH, and water activity. These chemical analysis methods can also be aligned and completed to support shelf life study and determination.
New Product Development (NPD) Kitchen
NCFM offers a fully equipped NPD kitchen for small scale product development, concept testing and benchmarking, and research, business and consumer development and testing. The kitchen has a range of domestic gas, electric, and microwave ovens for a range of cooking styles. They can also be used to check the safety and quality after reheating and packaging integrity. Facilities are also provided for sample preparation for sensory testing of products within the sensory assessment suite.
Sensory Suite
The sensory suite provides dedicated access and support to sensory screening and analysis, built to the British ISO standards. There are 8 booths with coloured lighting. The NCFM approach allows businesses to send samples to NCFM scientists for testing and gives clients access to the use of sensory software for onward produce and process development opportunities which could take place in NCFM’s NPD kitchen.
Conferencing Facilities
NCFM’s Holbeach campus is dedicated to providing access to high-quality facilities for the sector including a well-equipped conference centre. The centre includes a range of meeting rooms, seminar rooms, and conference rooms which have capacities available up to 96 guests. The conference centre is available for hire on a room by rooms basis and all bookings include access to wifi, a Smart Board or dry wipe board, flip chart, pens, computer, projector and screen.
Industry Services
Alongside facilities hire, NCFM offers a range of industry service to support businesses in the food sector with innovation, development, and general business needs. NCFM has a strong track record of working with the food sector and is committed to encouraging and inspiring development and innovation through consultancy and delivery of training courses. Industry services available include business support and consultancy, technical support, research and technical consultancy, general business advice, technical business advice, and operations and infrastructure advice.
Chemistry Laboratory
Microbiology Laboratory
NPD Kitchen
Sensory Suite
Conference Centre
Contact Us
The Centre of Excellence in Agri-food Technology
Holbeach
Spalding
PE12 7FJ