Cooperation is the key

Synergy between industry and science

CCC places a high stake in intensive cooperation between industry and science. The industrial partners approach the knowledge institutes with practical problems and remain closely involved with the ensuing research. In this manner, industry and research ‘feed’ each other with practical experience and new knowledge. Thanks to this exchange, the research is perfectly geared to the demand and the practical applicability of the results is guaranteed. This cooperation ensures that each research result is a powerful tool with which an innovation can quickly be put into practice with a high probability of success.
    Our method thus encompasses three well-filled ‘toolboxes’ that are related to our three fields of expertise:

  1. Carbohydrate structure and functionality

    Here we research the relationship between the structure of carbohydrates and their functionality. We apply this knowledge to find more effective and efficient ways of using carbohydrates in a wide range of food and non-food products.

  2. Carbohydrates and health

    This field of expertise is all about health. We are looking for new methods to accurately determine the effects of carbohydrates on health. We develop healthy carbohydrates and use these in new healthy or health-promoting products.

  3. Carbohydrate conversion and processing

    Sustainable products and means of production are the focus in this field of expertise: how can we produce cheap fermentable sugars from biomass and how can these be processed into innovative products, for example in the field of biochemicals, biofuels and bioenergy?
We carry out various projects, all interrelated, within these three fields. These projects are known as ‘work packages’, and the businesses and researchers have clearly defined tasks within them. Added value is created through ‘cross-fertilization’ of the projects. Of course, the researchers maintain intensive contact regarding their findings. So each project makes a contribution to CCC’s product development capacity and an optimum flow of knowledge to the scientific and business communities is sustained.