Corrosion and wear on machinery is a major problem in the industrial processing of oil and sugar. Researchers now have a better understanding of the effects of corrosion on productivity in the oil and sugar industries.

Industrial processing of oil and sugar may lead to corrosion, friction and wear, as well as degradation of manufacturing materials. This is due to the combined effects of wear and corrosion on various mechanical parts.

Material degradation can result in contamination during food production. There is a need for modern corrosion-resistant and cost-effective machinery for industrial processing.
The EU-funded OIL&SUGAR (Training and collaboration on material developments and process improvements in oil and sugar production) initiative aimed to improve science and technology research key to oil and sugar production. The researchers undertook multidisciplinary work to tackle the limitations of current production technologies.
OIL&SUGAR focused on novel techniques for the surface modification of materials, cutting-edge extraction technology and innovative biocompatible materials. The researchers looked in particular at material degradation during oil and sugar processing.
Researchers examined the physical properties of olive oil and showed that wear was a leading cause of corrosion in the production of olive oil. They developed a system to provide a more accurate assessment of wear issues when olive oil is being extracted.
OIL&SUGAR came up with a list for the most pressing fields for further investigation and training to support the oil and sugar industries.
The new processing technologies and methods proposed by OIL&SUGAR promise to enhance the features of materials, as well as to lower production costs and increase yields in the oil and sugar industries.

More about this project - on http://cordis.europa.eu/result/rcn/157596_en.html