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Tetra Pak has announced the launch of its first industrial bioreactor, designed to enable scalable fermentation with reduced operational cost.
According to the company, its new Tetra Pak Bioreactor RF can enable faster start-up and up to 12% lower operational costs from pilot to full production.
The launch follows Tetra Pak’s acquisition of Bioreactors.net in December 2025. It marks a major step in expanding the company’s portfolio for industrial fermentation and new food production.
Modern fermentation methods – involving the conversion of raw materials into new food ingredients using microorganisms such as yeast, fungi and bacteria – have become a vital part of the food industry’s ambitions to secure supply chains and diversify ingredient sourcing.
As producers move from pilot testing to industrial-scale production, companies need affordable systems that deliver consistent performance while reducing operational burden and variability, Tetra Pak said.
The new bioreactor is designed to maintain stable conditions while providing operators with actionable process insight. According to the company, it delivers repeatable performance without increasing operational complexity across pilot validation through to full-scale production.
The tech solution is pre-assembled and factory-tested to enable faster installation and commissioning, while reducing disruption to production planning. Its integrated platform design removes the need for separate support structures, lowering installation costs and complexity.
Tetra Pak said these features can help reduce investment costs by up to 8% compared with conventional industrial bioreactors.
A core feature of Bioreactor RF is a patented magnetic agitation system that eliminates the need for mechanical seals, a common source of contamination risk and process instability in conventional designs.
While traditional magnetic agitators can struggle to maintain power as vessel size increases, Tetra Pak noted that its system is designed to maintain power and oxygen transfer across the full size range. This helps maintain process conditions and reduce the risk of batch loss, typically valued at around €1,000 per m³.
Additionally, the bioreactor incorporates high levels of automation to simplify operation. This includes self-adjusting control functions that help stabilise conditions as processes evolve, as well as predefined operating strategies and integrated data monitoring for greater visibility.
Available in sizes from 10 to 5,000 litres, all Bioreactor RF units use the same design platform, control logic and operating philosophy.
Rafael Barros, director of the New Food business stream at Tetra Pak, said: “Industrial fermentation succeeds when performance is repeatable, day after day. Tetra Pak Bioreactor RF is designed to reduce operational risk and remove complexity, helping operators stay in control.”