Dutch Structuring Technologies B.V. (DST Food)

Dutch Structuring Technologies B.V. (DST Food) is a Dutch food technology company based in Maastricht, founded in 2021, that develops and manufactures industrial equipment for the continuous structuring of plant-based proteins into fibrous, meat- and fish-like textures. The company’s core innovation is the Sheartex™ technology — a continuous high-shear process that produces longer fibres and whole-cut structures at lower energy and temperature than conventional high-moisture extrusion (HME). DST was established as a joint venture between Sobatech Services B.V. and BOX N.V. (Blue Ocean Xlerator), and holds a granted European patent (EP4472445A1) on its core process.

Company profile

Founding and ownership

DST was established in 2021 from the convergence of two complementary capabilities: the continuous mixing and dosing engineering expertise of Sobatech Services B.V. (Maastricht), and the food technology venture development capacity of BOX N.V. (Wageningen). DST shares its Maastricht address (Karveelweg 9) with Sobatech, reflecting the depth of the operational relationship between the two companies.

Julian Lekner serves as Managing Director and co-founder. The patent (EP4472445A1) lists four inventors:

• Huibert (Bert) Tournois — co-founder of BOX N.V., former director of ATO-DLO
• Gilis Anne-Maria Victor Lekner — founder of Sobatech Services B.V.
• Julian Wilhelmus Maria Lekner — Managing Director of DST
• Wouter Bernardus Cornelius De Heij — chemical process engineer, co-founder of TOP b.v., Food4Innovations

The patent is assigned to DST Holding B.V., the holding entity above DST Food.

Technology: Sheartex and continuous high shear

Principle

The Sheartex process converts plant protein concentrate and water into fibrous, anisotropic (directionally aligned) structures through a combination of controlled shear, pressure, and temperature — without relying on the screw-and-die extrusion mechanism used in high-moisture extrusion (HME).

The process separates four independently controllable stages:

1. Transport stage: the protein mass is fed into a cylindrical container at a controlled feeding pressure (P_f) and transported by the pressure differential between inlet and outlet (P_d). Flow rate is controlled by managing this pressure difference, not by mechanical screw speed — a fundamental difference from extrusion. Pressure differential drives 75–95% of the transport energy.

2. High shear stage: while the mass flows through the container, a rotating shear tool (occupying less than 50% of the container cross-section) applies specific mechanical energy (SME) in the range of 25–800 Whr/kg to the protein mass at a controlled shear stage temperature (T_s). The shear tool provides unidirectional shear forces, causing protein chain alignment without the high-temperature cooking-under-pressure conditions of extruder barrels.

3. Forming stage: the shear-treated mass is guided through a cooling die system at controlled forming temperature (T_f). The die geometry and temperature profile lock the fibrous protein structure in place as the product exits.

4. Structuring: the cooled, formed product exits with a defined fibrous architecture that can be cut to final dimensions — pieces, strips, whole cuts, flakes, or shredded formats.

Operating conditions

The lower processing temperature is significant for two reasons: it reduces the risk of protein damage and off-flavour development, and it allows flavour-active compounds and oils to be incorporated during processing — a step that is technically problematic in standard HME because the high extruder temperatures degrade flavours before die exit.

Patent position

EP4472445A1 — granted European patent

Inventors: Huibert Tournois, Gilis Anne-Maria Victor Lekner, Julian Wilhelmus Maria Lekner, Wouter Bernardus Cornelius De Heij

Core claim: A continuous process for producing a fibrous product from a protein-comprising material, in which transportation, high shear, and forming are independently controlled stages driven by pressure differential — distinct from conventional single-screw or twin-screw extrusion in which transport, shear, and heat are coupled within a single barrel assembly.

The patent’s independent claims cover:
– The process architecture (separated transport/shear/forming stages)
– The pressure-difference-driven flow regime
– The SME range (25–800 Whr/kg) delivered through a rotating shear tool occupying <50% of container cross-section
– Applicability to plant-based, animal, fungal (mycoprotein), and algae protein sources
– The forming system with controlled temperature profile

The IPC classifications situate the patent firmly in protein texturisation (A23J3/22), extrusion processes (A23J3/26), and meat-like textured foods (A23J3/227).

Positioning relative to HME patents

Ojah B.V. — WO2012158023A1

The principal HME comparator patent is WO2012158023A1 (Method of Making Structured Protein Compositions), filed by Ojah B.V. in May 2012 with inventors Franciscus Egenius Giezen, Wouter Wilhelmus Johannes Theodorus Jansen, and Jeroen Harold Anton Willemsen — the founders of Ojah B.V..

The Ojah patent claims an extrusion process using high moisture content (50–70 wt.%), heating above protein denaturation temperature, and exit above the boiling point of water. The expansion as the material exits the die creates gaseous bubbles that form cavities — an open porous structure with high water-absorption capacity (minimum 50%), designed for subsequent infusion to control tenderness and juiciness. Fibre length and texture are controlled primarily through exit temperature: lower temperatures produce pork-like fibres; intermediate temperatures yield chicken-like structures; higher temperatures create longer, squid-like fibrosity.

This patent has been cited by 50+ subsequent plant-based protein patents. Its legal status is listed as ceased, though it has a documented litigation history across Europe, Canada, and the United States.

The DST/Sheartex technology claims to produce longer fibres (up to 15 cm vs. several cm), at lower processing temperature (~110°C vs. ~140°C), and at approximately one-third the energy consumption of the Ojah-type HME process — while maintaining independent control over each process stage.

Nestec SA — WO2016150834A1

A second comparator is WO2016150834A1 by Nestec SA (Nestlé), filed in 2015, which claims an extrusion process in which liquid oil or fat (2–15 wt.%) is injected into the extruder barrel downstream of the feed inlet — specifically in the final quarter of the barrel — to incorporate fat into the product structure during extrusion. The patent has been granted in the US (US11882851B2) and Australia. The Nestlé patent addresses fat incorporation within the extrusion framework; the DST patent claims oil incorporation is achievable within the Sheartex process without the temperature constraints of extrusion barrels.

Equipment

DST manufactures two scales of Sheartex equipment:

Both models are supplied with engineered cooling dies, in-line dosing systems, and automated CIP (Cleaning-in-Place) systems. A demonstration and development facility is located in Zwaag, North Holland.

Product outputs

Sheartex produces textured plant protein in the following formats:

• Long meat-like fibres (up to 15 cm)
• Layered slices
• Flaky structures (e.g. fish analogues)
• Whole cuts (full muscle-like pieces)
• Shredded fibres
• Chunk structures

Initial commercial focus has been on chicken pieces and kebab alternatives. Whole-cut formats, requiring the longest fibre structures, were in active development for 2025.

Partnerships and funding

Sobatech Services B.V. — co-owner and engineering partner; contributes continuous mixing and dosing system expertise; Sobatech’s Continuous TVP Hydrator interfaces upstream of the Sheartex shear stage in integrated production lines.

Fuji Europe Africa B.V. — co-development of production machinery.

Rockwell Automation (via distributor Routeco Netherlands) — automation and control systems.

OPZuid subsidy: In 2025 the consortium of DST, Sobatech, and Fuji Europe Africa received approximately €400,000 in EU co-funding under the OPZuid 21–27 regional development programme for the project “Sheartex to the market”, running to 2027.

Market positioning

DST positions the Sheartex technology as a next-generation replacement for high-moisture extrusion in commercial plant-based meat production, with three principal differentiators:

1. Texture quality: longer, more anisotropic fibres enabling whole-cut analogues that HME cannot produce at equivalent quality
2. Process economics: lower energy consumption (~1/3 of HME) and lower processing temperature, reducing operational cost and thermal damage to proteins and flavour compounds
3. Ingredient flexibility: compatible with soy, pea, wheat, mycoprotein, algae, and animal proteins within the same equipment platform — relevant as the protein ingredient landscape diversifies beyond soy

Managing Director Julian Lekner has stated the long-term strategic goal of the Sheartex platform is to displace HME as the dominant industrial technology for meat-analogue fibre production.