"Realistically, we will see launches in the oven and microwave sector in mid-2012," said Graefe. "We have to have several months of stage tests.

"We are dealing with customers in the UK, Spain, Italy, Holland, Switzerland and the US, where we are now engaged in work on commercial products."

Initially, the firm's patented technology was developed to enable microwaveable food to maintain its crispiness for several hours after it had finished cooking. However, it has extended the scope of the science to include baked and toasted products, such as snacks and frozen convenience foods, from chicken nuggets to fish fingers. "In the 1990s, microwaveable, frozen bread crumb products would come out soggy," said Graefe.

Manufacturers can opt to use different aspects of the process, such as crumbing, dusting or wet coating. They can also improve core succulence of products using a special coating, which protects the core from drying out, while locking moisture in.

Graefe claims the technology enables fat reduction of more than 50% in some products without damaging taste. "We could promote it as a fat reducing product," said Graefe.

And scientific studies at Wageningen UR Food & Biobased Research have indicated that snacks using the Crisp Sensation system show very good shelf-life, even after storage periods of more than nine months.

To highlight the process, the company is developing a quality assurance logo as an 'indulgence guarantee', which manufacturers can use on packs.