Innovation award for women granted to Päivi Myllärinen

The 2018 Innovation award for women, awarded by the Finnish Parliament in co-operation with Technology Academy Finland, was handed over the 1 June.

By combining biotechnical and thermomechanical methods, Päivi Myllärinen has developed novel dairy products. Päivi Myllärinen’s research and product development work is essentially based on nature’s own catalysts, i.e. enzymes, whose utilization in the dairy industry Myllärinen has pioneered.  She has harnessed enzymes and a broad combination of thermomechanical unit processes in the processing of milk and developed innovative dairy technology. Through her open-minded research and development efforts, Päivi Myllärinen has created important future potential, among other things, for using the latest research data on intestinal microflora in the development of functional food.

Päivi Myllärinen’s innovations have considerably increased the value added by processing milk. She has developed innovative dairy-technological methods and created several products based on them and intended for different target groups. In anticipation of vegan and different types of vegetarian diets, she has utilized her grain technology expertise for developing the first plant-based milk product alternatives. Päivi Myllärinen is employed at Valio.

The innovation award from the Parliament commemorates the anniversary of universal and equal suffrage on 1 June. The award is worth EUR 110,000 and it will be granted in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The award is granted to a woman or a group of women for a scientifically significant innovation in the field of technology or economy.

The Technology Academy Finland foundation has arranged the award process in practice. The Chancellery Commission of the Parliament has selected the winner from the group of candidates.

Find here the webcast of the event.

Further information:
Secretary-General Maija-Leena Paavola, maija-leena.paavola(at)eduskunta.fi

Main photo:
Hanne Salonen / Parliament