The Eurecat technology centre is developing several technologies to drive innovation in food, such as a new automated digester which will enable the food industry to analyse the digestibility and nutritional quality of new protein sources.
The digester simulates the human digestive system and allows in vitro laboratory testing of the digestibility and protein quality of new protein sources based on World Health Organisation recommendations.
The system was developed as part of the Microgut project, which includes a bioreactor and organ-on-chip devices to recreate the microenvironment of the human colon.
The project also explores assessing the technical and functional properties of twenty proteins that are alternatives to animal protein and the impact of the meat sector’s industrial processes on the digestibility and protein quality of the resulting products.
Microgut is a project approved by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities and funded by the European Union’s NextGeneration programme under the RETOS call for proposals.
“With advanced technological solutions such as these, Eurecat is reasserting its commitment to a more efficient, healthier and more sustainable agri-food value chain,” says Roger Font, Eurecat’s Director of Markets.
“These cutting-edge technologies available to the industry make it easier to test and study the digestibility and protein quality of new protein sources,” adds Carol Benedí, Eurecat’s Food Market Business Manager.
“Biotechnology is today engaged in optimising technologies which unlock the ability to simulate biological environments in a laboratory and on a small scale,” points out Antoni Caimari, director of Eurecat’s Biotechnology Area.
The technology centre is additionally driving other food processing innovations, including solid-state fermentation processes for developing new protein and fermented ingredients used in meat products, improving both their sensory characteristics and their functional and nutritional properties.
These technologies make it possible to valorise agro-industrial by-products and plant-based surpluses in the manufacture of new ingredients and products and power the circular economy in the industry.
Demonstrating the health potential of ingredients
The technology centre also delivers innovation services to businesses in postbiotics, functional foods and bioactive ingredients that are safe and beneficial, ranging from demonstrating the health potential of an ingredient to developing a functional food which improves health over and above its core nutritional value.
Here it is taking part in the Senvafun project led by Fruselva in conjunction with Eurecat, whose main purpose is to produce new innovative and sustainable foods from ingredients including the use of by-products which lessen the risk of osteoarthritis and sarcopenia or loss of muscle mass, thus helping towards healthier ageing and greater wellbeing for the elderly.
Senvafun (PAG-020100-2023-238) is a project approved by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and funded by the European Union’s NextGeneration programme under the PERTE Agri-Food I call for proposals.
