Food science and technology

Our in-depth knowledge of the technological function of each ingredient in a food matrix enables us to reformulate or enhance technological processes by bringing in alternative emerging technologies.

We perform studies about recovering by-products from the food industry, implementing new applications and obtaining high value-added components for the animal feed, human food and cosmetics sectors.

• Physiochemical and rheological ingredient and food characterisation.
• Analysing and developing new food formulations.
• Reformulating existing food products.
• Optimization of technological processes for the food industry.
• Food packaging and preservation studies.
• Shelf-life studies under normal and accelerated conditions.
• Sensory studies.
• Recovering by-products from the food industry.

Preclinical research in food, bioactive ingredients and nutraceuticals

We have a team with extensive scientific experience in developing and applying preclinical models in rodents and zebrafish.

We have systems for cognitive, behavioural, metabolic and biometric analysis which we integrate with omic analysis for direct or holistic evaluation of the impact of nutritional and pharmacological interventions on health.

We conduct in vitro studies in cell cultures, ex-vivo systems and organoids for product screening, assessment of biological efficacy and description of molecular mechanisms.

We carry out digestibility, bioaccessibility and bioavailability studies using in vitro and in vivo systems, including the fermentation of human gastrointestinal microbiota.

Preclinical in vitro and in vivo research (rodents) services:

• Development of models of specific human diseases.
• Microbiota transplant and humanisation.
• Osteoarticular and joint health research.
• Models of metabolic disorders (obesity, fatty liver, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, etc.).
• Perinatal, infant and breastfeeding health.
• Metabolic syndrome models.
• Models of food allergies and intolerances (gluten and celiac disease, ovalbumin, histamine, lactose).
• Research in immune system, inflammation and analgesia.
• Models of Neurodegeneration and cognitive decline.
• Studies of cognitive enhancement.
• Behavioural studies: depression, stress, anxiety.
• In vitro cosmetics and nutricosmetics research models.

Clinical research and studies in volunteers

Our facilities have been granted with a health centre licence by the Catalan government for carrying out intervention studies approved by the Ethics Committee for medical experimentation at the Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research.

We conduct nutritional intervention studies where our extensive experience in nutrition, metabolism and biochemistry is integrated with the analytical capabilities of our Centre for Omic Sciences.

We are pioneers in personalised nutrition, innovating with new approaches for applying dietary habits and nutrition to health promotion, such as in the European project PREVENTOMICS led by our unit. We also conduct studies where health promotion is used to help young (MED4YOUTH and Schoolfood4Change projects) promote healthy ageing (NESTORE) and empower families for healthy food choices (SwitchtoHealthy).

Services

• Randomised nutritional intervention studies.
• Research in validation of biosensors and diagnostic methods.
• Bioavailability and absorption kinetics of active ingredients.
• Biomarkers research.
• Studies on populations with risk factors (high blood pressure, joint discomfort, obesity, cholesterol, pre-diabetes, etc.).
• Nutricosmetics and skin health studies.
• Prospective studies.
• Health promotion in young people and healthy ageing.
• Focus groups and acceptability.
• Customised group and precision nutrition.

Microbiology, food safety and ecotoxicity

Our experience and expertise in microbiology enable us to analyse and characterise probiotics, including their safety by means of  infectivity and translocation studies according to requirements of EFSA, FDA and other authorities.

This knowhow also enables us to conduct a range of protocols for assessing food safety and ecotoxicity.

Services

• Probiotic research and characterisation.
• Probiotic infectivity and translocation.
• Evaluation of biocides on bacteria, fungi and yeasts.
• OECD 487: In Vitro Mammalian Cell Micronucleus Test (genotoxicity).
• OECD 471: Bacterial Reverse Mutation Test (mutagenicity).
• OECD 420, 423, 425: Acute Oral Toxicity Testing.
• OECD 407: Repeated Dose 28-day Oral Toxicity Study.

Advice, data analysis and training

• Writing scientific articles and literature reviews.
• Designing studies and mentoring in drawing up biotechnology roadmaps.
• Nutrition and dietetics applied to new technologies and artificial intelligence.
• Support for industrialising technological processes.
• Drawing up scientific dossiers following European Community Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 and its subsequent amendments (EC Regulations 107/2008 and 109/2008).
• Training in biochemistry, metabolism, nutrition and food science and technology.
• Bioinformatic tools for processing and statistical analysis of big data generated by the use of omic technologies.
• Independent studies about the various omic platforms (metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and genomics).
• Studying integrating the platform combinations, providing biotech, food and pharmaceutical businesses with analysis services in systems biology.