Innovation Capabilities & Products
- Capabilities | Development of new food products from fisheries and aquaculture by-products
Development of processes for the transformation of discards and seafood by-products into new raw materials (fish mince, fish oil, etc.) with added value for the generation of innovative processed food products (hamburgers, nuggets, etc.), ensuring traceability, nutritional value and safety in new value chains.
- Capabilities | Development of bioprocesses (biorefineries) for the extraction of bioproducts and bioactive compounds from food industry by-products
Development of processes that allow extracting useful components of industrial interest from discards and food industry by-products and effluents. Biochemical characterization of useful components present in different kinds of fisheries products and by-products, such as skin collagen, visceral enzymes, chondroitin sulphate present in cartilage, chitin from crustacean shells and cuttlebone or protein hydrolysates obtained from muscle. Evaluation of potential applications of these compounds through the characterization of their biological activities (antioxidants, etc.) and functional properties for their use in different industries, such as biomedical, chemistry, cosmetic, food, etc.
- Capabilities | Design of disinfection procedures and modeling for the prevention of antimicrobial resistance
Development of chemical (combinations of disinfectants, essential oils) and biological (enzymes, phages) strategies that are effective for removing monospecific and mixed microbial biofilms from surfaces in the food industry. Biocide testing and development of better biocide dosage strategies for the food industry, ensuring food safety while avoiding antimicrobial resistance acquisition.
- Capabilities | Modeling and optimization of fermentative processes and other bioprocesses with industrial utilization
Development of mathematical algorithms and simulation software for global optimization and control of bioprocesses in the food and biotechnological industry
- Capabilities | Bioremediation
Microbiological treatment of oil spills (bioremediation) in marine environments. Application of dispersants and coastal cleaning agents under ecotoxicologically safe conditions to remove oil adhered to rock surfaces.
- Capabilities | Threat assessment and critical control points along seafood value chains
Assessment and development of protocols to identify the most problematic areas and products in terms of microbial contamination and parasitic infestation along the value chain of seafood products.
- Capabilities | Prospection of new bioactive compounds
Prospection of new bioactive compounds in marine organisms and food industry by-products, including characterization of their activity and validation of their application in different sectors (health, cosmetics, nutrition, etc.).