Food Science

Development and validation of analytical methods for key compounds, bioactive compounds, and environmental (HPA, phthalates, PCB, etc.) and processing contaminants (furfurals, polyamines, etc.) in foods, primarily using separation techniques such as ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Application of different sample preparation techniques (extraction and clean-up) using liquid-phase and solid-phase microextraction. Use of statistical tools. Study of food quality parameters and adulteration. Evaluation of the bioavailability of bioactive compounds in foods using cell-based systems. Investigation of the migration of organic compounds from packaging into foods (bisphenol, phthalates, benzophenones, NIAS, etc.). Study of volatile organic compounds (wine, beer, fruits, essential oils, etc.), vitamins, fatty acids, and phytosterols in foods. Utilization of by-products and food industry residues. Studies with wild edible plants (PANCs). Spectroscopy and other non-invasive analytical techniques and data science based on chemometrics for food analysis. Assessment of quality parameters, prediction of bioactive potential, detection of fraud, and verification of food authenticity. In vitro digestion assays for evaluating the bioaccessibility of food components, with an emphasis on essential elements and the nutritional potential of foods.

Study of natural products as functional foods and their use as ingredients in the production of functional foods. Identification, quantification, and mechanistic evaluation of bioactive compounds present in fruits, herbs, and vegetables in general. Biological assessment of functional foods and bioactive compounds in cellular and animal systems, including antioxidant, antimutagenic, antihypertensive, antimicrobial, and antidiabetogenic capacities. Evaluation of preventive effects against non-communicable degenerative diseases. Assessment of bioproducts as functional ingredients in foods. Evaluation of bioavailability and bioaccessibility of bioactive compounds through cell-based assays and in vitro digestion.

Development of processes involving microbial, plant, and animal enzymes, including production (optimization of fermentative processes, extraction, and purification), characterization, immobilization, and application. Development of fermentative processes for obtaining high-value compounds such as extracts rich in bioactive compounds, microbial enzymes, oligosaccharides/prebiotics, bioaromas, bioactive peptides, biocolors, biosurfactants, lipids, vitamins, antimicrobial compounds, prebiotics, thickeners, alternative sugars, etc. This includes the selection of microorganisms, investigation of biotransformation parameters, use of agro-industrial by-products and residues as strategies for value addition and cost reduction in bioprocesses, optimization of fermentative processes, extraction of microbial compounds of industrial interest, and co-production of microbial metabolites in a single bioprocess.

Incidence, quantification, and phenotypic and genotypic characterization of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in foods. Studies on spore-forming bacteria and heat-resistant fungi of importance in foods. Beneficial microorganisms relevant to foods and beverages. Effects of unit operations and processing on spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms of importance in foods. Thermobacteriology applied to foods. Predictive modeling of the behavior of spoilage/pathogenic bacteria and mycotoxin-producing fungi in foods. Risk analysis. Construction, validation, and application of quantitative risk assessment models for pathogenic bacteria, mycotoxin-producing fungi, and parasites/protozoa of importance in foods.

Pathogens studied include Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Aeromonas spp., Clostridium difficile, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., Bacillus cereus: detection, virulence potential characterization, genetic profiling, heat resistance, and antimicrobial resistance profiling. Gene expression in foods. Multispecies biofilms. Quorum sensing. Evaluation of bacterial metabolites. Anaerobic bacteria of interest in foods. Molecular subtyping and tracking of microorganisms in food industries.

Antimicrobial activity of essential oils and extracts from medicinal and aromatic plants: determination of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations; mechanisms of action. Effects on yeasts relevant to foods; on phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi of importance in various crops; post-harvest fruits; growth and mycotoxin production by mycotoxigenic fungi; natural antimicrobials in meat products; action on Staphylococcus aureus isolated from bovine mastitis; on broiler diets; as antibacterial agents in aquaculture feed.

Use of microorganisms, fungi, bacteria, and/or enzymes in the degradation of organic pollutants generated by the food industry. Study and optimization of conditions for the development of these microorganisms or enzyme production in the medium. Genomics of microorganisms of importance in foods. Prevalence of pathogens in animal-derived foods with an emphasis on “livestock” clones. Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of bacterial virulence and resistance. Use of next-generation sequencing, Sanger sequencing, bioinformatics, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for typing pathogenic microorganisms of interest in foods. Gene expression of virulence factors in bacteria.

Effect of food processing on the structure and properties of food proteins. Interactions between proteins and between proteins and bioactive molecules in model systems and complex matrices. Chemical and technological aspects of protein ingredients. Technological implications and potential applications of supramolecular structures of food proteins. Formation and inhibition of cholesterol oxides in model and food systems. Formation and inhibition of metabolites arising from fatty acid oxidation. Stability of fatty acids and cholesterol during processing and storage.

Evaluation of intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting in vitro bioaccessibility of macronutrients and bioactive compounds from foods and meals. Assessment of soil-climate effects, processing, and storage on the composition of carotenoids, anthocyanins, and other phenolic compounds in fruits and vegetables. Stability of carotenoids and anthocyanins, identification of degradation products, kinetics, and mechanisms. Microencapsulation and its impact on stability, application in food matrices, and in vitro digestion of carotenoids, anthocyanins, and phenolic compounds.

Food additives (toxicological studies and exposure assessment). Naturally occurring toxic substances and those formed during food processing, environmental contaminants, migration of chemical substances from packaging into foods, mycotoxins (occurrence and exposure assessment). Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs used in primary production of plant- and animal-based foods. Effect of processing and storage on the levels of toxic substances in foods. Food adulteration. Development and validation of analytical methods for determining toxic substances in foods. Assessment of human exposure through intake estimation studies and identification of biological markers. Health risk assessment and development of mitigation strategies throughout the food chain to ensure consumer safety.