Protein Foods

  1. Research

Food Science

Protein Foods

Description

The group has a long and extensive experience in the chemical, biochemical and instrumental analysis of foods of animal origin, especially meat and meat products, and more recently fish. Focused on the study of the biochemical mechanisms involved in food processing with a view to improving the sensory quality, safety and nutritional value. Worldwide pioneer in the purification and characterization of muscle enzymes and enzymes of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. Highlight the knowledge of proteolysis, and the generation of bioactive peptides and taste peptides in meat and fish, which are identified and characterized. Also the extensive experience on lipolysis and the flavor of meat and meat products, especially in the study and identification of aroma compounds. The group has participated in numerous contracts with companies.

Objectives

The main goal is to develop new attractive foods from animal origin to consumers by increasing the sustainability of the processes, improving their sensory, nutritive and bioactive properties and developing new strategies for animal food by-products valorisation.

Specific objectives:
• The study of the biochemical mechanisms involved in the generation of bioactive and taste and aroma active substances in foods, with particular focus on peptides and its proteomic characterization, and the enzymatic mechanisms to enhance their presence in processed animal foods.
• Proteomic characterization of proteins and peptides with bioactivity and contribution to taste and/or its potential use as markers of quality.
• Development of processed animal foods with high sensory and nutritive quality by studying the mechanisms of aroma generation and stability by olfactometry techniques.
Identify the consortia of microorganisms with fermentation abilities to provide improved sensory properties in sustainable meat products.
• Improve the sustainability of the meat and fish industry by adapting the sensory properties of new products formulated with alternative proteins through the enhancement of aroma
• Development of rapid methodologies for the control of manufacturing processes, efficiency improvement and reduction of the generated waste in order to have more sustainable food processing.
• Metabolomic study of animal origin foods to establish the profile of biochemical compounds with technological potential and/or functional activity and to develop enzymatic mechanisms to enhance their presence in such foods.
• Valorisation of animal by-products through their processing and obtention of added value substances.

Research staff