Improvement of Ital/SAA researchers in the selection and production of probiotic cultures and assistance in the development of functional products supplemented with probiotics

• Grant number: 19/17235-7
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Duration: November 06, 2019 - November 15, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal Investigator: Eloísa Elena Corrêa Garcia
• Grantee: Eloísa Elena Corrêa Garcia
• Visiting researcher: Celso Gabriel Vinderola
• Visiting researcher institution: Universidad Nacional del Litoral (UNL), Argentina
• Host Institution: Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA). Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento (São Paulo - Estado). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/50349-0 - Plan of institutional development in research of the Institute of Food Technology - ITAL (PDIp), AP.PDIP

Abstract

The functional food industry is one of the fastest growing in Brazil and worldwide, and the application of probiotics is a major route to impart functionality to a food, especially dairy. Both the increased supply of these products and the interest of companies in offering them are result of growing consumer interest, resulting, among other factors, from a greater awareness of the relationship between good nutrition and health maintenance. Functional foods are targets to consumers, companies and researchers interest. Within the food industry functional foods is an extremely important segment and one of the main research areas of ITAL (Institute of Food Technology) of the Secretary of Agriculture and Supply of the State of São Paulo.ITAL's Dairy Technology Center (TECNOLAT) is dedicated to studying and developing new processes and products involving probiotics and prebiotics. Techniques related to prebiotics and probiotics such as microencapsulation, lyophilization, spray drier drying, among others, aim to increase the stability and viability of its use in new food and beverage developments. The importance of studying these types of technology is related to the fact that these two factors have been technological challenges for the industry. Aside from this, an appropriate level of cells must be maintained alive throughout the product's shelf life without interfering with its taste and texture. Therefore, the development of studies that verify the survival of probiotic microorganisms under conditions that simulate the environment of the gastrointestinal tract as well as the analytical methods for selective counting of them in different products and forms are extremely important.Based on this, TECNOLAT currently needs to implement / extend / enhance in its Biotechnology Laboratory, the techniques of microencapsulation, lyophilization, fermentation for biomass production, selective counting among others. To this end, some equipment is in the installation phase (spray-drier, freeze dryer, Cinac fermenter, among others) and the infrastructure is being adequate (air conditioning, exhaust, etc.) with resources from the Institutional Development Research Plan of the Food Technology Institute. - PDIP / ITAL. Dr. Gabriel Vinderola is Associate Professor and Associate Researcher at CONICET at the Institute of Industrial Lactology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering of the Universidad Nacional del Litoral in Santa Fe (Argentina), with extensive experience in developing functional foods supplemented with probiotics (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus).Thus, Dr Vinderola's recognized expertise in this subject will lead to an important and necessary improvement / updating / expansion of the knowledge of ITAL researchers and research assistants working in this area of research and development. In addition, the use of whey as a culture medium for cell biomass production and as a raw material for the development of functional products supplemented with probiotics makes Dr. Gabriel Vinderola's visit a perfect fit with the strategic areas prioritized in the Plan for Institutional Development in Research of the Institute of Food Technology - PDIP / ITAL. (AU)