PPGECAL currently has 4 research lines in its 2 concentration areas. Within these lines, the specific projects of our students’ theses and dissertations are allocated to our thematic projects, which are distributed as follows:

In the Area of ​​Food Engineering:

Research Line 01: Development, analysis and optimization of processes in food engineering.

Aims at the development of new processes, as well as the analysis and optimization of existing processes, aiming at improving product quality and process efficiency, in economic, environmental and social terms. The study studies the transfer of heat, mass and quantity of movement in food and related products, during their transformations and in biotechnological processes and separation and purification. It also aims at the use of statistical tools, life cycle analysis (LCA), chemometrics, modeling and simulation of processes, software development and industrial designs.

Thematic Project 01.1: ‘Development, analysis, optimization and application of processes associated with food’.

The following topics are assessed, among others: the development of technologies for fraud detection, purification methods, life cycle analysis (LCA) of agro-industrial processes, biotechnological processes, development of adsorbents and biocatalysts, development of innovative software and industrial designs, simulation and process control processes, thermodynamic studies, drying processes, studies of transfer phenomena, optimization, scale-up and others, involving the application of Green Chemistry principles, innovation and nationalization of technologies, principles of sustainability and circular economy.

Research Line 02: Properties of biomaterials and systems associated with food.

Includes the determination of physical, chemical, thermodynamic, microstructural and technological properties, and the study of the behavior of the properties of biomaterials of interest to the food industry, to assist in the identification of optimal process conditions for product development and in the dimensioning of equipment for food production, packaging, inputs and the like.

Thematic Project 02.1: ‘Characterization of biomaterials and systems associated with food’.

Studies involving analyses, physical-chemical, analytical, compositional, mechanical, rheological, material, and general instrumental characterization, equilibrium data for characterization of systems, and the like are grouped together. It involves studies of bioplastics, new materials, nanostructures, adsorbents, foods, inputs, co-products, and others.

In the Food Science Area:

Research Line 03: Use of waste, by-products, co-products, and alternative sources in processes associated with food.

It works in a multidisciplinary manner with the characterization of waste, by-products, agro-industrial co-products, and alternative sources, with regard to their nutritional, physical-chemical, and biochemical properties, as well as their use as raw material in new products and processes associated with food, such as microbial and enzymatic biochemical processes and the production of biopolymers.

Project 03.1: ‘Development of products from waste, by-products, co-products and alternative sources’.

Aims to enhance the value of the objects of study through alternatives for their use, both for food and technological purposes. Includes studies with solid-state fermentation, enzyme production, evaluation of antioxidant, antimicrobial and other potential, prospecting of fungi, technological products such as biocatalysts, product development and others. It also includes aspects related to sustainability and circular economy.

Research Line 04: Chemistry and biochemistry of food, by-products, co-products and alternative sources.

Includes studies of the structures of different raw materials and products in the food context. Properties of foods of animal and plant origin, with a compositional, procedural, technological and biochemical-nutritional focus. Effects of processing, storage and others on the chemical and biochemical properties of food. Development of new products, inputs and technologies. Studies of chemical and physical interactions of food components. Development and validation of fraud analysis and detection methods. This line is the only one that is currently divided into two projects:

Thematic Project 04.1: ‘Evaluation of the technological, functional, nutritional potential and quality of products of animal origin’.

Thematic Project 04.2: ‘Evaluation of the technological, functional, nutritional potential and quality of products of plant origin’

Both projects assess the potential of bioactive compounds, development of new products, effects of changes in ingredients and process variables in products of animal and plant origin. They also cover characteristics related to shelf life, nutritional and sensory aspects, as well as the understanding of chemical and biochemical changes in food, application of techniques for fraud detection, among others. Each project is differentiated by its focus on the main object of the study in question.