Líneas de investigación

At CNTA we research the identification and explanation of the critical parameters of raw materials and products that contribute to the sensorial attributes of food, allowing its footprint or sensorial brand to be defined.

Among other technologies, particularly noteworthy is the line of work that develops applications based on hyperspectral image; a technique that combines spectroscopy with image analysis: it measures parameters related to attributes of quality and composition, it establishes the water content or amount of fat or protein, classifies the pieces depending on their quality, detects internal damages; even pollutants or residues can be detected using this technique. We develop knowledge about its application in diverse food matrices, focusing on those of plant origin.

Establishing aromatic profiles linked to the detection of volatiles produced by food, both at the moment of consumption and during its shelf-life, is an interesting tool for the sensorial parametrisation of foods. By developing techniques to capture and establish the volatile organic components (VOCs), we are able to research the quantification of this sensorial attribute and also monitor the evolution of the food throughout its shelf-life, identifying the moment it deteriorates more precisely.

We use the following services to transfer the knowledge generated in this branch of research:

• Product development and improvement
• Generation of samples and prototypes
• New preservation strategies and technologies
• Sensorial Objectification

Capacidades

• Sampling room
• Sensorial quality laboratory
• Image laboratory (linear image equipment for colour analysis, 3D camera for dimensional analysis, hyperspectral image cameras (VIS-NIR and NIR) for hyperspectral image analysis)
• HPLC-MS QQQ chromatography
• Gas chromatography GC-MS-QQQ
• ICP-MS with possibility of speciation
• Automated dietary fibre analyser