TECNALIA: Presentation and role in the project

TECNALIA (TECNA) (http://tecnalia.com/) is the biggest centre for applied research in Spain, committed to the scientific and technological development of collaborating companies and the society. TECNALIA was founded by the union of 8 internationally reputed technological centres, resulting in the largest private R+D+I entity in Spain and the fifth largest in Europe, with a staff of over 1,400 employees and a turnover of nearly 110 Mio €.

Key features that turns TECNALIA into a powerful agent in co-operative endeavours are: its private nature; the focus on Applied Research; the fact of being a centre of international excellence (international R+D contracts, foreign researchers, and international accompaniment of local industries, licenses, IP, etc.); the impact on local industry (R+D and Innovation projects with companies, spin-offs, training, E+C services); and its openness to other organizations or networks keen to interact and co-generate knowledge. TECNALIA is the 1st national private organisation in project contracting, participation and leadership within the EU Horizon 2020 Programme, with 165 projects contracted and leading 33 of them

TECNALIA is organized and targeted on a sector basis, made up of multi-disciplinary teams.  Our main scopes of action are: digital transformation, advanced manufacturing, energy transition, sustainable mobility, health and the urban ecosystem. In this proposal the Health Division will participate in the project. Inside Health Division the area of Food and Health will be implicated in this proposal. The Food and Health Area is specialised in research and development of new innovative products and new food process technologies, specially focused on improving quality, security and reduction of waste along the food value chain and new ingredients and food development. In this research line a multidisciplinary team works in:

• Improvement of nutritional value in foods and healthier foods development
• Improvement of possibilities and food quality
• New foodstuffs and food complements development:
• Obtaining active compounds/ingredients.
• Evaluation of ingredient´s functionality/stability
• Development of systems for the protection, bioavailability enhancement and control delivery of ingredients (micro and nanoencapsulation)
• "In vitro" analysis of bioavailability and toxicity of ingredients. ü
• Analysis of specific compounds.

This multidisciplinary team is closely working together with food industry in order to increase their competitiveness through innovative developments and participate active in several platforms and networks like Food for Life Spain. Additionally, the group participated in several European projects such as LEGUVAL, TRANSBIO, VOLATILE, CAFIPLA, INNOYEAST, BUGWORKERS, SO2SAY, beside others.