INNOFOOD - INNOVation in the FOOD sector through the valorization of food and agro-food by-products

The INNOFOOD project (Innovation in the food sector through the enhancement of food and food products) is based on three lines of research, great complementarity, and of great importance to the sustainability of this region of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro. These three lines of research have established close collaborations over the years, even in projects not funded, which have allowed a practical applicability to support producers in the region, resulting in a positive impact on the agri-food sector: Action 1 - Effect of factors pre-harvest quality of products; Action 2 - Food and Health Quality; Action 3 - Genomic and Biotechnology Strategies in Food and Health This project covers various aspects of science and technology of food, from production to traceability, through quality and thus combines the expertise of three major research groups in a single direction - Innovation. The objectives of this research project have a greater emphasis on agri-food sectors of northeastern Portugal, as these are the main industrial partners and agricultural cooperative with which the research groups involved in this project actively collaborate and develop project development and Innovation sets. - Identification of environmental variables, cultural practices and cultivars to improve the nutritional and functional quality of different food matrices. - Increased preservation of biodiversity through the use of genetic resources, in the search for solutions to the development of hypoallergenic products and antioxidants. - Nutritional and functional characterization of food matrices and assessment of major bioactive substances at the cellular level to increase the value of food by demonstrating its functional quality. - Application of advanced oxidation processes and biological treatments for the treatment of wastewater from the food industry.