The strategic alliance formed by the University of Lleida and the Eurecat technology centre to boost research in the field of food science and technology and transfer knowledge to companies in the agri-food sector has now grown to include the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. THis new alliance strenghtens collaborations and fosters innovation in this sector.
The collaboration agreement was signed by Olga Martín, vice-rector for Knowledge Transfer of the UdL; Rosa Maria Sebastián, vice-rector for Innovation, Transfer and Entrepreneurship of the UAB; and Xavier López, general corporate and operations director of Eurecat. It will result in an increase in the capabilities of the joint R&D&I platform in food science and technology.
The collaboration agreement, which is initially valid for three years and can be extended for successive periods of the same duration, sets down that the UdL, the UAB and Eurecat will share R&D&I lines in the field of food science and technology and will work together through their human resources and scientific and technological equipment.
Overall, this collaboration will cover the scientific services and the pilot plant that the UdL has in the field of food science and technology; the Centre for Innovation, Research and Transfer in Food Technology (CIRTTA) of the UAB; and the Nutrition and Health Unit of the Eurecat technology centre, located in Reus.
According to UdL Vice-Rector Olga Martín, "in 2017, it was found that Eurecat and the UdL had complementary capabilities in areas related to food and a collaboration agreement was signed between the two institutions for the creation of a joint Platform in Food Science and Technology." She adds that, "The passage of time has shown the success of this complementarity. One evidence is that the UAB has joined the initiative, thus expanding the range of services offered to this industry", and goes on to state that "the signing of the agreement, now on three sides, is proof of the willingness of the institutions to lend their full support to food innovation, which benefits consumers who will have food that meets their demands".
UAB Vice-Rector Rosa Maria Sebastián expressed her satisfaction for joining this platform to "contribute to a leading group of people, knowledge and scientific equipment in a strategic sector", recalling that the Centre for Innovation, Research and Transfer in Food Technologies of the UAB is "a key player in emerging technologies and new processes for the improvement of food attributes in terms of process, safety, health effects and organoleptic properties". Sebastián stressed that this alliance will allow "not only to share strategic lines of R&D&I, but also to give greater projection to the action of our institutions in international platforms and jointly seek the necessary co-funding to develop projects".
Eurecat's Corporate and Operations General Manager, Xavier López, stressed that the incorporation of the UAB into the strategic alliance "reflects the importance of joining forces to carry out leading projects and further strengthen existing synergies from the point of view of technological innovation, to respond to the needs of companies in food safety, the development of new products and the integrated management of the agri-food value chain".
The agri-food sector is key for the three institutions, due to its importance in Spain and in Catalonia, where it represents 19.7 percent of industrial GDP. It is the leading sector of Catalan industry in terms of turnover, with a total of 48,231 million euros, and employment generation, with 175,600 workers.
