BRTA Alliance discusses the role of technology and innovation in healthy eating

• Around 30 experts in the field of healthy eating presented the work being done in the Basque Country.
• Healthy eating is an important area of research in the BRTA Alliance research centres.

Derio, 16 July 2024. The meeting on healthy eating was held at AZTI with the participation of around 30 experts in the field and organised by the BRTA (Basque Research & Technology Alliance).

The big challenge for the food value chain is to produce high quality food that is safe and healthy. Healthy food must make it possible to take care of people’s health through nutritious and healthy food aimed at reducing obesity and other chronic diseases, that is safe and does not cause adverse reactions in the organisms in the chain (both animals and humans), and that guarantees food supply, which strengthens the importance of the agri-food industry,” adds Rikardo Bueno, General Director of the BRTA Alliance.

The aim of this meeting, organised by the BRTA alliance, was to analyse the healthy food sector and to find out about the context, trends and challenges facing Basque technology centres and the Basque business fabric.

The day began with a brief introduction by Rikardo Bueno, General Director of the BRTA alliance, and Iñigo Martínez de Marañon, Food Technology Director at AZTI.

Experts from the different centres of the Alliance presented the research and technology studies they are developing in the areas of safe ingredients and foods, ingredients and foods with nutritional and health benefits, and personalised nutrition for active ageing.

The session ended with a round table discussion, moderated by Jon Kepa Gerrikagoitia, Head of Science and Technology at BRTA, where the vision and integration of healthy eating in different areas such as smart industry, energy transition, eco-innovation and digital technologies were presented.

At the end of the event, in his closing speech, Rikardo Bueno stressed that ‘the event has been a meeting point for researchers and experts in the field of healthy eating, helping us to share our work and get to know each other better’. With their work, Basque researchers are achieving cutting-edge results in the field of production at European and world level. All these results end up in the hands of our industry and strengthen its competitiveness. With this type of meeting, we want to promote greater coordination and cooperation so that the results, which are already good, become even better,’ said Rikardo Bueno.

Challenge 1: Safe food and ingredients

Sub-challenge: Rapid detection systems for hazards

Sub-challenge: Safer transformation processes

Challenge 2. Ingredients and foods with nutritional and health properties: new sources

Sub-challenge: Agro-livestock and aquaculture production aimed at improving nutritional composition or health compounds.

Sub-challenge: New ingredients for the development of products that contribute to a healthy and balanced diet

Sub-challenge: Healthy food for the general and specific population

Challenge 3. Personalised nutrition for active ageing

Sub-challenge: Habits and needs for a healthy personalised diet

Sub-challenge: Precision nutrition based on omics and data analysis

BRTA

The Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA) was created in 2019 and its member centres aim to transfer knowledge based on research and technology to Basque industry and businesses, with the aim of strengthening the region’s economy. The Alliance is made up of 4 collaborative research centres and 13 technology centres: CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE, CIC energiGUNE, Azterlan, AZTI, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker and Vicomtech.