TecnATox: "our website lets the toxicological levels of the food we eat"
What are they engaged and in which fields linked to the food sector works the Center?
TecnATox is a centre of innovation and transfer of technology established in 2008, but with a trajectory since 1985, when we started working on basic toxicology. At first we studied as they affected environmental contaminants to the development of human beings. In 1995 we create environmental and area risk assessment that is dedicated to assess which are the potential health risks arising from industrial activities. Finally, the food area that emerged with great force with the help of the Catalan Agència of road food was created in 2000. We were those who initiated the first studies at the European level of the so-called 'shopping basket'. We buying all the products that a half Catalan acquires (milk, eggs, meat, fish, etc.) and we see its nutritional quality, without looking if catalanes, from the rest of the country or foreigners were. Apart from studying the level of proteins or Omega 3 that could have, we wanted to also analyze which were the contaminants present in these foods, as the intake of according to toxic elements can favour the appearance of a number of diseases.
In these ten years we have done three batches of this study, increasingly expanding the shopping basket. We started making the purchase in seven Catalan towns, and the last study was done on the basis of the purchase in 15 geographical points, covering virtually the entire territory.
What are the main projects, within the food and beverage sector, carried out currently?
With all the studies we have created a tool through a free web page (for a fee from the April 15), submitted on the five continents, and it has received more than 20,000 visits in two years. In her putting something as simple as gender, age and weight, and choosing the consumed food (there are a total of 56 food and 2600 input) tells you if the vitamin and protein intake is correct or if it is deficient, and also the toxicological levels of the food they eat these foods, which are legislated. In addition, and simply by placing the mouse on the toxic element, it informs the user about the harmful effects that may have on their health. It is a very simple application, tested with children and the elderly, very intuitive and very easy to use.
In addition to this project we are carrying out studies which show that the level of pollutants change depending on how the food is cooked. This can have a value of contaminants in oil, and that value decrease or increase in service if that product boil, fry it or do grilled. We know that this tool is being used to see how it affects the diet in diseases like Fibromyalgia, and even to develop the catering of the school canteens.
V meeting of innovation and technology, which took place in the framework of Alimentaria 2010, said that despite the crisis and its effects on the balance of many linked to food and beverage companies, you are allocated more resources in the field of innovation during the year 2009. What think you of increasing investment in innovation despite the economic situation?
The small and medium enterprises has realized that the only way to open up new markets is to innovate, and often making small changes. Our Center for example, in the services it gives to the catering companies, provides training to the parents of the children. I.e. the company not only cares about the food that it offers, but also that the feeding of these students in their homes is correct.
