Food Engineering Group
Faculty of Exact Physical and Natural Sciences – National University of Córdoba (FCEFyN – UNC) and the National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET).
Director Prof: Prof. Dr. Pablo Daniel Ribotta .
ACTIVITY GROUP’S DESCRIPTION
The group has a wide trajectory in cereals, oilseeds and flours technology. It has a solid background and extensive experience in bread-making and cereal-based products as well as in the processing of oilseeds, with more than 100 publications in international journals, scientific events presentations and contributions in books, book chapters and invention patents applications.
The main lines of research include the study of flours chemical components, their properties and relationship with dough rheology, the interactions among ingredients and the quality of the final product, as well as the use of different additives. Moreover, the group has worked in extractive oil processes, its conservation and stabilization by different methodologies, such as the incorporation of antioxidants and microencapsulation technology.
In recent years, the research group has participated in many international and national projects of technological linkage, such as, baking production in all its productive chain (from mills, going through manufacturing companies of pre-mixes and finished products, oil), the researchers have experience in the identification and resolution of productive challenges and scientific-technological knowledge transference. In the last 10 years, we worked hard on extraction (pilot and industrial scale), characterization, oxidative stability of non-traditional vegetable oils (chia, walnut, sesame, almond, pistachio, peanut) and their oxidative stability during and after the microencapsulation process.
With regard to microencapsulation process, the identification of process parameters is being studied, as well as the atomization conditions that influence the critical quality characteristics of the product. Furthermore, the group has knowledge on the functionality of protein components and their application in the development of coating materials. Apart from that the group has also experience on the incorporation of microcapsules rich in omega 3 fatty acids in traditional cereal-based products.
RESEARCH TEAM
Dra. Marcela Lilian Martínez
Researcher at CONICET (IMBIV – CONICET)
Professor of the FCEFyN – UNC
Ing. Qca. María Gabriela Bordón
Doctoral fellow of CONICET (ICYTAC– CONICET)
Dra. María Cecilia Penci
Researcher at CONICET (ICYTAC – CONICET)
Professor of the FCEFyN – UNC
Dr. Rafael Borneo
Engineer Carolina Aranibar
Doctoral fellow of CONICET (ICYTAC– CONICET)
Dr. Agustín Gonzalez
Researcher at CONICET (IPQA – CONICET)
Professor of the FCQ – UNC
Ing. Carolina Aranibar
Doctoral fellow of CONICET (ICYTAC– CONICET)
Dra. Verónica Baroni
Researcher at CONICET (ICYTAC – CONICET)
Professor of the FCQ – UNC
CHIA INVESTIGATIONS
PARTICIPACIÓN EN PROYECTOS DE INVESTIGACIÓN
- PRÉSTAMO BID PICT “Alternativas tecnológicas para la extracción y conservación de aceites vegetales ricos en ácidos grasos omega 3, omega 6 y omega 9”. Investigador responsable: Marcela Lilian Martínez (2014 – 2018).
- SECyTSECyT “Alternativas tecnológicas para la conservación de aceites vegetales no tradicionales”. Marcela Lilian Martínez (2014 – 2016).
- PRÉSTAMO BID PICT “Influencia de los componentes minoritarios de las harinas sobre las propiedades de productos batidos”Investigador responsable: Pablo Ribotta (2017-2020).
PUBLICACIONES
- González Agustin, Martinez Marcela L., Leon Alberto E., Ribotta Pablo D. Effects on bread and oil quality of the incorporation of microencapsulated chia oil. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. DOI 10.1002/jsfa.9022. (2018).
- Aranibar Carolina, Pigni Natalia, Martinez Marcela, Aguirre Alicia, Ribotta Pablo, Wunderlin Daniel, Borneo Rafael. Utilization of a partially-deoiled chia flour to improve the nutritional and antioxidant properties of wheat pasta. FoodScience and Technology 89, 381–387. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2017.11.003. (2018)
- Romina M. Bodoira, María C. Penci, Pablo D. Ribotta, Marcela L. Martínez.Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil stability: Study of the effect of natural antioxidants. FoodScience and Technology (ISSN: 0023-6438), 75, 107-113. (2017).
• Agustín González, Marcela - Agustín González, Marcela L. Martínez, Alejandro J. Paredes, Alberto E. León, Pablo D. Ribotta..Study of the preparation process and variation of wall components in chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil microencapsulation. PowderTechnology (ISSN: 0032-5910), 301, 868–875.(2016)
- Marcela Lilian Martínez; María Isabel Curti; Paola Roccia; Juan Manuel Llabot; Maria Cecilia Penci; Romina Mariana Bodoira; Pablo Daniel Ribotta. Oxidative stability of walnut (Juglansregia L.) and chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oils microencapsulated by spray drying. PowderTechnology (ISSN: 0032-5910), 270, 271–277. (2015).
- Marcela L Martinez, María A Marín, Camila M Salgado Faller, Juliana Revol, María C Penci, Pablo D. Ribotta.Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) oil extraction: study of processing parameters. FoodScience and Technology (ISSN 0023-6438), 47 (1), 78 – 82. (2012).
- Vanesa Y. Ixtaina, Marcela L. Martínez, Viviana Spotorno, Carmen M. Mateo, Damián M. Maestri, Bernd W.K. Diehl, Susana M. Nolasco, Mabel C. Tomás. Characterization of chia seed oils obtained by pressing and solvent extraction. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (ISSN 0889-1575), 24 (2), 166 – 174. (2011).