Retecna: Network of Technological Centres in Navarra

Network integrators of Retecna

CNTA - National centre of foof technology and safety

CNTA - NATIONAL CENTRE OF FOOD TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY.
Ctra. NA 134, km 50. 31570 San Adrián
Tel.: 948 670 159 | Fax: 948 696 127 | E-mail: cnta@cnta.es
Contact: Demetrio Fernández - General Manager

Presentation

The National Centre for Technology and Food Safety (CNTA) is a non-profit making organisation based in San Adrián (Navarra) and set up in 1981 as an initiative by the companies of the Vegetable canning sector.

The main aim of the Centre is to contribute to the development and innovation of the agro-food industry, offering technical support to improve their quality and competitiveness. At present CNTA offers services to almost 200 associated industries all over Spain. Moreover, the Centre offers services to more than 300 agro-food clients (non-associated) annually.

CNTA offers companies an integral service in three Areas:

• Research, Development and Innovation: the R&D&i is geared towards the development of applied research projects, of general interest to the sector (promoted by the Centre or/and in collaboration with Universities, Public Research Centres or Companies) or towards projects arranged with companies. In addition, the Centre participates in the management and coordination of projects, from looking for partners and managing the consortium to negotiating research projects, and the transaction of financial aid and R&D&i proposals.
• Analytical Services: 6 Departments with 7 laboratories (Physicochemical and Instrumental, Biotechnology, Microbiology, Quality, Water, Packaging and The Environment) which together offer more than 200 analytical techniques to respond to the requirements of the agro-food sector, guaranteeing food quality and safety levels.
• Technical Assistance: offering technical support to companies through advisory services, training and consultancy services (new processes and technologies, industrial installations, legislation and regulations, transactions for sanctioning proceedings, safety and higiene, implementation of HAPPC, traceability ). Similarly, our pilot plant is used for control processes (penetration curves and heat distribution, calibrations, quality audits etc) and registration transactions for companies and products for export.

Strategic lines

The CNTA works in the following R&D&i strategic lines:

• Development of new food products from bioprocesses and using natural additives obtained from clean technology
  • Green Chemical Group, geared towards the obtention of natural extracts from sub-products using Clean Technologies (Supercritical Fluids, membranes, spray-drying, etc) and the application of the components obtained from developing new food stuffs, including their conditioning using micro-encapsulation, etc.
  • Bioprocess Group, aimed at the application and optimization of bioprocesses (stem selection, with fermentative process control, application of probiotic stems, etc.) to obtain new food or food ingredients.
• The application of emerging technology for alternative methods of preserving food other than heat in order to obtain products with improved nutritional and organoleptic qualities:
  • The application of high pressures as a pasteurisation method or in combination with heat pulses, as a possible method of sterilization
  • The use of new packaging materials in combination with modified atmospheres (MAP)
  • The application of active packaging based on natural extracts used to prolong the useful life of the product
• Development of new methods for analytic control for food, process control and forecasting of the shelf life of the product.
  • Development of shelf life forecasting models based on microbiological, chemical and sensorial parameters.
  • Optimization of processes leading to the minimization of toxic (acrylamides) and contaminants (pesticides)
  • Development of methods for analytical control of food and traceability

Analytical techniques

• Physicochemical analysis: nutritional composition, vitamins, flat, starch, organic acids, sugar distribution, capsicine, lycopene, etc.
• Physicochemical analysis in water: pH, conductivity, turbidity, colour, smell, flavour, ammonium, free chloride, hardness, organic matter, nitrates, nitrites, oxidability, chlorides, phosphates, etc.
• Additives and contaminants: nitrates, metals, pesticides, acrylamide, PAH, COV, epichloridrine, bromates, cyanides, TOC, etc.
• Microbiological aptitude analysis of food, microbiology of critical points and microbiological analysis of water.
• Qualitative and Quantitative of OGMs in food and other techniques related to the characterization and genetic traceability of variety, species or individuals:
  • Specific Detection of transgenic sequences.
  • Genetic identification of microorganisms (Genetic Microbiology).
  • Analysis of varietal purity and genetic authenticity.
  • Differentiation of species.
• Immunoassays: Detection of specific proteins
• Packaging analysis: tin coating, porosity, temper, calibre, corrosion, closure analysis, global and specific migration, Bisphenol, BADGE; BFDGE and derivatives, implosion and load measurement, hermeticity tests, etc.
• Analysis of waste water (pH, conductivity, DBO5, DQO, NKT, P), measurement of flows, automatic collection of wastewater samples, minimisation of dumped material, efficiency and working tests in pilot treatments plants in the lab, monitoring of industrial EDAR, ecodiagnostics, etc.
• Quality control in finished product and raw material: salt, acidity, dry residue, sulphur residue, density, viscosity, labelling check, etc.
• Sensorial analysis: affective, discriminatory and descriptive.

Useful information

• Coordinator for RETSA.
• Member of FFNet (Functional Foods Network).
• Founder member of the Spanish Foodstuff Technological Programme.
• Reference Centre for ANEABE (National Association of Packaged Drink Water Companies).
• Reference Centre for AEAZN (Spanish Association for Juice and Nectar Self Regulation)
• Reference Centre for ASEVEC (Spanish Association of Frozen Vegetable Manufacturers)
• Recognized by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) as a Process Authority.

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