Over 30 private companies involved in Fondef projects and about 80 researchers from Chile and the European Union participated in the “Food, Agriculture, Aquaculture: Production and Sustainable Development” workshop, held between 5 and 8 November. The purpose of this event was: "To gather together top Chilean and European experts, researchers and businessmen from the areas of Food, Agriculture and Aquaculture in the context of the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme. The aim was to strengthen liaison and generate research networks of excellence and joint research projects, and to define subjects of common interest to be incorporated in future calls by the European Union. The presentations of the event are attached below.
The workshop was conducted at Termas de Chillan Resort, and provided representatives of the food industry with an updated view on the diverse research lines and technologies that allow for an enhancement in their competitiveness.
Research Fields
Specific thematic fields were defined according to research priorities defined by the European Commission in its work programme in the area of Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology. Calls for proposals will be opened for these thematic fields during 2008. On the other hand, research fields chosen are consistent with national priorities in this area and with the needs for strengthening and expanding joint research with European peers in the area.
Specific subjects analyzed were the following:
1. Functional Foods, Natural Products and Bio-active Components.
• • Foods and Nutrition.
• • Usages and applications for human and animal consumption.
• • Development of functional ingredients.
2. Obesity
• • Genetic-Nutrition Interaction in development of obesity.
• • Health interventions.
• • Metabolic alterations of obesity
• • Physiological control of intake
• • Eating and physical activity behaviour in obesity
3. Production Systems in Aquaculture
• • Environmental effect of crops: Economic, ecological and regulatory aspects that influence production systems.
• • Fish cultivation technologies: Engineering aspects, systems, usage and re-usage of water, filters, production devices.
• • Biotechnological aspects: Mainly oriented to health of cultivated organisms, including methodological aspects and management alternatives.
4. Food Engineering: Development of High Added Value Products.
• • Quality of processed products
• • Fresh products packaging
• • Post-harvest of fruits, vegetables and edible mushrooms.
Programme Outline
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Tuesday 6 November
Gonzalo Herrera. Executive Director of FONDEF-CONICYT
Iván Araya. Director of International Affairs, Universidad de Concepción
Fernando Vio. Director of the Institute of Food Research and Technology, Universidad de Chile. Global Context of the “Chile, Food Power” Government Strategy
Marteen Hertog. Flanders Centre for Post-harvest Technology, Belgium. “Strategic Agenda for the Food Sector in Europe 2007-2020”
Karl Eric Weinacker. Research and Development Manager, PRINAL. “Relevance of Research and Development for the business sector”
Cristina Lazo. Coordinator of the European Union Programme - CONICYT "Presentation FP7 characteristics and Food, Agriculture, Biotechnology and Aquaculture area"
Thorkild Sorensen. Institute of Preventive Medicine – Copenhagen – Denmark. “Coordination of a European Research Project”
Plenum. Moderator: Ximena Gómez de la Torre, Fondef.
State of the Art of Research conducted by the groups in Chile and Europe.
Food Engineering Group: summary and research fields. Chilean thematic coordinator: Juan Antonio Cañumir, UDEC.
European speaker: Marteen Hertog (Belgium). Chilean speaker: Juan Antonio Cañumir.
State of the Art of Research in Chile and Europe. Aquaculture Production Systems Group: summary and research fields. Chilean thematic coordinator: Daniel López, Universidad de los Lagos
European speaker: James Muir (UK) Chilean speaker: Daniel López.
State of the Art of Research in Chile and Europe. Functional foods group: summary and research fields. Chilean thematic coordinator: Claudio Romo - USACH
Chilean speaker: Claudio Romo. European speaker: Eva Tornberg (Switzerland)
State of the Art of Research in Chile and Europe. Obesity Group: summary and research fields. Thematic coordinator: José Luis Santos
European speaker: Thorkild Sorensen (Denmark). Chilean speaker: Fernando Vío
Wednesday 7 November
The four thematic groups worked in parallel rooms to:
• Identify subjects of mutual interest and elaborate schemes for joint research proposals for 2008 FP7 calls (Work Programmes EU).
• Define thematic areas of common interest that could potentially turn into joint collaboration areas and be incorporated to specific calls (SICAS) by the European Union.
• Identify opportunities for mobility and training within the framework of the Marie Curie Programme.
Thursday 8 November.
Conclusions. Moderator: Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering - UDEC