The mission of the Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology is the development of higher education at the undergraduate and postgraduate level, in the disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering, Food Safety and Chemical Technology, to train professionals and postgraduates of excellence at the service of the country; the cultivation of research, innovation and dissemination in the mentioned high-level areas; the development of extension actions, dissemination that promotes the knowledge created in the academic unit to the national and international community and the effective realzation of the innovation process and transfer of knowledge to society.

The Department of Food Science and Chemical Technology is the unit in charge of teaching undergraduate and postgraduate Science, Engineering, Food Technology and Unit Operations of the Faculty, as well as cultivating its disciplines in the generation of applied scientific knowledge, dissemination and technological advances. In addition, the participation of its academics in the coordination of the Master’s in Food programs, mention in Management, Quality and Safety and the Master’s in Food Science, as well as in teaching, postgraduate HR training and postgraduate in more of 8 different programs of the Faculty and the University.

Most of the research in this department is of an applied nature in key areas such as science, engineering, technology, food safety and chemical technology. Our department develops R+D+i, through projects such as CORFO, FIA, FONDEF, Fondecyt, among others.

Its specific work is carried out in the five areas that comprise it:

Area of ​​Science, Engineering, Technology and Food Processes

Cultivates knowledge of Science, Engineering, Processes, Quality and Safety and Sensory Evaluation of Food. Its  research is carried out in aquaculture, meat, dairy, fruit-horticultural and cereal products, both at the level of raw materials, residues and environmental aspects, structure and physical properties, containers and packaging, quality, safety and traceability. In the same way, sensory aspects and acceptability by consumers are studied. It also investigates the structure/function relationship of biopolymers for the development of protein isolates, biodegradable matrices, such as containers, nano-micro-functionalized edible coatings with bioactive principles.

Another area of research is the technology for obtaining structured omega-3 triacylglycerides with EPA and DHA by optimizing enzymatic transesterification processes in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2). Effect of physical and chemical properties, quality and stability in food systems.

Unit Operations Area

The conventional Hydrometallurgy area is cultivated, whose interest lies in the study of the recovery of metals of economic value from their ores, flotation concentrates, mine water, gravel, slag, tailings, through leaching processes or liquid-solid extraction, processes extraction by solvents, chemical precipitation, cementation and industrial crystallization and the development of new technologies for the extraction of metal ions and other polluting ions from industrial and mine wastewater, using liquid membranes, and micromaterial and nano-material type absorbents.

Another area of research developed is the design and evaluation of colonic release systems of drugs and nutraceuticals, orally, based on hydrocolloids, in combination with other biopolymers, for the treatment and prevention of inflammatory bowel disease, which leads to define mechanisms of coacervation of proteins/hydrocolloids as controlled release matrices and the formulation of micro and nanoencapsulated bioactives for their incorporation into these polymeric matrices at the colonic level and diversifies interdisciplinary in its research in food.

Food Chemistry and Fats Area

Its work is oriented towards three areas of research: food chemistry and fats, which investigates the nutrients and bioactive components present in food, especially the bioactive components of olive oils and their relationship with agronomic aspects, traceability geography, varietal differentiation, development of flavor, freshness and climate change.

Another area of research is the micro and nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds for the formulation of functional and/or healthy foods. Also, biorefinery processes of bioactive compounds and biopolymers derived from agribusiness and marine sources are developed, which includes extraction, characterization and application processes in food and biotechnology.

Applied Microbiology Area

They develop their work in food microbiology, food hygiene and safety, industrial fermentation engineering, as well as in the area of ​​industrial hygiene and sanitation. In research, new minimal processing technologies are being explored (UV-C light for liquid and solid systems, emulsified natural antimicrobials, ultrasound, high hydrostatic pressure, cold plasma, etc.) to achieve microbiological stability of food and at the same time preserve the bioactive components of products of plant and animal origin (such as fruits, vegetables, juices, dairy products, fish). The microbial response is quantified and analyzed using predictive microbiology to ensure food safety.

Management and Administration Area
Basically oriented to undergraduate teaching where the bases are provided to develop skills in accounting, finance, management, project evaluation, among other topics, as well as in the development of Food Engineers Thesis.

Director
María Angélica Larraín Barth
E-mail: mlarrain@uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29781636

Subdirector
Roberto Lemus-Mondaca
E-mail: rlemus@uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 2981662

Secretary
Juanita Arias Sáez
E-mail: depto.alimentos@ciq.uchile.cl
Phone: +56 2 29781647

Prof. Lilian Abugoch James
Email: labugoch@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781635

Prof. Nalda Romero Palacios
Email: nromero@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781665

Prof. Carlos Basualto Flores
Email: cbasualt@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781609

Prof. Alicia Rodríguez Melis
Email: arodrigm@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781661

Prof. Carlos Castro Sandoval
Email: ccastro@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29782184

Prof. Cielo Char
Email: cchar@ciq.uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 2978162

Prof. Cristián Tapia Villanueva
Email: ctapia@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781640

Prof. Daniel Burgos Bravo
Email: dburgos@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29771900

Prof. Fernando Valenzuela Lozano
Email: fvalenzu@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781660

Prof. Jaime Ortiz Viedma
Email: jaortiz@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781663

Prof. José Romero Reyes
Email: joromero@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781641

Prof. Luis Puente Díaz
Email: lpuente@ciq.uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781680

Prof. María Angélica Larraín Barth
Email: mlarrain@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781636

Prof. María Elisa Marín Sánchez
Email: memarin@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 93589012

Prof. Paz Robert Canales
Email: proberts@uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781666

Prof. Roberto Lemus Mondaca
Email: roberto.lemus@ciq.uchile.cl
Telephone: +56 2 29781662

Areas of research

• Hydrometallurgy
  ​Prof. Fernando Valenzuela (Head) and Prof. Carlos Basualto
• Micro and Nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds as a tool to apply to foods and to controlled release preparation formulations
  ​Prof. Paz Robert (Head)
• Chemistry of Foods and Fats
  ​Prof. Nalda Romero (Head), Prof. Jaime Ortiz and Prof. Paz Robert
• Technology for obtaining omega-3 triglycerides with EPA and DHA by optimizing enzymatic transesterification processes in supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) from n3 LC-PUFA marine fish oil concentrates. Effects of physical and chemical properties, quality, and stability in food systems
  Alicia Rodríguez (Head) and Prof. Nalda Romero
• Development of Biorefinery processes for bioactive compounds derived from the agriculture industry and marine sources, including their physicochemical, functional, and nutritional profiles
  Jaime Ortiz (Head), Prof. Nalda Romero, Prof. Luis Puente.
• Controlled release Biopolymeric matrices in pharmaceutical and food systems laden with nano and microencapsulated bioactives
  Cristián Tapia (Head), Prof. Lilian Abugoch, Prof. Merdhad Yazdani-Pedram and Prof. Andrea Bunger.
• Food quality and safety – Traceability
  María Angélica Larraín (Head).

Biomaterials, Bioactives, Controlled Release Matrices Laboratory
Location: 1^st and 2^nd floor.

Coacervation of proteins/hydrocolloids as controlled release matrices. Formulation of micro and nanoencapsulated bioactives for incorporation into these polymeric matrices at the colonic level and into edible coatings applied to food.

Food Quality and Safety Laboratory
Location: 2^nd floor.

Focused on food traceability and authenticity, species identification and determining geographic origin, especially regarding seafood, by using DNA tests with molecular markers.

Food Quality Laboratory
Location: 2^nd floor.

Focused on food traceability and authenticity, species identification and determining geographic origin, especially regarding seafood, by using DNA tests with molecular markers.

Sensory Evaluation Laboratory
Location: 2^nd floor.

Sensory analysis of food, food formulation.

Food Processing Engineering and Technology Laboratory
Location: 1^st and 2^nd floor.

1. Application of new drying technologies for developing food products and ingredients, 9. Technology for obtaining omega-3 triglycerides with EPA and DHA by optimizing enzymatic transesterification processes in supercritical carbon dioxide from n-3 LC-PUFA marine fish oil concentrates. Effects of physical and chemical properties, quality, and stability on food systems. Thermal process engineering and emerging technologies in food: Functional properties and mathematical modeling.

Laboratory of Microbiology Applied to Food
Location: 2^nd floor.

Food microbiology, hygiene and safety, industrial fermentation engineering, and industrial hygiene and health.

Microencapsulation Laboratory
Location: 1^st floor.

Micro and nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds for formulating functional and/or healthy foods.

Unit Operations Laboratory
Location: 1^st and 2^nd floor.

Conventional hydrometallurgy, recovering economically valuable metals from minerals, flotation concentrates, mine water, ripios, slag, tailings, liquid membranes, and micro and nanomaterials. Design and evaluation of colonic release systems of oral pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals based on hydrocolloids combined with other biopolymers, for treating and preventing intestinal inflammation disease. This will define protein/hydrocolloid coacervation mechanisms like controlled release matrices and formulating micro and nanoencapsulated bioactives to incorporate in polymeric matrices at the colonic level and will interdisciplinarily diversify food research.

Food, Fat and Oil Chemistry Laboratory
Location: 2^nd floor

Nutrients and bioactive compounds present in food, such as olive oils. Biorefinery processes of bioactive and biopolymeric compounds derived from the agriculture industry and marine sources, including extraction processes, characterization and application to food and biotechnology.

All courses are taught in Spanish.