Tecnoalimenti

Established in February 1981 by the Italian Research Ministry for promoting, coordinating and carrying out research for the agri-food industry, Tecnoalimenti (TCA) (www.tecnoalimenti.com) is a non-profit research consortium of 30 food sector industries and one financial institution, Intesa, as trustee of ministerial funds. In 41 years of activity, the organisation acquired high-level skills in: (i) innovation project set-up and management, (ii) industrial research, food-chain studies, technological feasibility assessments of pilots, eco- compatibility and cost-benefits analyses of new processes, (iii) technological transfer and uptake activities involving industries and SMEs at national and international level through its wide industrial network.

Among the recent innovation projects carried out together with the agri-food industries, in particular can be mentioned those aimed at sustainability, circular economy, digitalization, traceability and authentication with the implementation of digital in the food chain and processes, with a view to developing a more transparent and more resilient, for the benefit of production efficiency, sustainability and consumer safety, through the integration along the supply chain of IOT technologies, blockchain layers and artificial intelligence engines (European projects: Traceback, TTHubs - MIUR / MISE National Projects: Safe & Smart, Autenticapp, Blockfil - Mind Foods regional projects Hub with particular emphasis on nutritional sustainability). Further, thanks to its own TECNONET project, it has developed an innovative independent methodology for crossing the demand and supply of new technologies which, applied to the MINDHUB project, is currently generating several cases of scaling up of research results from a prototype level to an industrial level, managing to combine the interest of small companies and start-ups (eg Realmore, Polibox) with that of large companies (e.g., Tim, Sirti).

Being inserted into a wide network of industry (Unione Industriali, AIRI, Ambrosetti) and research (CAT.AL - Cluster Alte Tecnologie Agroalimentari Lombardia, AFIL - Secure and sustainable food Manufacturing Community, and National Agrifood Cluster CL.AN), Tecnoalimenti is in a position to have an overarching view about the key issues of the food scenario (as an example see the recently issued Foresight study on the features of the industrial food product by 2050). Tecnoalimenti operated as an industry stakeholder in the promotion and development of the "First National Food Research Program'' supported by MIUR (Ministry of Italian Research), and participated as founder of strategic public-private aggregations for the promotion of industrial innovation along the thematic strands of quality, safety and personalization of nutrition.

They are: Bauli, Bonomelli, Branca, Brusa, Cargill, Riunite&CIV, Centro Studi Branca, Chelab, Codap, Colussi, Corsini, Enco, Engineering Ingegneria Informatica, Federalimentare, Granarolo, Kerry, MUR, Mercitalia Intermodal, Parmalat, Parodi, Pavan, Ponti, Progeo, Riso Gallo, Sapio, Specchiasol, Star, Technologies, Transfer Trade, Villani, Waste Italia. Further, Tecnoalimenti has acquired a wide international research network; a selection of in progress collaborations is listed below: Fraunhofer Gesellschaft (D), CNTA (E), ACTIA(F), Campden BRI (HU), CyRIC (CY), Agrifood Croatia (HR), CeRTH (EL), Ecole Supérieure des Ingénieurs de Medjez El Bab (TU), Aastmt - Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport (EG), NSCE - North South Consultants Exchange (EG), JUST - Jordan University of Science and Technology (JO), Akdeniz University (TU).