Pós-graduação em Engenharia de Alimentos

Solidarity and Outreach Initiatives of PPGEAL

The PPGEAL has a long-standing tradition of solidarity and outreach initiatives across Brazil. The main highlights of these actions are presented below.

Based on the success of the PPGEAL’s MINTER and DINTER projects with the Instituto Federal do Sertão Pernambucano, in Petrolina-PE, which resulted in the graduation of 7 doctoral and 11 master’s students, the PPGEAL invested once again in a DINTER project, a significant solidarity initiative. The project was coordinated by Professors Marco Di Luccio (General Coordinator), Bruno A. M. Carciofi (Academic Coordinator) and Marlene Nunes Damaceno (Operational Coordinator) from the Instituto Federal do Ceará (IFCE). The entire permanent faculty of the program was involved in the students’ training (courses, supervision, co-supervision, and thesis/dissertation defenses) from 2021 to 2024. Co-supervision took place in partnership with doctoral degree holders from research institutions in the Northeast region of Brazil, mainly from EMBRAPA and UFC. As a result, 9 doctoral dissertation defenses were completed during the 2021–2024 period (1 in 2022, 7 in 2023, and 1 in 2024).

The Interinstitutional Doctoral Program (DINTER) of PPGEAL had the following main objectives:
i) to train high-level professionals for research and teaching, especially in higher education institutions and research centers,
ii) to stimulate the production and dissemination of knowledge by promoting scientific research in the field of Food Engineering, contributing to technological and academic advancement, and
iii) to foster critical reflection on training processes by encouraging continuous analysis of the methods and practices used in the education of professionals in the food sector, aiming to improve the quality of education and research.

Additionally, DINTER aimed to minimize the risks of academic inbreeding in the training of master’s and doctoral students by encouraging participation in scientific cooperation projects with partner institutions. These objectives enhanced the academic training and research capabilities of professionals, contributing to scientific and technological development in Food Engineering.

The project “FOOD FACTORIES FACTORY: PRODUCTION CHAINS OF AÇAÍ AND CUPUAÇU – Small-Scale Sustainable Powdered Food Factory” involves the construction and instrumentation of four (4) processing units for açaí and cupuaçu inside shipping containers, for the production of powdered pulp (video link). Coordinated by Prof. João Laurindo, the project employs innovative technologies suited to small-scale production, using photovoltaic electric energy and bioenergy produced from the residues of processed raw materials. The project aligns with global trends in food production based on sustainable processes, including decarbonization and respect for the environment and local communities. Life cycle analyses of the products are being conducted in each community. Institutions such as SEDECTI/AM, UEA, SEMAS/PA, EMATER/PA, FUNAI, and UFPA participate in the project, assisting with logistics, regional sociocultural aspects, and the decentralization of technology with the installation of these “factories” in remote areas of northern Brazil.

The project “BIORE-AMAZONIA: Biorefinery of Amazonian Fruit Chains” seeks to enhance the recovery of essential oils, bioactive molecules, and other high-value products from Amazonian fruits to increase the economic and social returns for local producers. Coordinated by Prof. Sandra Ferreira, the project involves collaboration between several universities, including the Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), the Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), and the Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel), along with local Amazonian communities, as part of the “Amazônia +10” initiative. This initiative aims to add value to Amazonian fruit chains, fostering sustainability and the socioeconomic development of the communities involved.

The ¡Ext!EQA outreach project, led by the Department of Chemical Engineering and Food Engineering (EQA) at UFSC and carried out in 2022, 2023, and 2024, aims to connect students, industry, and alumni through roundtable discussions facilitated by EQA faculty. The project also engages with high schools through lab visits and participation in career fairs, offering students a practical understanding of Chemical Engineering and Food Engineering.

The strong engagement of PPGEAL faculty in coordinating research projects is evident in their extensive collaboration with the private sector (10 projects, R$ 12 million), funding agencies (16 projects, R$ 8 million), and NGOs (4 projects, R$ 1.2 million) during the 2021–2024 period.

The Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (UFSC) stands out for its Affirmative Action Program, implemented in graduate programs in 2020 through Normative Resolution No. 145/2020/CUN, which reserves 28% of places and scholarships for underrepresented groups. Between 2021 and 2024, the PPGEAL admitted 7 master’s students (27%) and 4 doctoral students (15%) as Black or mixed-race through this program.

Particularly noteworthy are outreach projects involving national and especially regional companies, which enable the transfer of academic and scientific knowledge from PPGEAL faculty and students to help improve local businesses. Examples include collaborations with Levteck – Living Technology (on projects such as “Quality of Dried Brewing Yeasts” and “Improvement of Processes Involving Yeasts”) and microbiology training for employees of NanoVetores – Tecnologia S.A.

The COFECUB Project – a CAPES/COFECUB initiative (French Committee for the Evaluation of University Cooperation with Brazil), led by Prof. João Borges Laurindo since 2023, focuses on Food Science (Food Packaging). It aims to strengthen academic cooperation between researchers and institutions from Brazil and France. Participants include:
(1) Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC),
(2) Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), e
(3) Institut Agro Dijon – France.

The “School of Technology Open House” and “UFSC Degree Fair” (2022–2024) are two outreach activities aimed at promoting UFSC’s undergraduate and graduate programs (Open House and Degree Fair). All PPGEAL faculty members participated in these initiatives.

The Junior Enterprise specialized in Chemical Engineering and Food Engineering – Conaq features the active involvement of PPGEAL professors in supervising student projects with regional companies.
Website: https://conaq.com.br/