“We have all the condiments to undertake and investigate” – Interview with Paulo Cadeia

AGRI-FOOD COMPETENCE CENTRE FOR THE MEAT SECTOR

CIDADE HOJE (CH) – What importance do you attach to the distinction that VN Famalicão is the target of as a European Entrepreneurial Region? Paulo Cadeia (PC) – It is undoubtedly very important. It is an award in recognition of all the entrepreneurial activity that the region has been developing, and will allow an international projection of entrepreneurship in this region. A projection through the promotion of an agenda of activities and events that will place the region at the level of the most entrepreneurial in Europe.
CH – How do Research Centres, such as TEC-MEAT, contribute to the recognition/scientific and technological development of a region?
PC – Research centers will not be the only players to contribute to scientific development, but they are, without any doubt, key entities. Endowed with one of the largest European technological centers, CITEVE, with a focus on textiles and clothing, the launch in 2020 of TECMEAT, with a focus on the Meat Industry, is a good demonstration of entrepreneurship in the region. As these are two of the main sectors in the region, both now supported with their technological center, complemented with other entities of the scientific system in the region (such as universities), we have all the conditions to, with the business fabric, continue to undertake research, and develop new products and more innovative processes.
CH – Since the presentation of the Center, what steps have been taken towards its full functionality?
PC – TECMEAT is the result of a project that began to be executed in 2020, which incorporates the implementation of laboratories and
a pilot unit. The first public presentation, in September 2022, with the international conference MEAT MEETINGS’22, made it possible to make this institution known to the business community and the scientific community. The year 2023 was the year of completion of the implementation of its infrastructure and licensing, as well as the hiring of researchers. We are prepared to offer a set of services and activities to companies this year, as well as to develop new lines of research with other entities of the scientific system and companies.
CH – How are companies joining?
PC – Very positively and, above all, surprised by the potential of our facilities, in particular with the pilot unit. We have, in fact, several companies, both from the meat processing industry and other industries that gravitate around it (e.g., representatives of equipment or condiment suppliers) that in the various visits already made, have been amazed by the installed capacity at TECMEAT. The reception has been so positive that several cooperation protocols are already being outlined for 2024.
CH – How are you developing the research work, and what services do you offer to companies?
PC – In terms of research, we are in 3 RRP projects, one of them, the Mobilizing Agenda for Agri-Food – VIIAFOOD – where we are responsible for testing and developing 3D meat products. In the other 2 projects, in terms of Bioeconomy, we focus on the industrial symbioses between the meat sector and the textile and clothing sector – the project BE@T, led by CITEVE, and another, in the development and testing of polymeric biofilters for the food sector, led by the Resins Cluster – the RN21 project. In terms of services, TECMEAT is prepared to carry out advanced tests and trials and quality control on the product, to carry out R&D + Innovation aimed at the development of new products and services, and also, for training in a laboratory and business environment.
CH – How many researchers work at the centre, and from which universities do they come?
PC – We currently have 3 researchers, one PhD and 2 masters in the areas of biotechnology and food. His training comes from the University of Minho and the University of Aveiro. We expect, of course, to grow over the next few years.
CH – Do companies show openness to researchers?
PC – Companies are increasingly open to working with researchers,
particularly researchers from technology centres, universities, or collaborative laboratories. However, having companies open for researchers to incorporate their staff will not be a matter of openness or trust, but of the size of the company. It is very difficult to justify, financially, the incorporation of researchers in micro or small companies, the predominant typology in the meat sector. As for medium and large companies, they already have not only researchers but even departments or units of L&D.CH
– What partnerships and collaborations are there with other technological centers?
PC – The existing partnerships are indeed a strong point of TECMEAT, starting with its founding partners, as we have technological centers, clusters and associations. For example, in terms of agri-food, TECMEAT has been working closely with the Agri-Food Cluster – Portugalfoods, as well as with Colab4Food in the development of
various works. We are studying other partnerships that may be important in terms of technology transfer and/or demonstration actions, such as establishing partnerships with equipment representatives. We cannot fail to highlight all the support and commitment that the Municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão has shown towards TECMEAT.
CH – What challenges does the meat sector face?
PC – Many of them are similar to other sectors. Sustainability and circularity, traceability, clean labeling, or even digitalisation. These are areas in which we all try to monitor and implement them. Increasing competitiveness, through technological innovation, reducing production costs, and increasing production efficiency, are also challenges that the sectors seek to respond. In the meat sector, topics such as food fraud and safety, the reduction of sugars and fats, alternative proteins, or even new consumer profiles are particular challenges for the sector.
CH – Is the training of employees in companies at the level of the sector’s requirements?
PC – The lack of practical training is one of the reasons why TECMEAT was created. The agri-food sector, in particular the meat processing industry, did not have any centre equipped with a pilot unit capable of providing technical and technological means to provide training in a practical context. Currently, the industry is almost always in a work context, causing different entropies in its production lines. This situation is even more pressing with the recurring need to train new employees and, in turn, particularly the immigrants who have arrived in the region to work. TECMEAT is able to respond to this challenge and raise the demands of technical training in the sector.
CH – Are animal producers connected to this center?
PC – Producers of cattle, pigs, poultry, etc., are directly linked to this center as they are part of the food chain. Animal welfare, its food, and the tracking of the entire chain, are concerns not only of the consumer but also of producers and processors. TECMEAT, obviously, could not neglect this very important point because this is where it all begins.

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