The participation of the university laboratory in international activities allowed to strengthen cooperation networks and contribute to the development of sustainable productive strategies in aquaculture.
The Fish Nutrition and Physiology Laboratory of the Catholic University of Temuco (UCT) consolidated its international presence through master classes, specialized training and participation in the European Aquaculture Congress 2025 (Aquaculture Europe 2025), with results that directly impact the country's agro-industrial development.
The central activity took place at the University of Zaragoza, where the academic Dr. Adrián Hernández Arias gave a master class in the Food Science and Technology degree on the importance of feed processing for aquaculture and its effect on the nutritional and sensory quality of the final product, a topic that directly connects with the productive challenges of La Araucanía and Chile.
Dr Hernandez explained that the inter-university collaboration has been continuous for several years, with frequent actions between the institutions such as virtual classes, visits and exchanges, publications and support for projects, and added that Recent activities have allowed to strengthen these international links, incorporating the interaction with the newly created SENSOFIA Action Group from the Iberus Campus, which represents a new opportunity to promote the sensory evaluation research line within the University.
The agenda concluded with participation in the European aquaculture congress in Valencia, where the work "Enhancing Aquaculture Product Quality: The Role of Sensory Evaluation in Assessing Nutritional and Feeding Strategies" was presented, developed in collaboration with the University of Zaragoza and the Sensofia Action Group from the Iberus Campus.
Regarding this point, Dr. Hernandez highlighted that both terrestrial animal production and aquaculture face challenges related to the effect of ingredients used in the formulation of feeds on the maintenance of sensory attributes of the final products. In his words, the academic specified that “sensory evaluation as a basic research tool in both production systems allows linking the formulation of diets with the final product quality, optimizing attributes such as taste, texture and appearance, and generating objective information that serves to guide sustainable food and nutrition strategies that improve the acceptance of products in international markets.”
At the same congress, the laboratory presented the work “Impact of Increasing Temperatures on Neuroendocrine and Molecular Responses of Skeletal Muscle and Liver in Fish: A Comprehensive Review”, developed with Dr. Alberto Sáez of the University of the Americas, which contributes to the international debate on the effects of climate change on fish physiology, a topic of high relevance to aquatic ecosystems in the region.
Professors Patricio Dantagnan and Alejandro Velásquez also presented results linked to the FONDEF IDEA I+D ID24I10028 project, showing significant advances in the development of innovative nutritional strategies for sustainable aquaculture. Previously, they met with Dr. Lluís Torts of AQUAB Fish Lab of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona to exchange experiences in physiology and immunology of fish. The academics, also visited the IRTA-La Rapita in Catalonia to meet its director, Dr. Christopher Aguilera. In addition, they participated in a meeting at INRAE-NUMEA in France with the deputy director, Dr. Ilban Seiliez, consolidating international links aimed at scientific cooperation in fish nutrition and metabolism.
The internationalization activities with the University of Zaragoza will continue in Chile on Thursday, October 16, in the framework of World Food Day, organized by the Nutrition and Dietetics career and the Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research in Applied Microbiology of the UCT. This time, Dr. Juan Calanche, academic of the University of Zaragoza, will give the inaugural conference entitled “Animal protein: transcendence and trends in the XXI century”, reinforcing the academic link between the two institutions
For more information about future event, visit the Instagram (@uct_nutrition.dietetica) and the Doctorate in Agricultural Sciences (@doc.agro.uct) of the study house.
