Biotechnology Research from Católica win the 7th edition of the Food Fab Lab Award

Researchers and students Inês Soares (Research Fellow / MSc student in Biotechnology), Maria Leonor de Castro (PhD student in Biotechnology) and Rita Vedor (PhD student in Biotechnology), from the Faculty of Biotechnology and the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, won the Food Fab Lab Award with the project Snack-a-Tummy.

Snack-a-Tummy is a functional and balanced snack, specially developed to meet children’s nutritional needs, while offering a flavour appealing to the whole family. It features an innovative two-compartment format: one containing fermented milk enriched with the probiotic strain Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG and its postbiotic concentrate, and another with chewable apple sticks produced from apple pomace flour and purée from Alcobaça Vermelha IGP apples.

This snack is a source of calcium, rich in protein and fibre, gluten-free, rated Nutri-Score A, and represents a sustainable approach that adds value to national by-products. The winning project, entered in the category of biscuits, snacks and savoury products, stood out among the 13 applications submitted to the 7th edition of this national award, being recognised for its distinctive character and its potential to introduce new high value-added food products to the market.

With this distinction, the researchers secured specialised support for the development of the project, benefiting from strategic and business mentoring for its market introduction through the TAGUSVALLEY ecosystem.

The award ceremony, which took place on 15 December, highlights the excellence of the research carried out at the Faculty of Biotechnology and the Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry, recognising projects that combine scientific rigour, practical innovation and sustainability in the agri-food sector. The Faculty of Biotechnology and CBQFcongratulate their students on this achievement.