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Saturday 27 April 2024

Freshcut, a commitment to healthy eating and social integration

José Luis Estévez
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Freshcut, a commitment to healthy eating and social integration

The request of a hospital for a type of healthy food for its patients is at the origin of the birth of Freshcut in 2011. Until then there was only a chain of greengrocers, Frutas Nieves, owned by a Vigo family that had 60 own stores and he was already working with the supply of fruit to various hospitals. But that commission marked an evolution towards a company that is growing in a very important way today and that knew how to specialize in a sector such as healthy eating for the elderly.

Freshcut will open along this will see a new production plant in the Pasaxe de Gondomar polygon, which will multiply by ten the capacity of the factory that it had until now in the Valadares neighborhood of Vigo. Eusebio Méndez, manager of the company, points out that with its opening a new stage will open after closing last year with a turnover close to two million euros.

The commitment to innovation and the development of new products is the key to the evolution of the great leap forward that the company made in less than ten years. This did not lead to forgetting another of the fundamental principles of the company, social integration. Currently, 70 percent of workers have some type of disability. Cogami was part of the shareholding of the company in the first years, although later it ceased to belong to the company.

Initially, the compote with which the project was born had two flavors to choose from, but today customers can choose a total of eight (always with the Galician apple base) and other products such as soups and spreads (hummus without tahini, olive oil and vegan sobrasada), always with the aim of producing healthy food as a priority. “At the moment our R + D + i department continues to work on the development of other types of products,” says Méndez, who also highlights its multidisciplinary nature since biologists, food technicians, chefs or engineers work there.

One of the most important projects currently being developed is AHGAVES, which is based on the relationship between nutrition and healthy aging to obtain innovative plant products that meet the nutritional needs of the elderly. The project has the collaboration of the Galician Innovation Agency (Gain) of the Xunta de Galicia (through the InnovaPeme program co-financed by the Feder Galicia 2014-2020 operational program) and the target audience is both in hospitals as in residences or private homes. It is a type of diet that is also especially dedicated to large dependents.

Freshcut collaborated closely on this project with the business organization of the canning sector Anfaco and tests were carried out with satisfactory results of healthy vegetable cream for the elderly. A total of 160 volunteers, people over 70 years old from various residences in the Vigo area, participated in the experiment with very encouraging data regarding the improvement of the health of the people who participated in it.

FRESHCUT’S PRODUCTS ARE ALREADY SOLD IN COUNTRIES SUCH AS ISRAEL, BRAZIL AND KOREA AND THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE VERY IMPORTANT GROWTH IN THE NEXT YEARS

“Our market is international, although currently our greatest presence is in Galicia and the rest of Spain. We have distribution in Eroski supermarkets and other chains. Overseas for now we have a presence in Israel, Brazil and Korea but we are already exploring possibilities in other markets such as Japan ”, explains Méndez. It seems that a project that was born almost by chance by the commission of a client could have a very important growth in the coming years since the healthy eating sector has a huge future in very diverse markets.

Freshcut is well placed to face this challenge and highlights its commitment to manufacturing new 100% natural products, from the best orchards, without additives, without preservatives and without added sugars. The quality of the raw material is one of the fundamental factors to explain the success of the company with its products in the different markets in which it is already present. 

DIGI4AUT, moving towards the 4.0 automotive factory model

José Luis Estévez
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DIGI4AUT, moving towards the 4.0 automotive factory model

Moving towards an increasingly intelligent automotive industry was the main objective of the DIGI4AUT Joint Research Unit (UMI), developed by the Aimen technology center and the Copo Group, which has just concluded with very important results for saving time, material and costs in the production of foams for components in the automotive industry. The initiative had the support of the Xunta de Galicia through the Galician Innovation Agency (Gain). The project budget reached 4,080,000 euros, which was co-financed by the FEDER Galicia 2014-2020 funds.

After four years of work, great results were achieved in the implementation of an advanced system for the excess material of the foams, which saves time, material and costs. In addition, solutions were obtained through the application of process monitoring and control systems with artificial vision and data analytics. The project represents an important advance towards a new advanced factory model 4.0, capable of addressing in a flexible and efficient way the production of foams with higher performance for the automotive sector.

The team that developed the project focused on the technologies that connect the physical world with the digital one, based on four pillars: connectivity, digitization, reconfigurability and cognitive and intelligent factory. “The results of the project are already effective and currently in the Copo group we are already working with some of the results obtained, such as the control of the mold to avoid excesses in the pieces or the application of mold release wax in a more homogeneous way in the mold”, explains Sergio Rodríguez, manager of Cetec (Copo Group Technological Center).

For his part, Yago Lapido, researcher at the Robotics and Control Unit at Aimen, points out that in the last months of the project progress was made in aspects such as the elimination of excess material from the parts, the identification of the variables that influence manufacturing of the same and in their traceability. In this way, a unitary code was incorporated for each part manufactured, which collects all the critical parameters of the process during the manufacture of the part. In addition, a manufacturing process management system (MES) was developed.

Lapido highlights that during the project, both Aimen and Grupo Copo worked as a single team. “From AIMEN we approached the knowledge of certain innovative technologies within the concept of Industry 4.0, while Copo approached its experience in the manufacturing processes of automotive seats. Thanks to this joint work, it was possible to implement and develop technologies that previously did not exist in the group’s plants”, Lapido concludes.

The collaboration between Grupo COPO and AIMEN is not new as they have been carrying out R&D projects side by side for a decade 

Sergio Rodríguez considers that the project represents an important step in the digital transformation of the Copo group plants, complying with industry 4.0 standards. “We advance in technologies related to smart manufacturing, improving quality and reducing costs. Therefore, we can say that Copo has already become a benchmark for a digital factory and an example to follow for the automotive sector towards factory 4.0”, adds Rodríguez.

Both entities have already established two other UMIs (NEWFOAM and HIGHPIPE), with the support of the Xunta de Galicia and co-financing of the Feder Galicia 2014-2020 operational program, focused on the development of new materials and technologies for the manufacture of screened products for the automotive industry. “We are working on the definition of new projects that bring new knowledge and benefits to both Aimen and Copo group”, concludes Lapido.

The 3 pillars on which the success of Arzúa Ulloa cheese is based

Patricia Muñoz
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The 3 pillars on which the success of Arzúa Ulloa cheese is based

Arzúa Ulloa cheese is the most produced and consumed in Galicia. A success that comes from the main attributes that define this product of secular tradition: the smoothness of its flavor and its creamy texture is especially well received by many palates.

But how do you get these specific features? The success of Arzúa Ulloa cheeses is based on three fundamental pillars: the place where they are produced, the raw material they use and the way they work it. A fourth key element in its triumph could still be added: the large number of gastronomic possibilities through which it can be tasted.

The requirements of the Arzúa Ulloa Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) mark a very specific geographical area for the production of the product and its raw material, cow’s milk. This includes city councils in the regions of Arzúa, Terra de Melide, A Ulloa, Chantada O Deza and some neighboring areas, in which both cheese and milk itself must be produced.

In general, these are places located at points with relative elevation above sea level (the entire territory is above 300 meters) and where average temperatures and rainfall allow maintaining good quality meadows.

These meadows, which mark the landscape of the entire land of Arzúa Ulloa cheese, will serve as food for the cows that will produce the milk from which the cheese will be made. Within the PDO, natural and whole milk from copies of the rubia galega, alpine brown or friesian must be used.

Intense dairy aroma

Regarding the production process, the way of working the raw material, the result is a yellow cheese, lentil or cylindrical shaped and with a thin rind. It has a salty taste with an intense dairy aroma and the degree of acidity is low.

“Its mild flavor, with an acid touch, is reminiscent of the natural cheeses that were formerly made at home”, says Isabel García, from Bo-Queixo

Its maturation period is short, 6 months minimum, but this cheese has the peculiarity of continuing to mature over time. Therefore, the best way to keep it in optimal conditions is to protect it with a material that allows it to breathe, keep it in a place free of strong odors and keep it at room temperature and constant (between 8 and 10 degrees).

Innovation and tradition

For Isabel García, maker of the Bo-Queixo cheese factory in Boqueixón (A Coruña), the fundamental reason why this variety is so popular is “for its creamy texture and for its mild flavor, with an acid touch, reminiscent of the natural cheeses that were made formerly in houses”.

This characteristic taste allows you to enjoy it on its own, accompanied by some walnuts, quince paste or eat it as a sandwich, for example. But the range of consumption possibilities is much greater: the gastronomic proposals of the most innovative cuisine are already introducing Arzúa cheese in their elaborations.

Regarding to that, García points out that “it is being used more and more in restaurants, especially as melting cheese, and also when preparing some desserts.”

A festival for cheese

Since 1975,  Arzúa (a town in A Coruña region) celebrates its Festa do Queixo (the Festival of Cheese), an event around this product that has grown and evolved to become a great meeting point for artisans, professionals and the general public.

The celebration, which takes place the first weekend of March at the Terras do Queixo fairgrounds, currently has a marked interdisciplinary character that goes far beyond an appointment for the sector. Declared of Tourist Interest of Galicia, its gastronomic section is completed with a varied cultural and artistic program that extends through different areas of Arzúa.

The tastes of the Lands of Santiago

It is not the only delicacy that we can taste in Lands of Santiago area, whose deep link with the Camino Xacobeo is also evident in some of the most typical products of the area. This is the case, among others, of the famous Saint James’ cake, made with almonds and traditionally decorated with the apostle’s cross.

The list of essentials of the local gastronomy also includes delicacies such as the traditional gingerbreads and pastries from Melide, the renowned peppers of Herbón or the unique liquors of Ulla, among other foods and beverages.

Empanada of Noia: wise combination of land and sea

Patricia Muñoz
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Empanada of Noia: wise combination of land and sea

One of the most famous products of Galician gastronomy is the empanada, whose historical roots make us travel to the Middle Ages. Precisely in a town with an important heritage from this period, Noia, we can find one of the best traditional preparations.

Empanada stands out for its versatility, because it admits a wide variety of ingredients. Thus, we can find stuffed with meat, vegetables, fish or seafood. The mass can be made of wheat flour (the most common) or corn.

This local product also adapts to different consumption possibilities: you can eat it hot or cold; as a starter or as the main dish.

Among the wide range of preparations and presentations that we can find throughout the Galician geography, in the village of Noia (A Coruña) the local specialty combines, with great wisdom, fruits of the land and the sea: is the empanada made with corn mass and filled with cockles.

The secrets of the empanada de Noia

At Noia we can find a great variety of empanadas. The one made with wheat has peculiarity of being made with a fatter mass.

Among the different kinds of empanada made with corn, the most famous is the one filled with cockles, a bivalve of which Noia is also an important producer. Other possible filling options are cuttlefish, octopus or cod.

Some of the secrets to getting a good empanada lie in the experience and wisdom of the person who makes it, but also in the product that is selected for its preparation. According to Sesé Fernández, in charge of the bakery Forno do Couto, in Noia, one of the main points is to “buy local and top quality product.” “Also it is important to fry the onion in the pan” she says.

However, having good raw materials is not the only important thing for the perfect empanada. As Fernández confesses, it is also essential to “work with love and use a good oven, ideally made of stone”.

The local baker points out that “empanada has a long tradition in Noia“. In her family, knowledge has been transmitted from generation to generation: “my grandmother always did it and, later, my mother did too,” she points.

It is true that this product has great recognition in the town. Every August, the town celebrates a local festival starring the empanada, an opportunity to taste all the wide variety of possibilities that this tasty product offers.

Empanada and corn: a little bit of history

As the historian Xavier Castro says in his book A mesa e manteis. Historia da alimentación en Galicia, nowadays empanada is the “emblematic menu” of Galician gastronomy. In the past, it was one of the “medieval pillars” in the region.

Close to Noia there are some testimonies of the existence of this product in the Middle Ages: in the Pórtico de la Gloria in de Catedral de Santiago de Compostela (late 12th century) there is the first known representation. Without leaving the capital of Galicia, we can find another possible reference in the Pazo de Xelmírez (early 13th century). The literature of the time also includes allusions to this delicacy, as is the case with the Cantigas de Santa María by Afonso X El Sabio (13th century).

In the case of corn, it was one of the products that reached Europe after the discovery of America. Time will pass between the first introduction and the expansion of its use and cultivation in Galicia, so we will have to wait until the 17th century to find references to its habitual use in feeding Galician population.

Tastes of the Muros-Noia estuary

In addition to the empanada and the cockles from the Muros and Noia estuary, there are other delicacies in the region  that are worth trying, especially in regard to fish and shellfish.

One of the essential gastronomic plans on a tour of this region of A Coruña is to taste the sardine of Portosín, in Porto do Son. In summer, this product is tributed by locals in a popular festival.

Mussel of Cabo de Cruz: black gold that admits infinite preparations

Patricia Muñoz
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Mussel of Cabo de Cruz: black gold that admits infinite preparations

With 230 square kilometers of surface, Arousa bay is the largest of the Galician estuaries. It is also an important mussel producing center, being the place where, in 1945, the first punt was anchored. Several of its enclaves are especially known for the quality and tradition related to the exploitation of this bivalve, among them the port of Cabo de Cruz, at Boiro (A Coruña). In this place with a great fishing tradition we can discover the production process of this product and enjoy the immense gastronomic possibilities that it allows.

In this small coastal town we can soak up the seafaring culture of yesterday and today, as the seafood sector has been a very important engine for the local economy for a long time. It is likely that the origin of this nucleus is precisely the cultivation of mussels, a product tributed every month of August in a gastronomic festival where it can be tasted in different ways.

The breadth of the estuary and the important presence of nutrients in its waters are part of the secret of the good quality of the product, conditions that make the taste and some physical characteristics different from those of products from other places. “The taste of a mussel from the Pontevedra estuary, for example, is very different from that of Arousa”, explains the hotelier Juan Vila, from La Batea de Juan, in Boiro.

According to him, some of the features that best characterize the local mussel are its meat of an intense color, similar to red. Another peculiarity is that it tends to have embedded less arneirón (the small white crustaceans that adhere to the shell) than specimens from other places.

The ‘black gold’ of Arousa

Starting from a quality raw material, you also need expert hands who know the product well and know how to work it in the most appropriate way: from the point of salt to the selection of the best accompaniments or flavor combinations. Because this gastronomic jewel, known as the ‘black gold’ of Arousa, allows many alloys: alladas, rustridos, sauces, Modena vinegar, leek, bay leaf and egg are some possibilities that we can offer our palate.

This gastronomic jewel, known as the “black gold” of Arousa, allows many combinations

“The truth is that you can prepare as you want. Many people do not know it except steamed, but we have to propose other possibilities “, the boirense hotelier said. In caldeirada, tiger mussel, in tomato sauce, in salpicón, a la marinera, with frying and breadcrumbs (and baked gratin, like scallops), in omelette or scrambled with turnip greens or spinach are an example of possible alternatives.

Mexillón de Cabo de Cruz
Photo: Mancomunidade de Municipios Barbanza Arousa

Look at the details

Much of the secret of the gastronomic success of mussels has to do with experience and knowledge of some tips related to the best way to select them, preserve them and how to cook them. In this sense, Juan Vila gives a clear recommendation: “When it comes to steaming it is not necessary to add water, the mussel itself already has its water and with the heat it opens the ground,” he assures.

Another important tip to keep in mind when buying fresh mussels to take home is “only clean the mussel that is going to be eaten”, in order to keep the leftover fresh for longer and not spoil it.

By way of conclusion, he indicates that, starting from a good raw material, to obtain a tasty preparation the mussel base “experience is also important and, above all, paying attention to all the details”.

To continue savoring the Ría de Arousa Norte

The mussel from the port of Cabo de la Cruz is not the only gastronomic icon in the Arousa Norte area, a geographical area that includes the municipalities of Boiro, Dodro, A Pobra, Rianxo and Ribeira, in A Coruña (Galicia). In this geographical area, where important ports are located, we will find a wide variety of top quality fish and seafood.

Thus, along with the aforementioned ‘black gold’, the essentials of the gastronomy of this territory include products such as the Aguiño barnacle and the Palmeira empanada (both in Ribeira), as well as the Rianxo sardine. All these local delicacies are recognized each year in their own festivals and days of exaltation, where they can be tasted prepared in multiple ways.

Discovering the chanfaina: the countrymen food that became a delicatessen in Ferrolterra

Patricia Muñoz
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Discovering the chanfaina: the countrymen food that became a delicatessen in Ferrolterra

SPONSORED CONTENT BY DEPUTACIÓN DA CORUÑA

The region of Ferrolterra, in A Coruña, is knowed by its coastal landscapes and other natural sites. This variety of landscapes offers a diverse gastronomy whith singular products as the barnacles from Cedeira, the bread from Neda, the octopus from Mugardos, the crusted from Pontedeume, the turnip greens from Monfero or the chanfaina from San Sadurniño. Chanfaina is a sausage with a particular history: in the past it was made and eaten by countrymen, but today it is a local delicacy.

One of the best ways to capture the essence of a territory is through its gastronomy, because the ingredients of each dish, its preparation and forms of presentation tell us about the landscape and history of the places and its inhabitants. On a tour of Ferrolterra, going to San Sadurniño and trying its traditional chanfaina is an essential stop on our journey.

The origin of this sausage comes from the times of the lordships, when the farmers were forced to reserve the best parts of their pigs for their lord, so that they only could eat the entrails. Thus, taking advantage of parts of the animal such as the kidneys, the tongue, the heart or the liver, and adding other ingredients such as corn flour, spices and aromatic herbs, people made this sausage for their daily consumption.

Traditionally, chanfaina was made after the pig was slaughtered. The main ingredients are corn flour, pig’s blood and the different viscera

This peculiar recipe has successfully resisted the passing of the time and the evolution of the gastronomic tastes of society. Thus, starting from a humble origin, nowadays chanfaina has become a whole local delicatessen that is not only prepared in the kitchens of villages like San Sadurniño or Cerdido: it can also be tasted in some restaurants and in popular parties.

The chanfaina of San Sadurniño

The parishes of Igrexafeita and Bardaos, in San Sadurniño, are the places where chanfaina has the greatest fame within this municipality of A Coruña. According to the website “Fálame de San Sadurniño” -a municipal project that collects testimonies about the past and present of this municipality- the name of the inhabitants of Igrexafeita is “foleiros” or “folechos”, a word that cames from fol (stomach in Galician language) that is used in the popular preparation.

Traditionally, chanfaina was made after the pig was slaughtered and consists of putting, inside the animal’s stomach, different ingredients: corn flour, pig’s blood and the different well-cut viscera. This mixture is marinated with garlic, oregano, hot pepper and salt and, once cooked, it is ready to eat. The possibility of eat it hot or cold will depend on the tastes of each person.

Nowadays, few people know how to cook this singular product

The Mesón Os Cazadores is one of the restaurants in San Sadurniño where you can taste the traditional dish, making a previous order. Its preparation requires a lot of time: the meat must be cut “very small and by hand,” says the owner of the meson, María José García.

Chanfaina is a dish still very unknown in many places but that, once it is tasted, its particular taste does not leave anyone indifferent: “Who likes it, likes it a lot”, she assures. Among the lovers of this dish, “there are those who prefer to eat it hot and accompanied with some cooked potatoes, but there are also the ones who like to eat cold chanfaina”, she adds.

Although the recipe has survived the passing of the centuries, María José García points out that “there are fewer and fewer” people who know how to make this product, a tradition that “we must take care”.

“Cooked cinema” in San Sadurniño

The deep relation between San Sadurniño and its chanfaina, that tasty scramble of different parts of the pig, has inspired other initiatives in the cultural field. Taking the same idea of combination and mixture, in 2014 born the Chanfaina´Lab project, an anual meeting of audiovisual creators that, since its first edition, works enhance this rural land.

In each edition, Chanfaina’Lab provides a different way of getting to know San Sadurniño, its heritage and its people: the social aspects, the transformations of the landscape, the history of places and the people are some of the contents of the short films made within this project. As happens with the traditional sausage, this audiovisual works collect the essence of San Sadurniño.

As Mariñas guards in Betanzos the secret of the best omelette

Patricia Muñoz
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As Mariñas guards in Betanzos the secret of the best omelette

SPONSORED CONTENT BY DEPUTACIÓN DA CORUÑA

If there is a gastronomic topic that raises special discussion, it is the one referring to the way to prepare the Spanish omelette (called tortilla in Spanish): thin or fat, with or without onion, well done or undercooked … A good place to think about all these questions is Betanzos, a town in the province of A Coruña famous for making the best preparations according to a traditional recipe: a juicy omelette, with quality potatoes, eggs and olive oil and… without onion.

The success of the recipe lies in its simplicity, but it does not mean that the perfect “tortilla” (the Spanish word for omelette) is something easy to achieve. Only expert hands, with dedication and love for cooking, manage to find the perfect match of different ingredients.

Near A Coruña (moving from A Coruña to Betanzos by car will take you less than half an hour), in this monumental and historical town we can enjoy a gastronomy characterized by the use of local products. The omelette, vegetables such as cabbage and the wine from the land of Betanzos are an incentive for many travelers attracted by unique and high-quality gastronomic products.

Spanish Omelette Week

We could say that, in Betanzos, there is no tapas bar that does not include tortilla in its menu. In fact, a lot of tourists choose this place because they want to taste the products. “There is no table that does not ask for omelette”, says Pepa Miranda, owner and cook at the restaurant Casa Miranda.

In the opinion of Pepa Miranda, one of the keys to this famous omelette is to pay attention to the quality of the different ingredients: “We are very careful about the quality of the egg, I look for the best potato and I only use olive oil”, she assures.

But the ingredients are not the only important thing: it is also necessary to pay attention to little details as the exact point of salt and the preparation of the potato, cutting it in small pieces and using a pan (not a deep fryer) for frying it.

The key is to “spend a lot of time” cooking and working with personal involvement. “I suffer if it doesn’t come out the way I want”, says the veteran cook, who remembers that “when Casa Miranda started working 45 years ago, the omelette from Betanzos was not as well known as it is now. In recent years, with the contests, it became more known for the people”.

Once a year, during the celebration of the Spanish Omelette Week, the village becomes a show-window in which you can discover and taste different preparations of this local specialty

Although the characteristics of the omelette from Betanzos make it a unique delicacy, each restaurant in the town has its own way of cooking it. “The truth is that the omelette from Betanzos it is juicy, but each one is different”, says Pepa Miranda about the work of the different cookers.

During the Spanish Omelette Week, which is celebrated during the month of October, Betanzos becomes a show-window in which to discover and taste the different preparations of the local specialty. The winner represents Betanzos in the spanish potato omelette contest and several years Betanzos has won the national competition.

On the occasion of the local gastronomic event, born in 2007, different bars and restaurants compete to be the authors of the best omelette, a way to give visibility to the local star dish and, at the same time, stimulate continuous improvement. “You cannot guard down, you have to work on maintaining quality” Pepa Miranda -whose tortilla has been awarded in 5 editions- says.

The Spanish Omelette Week is not the only party protagonized by this delicatessen. Tortilla is also present in the main local celebrations, being a gastronomic product in high demand at popular parties such as San Roque. Declared National Tourist Interest Party, these festivities include the famous launching of the paper hot-air balloon and the fluvial pilgrimage of the caneiros.

The other tastes of As Mariñas

But the region of As Mariñas, in A Coruña, not only guards the secret of the best omelettes. Taking a tour of this land offers you the opportunity to discover other delicacies such as the mussel from the port of Lorbé, unique in the Rías Altas with rafts (called bateas) to produce this tasty mollusk.

Another essential option to discover the flavors of this territory is to try the bread from Carral, the best companion for any of the different gastronomic specialties of the area. Its artisan production and its very fluffy crumb are its main hallmarks.

Bflow, the Galician company that will accelerate the preclinical analysis of molecules and drugs

Redacción
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The current crisis has brought a good part of the population closer to the strict standards of time and procedures by which science is governed to guarantee, precisely, that its results are for the benefit of society. In this sense, the possibility of testing molecules or drugs with utility in animal models is an important step in this complex process. And the BFlow company, which has just been set up by several researchers from the University of Santiago de Compostela, is looking for solutions in this regard.

The company, according to this university, “offers microfluidic solutions thanks to the personalized design and manufacturing by laser technology of a chip with microchannels on which cell culture can be performed and to which a flow simulation is applied.” In this way, its technology allows testing in preclinical research “the molecules and drugs in conditions very similar to those of a living being, which is why, used before passing the test in animals, it allows identifying the best candidates to pass that test , thus reducing and rationalizing research time, experimental costs and the number of experimental animals”.

The Bflow project is the result of years of research and collaboration between leading teams in the area of ​​microfluidics, photonics and biotechnology, both from the University itself, and from the Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago de Compostela (FIDIS). The promoting partners of this new spin-off are researchers María Aymerich, Maite Flores, Ezequiel Álvarez and Alberto P. Muñuzuri. María Seoane will be its director.

The BFlow solution incorporates unique features compared to other custom organ-on-a-chip solutions purchased, such as the variety of material and microchannel design options employed without prototyping, making the BFlow is a partner that meets the needs of laboratories and pharmaceutical companies in the current context. “A customized, cutting-edge, fast and economical solution”, explain its promoters.

BFlow solutions also have a wide field of application ranging from wound healing to mining or waste treatment, due to their ability to provide real-time information for decision-making (monitoring), in situations that require flow application.

Awards

The work of the researchers who are now launching the BFlow project was recognized by various awards, including those awarded by the Royal Galician Academy of Sciences with the Francisco Guitián Ojea Technology Transfer Award and the Ernesto Viéitez Young Investigator Award. At the same time, it was certified as a Technology-Based Business Initiative by the Xunta de Galicia. Also awarded by the USC as the Best Business Idea, it is part of Bioincubatech, the incubation program for biotechnology companies of the University.

Vigo’s invention to turn on the light and open doors without contagion

Alejandro Bassets
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Vigo’s invention to turn on the light and open doors without contagion

The Galician Metalworkers Industrial Association (Asime) and the University of Vigo launched a new solidarity initiative in collaboration with four Galician companies: Lupeon, Dativic, Roviño5 and Akwel Automotive. Based on the work done by Lupeon and Dativic, this group of companies and organizations will take the production of this device to the next level, through modeling and plastic injection.

The so-called LU-Touch is a tool for opening and closing doors and windows, which can also act as a push-button for buttons and switches, so that direct contact with surfaces is avoided and the risks of contagion are limited.

The system was devised a few weeks ago by Lupeon, in collaboration with its subsidiary logistics company Dativic. Given the significant demand received, the company joined forces with the other two companies involved, under the coordination of Asime and the University of Vigo, in order to increase its productive capacity.

A company of recognized prestige in the mold sector, and Akwel Automotive, manufacturer of equipment and systems for the automotive and heavy vehicle industry.

Roviño5 carried out the design and manufacture of a mold with two cavities for the manufacture of Lu_ Touch by means of plastic injection, while the injection process was carried out at the Akwel plant in Vigo.

While Lupeon had the capacity to produce a maximum of 400 pieces per day through 3D printing, the union of forces made it possible to produce 10,000 pieces in record time, which were distributed throughout Spain.

The device is specially designed for healthcare personnel, state security forces and bodies, and social services, but also for companies or workers in any sector who may need it. It has an ergonomic design that makes it easy to operate with just three fingers. The grip area is completely separated from the contact area and offers the possibility of being carried by hanging it from the neck or from the waist. It can be easily disinfected, using 70% alcohol solutions, or alternatively with bleach or soap.

Presentación do sistema LU_Touch.
Presentación do sistema LU_Touch.

Torusware: how to turn data into the ‘treasure’ of organizations

Manuel Rey
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Torusware: how to turn data into the ‘treasure’ of organizations

“What we see now are the fruits of the work that has been done for a long time at the Faculty of Computing in A Coruña,” explains Guillermo López Taboada, general director of Torusware, the company based in the city of A Coruña that has just received the National Computer Prize, awarded by the Spanish Computer Science Society (SCIE) and the BBVA Foundation. The modality in which Torusware was awarded, with the name of Ramón Llull (employer of computer engineering), recognizes the “business activity of a small and/or medium-sized company (SME) in the field of computer engineering, valuing the dynamism and its national and international impact and its commitment to R+D+i ”. And the company directed by Guillermo López largely complies with the values ​​recognized by the award.

Data at the center of decisions

How can be explained the work carried out by a company specialized in computer science to people who do not have knowledge of this subject? “What we are trying to do is make organizations become ‘datacentric‘. Today, all organizations have a huge amount of data from various sources: clients, workers, information systems, internal policies and procedures, devices, sensors, social networks”, explains López Taboada. Knowing the importance that what is called BigData and its good use can have in the development of a company is one of the ways that Torusware marks its clients.

Since 2010 he presented his doctoral thesis, directed by Ramón Doallo and Juan Touriño, the other two Torusware promoting partners and researchers at the ICT Research Center (CiTIC) of the University of Coruña, Guillermo López has developed a line of research around the Computer Architecture that aroused the interest of large international companies in the sector. Finally, the idea took the form of a company with a project that, seven years after its foundation, already has 18 workers and is constantly growing.

Guillermo López, Juan Touriño y Ramón Doallo. Foto: CiTIC.
Guillermo López, Juan Touriño and Ramón Doallo. Photo: CiTIC.

In these years, in which the ‘fever’ for data analysis has spread throughout the planet, incorporating into everyday language terms such as BigData or the Internet of Things (IoT) Torusware found numerous lines of work to offer its services. Guillermo López highlights several examples that explain the relevance of managing quality data, efficiently and integrated in the best possible way in organizations. “For example, a client dedicated to sports activities wanted to know which was the most convenient area to develop offers dedicated to the family audience; if we manage well the data and information that we have, we can find out, for example, that families with young children will be installed in new buildings, or will have them, and therefore they are good areas for develop this type of offer”, summarizes the director of the company.

In this sense, Torusware also offers services based on the development of high-performance applications to handle this data, which are analyzed and help make decisions. This strategy, under the name of DevOps, helps, second explains the A Coruña company on its website, to coordinate the two technical areas of application deployment (development and systems) and their respective human teams to understand and interpret in the best possible way all phases of the application life cycle.

The recognition of Torusware with the National Prize represents for its director a consolidation of the project, after the impulse received during its first years by various institutions and administrations. To the support of the Barrié Foundation, through its Science Fund, in the first phases, the participation in initiatives such as Conecta Pyme, Principia or IFI Innova, of the Galician Agency of Innovation (Gain) of the Ministry of Economy, Employment and Industry of the Xunta de Galicia.

More than 100 graduates in Silicon Valley

Torusware’s career highlights the work that Guillermo López talks about the Coruña faculty: two other graduates (Adrián Pérez and Daniel Valcarce) were recognized this year as the Youth National Prize. And two years ago, another of the promoters of Torusware, Ramón Doallo, and a young researcher from the UDC, David Vilares, also received the recognition of this prestigious contest.

The good position of the Coruña school of computing is confirmed, according to López, with the opportunities and projection that a considerable number of its graduates have. In addition to the positions of responsibility they get in Galician, Spanish and European companies, López Taboada provides the figure that in recent years, “more than 100 graduates” from the A Coruña Faculty of Informatics arrived in Silicon Valley, the epicenter of the big technology companies on the planet.

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