The Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias de la Alimentación (CIAL) is a leading Spanish research center in the field of food science, jointly operated by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM).
CIAL conducts high-quality research with a strong focus on nutrition, health, and sustainability. Its activities aim to understand the physiological effects of foods and bioactive ingredients on human health and disease prevention, improve food safety and sensory properties, and investigate biological mechanisms at the molecular level using advanced omics approaches such as metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, and microbiomics.
The institute also develops novel functional ingredients and foods, innovates food processing strategies, and supports circular bioeconomy approaches by recovering valuable compounds from food by-products using conventional and emerging clean technologies.
Research at CIAL is structured across three departments:
• Food Bioactivity and Analysis
• Food Biotechnology and Microbiology
• Production and Characterization of Novel Foods
This departmental framework fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and supports CIAL’s mission to advance nutritional science, drive innovation in the food sector, and contribute to public well-being through evidence-based research.