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To tackle the challenge of providing everyone with access to safe, nutritious, and contaminant-free food, Brazil will have a new center of scientific excellence: the National Institute of Science and Technology for Food (INCT-Alim), headquartered at the Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC) at USP. Approved in a public call by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), the project brings together more than 100 researchers from across the country and focuses on developing and applying methods to detect residues and contaminants in food, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals. INCT-Alim also works on health risk assessment, the characterization of functional foods, and the management of laboratories focused on food safety.
With an investment of R$ 6 million in public funds, the institute will support cutting-edge research, equipment acquisition, training of young scientists, and scholarship grants. The project involves coordination among public institutions, research centers, and regulatory agencies, under the leadership of professor Fernando Mauro Lanças, a national reference in analytical chemistry. “The proposal for INCT-Alim comes at a time when Brazil faces complex challenges, such as increased consumption of ultra-processed foods, food insecurity, and climate change affecting production,” says Lanças.
INCT-Alim is organized into five main scientific axes, all aimed at ensuring food quality from production to consumption: the development of analytical methods to detect contaminants more quickly and accurately; risk assessment associated with the ingestion of residues and toxins; characterization of bioactive and nutraceutical compounds with a focus on health benefits; analysis of volatile compounds and precursors that influence aroma, flavor, and safety; and the application of advanced oxidation processes to mitigate contaminants.
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Among the network’s activities is monitoring the presence of potentially carcinogenic compounds. Laboratories linked to the institute have developed more sensitive, faster, more robust, automated, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly analytical methods for detecting pesticides in plant-based foods (vegetables, legumes, roots and tubers, and pulses), residues of veterinary drugs in animal-based foods (meat, milk, eggs, honey, and derivatives), and toxins such as mycotoxins found in certain foods and beverages.
“This type of work has a direct impact on regulatory decisions about what can or cannot enter the country, helping protect the population from harmful substances and providing technical support to agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) and the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa),” highlights the coordinator.
Human Resources and Public Engagement
Another central focus of INCT-Alim is human resource development. Young researchers participate in training activities through courses, workshops, hands-on training, and scientific exchange programs. The institute also maintains international partnerships, with Brazilian students working in centers of excellence such as the Laboratory of Foodomics in Spain and the Technical University of Crete in Greece.
“Internationalization broadens scientific horizons and creates unique opportunities for training and innovation,” says Lanças.
Despite its scientific focus, the institute also aims to engage with the general public. Beginning in 2026, it plans to launch brochures, videos, workshops, and educational content for schools, consumers, and health professionals. The institute’s activities and results will also be shared through social media, including Instagram.
In addition to IQSC and various universities and research institutes from Brazil’s five geographic regions, the network includes organizations such as the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), the Biological Institute of São Paulo, the Pernambuco Institute of Technology (Itep), the Paraná Institute of Technology (Tecpar), and regulatory agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (Mapa) and the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).
By: Gabriel Maciel, IQSC Communication Office
English version: Nexus Traduções, edited by Denis Pacheco
