A proposal from the National University of La Plata (UNLP) integrates food sovereignty and environmental sustainability by producing dehydrated food.
This initiative not only allows food to last longer by preventing the disposal of fresh produce, but also has a significant social contribution.
It is the Food Plant for Social Integration (PAIS), an innovative food production solution inaugurated in 2022 that already operates like a well-oiled machine.
With the capacity to process up to 3 tons of fresh vegetables daily through dehydration technology, the UNLP aims to address food needs in the Buenos Aires area.
The plant uses an efficient technique that drastically reduces food waste and optimizes distribution logistics: how it works.
Food Dehydration at UNLP: The Technology That Reduces Food Waste
The food dehydration carried out by PAIS significantly increases the durability of products without the need for artificial additives.
This technological process allows for preserving vegetables for extended periods, preventing losses due to spoilage and facilitating storage.
The production process is divided into two stages. First, the fresh vegetables are dehydrated.
Then, the material is mixed according to balanced recipes and packaged.
Among its products, the plant offers stews of rice, lentils, and peas with vegetables, all ready to prepare by adding water.
“Our recipes lack nothing,” says Juan Manuel Santillán, program director.
All their meals contain carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals, without black octagons or artificial additives.
The Environmental, Logistical, and Social Impact of the UNLP Food Dehydration Project
The dehydration technology substantially reduces the volume and weight of food, decreasing transport emissions.
This feature is also crucial for optimizing the distribution chain to community dining rooms.
The plant has the capacity to produce up to 150,000 daily servings. Currently, the UNLP donates 5,000 meals weekly that reach more than 60 dining rooms through 9 social organizations.
In this context, PAIS signed an agreement with the Municipality of La Plata to deliver 60,000 servings and also maintains agreements with provincial agencies.
Additionally, a team of nutritionists from the Faculty of Medical Sciences monitors the products until consumption, visiting dining rooms and promoting food education.
Fernando Tauber, former president of the UNLP, summarizes the project’s philosophy: “We cannot allow hunger to exist in our region when we have the knowledge and resources to address this issue.”
The plant, located in Los Hornos, boasts over 2,000 m² of infrastructure and an investment of 2.5 million dollars.
All the machinery used is domestically produced, including the SBN-10 dehydrator that can process 1 ton per day.
PAIS: Production with Awareness and Local Added Value
Additionally, PAIS adds value to the regional horticultural production of the La Plata fruit and vegetable belt.
This is because the plant is supplied from two sources: own crops in the Faculty of Agronomy’s field and purchases from family and agroecological producers in the area.
This collaboration with local producers creates a sustainable economic circuit that strengthens family farming.
The exchange with small producers allows for utilizing harvest surpluses that might otherwise go to waste.
How the UNLP Food Dehydration Project Was Born
The idea arose after the La Plata floods in 2013, when the university’s Social Council analyzed how to expand institutional contributions to the community.
In 2019, the UNLP authorities made the political decision to finance the project with their own funds.
Scientist Sergio Giner, a doctor in Chemistry and CONICET researcher specializing in dehydration technologies, was the project’s inspiration.
Although he passed away before seeing the plant in operation, a laboratory at the UNLP bears his name in his honor.
“The university demonstrates that it can be done, demonstrates that the technology exists,” says Santillán.
The director emphasizes that only political decision is needed for resources to reach “the hands and mouths that need them.”
The plant is operated by 50 people, 35 of whom are undergraduate students completing their curricular training.
Four faculties advise the program: Engineering, Veterinary Sciences, Agrarian and Forestry Sciences, and Exact Sciences.
