Escudo de la República de Colombia
Panel de Accesibilidad

The Institute of Food Science and Technology - ICTA is an inter-faculty institute, created by Agreement 089 of December 14, 1972, as a result of an agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FAO (United Nations Development Program) and constitutes an interdisciplinary community made up of its own teachers and teachers from different faculties that are linked, to develop research projects, support teaching and university extension in the area of food through the development of its functions:

  • Design and develop scientific and technological research programs in accordance with the needs and trends of the agri-food sector.
  • Contribute to the training of scientific and technological personnel in the food area.
  • Promote the creation, organization and participation in undergraduate and graduate programs.
  • Disseminate research results.
  • Promote scientific and technological cooperation with other institutions and networks with similar purposes, nationally and internationally.
  • Participate in the definition of food policies and standards in the country.

ICTA has been a promoter and leader of the three mission functions of the University (research, teaching and extension) in food science and technology. Its research has had an important national impact, in areas such as the application of new processing technologies, knowledge of the physicochemical, microbiological and sensory properties of Colombian foods, and the development of regulations and technical quality standards. Since its creation, ICTA has been committed to the development, productivity and competitiveness of the agri-food sector in Colombia and the Andean Region. 

ICTA, being an institute where different areas of knowledge converge, has a Council of Institutes formed by the faculties of: Sciences, Engineering, Veterinary Medicine and of Zootechny and Agricultural Sciences; this collegiate body is chaired by the Vice Rectory of Headquarters and both the Director of the Institute and a representative of the ICTA professors participate in it.

The institute has a highly specialized human talent that includes 9 associate professors and 18 technical and administrative staff, as well as teachers on commission, contractors, and undergraduate and graduate students involved in specific projects. Research, teaching and extension activities are supported by robust facilities and instrumentation, distributed in 9 laboratories and 3 pilot research plants.

ICTA currently has four research groups recognized and categorized by Minciencias (one in A1, two in A, one in C), which reflect the scientific productivity and research projects of the Institute over the last two decades. 

Teaching, ICTA is the basic academic unit of the Interfaculty Postgraduate Specialization and Master's Degrees in Food Science and Technology, as well as the Doctorate in Food Science and Technology, and supports, through an offer of undergraduate courses, the programs of Chemical Engineering, Zootechnics, Chemistry, Agronomic Engineering, among others.

Extension, ICTA supports interested parties by offering training courses, consulting and specialized food analysis services in sensory, microbiological and physicochemical quality. It offers its services to the food industry, food SMEs and supports training activities in the context of the Colombian post-conflict.