Beatriz Martín Gómez, predoctoral researcher at the PressTech Research Group of the Institute of Bioeconomy (BioEcoUVa), has published her first scientific article, contributing new research to the field of polymer foams and advanced materials processing.

The publication explores the development and processing of polymeric foams, an area of research with growing relevance for the design of lightweight materials with tailored properties and potential applications in different technological fields.

This new work forms part of Beatriz Martín Gómez’s research activity within the PressTech group, where research is focused on processes carried out under pressure and the development of innovative approaches for the processing and valorisation of materials.

The publication also represents an important milestone in Beatriz’s research career and highlights the scientific activity being developed by young researchers within BioEcoUVa and the University of Valladolid.

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ScienceDirect – article

Beatriz Martín Gómez
Predoctoral Researcher · PressTech Research Group
Institute of Bioeconomy · University of Valladolid

Precision hydrothermal processing for more resilient circular supply chains

BioEcoUVa researcher Danilo Cantero explores the potential of precision hydrothermal processing to transform local biomass, residues and industrial side streams into reliable sources of fuels, chemicals and materials.

In his latest contribution to Chem Circularity, titled “Precision hydrothermal processing for resilient circular supply chains”, Danilo Cantero examines the role that hydrothermal technologies could play in the development of more resilient and locally connected circular supply chains. The article was published online on 29 July 2026.

Circular chemistry is increasingly concerned not only with reducing emissions or recovering specific waste streams, but also with developing supply chains that can remain reliable in the face of changes in energy, carbon and resource markets.

Within this context, hydrothermal processing offers a particularly interesting technological route because it can process wet, heterogeneous and oxygen-rich feedstocks using hot compressed water. By adjusting reaction severity — mainly through the combination of temperature and residence time — different transformation pathways can be achieved, from hydrolysis and liquefaction to carbonisation and more selective hydrothermal reactions.

The article highlights an important shift in perspective: hydrothermal technologies should not be considered solely as tools for converting waste into products. Instead, they can form part of a broader strategy for connecting regional resources with regional product needs.

This means considering not only whether a particular feedstock can technically be converted, but also whether the resulting products respond to specific regional challenges, such as waste management, fuel security, material supply, nutrient recovery, industrial decarbonisation or the resilience of chemical supply chains.

For Danilo Cantero, this requires moving from a feedstock-centred approach towards a more system-centred vision of circular processing. The availability and characteristics of local resources need to be considered together with product demand, energy availability, process integration and the wider industrial context.

This approach could open opportunities for regions with significant biomass, forestry residues or industrial side streams to develop tailored conversion routes and generate products adapted to their own needs.

The perspective is therefore not about replacing petroleum-based systems everywhere, but about identifying those situations in which local hydrothermal processing can provide a stronger technological and strategic option by bringing together available resources, energy, infrastructure and market demand.

With extensive experience in hydrothermal technologies, Danilo Cantero’s contribution reflects the research carried out within PressTech at BioEcoUVa, where the development and intensification of sustainable processes for biomass and resource valorisation form part of the group’s research activity.

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Precision hydrothermal processing for resilient circular supply chains
Chem Circularity, 2026, 100108

Researchers from BioEcoUVa’s PressTech Research Group participated in the 14th International Conference on Supercritical Fluids — SuperGreen 2026 — held in Sapporo, Japan, from 3 to 6 August 2026.

SuperGreen 2026 brought together researchers, engineers and professionals working in the field of supercritical fluids and their applications across areas including sustainable processes, energy, environmental technologies, materials processing, recycling and food science.

BioEcoUVa was represented by researchers from the PressTech Research Group, with contributions from Danilo Cantero and María José Cocero Alonso.

Danilo Cantero presented the work “Process intensification of lignocellulosic biomass liquefaction: transitioning from batch to continuous supercritical water systems with high energy integration and char suppression”, developed together with Irene Magdaleno.

The research addresses the transition from conventional batch processing towards continuous supercritical water systems for the liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass.

One of the key challenges in this transition is achieving efficient conversion while reducing processing times and controlling the formation of unwanted char. The work presented at SuperGreen explores process intensification strategies aimed at improving both the performance and energy integration of the system.

The research compares batch and continuous approaches and examines how operating conditions can influence product distribution, energy requirements and char formation. The continuous system enables significantly shorter residence times while maintaining relevant bio-oil yields, while heat integration contributes to reducing the external energy requirements of the process.

This research forms part of the broader work developed by PressTech on the valorisation of lignocellulosic biomass and the development of more efficient technologies for converting renewable resources into useful products.

The BioEcoUVa presence at SuperGreen 2026 also included María José Cocero Alonso, Director of the Institute of Bioeconomy, who delivered a plenary lecture during the conference.

Participation in international scientific meetings such as SuperGreen provides an opportunity for BioEcoUVa researchers to present their latest results, exchange knowledge with the international research community and establish new scientific connections around technologies related to sustainable processes and the bioeconomy.

SuperGreen 2026 was organised by the Asian Society of Supercritical Fluids and took place at the Grand Mercure Sapporo Odori Park in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Sapporo, Japan
3–6 August 2026
14th International Conference on Supercritical Fluids — SuperGreen 2026

BioEcoUVa researchers from the PROCEREALtech group have contributed to a new study published in Food Hydrocolloids, investigating how controlled microwave treatment modifies the molecular structure and functional properties of different starches.

Starch functionality plays an important role in determining the behaviour of food materials during processing and in the final properties of food products. Its behaviour is closely related to its molecular and supramolecular structure, particularly the organisation of amylose and amylopectin.

In the study “Molecular basis of changes in pasting and rheological properties of starches physically modified by microwave radiation”, researchers analysed the effects of controlled microwave treatment on a range of pure starches, including normal and waxy maize, normal and waxy rice, wheat, potato and tapioca starches. The treatment was carried out at 100 °C, with 25% moisture for 30 minutes.

The research combined molecular and rheological characterisation techniques to investigate how changes at the molecular level are reflected in the pasting behaviour and viscoelastic properties of starch gels.

The results show that microwave treatment does not produce a uniform response across different starch sources. Instead, the structural and rheological changes depend strongly on the botanical origin and molecular composition of the starch.

Waxy starches showed increases in very short amylopectin chains and molecular degradation, while their rheological response remained relatively limited. Potato starch, in contrast, exhibited the most pronounced changes in rheological properties despite showing comparatively limited molecular degradation, suggesting that supramolecular reorganisation plays an important role in its response to microwave treatment.

Wheat and tapioca starches displayed moderate structural changes accompanied by improved gel stability. The study also found that rice starches showed similar pasting and rheological responses, with the fine structure of amylopectin playing a particularly important role.

The researchers identified correlations between specific molecular fractions and the strength and firmness of starch gels. In particular, short and medium amylose chains were associated with stronger and firmer gels, while short amylopectin chains were associated with weaker gels.

These findings provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying microwave-induced modification of starch and contribute to the development of approaches for tailoring starch functionality through controlled processing.

The study was carried out by Raúl Ricardo Mauro, Zhihang Li, Andreas Blennow, Ainhoa Vicente and Felicidad Ronda, with researchers affiliated with the PROCEREALtech Group at BioEcoUVa, University of Valladolid, as well as the University of Copenhagen and Jiangnan University.

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Molecular basis of changes in pasting and rheological properties of starches physically modified by microwave radiation
Food Hydrocolloids, Volume 176, 2026, 112581