Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
Fátima Poças. BSc Chemical engineering (FEUP), MSc in Packaging (Michigan State University), PhD in Biotechnology – Food Engineering and Science by Universidade Católica Portuguesa Escola Superior de Biotecnologia. Researcher and Assistance Prof. (Eq.) at ESB since 2009 (CBQF/UCP) with works in the field of mass transfer processes applied to safety and quality of packaged food, in particular barrier properties and chemical hazards and migration from packaging systems. More recently with works in the area of packaging sustainability, materials minimization and recycling process of packaging systems, and application of biomaterials to food packaging. Integrated the team of several (25) research projects national and European and led 5 national research projects. Published ca. 40 articles in referred journals. Coordination of the packaging laboratory since 1990, acting as the national reference laboratory for food packaging in Portugal. Development, coordination and teaching food packaging courses at undergraduate, master and in doctoral programme level since 1992. Supervision of 30 master thesis and co-supervision of PhD thesis in subjects related to food packaging and bio based materials. She coordinates the Centre for Food Quality and Safety of ESB since 2013. Represents Portugal in the European Network of Food Contact Materials Laboratories since 2004. She integrates the Recycling Group of EFSA since 2016 and the Smart Waste Portugal Association since 2018. She currently serves as referee of several international journals from packaging materials, food engineering, food quality and science. Under the activities of the packaging laboratory she has been working close to packaging industry developing projects related to system optimization, product quality and safety. She has experience in characterization and on assessing properties of materials including bio based for packaging since 1990, including mechanical, barrier and composition aspects related to safety of plastics and cellulosic materials for food contact. She has been involved in several small scale projects to enhance properties of packaging together with national producers and converters.
Education/Academic qualification
PhD, Analysis of Migration from Food Packaging Into Foods: Probabilistic Modelling and Assessment of Consumer Exposure, Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Award Date: 1 Jan 2009
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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MICROORC: Orchestrating food system microbiomes to minimize food waste
Teixeira, P. (PI), Poças, M. D. F. (PI), Sousa, C. (Researcher), Barbosa, J. (Researcher), Nunes, M. J. M. (Researcher), Silva, B. N. (Researcher), Mena, C. (Researcher) & Monteiro, M. J. (Researcher)
1/11/23 → 31/10/27
Project: Research
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From fossil to forest: sustainable packaging and products to replace fossil plastic
Poças, M. D. F. (PI), Mena, C. (Researcher), Silva, M. D. F. M. B. D. (Researcher), Selbourne, M. D. C. (Researcher), Pereira, J. (Researcher) & Vieira, T. M. (Researcher)
1/09/22 → 31/12/25
Project: Research
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CIRCUL-A-BILITY: Rethinking packaging for circular and sustainable food supply chains of the future
Poças, M. D. F. (PI)
20/10/20 → 28/10/24
Project: Research
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BioProtect: Development of biodegradable packaging material with active properties for food preservation
Poças, M. D. F. (CoPI)
1/04/21 → 30/06/23
Project: Research
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FitNESS 2.0: Food packaging open courseware for higher education and staff of companies 2.0
Poças, M. D. F. (CoPI)
1/11/21 → 31/10/24
Project: Education
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Decision-making processes on sustainable packaging options in the European food sector
Weinrich, R., Mielinger, E., Krauter, V., Arranz, E., Hurtado, R. M. C., Marcos, B., Poças, F., Maya, S. R. D. & Herbes, C., 1 Jan 2024, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 434, 12 p., 139918.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile22 Citations (Scopus)258 Downloads -
Performance of bacterial nanocellulose packaging film functionalised in situ with zinc oxide: migration onto chicken skin and antimicrobial activity
Silva, F. A. G. S., Carvalho, T. B. D., Dourado, F., Gama, M., Teixeira, P. & Poças, F., Nov 2023, In: Food Packaging and Shelf Life. 39, 11 p., 101140.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile24 Citations (Scopus)112 Downloads -
Active bio-based packaging for fresh-cut melon: antimicrobial efficacy and zinc migration of nanocellulose/ZnO nanocomposite films
Mendes, A. R., Silva, F. A. G. S., Mena, C., Silva, F., Silva, C. L. M., Teixeira, P. & Poças, F., 1 Oct 2026, In: Food Control. 188, 12 p., 112219.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile87 Downloads -
Chemical characterization of postindustrial recycled polyethylene terephthalate obtained from multilayer PET/PE sheets: a baseline study on safety aspects
Daras, I. F. A., Singh, S., Vieira, T., Pereira, J., Guerreiro, P., Sousa, C. & Poças, F., 1 Mar 2026, In: Packaging Technology and Science. 39, 3, p. 257-270 14 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile1 Citation (Scopus)313 Downloads -
Cork-polypropylene composites for food contact: a comprehensive study of morphology, migration, chemical safety, and sensory analysis
Vieira, T., Marques, C., Singh, S., Teixeira, S. M., Guerreiro, P., Pereira, J., Selbourne, M., Moutinho, L., Sousa, C. & Poças, F., 14 Jul 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Food Additives and Contaminants - Part A. p. 1-27 27 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile7 Downloads
Activities
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Impact of thermal stress on the chemical safety of paper-based coffee cups: a synergetic study of aluminium and polymer barrier degradation
Akhmedov, F. (Student), Poças, M. D. F. (Supervisor) & Vieira, T. M. (Co-supervisor)
1 Feb 2026 → 4 Sept 2026Activity: Supervision
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Exploring the Effect of Plasma Technology in Agar-based Films Properties
Brandão, T. R. S. (Supervisor), Poças, M. D. F. (Main Examiner) & Morais, R. M. S. C. (President of Jury)
4 Jul 2025Activity: Examination
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8th International Symposium on Food Packaging
Vieira, T. M. (Participant) & Poças, M. D. F. (Participant)
1 Apr 2025 → 4 Apr 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event › Participating in a conference, workshop, ...
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Chicken breasts packaged under different gas compositions reveal distinct microbial communities and olfactive characteristics
Silva, B. N. (Speaker), Ferreira, R. M. (Speaker), Faria, M. J. N. P. M. P. D. (Speaker), Moen, B. (Speaker), Rusas Jensen, M. (Speaker), Langsrud, S. (Speaker), Barbosa, J. (Speaker), Mena, M. C. F. M. (Speaker), Teixeira, S. M. (Speaker), Poças, M. D. F. (Speaker) & Teixeira, P. (Speaker)
May 2025Activity: Talk or presentation › Oral presentation
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Enhancing shelf-life of live clams via modified atmosphere combined with physical confinement through packaging
Poças, M. D. F. (Supervisor), Vieira, T. M. (Co-supervisor) & Goes, C. (Student)
27 Oct 2025Activity: Supervision
Knowledge & Innovation Hub
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Packaging and Materials
Poças, M. D. F. (Manager)
Centre for Biotechnology and Fine Chemistry (CBQF)Knowledge & Innovation Hub: Facility