The Gastrolab will be part of the Food & Health Living Lab by the University, a platform for different research groups developing activities on health and nutrition from both a technological and social perspective. It is named after Fernando Spaiña, Inorganic Chemistry professor in the Univeristat de València and researcher in the ICMUV who passed away on January.

The Gastrolab-Fernando Sapiña has been founded to create new products, improve organoleptic features of food, and extend textures and designs to progress on gastronomy and health.

A current task in the laboratory is to modify textures in new dishes for patients affected by dysphagia, as well as to create new dishes with Valencian indigenous products to promote them.

Fernando Sapiña was a member of the Advisory Council for the Chair for Science Dissemination-UCC+i of the Universitat de València, from which collections Sense Fronteres, Sin Fronteras and Ciència entre Lletres (PUV) were directed. He published the books ‘Un future sostenible’ and ‘El repte energètic’. They both were finalists of the European Award of Science Dissemination General Study in 2000 and 2004 respectively due to his awareness of global change and sustainable development. As researcher, he gave a lot of talk and workshops, and took part in activities for global change, nanotechnology and the link between gastronomy and science. Thus, he collaborated in MÈTODE journal and coordinated EXPOCIÈNCIA activities – the open conference at the Science Park and the main event on Science in the Universitat de València. In the gastronomy field, he carried out some activities that included developing of new products and cooking methods, promoting both research and teaching to that effect. He was one of the main promoters of the Degree in Gastronomic Sciences of the Universitat de València.