Bioactive compounds in vegetable foods, Food biochemistry and Metabolomics in postharvest.

Juan Vidal (2025 - Presente). Thesis director. Title: "Application of nanochitosan and nanocellulose to sweet cherries to increase tolerance to chilling injury during storage". Doctorate in Agri-Food Sciences, Faculty of Agronomical and Food Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Luciano Arancibia (2024 – Presente). Thesis Co-director. Title: "Exocarp low and medium polar metabolite profiling of Hass avocado from different agroclimatic zones: implications for physiological disorders". Master in Agronomical and Environmental Sciences, School of Agronomy, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Belén Villegas (2024). Thesis Co-director. Title: “Antioxidant response of different cherry varieties with contrasting susceptibility to surface pitting during cold storage”. Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Catalina Ferreira (2019 - 2023). Thesis director. Title: "Obtaining biomaterials based on lignin nanofibers and nano fibers/crystals of chitin/chitosan via the electrospinning method". Doctorate in Agri-Food Sciences, Faculty of Agronomical and Food Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Ruth Vásquez (2023). Thesis director. Title: “Desynchronization of exocarp color with firmness in avocado cv. Hass: evolution of the main pigments from harvest to consumption maturity in fruits from different agricultural areas”. Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Paz Delgado (2022). Thesis director. Title: “Application of phenylalanine and melatonin in avocados and cherries to maintain their quality during the post-harvest”. Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Camila Bravo (2019 - 2021). Thesis Co-director. Title: "Metabolic profiling and cell wall structural characteristics of two sweet cherry cultivars with contrasting susceptibility to surface pitting". Master in Agronomical and Environmental Sciences, School of Agronomy, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Ignacia Hernández (2018 - 2021). Thesis commission. Title: "Specification of physiological age of avocado cv. Hass through the incorporation of epigenetic and metabolic markers in a predictive ripening model". Doctorate in Agri-Food Sciences, Faculty of Agronomical and Food Sciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Paloma Aldea (2020). Thesis director. Title: " Cherimoya: Nutrients, bioactive compounds and their benefit to health”. Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Claudia Letelier (2019). Thesis director. Title: "Polar and non-polar metabolites profiling and quality parameters of the avocado fruits from different hillside exposures". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Silvia Araya (2019). Thesis director. Title: "Profile of fatty acids of avocado fruits cv. Hass submitted to different storage conditions". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Camila Pérez (2019). Thesis director. Title: "Non-polar metabolites in avocado fruits cv. Hass subjected to different storage conditions". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Andrea Venegas (2019). Thesis director. Title: "Polar metabolites in fruits of avocado cv. Hass subjected to different storage conditions". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Aline Robert (2019). Thesis director. Title: "Determination of polar and non-polar metabolites in walnuts (Juglans regia L.) with orange pigmentation disorder in pulp". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Natalia Cáceres (2018). Thesis director. Title: "Cell wall characterization of two varieties of sweet cherries with contrasting susceptibility to surface pitting". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Blanca Alzola (2018). Thesis director. Title: "Evaluation of the activity of pectinmethyl esterase and polygalacturonase in sweet cherries with contrasting susceptibility to surface pitting". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Diego Ponce (2018). Thesis director. Title: "Determination of the phenolic compounds profile by HPLC in sweet cherries with contrasting susceptibility to surface pitting". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Madeline Gas (2018). Thesis director. Title: "Study of the antioxidant capacity and composition of secondary metabolites in sweet cherries with contrasting susceptibility to surface pitting". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Catalina Reyes (2017). Thesis director. Title: "Study of the metabolic changes of walnuts (Juglans regia L.) cv. Chandler and Serr during storage". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Pía Villarroel (2017). Thesis Co-director. Title: "Determination of the inhibitory activity of tyrosinase of walnuts (Juglans regia L.) cv. Serr and Chandler". Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Fernanda Rodríguez (2016 – Present). Laboratory guidance. Thesis title: “Effect of saline stress, growth conditions, starch concentration and fruit maturity index on the perceptible organoleptic quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Patrón)”. Master in Agronomical and Environmental Sciences, School of Agronomy, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Ignacia Hernández (2015 – 2017). Laboratory guidance. Thesis title: “Understanding postharvest stresses on ripening synchronization of Hass avocados”. Master in Agronomical and Environmental Sciences, School of Agronomy, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Jaime Ahumada (2013 – 2015). Laboratory guidance. Thesis title: “Bioactive compounds and functional potential of Eryobotria japonica Lindl. cv. Golden Nugget grown in Chile”. Master in Agronomical and Environmental Sciences, School of Agronomy, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Javiera Riquelme (2013 – 2015). Laboratory guidance. Thesis title: “Agro-aquiculture: Sarcocornia neei, an alternative food source with nutritional and functional attributes”. Master in Agronomical and Environmental Sciences, School of Agronomy, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Ariel Cobos (2014). Laboratory guidance. Title: “Determination of total vitamin C in different lucuma biotypes by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)”. Food Engineer, School of Food, Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso, Chile.

Fuentealba, C., Villegas, B., Vidal, J., Ponce, E., Pedreschi, R. (2024). Antioxidant response of sweet cherry cultivars with contrastive surface pitting susceptibility during cold storage. IX International Postharvest Symposium, Rotorua, Nueza Zelanda (Oral).

Hernández, I., Ponce, E., Vidal, J., Chirinos, R., Campos, D., Pedreschi, R., Fuentealba, C. (2023). Modulation of the primary and secondary metabolism of cherries (Prunus avium L.) subjected to mechanical stress through treatment with melatonin. IV Congreso Argentino de Biología y Tecnología Postcosecha, Argentina (Poster).

Vidal, J., García, D., Ponce, P., Ponce, E., Fuentealba, C. (2022). Remodeling of the cell wall of cherries with surface pitting. VII Reunión Anual de Fisiología y Tecnología Postcosecha. Valdivia, Chile (Oral).

Pedreschi, R., Herna?ndez, I., Uarrota, V., Fuentealba, C., Defilippi, B.G-, Campos-Vargas, R., Meneses, C. y Hertog, M. (2021). Modeling the softening behavior of Chilean ‘Hass’ avocado to commercially segregate different batches destined for local and distant markets. IV International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe - SHE2021 (Oral).

Ferreira, C., Ponce, E., Vidal, J., Fuentealba, C. y Pedreschi, R. (2020). Characterization of primary metabolites in the epidermis of avocado cv. Hass from different agroclimatic zones with presence of 'Black Spot'. LXX Congreso de la Sociedad Agronómica de Chile. Santiago, Chile (Poster).

Ponce, E., Bravo, C., Vidal, J., Rubilar, M., Campos-Vargas, R., Pedreschi, R., Fuentealba, C. (2019). Changes related to the cell wall in sweet cherries with surface pitting. VI Annual Meeting of Physiology and Postharvest Technology. Santiago, Chile (Oral).

Fuentealba, C. (2018). An integrative approach to understand fruits quality: bioactive compounds and metabolomics. Seminario Regional Latinoamericano en alimentos promisorios de origen andino, amazónico y mesoamericano. Arequipa, Peru (Oral).

Fuentealba, C. (2018). Changes in metabolite and cell wall composition in cherries (Prunus avium L.) with induced surface pitting. V Annual Meeting of Physiology and Postharvest Technology. Santiago, Chile (Oral).

Ponce, E.; Alzola, B.; Cáceres N.; Ferreira, C.; Vidal, J.; Pedreschi, R.; Fuentealba, C. (2018). Cell wall associated parameters from sweet cherry cultivars with contrasting surface pitting susceptibility. XIII Meeting of the Chilean Society of Plant Biologists. Puerto Varas, Chile (Oral).

Gas, M.; Ponce, D.; Ponce, E.; Vidal, J.; Ferreira, C.; Chirinos, R.; Campos, D.; Pedreschi, R.; Fuentealba, C. (2018). Compositional changes in secondary metabolites from sweet cherries with surface pitting. XIII Meeting of the Chilean Society of Plant Biologists. Puerto Varas, Chile (Poster).

Molina, V., Hernández, I., Fuentealba, C., Defilippi, B., Pedreschi, R. (2017) Postharvest characterization of avocados from the Duke 7 clonal rootstock in terms of homogeneity in maturation and quality attributes. Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnología Postcosecha y Agroexportaciones (Oral).

Rodríguez, F., Fuentealba, C., Pedreschi, R., Alvaro, JE. (2017). Evaluation of the electrical conductivity in nutritive solution on the physiological, physical-chemical, metabolic and sensorial composition in tomato fruits. Congreso Iberoamericano de Tecnología Postcosecha y Agroexportaciones (Poster).

Lillo, V., Fuentealba, C., Pedreschi, R., Almeida, A.M. (2017). Effect of Thinning on Metabolomic Fruit Profile of an Early Harvest Peach Variety. International Plant & Animal Genome XXV. San Diego, CA, USA (Poster).

Fuentealba, C., Hernández, I., Campos, D., Sáa, S., Pedreschi, R. (2016). Correlation of in vitro bioactive properties with precursors of primary and secondary metabolism and quality attributes in walnuts (Juglans regia L.) from different geographical zones in Chile. 67th Congreso de la Sociedad Agronómica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. (Oral).

Lillo, V., Fuentealba, C., Pedreschi, R., Miyasaka-Almeida, A. (2016). Effect of thinning on polar metabolite profile in fruits of “Buen Lindo” peach variety. XI Meeting of Vegetal Biology, Chillán, Chile. (Poster).

Fuentealba, C., Hernández, I., Defilippi, B., Campos-Vargas, R., Lurie, S., Carpentier, S., Pedreschi, R. (2016). An integrative approach to understand postharvest ripening heterogeneity of Hass avocados. III International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe - SHE2016 (Oral).

Hernández, I., Fuentealba, C., Olaeta, J.A., Defilippi, B., Campos-Vargas, R., Lurie, S., Pedreschi, R. (2016). Understanding postharvest stresses on ripening synchronization of Hass avocados. III International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe - SHE2016 (Poster).

Pedreschi, R., Fuentealba, C., Gálvez, L., Olaeta, J.A., Undurraga, P., Defilippi, B., Chirinos, R., Campos, D. (2015). Unravelling sensorial and functional properties of different biotypes of Pouteria lucuma. III Reunión Anual de Fisiología y Tecnología de Postcosecha, Talca, Chile. (Oral).

Fuentealba, C., Gálvez, L., Olaeta, J.A., Undurraga, P., Defilippi, B., Chirinos, R., Campos, D., Pedreschi, R. (2014). In vitro bioactives properties and sensory quality of three biotypes of lucuma (Pouteria lucuma) from V Region. 65th Congress of Agronomic Society of Chile, Santiago, Chile. (Oral).

Ahumada, J., Fuentealba, C., Undurraga, P., Olaeta, J.A., Gálvez, L. (2014). Bioactive compounds of loquat (Eryobotria Japonica lindl.) plant cv. Golden Nugget grown in Chile and in vitro functionality linked to hyperglycemia and hypertension management. 28th EFFoST International Conference, Uppsala, Suecia. (Poster).

González-Muñoz, A., Fuentealba, C., Bravo, M., Quiroz, W., Saavedra, J., Gálvez, L. (2013). Quantification of phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oils commercialized in Chile. XIX National Congress of the Chilean Society of Food Technology (SOCHITAL), Antofagasta, Chile. (Poster).

Fuentealba, C., González-Muñoz, A., Quesille, A., Gálvez, L. (2013). Functional properties related to the hyperglycemia, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of Chilean native corn (Zea mays L) and their relation to the color. XIX National Congress of the Chilean Society of Food Technology (SOCHITAL), Antofagasta, Chile. (Poster).

González-Muñoz, A., Quesille-Villalobos, A., Fuentealba, C., Shetty. K, Gálvez-Ranilla, L. (2013). Phenolic bioactives, antioxidant capacity and in vitro functionality relevant for hyperglycemia and hypertension management of Chilean native maize (Zea mays L.) Accessions. 10th Latin American Symposium of Food Science (SLACA), Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Oral).

Fuentealba, C., Muñoz, O. (2011). Determination of flaxseed lignans bioaccessibility in whole flaxseed and flaxseed flour through a complete digestive process. XVIII National Congress of the Chilean Society of Food Technology (SOCHITAL), Valdivia, Chile. (Poster).

Fuentealba, C., Muñoz, O. (2011). Bioaccessibility and metabolism of flaxseed lignans evaluated in a single batch simulator of digestive process. 11th International Congress on Engineering and Food (ICEF11), Athens, Greece. (Oral).

Fuentealba, C., Muñoz, O. (2010). Characterization of flaxseed according to their secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG) content using HPLC. 10º National Congress of Food Science and Technology, Bogotá, Colombia. (Poster).

Fuentealba, C., Pallante, N., Saavedra, J. (2007). Characterizations and Classification of Chilean Red Wines through UV-Visible Spectra analysis using the pattern recognition method, SIMCA. XVI National Congress of the Chilean Society of Food Technology (SOCHITAL), La Serena, Chile. (Poster).

Uriarte, C., Pallante, N., Fuentealba, C., Saavedra, J. (2007). Evaluation and Control of Packing Process of a Carbonated Beverage by multivariate PCA algorithm, NIPALS. XVI National Congress of the Chilean Society of Food Technology (SOCHITAL), La Serena, Chile. (Poster).