With the contribution of modern technologies of Biological Sciences, the microbiota of native fruits and flowers of Ecuador is investigated to select and characterize “friendly microorganisms” for human and animal health, as well as probiotic strains for the production of new functional foods or development of new antimicrobial products that act against the multiplication of pathogens in food, promoting natural and healthy preservation.

» INNOVATION

» PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

» EFFECTIVENESS

» RESPONSIBILITY

» RELIABILITY

» COMMITMENT

» Sovereignty, security, and food safety

» Industrial production and sustainable technologies

» Microbial biotechnology

» Metagenomics

a) Microbiology Area: biosafety cabinets, autoclaves, microbiological incubators, Millipore water sterilization equipment, analytical balances, drying oven, centrifuges, laminar flow chambers, microscopes, refrigerators, ultra-freezer, water bath, and shakers;

b) Molecular Biology Area that has modern equipment that includes DNA electrophoresis chambers, thermocycler for DNA amplification, nanodrop, vertical electrophoresis, UV-VIS spectrophotometer, gels photography system, microcentrifuge, vortex, micropipette sets, centrifuge with refrigeration, and termobloque.

c) area of physicochemical analysis of compounds.

d) ex vitro experimentation area.

Worldwide, chemical preservatives are commonly used to prevent pathogen growth in foods, but their negative effects on organoleptic properties and human health are receiving growing attention. The demand to replace chemicals with natural substances is of interest. Thus, probiotic microorganisms and their antimicrobials (postbiotics, metabiotics) are considered as a natural alternative. In developing countries such as Ecuador, access to natural products is very low or almost nil due to their higher costs. As the population growth is concentrated in an “urban middle class”, which is pushing the demand for quality food, low in fat, high protein content, and friendly to the environment, the development of an “antimicrobial market”,would be an economic and technological challenge.

On the other hand, Ecuador, one of the megadiverse countries in the world, has native biological material; but in the field of probiotics and nutraceuticals, it has not managed to generate an industry that can export products with sufficient added value. The market is limited to a few brand-name products containing patented strains. Considering the great changes made by government policy, several undeveloped natural areas, such as subtropical native forests (reservoirs of medicinal plants and fruits) were considered important genetic resources to be exploited for biotechnological research.

» Bioprospecting and improvement of bacteria, fungi, and yeasts from unexploited areas of Ecuador, for the development of new probiotics (2014-2018).

» Characterization of bioactive components of native lactic acid bacteria as a new approach to control fungal and pathogens growth in foods (2015-2018).

» Mechanism of action of antimicrobial peptides produced by native lactic acid bacteria as a management strategy for food contamination (2018-2020).

» Active bio substances produced by native probiotic bacteria: natural antimicrobial agents for a healthy and safe life (2019-2021).

» Creation of the UTN Collection of Microorganisms: CCMBIOGEM affiliated with the International Collection of Microorganisms WFCC (World Federation of Culture Collections): Ver Colección

Publications

» Scientific articles published in High Impact Journals

» Books and books chapters

» Participation in National and International Conferences and Congresses

» Several bacterial strains register at the GenBank (NCBI)

» Tenea, G. N.; Angamarca, E.; Olmedo, D. Combinations of Peptide-Protein Extracts from Native Probiotics Suppress the Growth of Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus andCitrobacter freundii via Membrane Perturbation and Ultrastructural Changes. Antibiotics 2022, 11, 154. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11020154.

» Tenea, GN, Veintimilla, F. Potential Use of Native Yeasts to Produce Bioethanol and Other Byproducts from Black Sugarcane, an Alternative to Increment the Subsistence Farming in Northern Ecuador. Sustainability, (2021) 13(19), 10924; https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910924.  IF=3.251.

» Tenea, GN, Hurtado, P. Next-generation sequencing for whole-genome characterization of Weissella cibaria UTNGt21O strain originated from wild Solanum quitoense fruits: An atlas of metabolites with biotechnological significance. Frontiers in Microbiology (2021) 12:675002. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.675002 IF=5.640. WOS:000663738300001

» Díaz, M, Jarrín-V.P, Simarro, R, Castillejo, P, Tenea, GN, Molina. A. The Ecuadorian Microbiome Project: A Plea to Strengthen Microbial Genomic Research. Neotropical Biodiversity. 223-237 https://doi.org/10.1080/23766808.2021.1938900(2021) IF=0.637. WOS:000667489500001

» Tenea, GN, Ortega, C. Genome Characterization of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum Strain UTNGt2 Originated from Theobroma grandiflorum (White Cacao) of Ecuadorian Amazon: Antimicrobial Peptides from Safety to Potential Applications. Antibiotics, 10, 383. https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics10040383 (2021) IF=3.893. WOS:000642672600001

» Tenea GN, Olmedo D. Antimicrobial Cocktail Combining Specific Peptide Extracts from Native Probiotic Bacteria Hamper Adulteration of Ready-To-Eat Mango Wedges. Sci.2021, 11, 2246. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052246 (2021), IF=2.474. WOS:000627966900001

» Tenea GN, Peptide Extracts from Native Lactic Acid Bacteria Generate Ghost Cells and Spheroplasts upon Interaction with Salmonella enterica, as Promising Food Antimicrobials, BIOMED Research International. Article ID 6152356, 11 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/6152356. (2020). IF=2.276. WOS:000585715800009

» Tenea GN, Hurtado, P. Ortega, C. A Novel Weissella cibariaStrain UTNGt21O Isolated from Wild Solanum quitoense Fruit: Genome Sequence and Characterization of a Peptide with Highly Inhibitory Potential toward Gram-Negative Bacteria. Foods, 9, 1242. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9091242, (2020). IF=4.092. WOS:000580675100001

» Tenea GN, Suarez J. Probiotic Potential and Technological Properties of Bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis LactisUTNGt28 from a Native Amazonian Fruit as a Yogurt Starter Culture. Microorganisms  8, 733.  https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms8050733. (2020). IF=4.167. WOS:000540222300114

» Tenea GN, Olmedo D, Ortega C. Peptide-Based Formulation from Lactic Acid Bacteria Impairs the Pathogen Growth in Ananas Comosus(Pineapple). Coatings 10, 457. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10050457. (2020). IF=2.33. WOS:000541770900054.

» Tenea GN, Guana JM. Inhibitory Substances Produced by Native Lactobacillus plantarum UTNCys5-4 Control Microbial Population Growth in Meat. Journal of Food Quality https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/9516981. (2019). IF=1.76. WOS:000493317100003

» Tenea GN, Pozo Delgado T. Antimicrobial Peptides from Lactobacillus plantarum UTNGt2 Prevent Harmful Bacteria Growth on Fresh Tomatoes. J of Microbiol. Biotechnol. 29(10):1553-1560.doi: 10.4014/jmb.1904.04063.(2019). IF=1.192. WOS:000493391600005

» Tenea GN, Lara IM. Antimicrobial compounds produced by Weissella confusa Cys2-2 strain inhibit Gram-negative bacteria growth, CyTA -Journal of Food, 17:1, 105-111, DOI: 10.1080/19476337.2018.1561520. (2019). IF=1.635. WOS:000465393400002

» Tenea GN, Pozo Delgado T. Peptides produced by native Lactococcus lactis Ella8 impairs membrane integrity of food Pathogens. Agrolife Sci J. 8(1). 242-248. (2019). print ISSN 2285-­5718, online ISSN 2286-­0126. WOS:000469997600032

» Tenea, GN, Barrigas A. The efficacy of bacteriocin-containing cell-free supernatant from Lactobacillus plantarum Cys5-4 to control pathogenic bacteria growth in artisanal beverages. Food Res. J. 25(5): 2135-2141. Available from: http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/25%20(05)%202018/(49).pdf (2018) IF=0.662. WOS:000448887700049

» Tenea, GN, Hurtado, P, Ortega, C. Inhibitory effect of substances produced by native Lactococcus lactis strains of tropical fruits towards food pathogens, Nutr. Food Sci. 23(3): 260-268. doi: 10.3746/pnf.2018.23.3.260 (2018). IF=1.22

» Garzon K, Ortega C and Tenea, GN, Characterization of Bacteriocin-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Native Fruits of Ecuadorian Amazon. Pol J Microbiol. 66(4), 473-481. doi: 10.5604/01.3001.0010.7037.(2017). IF=0.881. WOS:000419424400007

» Benavidez AB, Ulcuango M, Yepez L, and Tenea, GN, Assessment of the in vitro bioactive properties of lactic acid bacteria isolated from native ecological niches of Ecuador. Rev Argent Microbiol. 48(3): 236-244. doi: 10.1016/j.ram.2016.05.003. (2016). IF=0.47. WOS:000385511400011

» Yepez and Tenea, GN, Genetic diversity of lactic acid bacteria strains towards their potential probiotic application, Rom. Biotech..Lett. 20(2): 10191-10199. Available from: https://e-repository.org/rbl/vol.20/iss.2/1.pdf (2015). IF=0.404. WOS:000353965100001

 Artículos publicados en Revistas de las Conferencias:

» Tenea, GN, Olmedo D, Ascanta P, Gonzalez, G. Antimicrobials from Native Lactic Acid Bacteria: A “Shotgun” Against Antibiotic-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus,  MDPI in MOL2NET 2021, International Conference on Multidisciplinary Sciences, 7th edition session CHEMBIOMOL-07: Chem. Biol. & Med. Chem. Congress, Bilbao-Rostock, Germany, Galveston, USA, 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/mol2net-07-10913.

» Tenea GN, Guana, JM, Ortega C, Hurtado P, Delgado T, Yépez L. Potential of bacteriocin-like substances produced by Lactobacillus plantarum UTNCys5-4 to inhibit food pathogens in raw meat. Proceeding. Section 6 – Biotechnology: Scientific Bulletin «Biotechnology». Series F, Vol. XXII, 2018, ISSN 2285-1364, ISSN Online 2285-1372, ISSN-L 2285-1364 (2018).

» Garzon K, Ortega C, Yepez, L and Tenea, GN, Antimicrobial potential of bacteriocin produced by Lactobacillus plantarum Gt4 isolated from native Rev. Asoc. Col. Cienc.(Col.), 30: 8-15. (2018) Online ISSN: 2500-7459; Print ISSN: 0120-4173.

» Tenea, GN, Ortega C, Barigas A, Guana JM., El uso de sustancias inhibidoras similares a bacteriocina de bacterias ácido lácticas nativas.Una estrategia de control biológico para prevenir el crecimiento de bacterias patógenas en alimentos. II Jornada de Investigacion Cientifica, UTN. Ibarra, Ecuador. ISBN: 978-9942-984-05-0. Pp. 109-120. (2017)

» Tenea, GN, Garzón, K, Barrigas, A, Ortega, C. Antimicrobial peptides of Lactobacillus plantarum4 isolated from native fruits of Ecuadorian Amazonia inhibit the growth of foodborne pathogens. In Proceedings of the MOL2NET, International Conference on Multidisciplinary Sciences, 25 December 2016–25 January 2017; Sciforum Electronic Conference Series, Vol. 2. doi:10.3390/mol2net-02-03867, (2016)

» Tenea, GN, Jarrin-V Pablo, Yepez L, Microbiota of Wild Fruits from the Amazon Region of Ecuador: Linking Diversity and Functional Potential of Lactic Acid Bacteria with Their Origin [Online First], IntechOpen, DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.94179. Available from: https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/microbiota-of-wild-fruits-from-the-amazon-region-of-ecuador-linking-diversity-and-functional-potenti(November 9th 2020).

» Tenea GN, Ortega C, Suarez J, Reascos YL. Street trade in ready-to-eat food: a potential vehicle for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In III International Conference on Scientific Research, University Ed. Pp197-204. ISBN: 978-9942-784-84-1 (2020).

» Tenea GN. Probiotics: Cellular nutra ingredient factories. In Tenea GN (2019) Nutraceuticals and nutraredients: the future of smart foods for health. First edition. Ed Rayuela Quito, December, Pp 17-42. ISBN: 978-9942-36-857-7 (2019).

» Tenea, GN, Ortega C, Barrigas A, Guana JM. The use of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances from native lactic acid bacteria. A biological control strategy to prevent the growth of pathogenic bacteria in food. In II International Conference on Scientific Research. University Editorial pp 109-120. ISBN: 978-9942-784-14-8. (2017)

» Tenea, GN, Ortega C, Barrigas A, Guana JM. El uso de sustancias inhibidoras similares a bacteriocina de bacterias ácido lacticas nativas. Una estrategia de control biologico para prevenir el crecimiento de bacterias patogenas en alimentos. In II Jornadas Internacionales de Investigacion cientifica. Editorial Universitario pp 109-120. ISBN: 978-9942-784-14-8. (2017)

» Tenea, GN: Detección y análisis in vitro de componente bioactivos de bacterias acido lácticas para su uso biotecnológico Manual de Practicas. Editorial Universitario UTN. September 2016. ISBN: 978-9942-8618-7-0. pp.126 (2016)

» Tenea, GN, Yepez L. Bioactive Compounds of Lactic Acid Bacteria. Case Study: Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Bacteriocin-Producing Lactobacilli Isolated from Native Ecological Niches of Ecuador, in Venketeshwer Rao (Ed.) Prebiotics and probiotics in human nutrition and health, InTech, chapter 8. pp147-169 (2016)

» Tenea, GN: Manual of laboratory. Métodos de Ingeniería Genética, UTN-66 pág. ISBN: 978-9942-9942-5-5-7 (2015)

» Tenea GN. Combinatorial Peptides Extract from Probiotics Reduce the Deterioration of Ready-to-Eat Mango Wedges. 7^th Ed. International Conference on
Food Chemistry & Technology (FCT-2021). Paris, 8-10 November. (2021).

» Tenea GN. Postbiotics: a solution to protect tropical fruits towards postharvest adulteration. 10^th Ed. Agriculture for life, life for agriculture. Bucharest, 3-5 June. (2021).

» Tenea GN, Ortega C, Angamarca E, Olmedo D, Gonzales, M. Genetic Characterization of Weissella cibaria Strain UTNGt21O Revealed the Presence of Enterolysin-A Like Bacteriocin That Inhibit Staphylococcus aureus ATCC1026. 10^th Ed. Agriculture for life, life for agriculture. Bucharest, 3-5 June. (2021).

» Tenea GN, Olmedo D. Ortega C. Morphological Changes of Pathogenic Cells Induced by Peptides From Native Lactic Bacteria. 9^th Ed. Agriculture for life, life for agriculture. Bucharest, 4-6 June. (2020).

» Tenea GN. Ortega C, Suarez J, Reascos YL. Comercio ambulante de alimentos listos para comer:un potencial vehículo para bacterias resistentes a antibióticos. III Jornadas Internacionales de Investigacion Cientifica, 5-7, February, Ibarra, Ecuador. (2020).

» Tenea GN. Péptidos bioactivos de bacterias lácticas nativas: agentes naturales para controlar el crecimiento de patógenos en frutas de tomates. VII Ed. REDU Congress, Ucurqui, Ecuador (2019)

» Tenea GN, Suarez J. Evaluación del potencial probiótico de Lactococcus lactis UTNGt28 aislada de frutos nativos de la Amazonia Ecuatoriana. VII Ed. REDU Congress, Ucurqui, Ecuador (2019)

» Tenea GN. Fight against contaminates using antimicrobial substances rescued from microbiota of Amazonian tropical fruits. Invited speaker. Conference. 8^th Agriculture for life, life for agriculture. Book of Abstracts. 6 Biotechnology. p 22. ISSN 2343 9653. Bucharest, 6-8 June. (2019).

» Tenea GN, Delgado T, Guana JM, Ortega C. Lactic acid bacteria as desirable antimicrobial agents for food preservation. Congreso REDU VI, Ibarra, 14-16 de noviembre del 2018. Memorias del Congreso REDU VI. ISBN:978-9942-784-30-8; p. 276. (2018).

» Tenea GN, Guana, JM, Ortega C, Hurtado P, Delgado T, Yépez L. Potential of bacteriocin-like substances produced by Lactobacillus plantarum UTNCys5-4 to inhibit food pathogens in raw meat. 7^th Ed. Agriculture for life, life for agriculture. Book of Abstracts. 6 Biotechnology. ISSN 2343 9653. Bucharest, 7-9 June. (2018).

» Tenea, GN. The use of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substances of native lactic acid bacteria as a bio-control strategy to prevent pathogenic bacteria growth in food. II Jornada de Investigacion Cientifica, UTN, Ibarra, (2017).

» Tenea, GN, Eficacia del sobrenadante libre de células que contiene bacteriocinas de Lactobacillus plantarum Cys5-4 para suprimir microorganismos patógenos en carne cruda. Revista de la Asociación Colombiana de Ciencias Biológicas. Vol 1(29). (2017).

» Tenea, GN, El potencial antimicrobiano de bacteriocinas producidas por cepa de Lactobacillus plantarum Gt4 aislada de frutas nativas. Revista de la Asociación Colombiana de Ciencias Biológicas. Vol 1(29). (2017).

» Tenea, GN, Efecto inhibidor de bacterias ácido lácticas nativas–productoras de componente bioactivos frente a patógenos de origen alimenticio. Ist Congress of Biotechnology, Riobamba, Ecuador, (2016)

» Tenea, GN, Garzón, K. Barrigas, A. Ortega, C. Antimicrobial peptides of Lactobacillus plantarum4 isolated from native fruits of Ecuadorian Amazonia inhibit the growth of foodborne pathogens. Proceedings of the MOL2NET, International Conference on Multidisciplinary Sciences, 25 December 2016–25 January 2017; Sciforum Electronic Conference Series, Vol. 2.doi:10.3390/mol2net-02-03867(2016);

» Tenea, GN, Improvement of bacteria strains for the development of new probiotics to be applied in food production, Feria Del Conocimiento, SENESCYT, 12 February. (2014), Ibarra, Ecuador-invited speaker.