Daniel Rivera

With over 18 years of experience in the chemical industry, since 2007 I have led projects at AINIA focused on Microencapsulation, controlled release, and delivery systems for the food, agricultural, chemical, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Specialized in the development and scale-up of microencapsulation and nanoencapsulation processes, applying various technologies such as spray drying, spray cooling, coacervation, polymerization, liposomes, emulsions, and supercritical fluids. Additionally, I participate in the design and construction of specialized equipment, chemical reactors, pilot plants, and industrial facilities.

Currently, as Head of the Physicochemical Processes team, I also lead projects on water treatment and reuse, including micro/ultra/nanofiltration, osmosis, adsorption, and electrochemical processes.

Chemical Engineer from the University of the Basque Country and Master’s in Food Science and Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Valencia

• “Overview in microencapsulation technologies” 18th Microencapsulation Industrial Convention, Bioencapsulation Research Group, Texas, 2025.
• “Liquid transformation by microencapsulation for dosing as solids” Ibero-American Congress of Technology for Industrial Processes (CIPI 2021). November, 2021.
• “Release on Skin of Living Probiotics Microcapsules” Daniel Rivera. 7^th Beauty Innovation Days, February 22nd, 2022.
• “Stabilization of microorganisms for agriculture combining biotechnological strategies with spray-drying microencapsulation processes” Daniel Rivera. Congress Chemplast, 6 November 2018.
• “Stabilization of Lactobacillus sp. with enhanced thermal resistance by spray-drying” Rivera, D.; Valverde, M.; Valera, A.; Torrejón, A.; Espí, J.; Gómez, E.; Ruiz, B. 21st International Drying Symposium. Valencia, Spain, 11-14 September 2018.
• “Nutraceuticals development technologies: CO2 extraction and microencapsulation” Daniel Rivera and Elvira Casas. Nutraceuticals Europe, February 2017.
• “Nanoencapsulated products evaluation for food applications” García, E.; Casas, D.; Rivera, M.; García, M. VI Spanish Congress of Chemical Engineering (CESIA2010). Logroño, 6-8 October 2010.
• “One-Dimensional modelling of conical spouted beds” Rivera, G.; Lopez, R.; Aguado, H.; Altzibar, M.; Olazar, M. European Congress of Chemical Engineering VI (ECCE6). Copenhagen, 16-21 September 2007.
• “Microencapsulation of Chlorella vulgaris In vitro immunostimulant effect after gastrointestinal digestion” D. Rivera, E. Casas, M. García-Suárez, B. Viadel, L. Tomás-Cobos, M. Villa-Carvajal. VI Spanish Congress of Science and Food Technology (CESIA2012). Ciudad Real, 7-9 November 2012.
• “Application of supercritical fluids extraction to food industry” Casas, M.; García, D.; Rivera, J.; Montañés, A.; Tornero, A. 4th Meeting on Compressed Fluids Technologies FLUCOMP 2011. Burgos, 15-17 June 2011.
• “11th Conference on Recombinant Protein Production” Girona, 17-18 October 2023. Title: Production of small formats of Antibodies for the agri-food sector. Authors: Gema Vivo-Llorca, María Desamparados Pascual-Ahuir Giner, Ana Torrejón-Cabello, Sonia Porta, Amparo de Benito, Paloma Osset Trenor, Daniel Rivera, Lorena Rodriguez-Lopez, Ana Valera Requena, Paloma Juárez.
• European Congress on Biotechnology (ECB) 2018. Title: Improving thermal resistance of probiotics through modifications in the fermentative process using surface response Methodology. New Biotechnology, 44, S91 (2018). Authors: Torrejon-Cabello, A.; Espí, J.; Rivera, J.D.; Valverde, M.; Valera, A.; Gómez, E.; Ruiz, B.
• Food Factor Conference 2017. Title: Effect of essential oils obtained from oregano and thyme on the growth rate of Listeria monocytogenes and lactic acid bacteria in RTE meat products. Authors: S. Marco-Aguilar¹; A. De Benito-Armas¹; D. Rivera¹; M. Navarro¹; A. Gamero¹; J. García-Pina²; J. González²; B. Ruiz¹.
• Food Factor Barcelona Conference, 24 November 2016. Title: Effect of essential oils obtained from oregano and thyme on the growth rate of Listeria monocytogenes and lactic acid bacteria in RTE meat products. Authors: S. Marco-Aguilar, A. De Benito-Armas, D. Rivera, M. Navarro, A. Gamero, J. García-Pina, J. González, B. Ruiz.
• European Nutrition Conference 2015. October, Berlin. Title: Functional bread enriched with microencapsulated iron. Authors: M. Bryszewska; M.P. Villalba; L. Tomás; E. Gallego; B. Viadel; A. Gianotti; M.L. Llin; M.M. Sanchez; D. Rivera; L. Rychel.
• VII Reunión de Expertos en Fluidos Comprimidos, Barcelona, 12-13 June 2014. Title: Intensification of supercritical CO2 extraction using high-power ultrasounds (UAP): effects on almond oil yield. Authors: García, E.; Casas, J.; Montañés, D.; Rivera, A.; Tornero, A.
• 4th International Conference on Food Digestion, Naples, Italy, March 17-19, 2015. Title: In vitro evaluation of iron bioaccessibility in microencapsulated iron-enriched breads. Authors: M.P. Villalba, B. Viadel, E. Gallego, L. Tomás-Cobos, J.D. Rivera, M. Sanchez, M. Llin, D.L. Taneyo Saa, A. Bordoni, A. Gianotti, M.A. Bryszewska.
• 28th Conference and 7th International Conference on the Food Factory for the Future, EFFOST, Uppsala, Sweden, 25-28 November 2014. Title: Iron microencapsulation to enhance bio-availability in bakery products. Authors: D. Rivera, E. Casas, E. Gallego, M. Sánchez, A. Tornero.
• 19th International Symposium on Microencapsulation, Pamplona, 9-11 September 2013. Title: Microalgae Chlorella vulgaris microencapsulation by spray drying process to improve in vitro immunostimulant effect. Authors: E. Casas, D. Rivera, B. Viadel, L. Tomás-Cobos, M. Villa-Carvajal.
• VI Spanish Congress of Science and Food Technology (CESIA2012), Ciudad Real, 7-9 November 2012. Title: In vitro modulation of intestinal microbiota to study bioactive compounds functionality. Authors: B. Viadel, S. Porta, A. Rodrigo, J.L. Gómez, M. Valverde, D. Rivera, J. García.
• VI Spanish Congress of Science and Food Technology (CESIA2012), Ciudad Real, 7-9 November 2012. Title: Immunostimulant extracts production from Spirulina platensis microalgae using GRAS processes. Authors: E. Casas, L. Tomás-Cobos, M. García-Suárez, D. Rivera, M. Villa-Carvajal.
• VI National Congress of Science and Food Technology (CYTA 2011), Valencia, 8-10 June 2011. Title: Ultrasounds assisted dense gas extraction: Mass transfer improvement for almond oil extraction. Authors: M. Blasco, E. Riera, J. García, D. Rivera, M. García, E. Casas.
• VI National Congress of Science and Food Technology (CYTA 2011), Valencia, 8-10 June 2011. Title: Technological base of nanoencapsulation production for food sectors. Authors: J. García, A. Tornero, D. Rivera, M. García, E. Casas.
• VI Spanish Congress of Science and Food Technology (CESIA2010), Logroño, 6-8 October 2010. Title: High density ultrasounds effect on mass transfer zone in supercritical extraction processes. Authors: M. Blasco, J. García-Reverter, E. Casas, M. García, D. Rivera, E. Riera.
• International Scientific Conference Biogas Science, Erding, Germany, 2-4 December 2009. Title: Effects of limonene on anaerobic co-digestion of citrus waste. Authors: B. Ruíz, D. Rivera, A. Pascual.
• V Spanish Congress on Food Technology / II Latin-American Congress on Food Security, Barcelona, 5-7 November 2008. Title: Biological polymer degradation through production and selection of starter cultures. Authors: M. Villa-Carvajal, D. Rivera, V. Capilla, J.A. Gardé.
• 11th European Meeting on Supercritical Fluids, Barcelona, 4-7 May 2008. Title: On-line solute concentration determination in SC-CO₂ by applying spectrophotometer techniques. Authors: E. Casas, L. Cervera, D. Rivera, M. Blasco.

Executive Committee Member of the Bioencapsulation Research Group