Fundação André Tosello

Fundação André Tosello — formally Fundação Tropical de Pesquisa e Tecnologia "André Tosello" (Tropical Foundation for Research and Technology "André Tosello") — is a Brazilian private, non-profit scientific and technological institution headquartered in Campinas, São Paulo. Founded in 1971, the organization was established to promote and disseminate scientific and technological knowledge through research and the transfer of new techniques between academia and industry. Since 1988, FAT has administered the Coleção de Culturas Tropical (CCT, Tropical Culture Collection), one of the world's most significant microbial repositories, and has built a broad portfolio of contract laboratory services spanning microbiological analysis, sensory evaluation, material biodegradation testing, and industrial microbiology consulting. FAT serves clients across pharmaceutical, food and beverage, cosmetics, chemicals, materials, and agro-industrial sectors throughout Brazil.

The foundation's core analytical capability is microbiological testing. FAT's laboratory performs detection, enumeration, and isolation of microorganisms in raw materials, industrialized products, and water samples, covering bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts. Specific microorganism identification is carried out using classical methods — morphological characterization and biochemical tests — as well as molecular techniques including 16S rRNA DNA sequence analysis and the use of universal and specific primers. These identification services allow clients in quality control and regulatory compliance to confirm the identity of contaminant or process microorganisms with scientific rigor. Analyses are referenced against established international norms including ASTM, TAPPI, AOAC, APHA, EPA, and FDA methods, giving results relevance for global export markets.

Beyond basic enumeration and identification, FAT provides a suite of specialized industrial microbiology tests. These include disinfectant efficacy and antimicrobial agent testing, biodeterioration and biocorrosion evaluations, and challenge tests — all performed in accordance with major international standards. The laboratory also conducts sterilization validation studies, filtration efficiency testing, and autoclave validation. Material biodegradation and resistance testing covers substrates such as leather, paper, protective coatings, plastics, electronics components, lubricating oils, and polymers — a capability set that makes FAT a valued partner for materials manufacturers seeking evidence of product durability or vulnerability to microbial attack. Shelf life and stability testing for finished products rounds out the contamination-control and product-integrity service offering.

The CCT — Tropical Culture Collection — is the crown jewel of FAT's scientific infrastructure, holding more than 7,600 authenticated strains of bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts built up over more than four decades. The collection spans reference strains for microbial systematics and taxonomy, quality-control and validation microorganisms for industrial processes, industrial testing strains used in disinfectant challenge tests and biodeterioration evaluations, microorganisms from Brazilian environmental research, and biotechnologically promising strains. FAT supplies certified reference cultures to clients who require authenticated strains for their own in-house quality control, method validation, or regulatory submissions. The collection is accessible through an online catalog (Catálogo de Culturas Online) and the ColectaDigital platform, making it a unique resource for the Brazilian and international scientific community.

FAT also operates a dedicated service line for the sugar-alcohol industry (Indústria Sucroalcooleira) — a strategically critical sector in Brazil. This includes microbiological monitoring and consulting services tailored to ethanol fermentation processes, where yeast performance, bacterial contamination, and process hygiene are decisive for yield and product quality. Complementing these process microbiology services is a sensory analysis capability (Análise Sensorial) that enables food, beverage, and related product manufacturers to assess organoleptic properties alongside microbiological data. Training programs in industrial microbiology, quality control, and laboratory methods are offered regularly and can be customized to client workforce needs.

Industries served by FAT span food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, chemicals, materials and polymers, environmental monitoring, and agro-industrial processing. The laboratory handles a wide variety of sample matrices — from raw agricultural inputs and fermentation process intermediates to finished packaged goods, water, and industrial materials — making it a versatile contract testing partner regardless of where in the supply chain the client's need arises. The combination of routine enumeration and identification with advanced molecular diagnostics, specialized challenge testing, and industrial strain supply gives FAT capability across both standard quality-control panels and more complex or novel industrial microbiology questions.

Institutional credibility is underscored by FAT's longstanding collaborations with leading Brazilian and international research organizations, including EMBRAPA (Brazil's agricultural research corporation), UNICAMP (University of Campinas), IPT (Institute for Technological Research), CENPES (Petrobras Research Center), and major funding agencies FAPESP, CNPq, and FINEP, as well as the Ministry of Health and the World Bank. The foundation's professional staff hold master's and doctoral degrees in relevant scientific disciplines and are committed to continuous technical development. Located at Rua Latino Coelho, 1301, Parque Taquaral, Campinas, São Paulo — Brazil's premier science and technology corridor — FAT combines one of the world's most important microbial culture collections with a full range of applied contract laboratory services, positioning it as a well-established and authoritative testing partner for clients seeking rigorous Brazilian microbiological expertise.