Davide Gottardi

Junior assistant professor (fixed-term) since february 2022. My main research topics regard: 1) Identification, characterization, and selection of microbial cultures of industrial and food interest (including starter, co-starter, biocontrol and probiotic cultures) to produce traditional and innovative foods; 2) Use of natural antimicrobials (essential oils, microbial metabolites, bacteriocins, peptides) for food preservation or functional enhancement; 3) Evaluation of pro and prebiotic activity though in vitro models of the human microbial ecosystem; 4) Isolation and characterization of conventional and new generation probiotics; 5) selection of microbial cultures and enzymes to set up bio-technological processes aiming to valorize agro-industrial side-streams and by-products into added value compounds; and 6) non-thermal technologies, including high pressure homogenization, to improve food safety, shelf-life and functionality.