Associate professor at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL) of the University of Bologna since 2022, performing research in the field of instrumental and sensory analysis of foods and sustainable food technologies. Main interests lie in the analytical methods for assessing quality and authenticity of olive oil. He has been involved - and is currently part- of research teams in several national and EU research projects. He is delegate for orientation for the DISTAL bachelor and master degree courses held in Cesena.
Education
Bachelor degree in Food Science and Technology (University of Bologna) in 2006, he got at the same university the Master Degree in Food Science and Technology in 2009 and the PhD in Food Science and Biotechnology in 2013, defending a research thesis titled "Analytical methods for evaluating the quality and the genuineness of olive oils ". In 2011, he had a 4-months research stay at the Institute of Food and Beverage Innovation of the Univerisity of Applied Sciences in Zurich, focused on the application of statistical methods to elaborate the sensory results related to olive oils.
Academic career
He was Junior assistant professor from 2017 to 2019 at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna. After several years as research fellow at the same Department and at the Interdepartmental Centre for Industrial Agrofood Research at the University of Bologna, in 2019 he becomes Senior assistant professor (fixed-term) at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna and since 2022 he has been Associate Professor. He obtained the National Scientific Qualification as Full Professor, sector 07 / F1, Food Science and Technology.
For the academic years 2016-2017 and 2018-2019, he has been an adjunct Professor at the University of Bologna. In June-July 2018 he has been visiting scholar in a research stay at the University of California, UC Davis. Publications: https://www.unibo.it/sitoweb/enrico.valli4/publications
Teaching activities
In the 2016–2017 academic year, he was an adjunct professor for the practical module of Applications of Unit Operations (Module 2) within the Degree Programme in Food Technology (University of Bologna). Since the 2018–2019 academic year, he has taught the course “Sustainable Food Technologies” within the Master’s Degree Programme in Science and Management of Nature (international curriculum “Global Change Ecology and Sustainable Development Goals”, University of Bologna). Since the 2020–2021 academic year, he has taught the module “Food Analysis” (Master’s Degree in Food Science and Technology, UNIBO) and, until the 2022–2023 academic year, the module “Environmental Impact and Reuse of Food Industry Wastewater” (Bachelor’s Degree in Land and Agro-Forestry Environmental Sciences, UNIBO). Since the 2026–2027 academic year, he has taught Food Technologies (Bachelor’s Degree in Food Technology, UNIBO) and “Food Analysis” (Master’s Degree in Chemistry, UNIBO). Since the 2025–2026 academic year, he has taught the course “Supplementary Laboratory Activities” (2 ECTS credits, Master’s Degree in Food Science and Technology, UNIBO).
In 2014, 2015, and 2016, he organised and carried out tutoring and teaching activities for Summer Schools held at the University of Bologna, focused on the writing of scientific articles in the field of Food Science and Technology.
Since the 2022–2023 academic year, he has taught “Forensic Food Chemical Analysis” within the second-level Professional Master’s Programme in “Forensic Chemical and Chemical-Toxicological Analyses” at the University of Bologna.
He is the lecturer and course coordinator for “Food Loss: Reduction, Management and Valorization” (16 hours), for the 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 academic years, within the PhD programme in “Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science and Technology” at the University of Bologna.
He coordinates the BEP course “Precision Agriculture and Sustainable Food” within the SHARE_Africa project.
Scientific activities
Participation in numerous national and international research projects including:
- PRIN 2009 project "Innovative technological applications to increase the yield of virgin olive oil and seed extraction and control of their quality.", 17 October 2011 - 17 Occtober 2013.
- FARB project “Sensory and fast instrumental analyses of meat and meat products: an integrated approach for quality control and communication - MEATING project”, 1 February 2014 – 31 January 2016.
- EU H2020-SFS-2015-1, AUTHENT-NET “Food Authenticity Research Network” (Grant Agreement No. 696371), 1 April 2016 - 31 March 2018.
- POR FESR project 2014-2020 Emilia Romagna Region "Food Crossing District. Industrial symbiosis: new, shareable foods and products and a circular economies map in Emilia-Romagna ", 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2018.
- EU H2020-SFS-2014-2 project, OLEUM “Advanced solutions for assuring authenticity and quality of olive oil at global scale ” (Grant Agreement No. 635690), 1 September 2016 - 28 February 2021.
- EIT FOOD project “Professional Integrate Professional Development Advanced”, 2022.
- PRIMA project SUSTAINOLIVE "Novel approaches to promote the SUSTAInability of OLIVE cultivation in the Mediterranean" (Grant Agreement no. 813904), 1 July 2019 - 30 June 2023.
- EU H2020 project, FOODLAND “FOOD and Local, Agricultural, and Nutritional Diversity” (Grant agreement No 862802), 1 September 2020 - 31 August 2024.
- EIT Food 2021, call Innovation, “REIMS-based analysis platform for improved traceability and consumer purchase intention of high-end food products”, January 2021- December 2021).
- Alma Idea 2022 project INARIM - INdagini analitiche rapide dell’ARoma e di IMmagine su prodotti alimentari di origine animale (INARIM), August 2022-December 2023. Role: Principal Investigator.
-PRIMA SECTION 1 “Circular and Inclusive utilisation of alternative PROteins in the MEDiterranean value chains (CIPROMED), 2023-2026.
-PRIMA SECTION 2 “Innovative sustainable solutions for ready-to-eat traditional Mediterranean products and non-conventional healthy foods (InnoSol4Med)”, 2023-2026.
-PNRR AGRITECH “National Research Centre for Agricultural Technologies. Role: UNIBO Task Leader, Task 8.2.1 “Biotechnologies to produce electricity/heat and advanced fuel from wastes”.
-ERASMUS + project CIRCOLIVE "Developing skills for introducing circular business models and digital technologies in olive oil sector", 2024-2027. Role: UNIBO scientific responsible.
Participation in several research collaboration through research contracts between the University of Bologna and food/non-food companies.
Referee for several international and Italian scientific journals in the field of Food Science and Technology.
Sensory Project Manager qualification issued by the Italian Society of Sensory Science since 2016.
Institutional activities and academic appointments
Tutor of the Bachelor Degree Programme in Food Science and Technology (2009-2010) and in Food Technology (2010-2011, 2011-2012) of the University of Bologna, conducting support activities for teaching of students.
For the academic year 2016-2017, he has been an adjunct Professor of the "Applications of Unit Operations" (module 2) in the Bachelor Degree Programme of Food Technology (University of Bologna).
He is supervisor and co-supervisor of several students’ final elaborates within the Bachelor Degree Programme of Food Technology and the Master Degree in Food Science and Technology, Science and Management of Nature and Chemistry (University of Bologna).
Web site coordinator for the website of the Interdepartmental Center for Industrial Agri-Food Research of the University of Bologna from 26 February 2020.
Member of the Communication Commission of the Interdepartmental Center for Agri-Food Industrial Research of the University of Bologna since 26 February 2020.
Communications and Promotion Manager/Web Editor and Author for the CIRI Agroalimentare since January 2026.
Member of the QA Management Commission since 2021 and President of the Credit Recognition Teaching Commission for the Master's Degree Course in Food Science and Technology of the University of Bologna.
Delegate for orientation for the bachelor and master degrees of the DISTAL - Cesena site since 2024.
Member of the PhD Faculty Board for the PhD programme in “Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science and Technology” since 2024.
Member of scientific and editorial committees.
Assistant Editor for the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis (ELSEVIER), from 1 April 2014 to 31 December 2016.
Section Board Member and Academic Editor for the scientific journal Foods (MDPI) since 2020.
Editorial Board Member for the scientific journal JSFA Reports (Wiley) since 2021.
Associate Editor for the section “Sustainable Food Processing” of the scientific journal "Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems" since 2023.
Prizes and awards
- "Guido Paolucci" award, established by the Rotary club of Bologna with the patronage of the University of Bologna, for having had the best curriculum in the academic year 2007/2008 in all the agricultural degree courses.
- Prize from the Italian Academy of Cooking for the best thesis within the Master Degree in Food Science and Technology discussed at the Cesena Food Science Campus of the University of Bologna, in the academic year 2007/2008.
- Award “EVOO Excellence in Research Award” for under-45 researchers working in the area of virgin olive oils, given on 22 January 2020 in Bari.
- Award “Antico Fattore 2022” - category: “Elaiotecnica: dalla gestione dell’elaiopolio alle moderne tecnologie per migliorare la qualità del prodotto” given by the Accademia dei Georgofili.
Other activities
Since 2016, member of the Professional Committee of virgin olive oil tasters of the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences of the University of Bologna.
DISTAL Delegate for the University's Center of Strategic Interest, "Alma Mater Institute on Healthy Planet" (Alma Healthy Planet), from July 22, 2025.
Member of the Clust-ER Agroalimentare Research Project Working Group since February 2023.
Responsible for the initiative to share European calls for innovation projects aimed at Cluster-ER Agroalimentare members starting June 2025.
